Letter from J. Robert Coburn, missionary, to James B. Heyward requesting refreshments for himself and his pony during his stay at Fife Plantation. 1p. February 27, 1863.
Letter from James B. Heyward at Combahee to his wife Maria Heyward. James was unable to travel to Savannah as planned due to skirmishes at "Coosahatchie." He mentions the death of an "Edward" at the "Church Creek encampment" and bemoans his inability to get news on local troop movements and battles writing "Sunday night the enemy made a raid on the other side of Combahee and I never heard of it until Tuesday. I fear sometimes they may capture me in bed." 6p.
Letter from James B. Heyward at Combahee to his wife Maria Heyward. James has traveled back down to his Combahee plantation from Columbia with the hope of being able to check on the condition of his Fife Plantation near Savannah, if the news of the enemy is favorable. He apparently enjoys being back on his own plantation writing "it is delightful here." 3p. December 6, 1864.
Letter from William Whaley to William McBurney instructing him that "the negroes planting at Dean Hall" should repair a broken floodgate and permitting the manager (Thomas Ferguson) to use his former slaves, "such of mine as are [still] on the plantation," to assist. 2p. October 25, 1865.
Letter from Freedmen's Bureau agent F.M. Montell to Lt. James Hann concerning the former slaves still residing at Dean Hall Plantation. Montell writes that Thomas Ferguson wants the freedmen removed "as they have no rights to reside on the plantation after the division of their crops" and that he doesn't want "to have the bad example of idle men" influencing his future hires. Montell also writes of several cases of small pox on the plantation and asks the lieutenant for military help to resolve the situation and provide the "care and attention which the Freedmens Bureau have not the means of affording them." 2p. November 21, 1865.
Letter from Gabriel Edward Manigault to James B. Heyward describing the enormous changes that have occurred in Charleston "since the new regime" took over. He laments the loss of his servants and writes that, given the economic stagnation of the times, "I see nothing but starvation staring the negroes in the face." 4p. May 22, 1865.
1865 Petition of Thomas B. Ferguson to General John Hatch, commander of the Northern District, Department of the South, for the return of a large quantity of rice which was confiscated from his father, James. Of an approximate 7000 bushels of rice, Ferguson has been able to locate only 1185 bushels which were transported by the sloop "Julia" to Bennett's rice mill in Charleston. Ferguson's petition makes the plea that the rice "is the only means his father has for supporting and subsisting a large family. 3p.
1865 Petition of Thomas B. Ferguson to General John Hatch, commander of the Northern District, Department of the South, for the return of goods confiscated at the plantations of his father, James. 3p.
Record of transactions at Bennett's Mill, Charleston, concerning the sale of 1185 bushels of rice. The miller's receipt was apparently used in support of Thomas Ferguson's petition to be remunerated for the seizure of his father's rice. 5p. May 30, 1865.
Certified statement from a miller at Bennett's Mill concerning the purchase of rice taken from James Ferguson's Dockon Plantation. The note was apparently used in defense of Thomas Ferguson's petition to reclaim or be remunerated for the confiscated rice. 2p. June 26, 1865.
Certified statement from the former overseer concerning rice taken from James Ferguson's Dockon Plantation. The note was apparently used in defense of Thomas Ferguson's petition to reclaim or be remunerated for the confiscated rice. 2p. June 20, 1865.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson informing him that he is sending "8 Irishmen" to Dean Hall Plantation "with six spades and three long handled shovels." 4p. November 19, 1865.
Update from F.M. Montell of the Freedmen's Bureau to Capt. Hodges concerning the removal of former slaves still residing at Dean Hall Plantation. 2p. December 19, 1865.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson acknowledging that he is granted authority to act in the stead of McBurney and William Whaley on all matters pertaining to Dean Hall Plantation and mentions a controversy over logging that was occurring there. He also mentions that Whaley has had his Edisto property restored to him and wants all his "people to be ready to move." 2p. October 21, 1865.
Letter from William McBurney affirming Thomas B. Ferguson's authority to manage Dean Hall Plantation. He encourages Ferguson to show patience "in dealing with the negroes" and fears that any other treatment "may cause the buildings to be laid in ashes, as was the case in my late brothers place." He informs Ferguson that "Mr. Whaleys negroes have the right to remain on the place until January if he does not remove them before, or they do not remove of their own accord." 2p. October 23, 1865.
Second certified statement from the former overseer concerning rice taken from James Ferguson's Dockon Plantation. The note was apparently used in defense of Thomas Ferguson's petition to reclaim or be remunerated for the confiscated rice. 2p. June 23, 1865.
