The Florida Herald on June 10th, 1835, discusses laws of the United States, extracts from letters and other newspapers, the gold mines of the south, a section titled "Confession of a Pirate," word of a cholera outbreak from The Natchez Courier, the death of Reverend Parker Adams from consumption, and advertisements for enslaved persons to work at the saw mill. Page three of the newspaper includes a posting titled "Committed to Jail" where two runaway enslaved persons were arrested. The posting describes the physical characteristics of these men and that they identified themselves as Chambers and William but now call themselves John Smith and Tom Brown.
A letter from Elias Ball IV at Limerick Plantation to Elias "Wambaw" Ball III exiled in Bristol, England discussing family, health, the upcoming marriage between Elias Ball III's daughter and "young Moultrie," the lands of England, the South Carolina legislature passing a tax bill on enslaved persons, agreements with the "Torey's," a bill of exchange for money due and accounts current, the removal of "Old Tom" from Wambaw, missing enslaved runaways, the work of various enslaved persons, and the sale of Elias Ball III's enslaved persons for cash by Mr. Gaillard.
A letter to Charlotte Allston from the overseer at Chicora Wood Plantation discussing crops, a sickness on the plantation and resistance from enslaved persons, particularly females, following Stephen's departure. Makes notation that the enslaved person Toney came back and has not been punished. According to Toney, Stephen tricked Toney to travel with him, only to be told later on that Stephen, who was supposedly armed, was taking his family to the "Yankees" and that Toney needs to come with them. Toney eventually was able to leave and return to the plantation.
A letter to Charlotte Allston from the overseer at Nightingale Hall Plantation discussing tasks performed by enslaved persons as well as those who are sick and crops. Makes a notation about the enslaved person Toney from Chicora Wood Plantation who returned from the "yankees." The overseer believes Toney and his family should be sent to North Carolina as he does not wish to have him sent to the military.
A reply letter from Robert Heriot to Mary Heriot in which he thanks God for their "miraculous escape" as well as concerns over Heriot's status as a prisoner of war on parole, his plea that the British require no "test of allegiance" for the inhabitants of Waccamaw (Georgetown County, S.C.), family and financial matters, and the fate of enslaved persons who ran away from the Heriot plantation.
A letter from Mary Heriot to Robert Heriot concerning a "narrow escape" which she and her family experienced during fighting near their home. Makes note that Gentry was shot and that there is an order to apprehend runaway enslaved persons from the plantation.
This is a Sandy Island plantation journal written inside of the South Carolina and Georgia Almanac for the year 1797. The plantation journal documents the planting of crops (rice, corn and potatoes), slave records (including runaway slaves), accounts, the weather, and business relations with Laurel Hill Plantation.
This is a Sandy Island plantation journal written inside of a South Carolina and Georgia almanac for the year 1798. The plantation journal documents the planting of crops (rice, corn and potatoes), runaway slaves (including women and children), business relations with Laurel Hill Plantation, the hiring of Mrs. Taylor's bricklayers, illness, the weather, calculations, and the receipt of cypress planks from Plowden Weston.
The Times on Monday, January 8th, 1810, discusses the sale of numerous properties, help wanted for a female cook, an overseer and a wet nurse, and regimental orders from Captain Stephen Lee. The front page of the newspaper includes an advertisement for a ten dollar reward for the runaway enslaved man named Dick. The advertisement by Rhodes and Otis states that Dick is owned by Isaac Jenkins of Hilton Head "having on a pair of handcuffs" and that "all persons are cautioned against harboring said negro, as the law will be rigidly endorsed on any one detected in so doing." Also advertised are "130 country born Negroes" and a plantation belonging to the late Joseph Fuller. The posting states that all the enslaved persons are "to be sold in families." The remainder of the newspaper includes medicine advertisements, the Charleston Theatre, a one hundred dollar reward for six deserters from Fort Johnson, an obituary for Elias Ball, "Marine intelligence," hiring advertisements for an overseer and a "strong negro girl" for washing, and a five dollar reward for the runaway enslaved man named Ben. The newspaper also includes "Sales By Auction" which advertises the auction of a "likely country born negro girl, about 18 years old" identified as a "likely African Girl," an advertisement titled "Sundry Negroes" owned by Thomas Pruly, and "house servants" and "farm negroes" on Charleston Neck.
The Account of Enslaved Persons and Various Stories, 1831-1844, is kept by or for a member of the Ball family. The first half of the account book contains various lists of enslaved men, women and children owned by John Ball at Comingtee/Stoke, Kensington and Midway Plantations in Berkeley County, South Carolina. These lists include enslaved persons given first or second quality blankets, cloth, clothes and osnaburg fabric as well as lists of pregnant enslaved women or enslaved infants given clothes.
The second half of the book contains stories retold by various persons on topics such as an eyewitness account of the Steamship Pulaski Disaster in 1838, stories of enslaved persons including the execution of an enslaved man, stories about the family of George Chicken, eyewitness accounts of the British occupation in Charleston during the Revolutionary War, numerous ghost stories and an account of the first settlers of Charlestown.
