This is a Sandy Island plantation journal written inside of The South Carolina and Georgia Almanac for the year 1792. The plantation journal documents the planting of crops (rice, corns, and potatoes), the maintenance of ditches and drains, slave records, complications with the hiring of an overseer, livestock, and business relations with Laurel Hill Plantation.
1850-1859, 1870-1879, 1860-1869, 1840-1849, 1830-1839, and 1820-1829
Description:
This is the plantation register by Mathurin Guerin Gibbs (1788-1849) for Rice Hope Plantation (January 1, 1824 to December 1844) and Jericho Plantation (December 1844 to 1875). Gibbs, a lawyer before becoming a planter, used the first several pages of the manuscript dating January 1824 to May 1829 for summarizing legal cases. The plantation register primarily documents daily labor activities on the plantation including cultivation and harvesting of staple crops such as corn, cotton (Sea Island Cotton and Santee black seed cotton), rice and potatoes, livestock, and building fences. Gibbes also writes about the use and management of slave labor, the movement of enslaved people between the plantation and Charleston, and selling and purchasing of enslaved people. Slave names are included in portions of the register. Gibbs notes throughout the register the struggles he encounters as a planter including being unable to pay the mortgage of Rice Hope Plantation and the property going into foreclosure. Most of the entries at the end of the register are regarding slave births, slave deaths and distribution of blankets. Gibbs died in 1849 and the management of the plantation was carried out by his son.
A color photograph of two young girls standing in a large field behind a Potato Variety Test sign listing the cooperating partners. Different variations of the potatoes are marked.
A black and white photograph of two men in a field inspecting potato crops, particularly the bliss triumph variety. Various partners in this endeavor are listed.
A color photograph of a man inspecting his crops, using his hat to look underneath the growth. Photograph has a caption on the back that reads, 'Results of too much fertilizer on spuds [informal term for potato] - 4,000 pounds per acre. Beaufort, S.C.'
A color photograph of laborers harvesting potatoes and putting them into barrels in the background while E.W. King [?] observes. Photograph has a caption on the front that reads, '120 bshls [bushels] per acre. E.W. King - St Andrews Parish [Charleston] S.C. 1929.'
A black and white negative of a man standing in a potato field and holding a sign that reads, '600# [600 pounds] 20% of Manure Salts in [? illegible] Addition to [illegible] Fert [fertilizer].'
A color photograph of a man in a potato field standing next to a barrel of harvested potatoes. A caption on the back of the photograph reads, '100 [illegible] spuds [potatoes] per acre.'
A black and white photograph of the Executive Committee of The Agricultural Society of South Carolina at the Charleston County Market. There is a caption written on the photograph.
A black and white negative of a man standing in a potato field and holding a sign that reads, '600# [600 pounds] [illegible]' during a fertilizer experiment.
A letter from John Ball in Newport, Rhode Island to his son John Ball Jr. at Harvard College in Massachusetts discussing letter writing, the improving health of Jane Ball, a rotten potato crop, and the poor health of Aunt Simons.
A copy of a letter from John Ball at Kensington Plantation to Quinby Plantation overseer Tyson Pipkin discussing an attempt to visit Pipkin but since he was not present, information was given to "Linus." The letter goes on to mention that "all the grown negroes" will receive rice and salt and that the "young negroes" are to receive potatoes.
A letter from Kensington Plantation overseer James Coward to John Ball in Charleston on discharging Daniel, sending Pompy off with an allowance, the potato and rice crops, the recovering health of sick children, and construction of a bank fence at Midway Plantation.
A letter from Kensington Plantation overseer James Coward to John Ball in Charleston discussing two sick children, baskets of eggs and potatoes, and the rice crops.
A letter from Kensington Plantation overseer James Coward to John Ball at Comingtee Plantation discussing the corn, rice and potato crops at Midway Plantation, the floodgate, assigning enslaved persons to the field, and a shipment of supplies.
A letter from Kensington Plantation overseer James Coward to John Ball at Comingtee Plantation discussing the health of the family, the corn, potatoes and rice crops at Kensington and Midway Plantations, and the health of Beck's child.
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, crop farming and giving potatoes as an allowance to enslaved children.
