Plantations of Leon County, Florida

The plantations of Leon County were numerous and vast. Leon County, in the U.S. state of Florida, was a true cotton kingdom. From the 1820s through 1850s Leon County attracted cotton planters from Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, North and South Carolina, plus other states and abroad to its fertile red clay soils and long growing season.

Slaves in Leon County

For some time and up until the early stages of the Civil War, Leon County was the fifth-largest producer of cotton among all counties in Georgia and Florida. (C. Paisley). Another source states that Leon County led the state in cotton production.[1] Because of this, in 1840, there were 654 adult white males, but 3980 "engaged in agriculture".[2] In 1860, 73% of the population of Leon County consisted of enslaved black persons;[3] as was true elsewhere in the South,[4] the value of those enslaved persons far exceeded the value of all the land in the county.[5] Leon County had more people enslaved than any other county in Florida,[6] and it was, therefore, the wealthiest county in Florida.[7] It was also the center of Florida's slave trade.[6]:28

Plantations in 1860

Note: Value = Plantation Value in United States dollars. TA = Total area. IA = Improved area. UA = Unimproved area. Corn = In Bushels. Cotton = Bales of Cotton

Leon County Plantations 1860
PlantationValueTA (acre)IAUAEnslaved peopleCornCotton
William Alderman$5000980 acres (4.0 km2)500 acres (2 km²)480 acres (1.9 km2)36300075
Silas D. Allen$2000550 acres (2.2 km2)250 acres (1 km²)300 acres (1.2 km2)221000180
Jesse Averett, Sr.N/A19,601 acres (79 km2)1,200 acres (5 km2)680 acres (2.8 km2)60250080
William Bailey$42,6702,510 acres (10 km2)825 acres (3.3 km2)564 acres (2.3 km2)754000352
Bannerman$14,4751,440 acres (6 km2)700 acres (2.8 km2)840 acres (3.4 km2)674000120
Barrow Hill$10,0003,990 acres (16 km2)2,590 acres (10 km2)1,400 acres (6 km2)713200204
S. A. Belton$12,000N/A600 acres (2.4 km2)400 acres (1.6 km2)N/A500N/A
Bellevue Plantation$10,000520 acres (2.1 km2)470 acres (1.9 km2)50 acres (0.2 km2)24N/AN/A
Betton Hill$00,00000000000000000000000
Blakely$9000900 acres (3.6 km2)500 acres (2 km²)400N/A300040
William D. Bloxham$70001,400 acres (6 km2)600 acres (2.4 km2)800 acres (3.2 km2)522500100
J. R. Bradford$1300N/A700 acres (2.8 km2)300 acres (1.2 km2)N/A150075
Burgesstown$22,0008,100 acres (33 km2)3,800 acres (15 km2)4,300 acres (17 km2)2741300825
William H. Branch$13,3751,070 acres (4 km2)670 acres (2.7 km2)500 acres (2 km²)573000120
William A. Carr$31,0002000 acres (8 km²)1000 acres (4 km²)1,000 acres (4 km2)775000260
Casa de Laga$15,0001,228 acres (5 km2)800 acres (3.2 km2)428 acres (1.7 km2)703000200
Josesph Chaires$50,0003,800 acres (15 km2)1,400 acres (6 km2)2,400 acres (10 km2)1305000200
Chemonie$18,4001,840 acres (7 km2)1000 acres (4 km²)800 acres (3.2 km2)645000200
J. B. Christie$12,0001,420 acres (6 km2)600 acres (2.4 km2)800 acres (3.2 km2)37150080
Charles Cole$7680N/A600 acres (2.4 km2)300 acres (1.2 km2)30150085
Henry Copeland$10,000N/A300 acres (1.2 km2)200 acres (0.8 km2)55300081
John A. Craig$20,0001,150 acres (5 km2)600 acres (2.4 km2)550 acres (2.2 km2)443500150
William P. Craig$13,0001,150 acres (5 km2)690 acres (2.8 km2)350 acres (1.4 km2)38100062
Alex Cromartie$12,6001,255 acres (5 km2)600 acres (2.4 km2)700 acres (2.8 km2)53400090
John Cromartie$5760960 acres (3.9 km2)500 acres (2 km²)460 acres (1.9 km2)52150037
J. Q. Cromartie$13,0001,320 acres (5 km2)300 acres (1.2 km2)840 acres (3.4 km2)40300050
Leon County Plantations 1860 (Continued)
PlantationValueTAIAUASlavesCornCotton
EdgewoodN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
El Destino (partly in Jefferson County)$17,000 (1832)7,638 acres (30.91 km2)
Evergreen Hills$53,6006,700 acres (27 km2)3,600 acres (15 km2)3,100 acres (13 km2)1356000350
Francis Eppes$24,0001,920 acres (8 km2)950 acres (3.8 km2)970 acres (3.9 km2)70300070
A. A. FisherN/A1,144 acres (5 km2)625 acres (2.5 km2)475 acres (1.9 km2)463000105
R. N. Fisher$11,8001,080 acres (4 km2)500 acres (2 km²)580 acres (2.3 km2)453000100