Memorandum between Thomas B. Ferguson, William McBurney, John J. Darcy, Michael Darcy, and John O'Mara to repair the engine and boiler of the rice mill at Dean Hall Plantation. 5p. August 23, 1865.
Printed circular from the War Department, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned lands, concerning the confiscation of property in the "insurrectionary States" with detailed instructions on how said lands can be restored to the previous owner. 3p. September 28, 1865.
1865 Letter, exact date unknown, from R. Felker to Mr. Heyward giving him a list of cotton weights and an update on the search for Mr. Heyward's lost hogs. 2p.
Third certified statement from the former overseer concerning rice taken from James Ferguson's Dockon Plantation. The note was apparently used in defense of Thomas Ferguson's petition to reclaim or be remunerated for the confiscated rice. 1p. June 26, 1865.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson at Dean Hall Plantation. McBurney discusses the recurring problem of obtaining a steady supply of labor for Dean Hall and sends Ferguson several bushels of "Fripp" cotton seed. 6p.
Letter from A. E. Niles of the Freedmen's Bureau to Thomas B. Ferguson at Dean Hall Plantation affirming the dismissal of a freedmen laborer from Ferguson's employ. 1p. November 7, 1866.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson at Dean Hall Plantation. McBurney writes about supplies for Dean Hall and the best strategy of repairing a dam on one of the mill ponds. He claims that they will be able to get enough labor to keep the mill running but reports difficulty in securing "rice hands." He comments that someone has offered to buy Dean Hall or takeover management after Ferguson's agreement to do so expires. 3p. April 20, 1866.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson concerning operations at Dean Hall Plantation. McBurney relates that he has been approached to provide lumber for building houses in town and asks Ferguson if the mill can provide it. 2p. April 26, 1866.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson concerning operations at Dean Hall Plantation. McBurney writes about a mix up in an order for a saw blade and mentions that he visited a laborer in the hospital who had been injured at Dean Hall. 2p. May 2, 1866.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson concerning a shipment of supplies that arrived without an invoice. McBurney wants Ferguson to inventory the contents of the shipment to compare later to the invoice. 2p. March 7, 1866.
Second letter of May 5, 1866, from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson. McBurney asks Ferguson to finish the tax returns on Dean Hall and sends him a mill worker. The laborer has agreed to the $15 per month salary with rations "consisting of one peck corn, or ten quarts of meal and three lbs of bacon pr week and one quart of Salt and one quart of molasses pr month." 2p.
Third letter of May 5, 1866, from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson. McBurney discusses the ongoing struggle to obtain a saw blade of the correct dimensions claiming the company he ordered it from cannot forge one because the proper sized plate "is on board the colera (sic) ship and cannot be had until she is permitted to discharge cargo." 2p.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson concerning supplies for Dean Hall Plantation. Included among the supplies is a barrel of whiskey that is to be mixed with quinine and taken as a prophylactic and McBurney hopes this "judicious use of the preventatives will aid in keeping off sickness." 1p. June 21, 1866.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson concerning supplies sent to Dean Hall Plantation. McBurney apologizes for sending articles on the sloop "Bird" instead of the "R E Lee" and returns a butter tin sent to him by Ferguson. He writes, "I think your dairy maid needs instruction,..., Mrs. McB thanks you for the butter but thinks there is room for improvement." 1p. July 21, 1866.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson concerning supplies sent to Dean Hall Plantation. McBurney writes that this is an unplanned trip up the river to Dean Hall for "Cap Christian" and he might expect Ferguson to have something to ship back to town to make it worth his while. 1p. July 2, 1866.
Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson informing him that he is sending payroll money to Dean Hall Plantation. The payment of the wages has left McBurney without any money and he fears that the saw mill on the plantation will not generate any profit. 1p. July 5, 1866.
William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson concerning operations at Dean Hall Plantation. McBurney describes two different kinds of rice he is sending to Dean Hall and suggests that Ferguson plant the better rice "in a field by itself" for next year's seed crop. He is sending more laborers and supplies to Ferguson, remarking that "Bacon is up in price today." 4p. May 28, 1866.
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Heyward and Ferguson Family Papers, 1806-1923[remove]169
![232. Receipt of payment by Thomas B. Ferguson to E. F. Benedikt [Benedict?] -- 1865](https://rspace.library.cofc.edu/iiif/image/26567/full/200,/0/default.jpg)
