The Kingsley Plantation

Slaves at Kingsley Plantation 

The Kingsley Plantation is a National Park located on Fort George Island off the ICW (Intra-Coastal Waterway). Thousands of enslaved African Americans were brought here to grow cotton, rice, fruits, and vegetables. The people have now perished, but what remains, a kitchen house, barn, slave cabins, wells, main parlor, and several gardens, is all over 200 years old.

Plantation layout

Reading about slave trade routes.  (Kiawah, anchored in the background)

Dad explains how the holds of ships were designed to carry as many slaves as possible, packed in like sardines.  It was very sad.

The slave cabins (built by slaves themselves) were made out of a cement-like substance called tabby. Tabby is made from oyster shells, water and sand. First you put the oyster shells in a fire, making them crumbly, then you shovel the burnt oyster shells into a bucket of salt water. The oyster shells create a chemical reaction, causing them to break down and make a goo. Then you add sand, making it thicker. Put some whole oyster shells in, and you're good to go! The cabins contained a bench, fire place, and a sleeping area.

Slave cabin made of tabby

Only half of the semi-circle of slave cabins

The plantation was owned by Zephaniah Kingsley, and his wife, Anna Kingsley. Anna was once a slave, believe it or not. Here's the story:

Zephaniah bought Anna in Haiti,  and on the ship back to America, he fell in love with her. Anna gave birth to his son, secretly, on the ship. When they got back to America, he freed Anna and their son, and he and Anna were married. Later on, Anna had two more sons.  Anna lived on the Kingsley Plantation as a slave driver, although, she never treated her slaves harshly.

Crazy, isn't it?

Zephaniah was Spanish. The Spanish believed in the task system. Each slave had one task to get done each day. As soon as that task was done, they could have the rest of the day off.  

The tabby slave cabins were arranged in a semi-circle, because in Anna's hometown, that's how the villagers would arrange their houses. I thought that was pretty cool.

The Kingsley plantation is now owned by Timucan National Preserve, and they have made it a really beautiful place.  But I was very sad to see how the slaves were treated, even at Kingsley Plantation with Anna in charge.  I think slavery is wrong.  Taking people from their home, chaining them to a ship and forcing them to work for nothing just because of their skin color is sickening.  I can see why the people in the south weren't happy when Abe Lincoln said that he wanted to abolish slavery.  They were all relying on slaves to make all their money!  I am really glad that the north won the Civil War and people realized that slavery is wrong.

Love,

Riley

P.S. I am really sorry I haven't been responding to any of your comments. I just wanted you to know that I am reading them all, and they are really wonderful! Hope you understand...