Dr. George Galphin$12,500989 acres (4.0 km2)500 acres (2 km²)500 acres (2.0 km2)50130075
C. B. Gamble$10,000N/A600 acres (2.4 km2)240 acres (1.0 km2)N/A250060
William Germany$20,0003,240 acres (13 km2)1000 acres (4 km²)1,240 acres (5 km2)40150047
Goodwood$33,6401,675 acres (7 km2)1,050 acres (4 km2)625 acres (2.5 km2)582500150
William A. Harvin$11,500N/A600 acres (2.4 km2)550 acres (2.2 km2)36300091
Alex B. Hawkins$38,7002000 acres (8 km²)1,130 acres (5 km2)860 acres (3.5 km2)51180093
Richard Hayward$62,680N/A7,444 acres (30 km2)450 acres (1.8 km2)512000150
Griffin W. Holland$30,0001,600 acres (6 km2)1,200 acres (5 km2)1,400 acres (6 km2)957000225
Horseshoe PlantationSee (Pine Hill)
House Place$16,6001,800 acres (7 km2)900 acres (3.6 km2)900 acres (3.6 km2)473000216
Edward Houstoun$25,000N/A900 acres (3.6 km2)3,600 acres (15 km2)783500180
Ingleside$25,0002,620 acres (11 km2)1500 acres (6 km²)1,140 acres (5 km2)1167000181
James A. Kirksey$33,0002,600 acres (11 km2)1,320 acres (5 km2)1,280 acres (5 km2)1806000454
La Grange$55,2004,150 acres (17 km2)3,150 acres (13 km2)1000 acres (4 km²)232N/AN/A
T. B. Lamar$15001,120 acres (5 km2)1,200 acres (5 km2)750 acres (3 km²)412000100
Thomas J. Laversage$80001,560 acres (6 km2)1,700 acres (7 km2)300 acres (1.2 km2)48200070
Live Oak$40001,560 acres (6 km2)820 acres (3.3 km2)260 acres (1.1 km2)68200073
Ellen C. Long$13,000N/A700 acres (2.8 km2)500 acres (2 km²)521800120
Daniel B. Meginniss$40,0001,600 acres (6 km2)800 acres (3.2 km2)810 acres (3.3 km2)703000150
John Miller$35,0002,517 acres (10 km2)1,400 acres (6 km2)1,300 acres (5 km2)805000180
Leon County Plantations 1860 (Continued)
PlantationValueTAIAUASlavesCornCotton
Miccosukee$35,0002,517 acres (10 km2)1,400 acres (6 km2)1,300 acres (5 km2)805000180
John C. Montford$8001,080 acres (4 km2)500 acres (2 km²)540 acres (2.2 km2)35200041
Mossview$20,0002,204 acres (9 km2)1,200 acres (5 km2)1,200 acres (5 km2)80200080
William S. Murray$80001,120 acres (5 km2)520 acres (2.1 km2)400 acres (1.6 km2)33250045
Oaklawn$26,7205,640 acres (23 km2)1,200 acres (5 km2)4,440 acres (18 km2)205000300
Orchard Pond$31,0003,844 acres (16 km2)1,300 acres (5 km2)2,544 acres (10 km2)1184500167
M. D. Papy$90001,200 acres (5 km2)500 acres (2 km²)700 acres (2.8 km2)43300054
William Perkins$15,3001,568 acres (6 km2)900 acres (3.6 km2)800 acres (3.2 km2)42250093
Julian S. Pettes$3000N/A350 acres (1.4 km2)800 acres (3.2 km2)N/A300075
Pine Hill$28,0003,270 acres (13 km2)1500 acres (6 km²)1,770 acres (7 km2)1304000225
Ponder$48,0005000 acres (20 km²)4,756 acres (19 km2)5,756 acres (23 km2)998500206
L. S. Raines$10,0001000 acres (4 km²)500 acres (2 km²)500 acres (2.0 km2)43150075
Thomas Randall$40,000N/A800 acres (3.2 km2)2,800 acres (11 km2)38250075
W. F. Robertson$12,0001,320 acres (5 km2)600 acres (2.4 km2)720 acres (2.9 km2)302000100
J. A. J. Roney$27,000N/A1,580 acres (6 km2)550 acres (2.2 km2)776000198
G. W. Scott$400060 acres (240,000 m2)50 acres (200,000 m2)5 acres (20,000 m2)N/AN/AN/A
R. G. Shepard$24,0001,400 acres (6 km2)800 acres (3.2 km2)600 acres (2.4 km2)901000225
Solomon Sills$5000840 acres (3.4 km2)225 acres (0.9 km2)N/A26971800
Smithwick$10,000520 acres (2.1 km2)350 acres (1.4 km2)250 acres (1 km²)N/A801500
SouthwoodN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Daniel Switzer$6000620 acres (2.5 km2)300 acres (1.2 km2)320 acres (1.3 km2)N/AN/AN/A
Tuscawilla$36,0003000 acres (12 km²)1500 acres (6 km²)1500 acres (6 km²)1723000200
Verdura$20,0002500 acres (10 km²)1000 acres (4 km²)1500 acres (6 km²)632500160
Walnut Hill$12,0002,120 acres (9 km2)1,700 acres (7 km2)420 acres (1.7 km2)65250080
Water Oak$18,4001,840 acres (7 km2)900 acres (3.6 km2)940 acres (3.8 km2)652500130
Waverly$00,0000000000000000000000
J. E. WhitakerN/A2,280 acres (9 km2)1,300 acres (5 km2)1,200 acres (5 km2)942000157
Robert W. Williams$8000N/A400 acres (1.6 km2)400 acres (1.6 km2)37 acres (150,000 m2)2000100
T. B. Winn$13,920N/A800 acres (3.2 km2)364 acres (1.5 km2)52 acres (210,000 m2)300081
WoodlawnN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A

Note: Value = Plantation Value. IA = Improved Acres. UA = Unimproved Acres. Enslaved People = Number of persons enslaved. Machinery = Worth of machinery. Livestock = Worth of livestock.

Leon County Smaller Farms 1860
OwnerValueIAUAEnslaved PeopleMachineryLivestock
E. P. Johnson$141088 acres (360,000 m2)388 acres (1.6 km2)N/A$10$260
William Johnson$141088 acres (360,000 m2)388 acres (1.6 km2)N/A$10$260
E. S. McCollum$100075 acres (300,000 m2)800 acres (3.2 km2)N/A$125$880
Jackson Moody$50025 acres (100,000 m2)165 acres (0.7 km2)N/A$20$300
S. W. Sweatman$1440117 acres (0.5 km2)123 acres (0.5 km2)N/A$100$550

References

  1. Larry E. Rivers, ""Slavery in Microcosm: Leon County, Florida, 1824 to 1860", The Journal of Negro History, Vol. 66, No. 3 (Autumn, 1981), pp. 235-245, at p. 240, https://www.jstor.org/stable/2716918, consulted 6/4/2015.
  2. Works Progress Administration, Historical Records Survey (1941). "Historical Sketch of Leon County". p. 10.
  3. Rivers, p. 237.
  4. David Brion Davis, Inhuman Bondage. The Rise and Fall of Slavery in the New World, Oxford University Press, 2006, ISBN 0195140737, p. 298.
  5. Rivers, p. 243.
  6. Julia Floyd Smith, Slavery and Plantation Growth in Antebellum Florida 1821-1860, Gainesville, University of Florida Press, 1973, ISBN 0813003237, Appendix B, "Excerpts from County Tax Books in Florida Showing Ownership in Acreage and Slaves", pp. 213-222.
  7. Smith, p. 140.

Further reading

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