Bayside Plantation, Iberia Parish, Louisiana

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Iberia, Louisiana, United States
Surnames/tags: Richardson Slavery Black_Heritage

Plantations Index

Louisiana Plantations

Biography

Francis DuBose Richardson was apparently born in Wilkinson County, Mississippi, in 1812, but came to Louisiana with his father, John Gaulden Richardson (1785-1856) and family in the 1820s.^[1]

Francis DuBose Richardson married Bethia F. Liddell (d. 1852), and in January 1846, moved with his family, hired hands, and slaves to set up Bayside Plantation^[2] on Bayou Teche, (now in Iberia Parish), Louisiana. Bayside was set up to be a sugar plantation. It was named Bayside because of the dense bay trees on the plantation.^[3]

Bayside Plantation continued to operate until mid-December 1862, when everyone was moved to a plantation "in the woods on Bayou Mallet," in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, in response to the arrival in the area of the Union army.

When the war ended, attempts were made to contract freedmen and other labor to work on the plantations, with varying success."^[4]

Slaves

An 1849 Shoes and Blankets list which names some of the enslaved at Bayside Plantation:^[5]

Oct 1849 - Men

1. Allen
2. Anderson
3. Billy
4. David
5. Drew
6. L. Drew
7. Daniel
8. Eli
9. Ephraim
10. Frank
11. Frederic
12. Howard
13. Henry
14. Horace
15. Jack
16. Jim
17. John
18. Jordan
19. Isaac
20. Monday
21. Martin
22. Miles
23. March
24. B. Peter
25. L. Peter
26. Plenty
27. Quaco
28. Romeo
29. Reuben
30. Stephen
31. Thomas
32. Winston
33. William
34. Washington
35. Zack
36. Madison
37. Granger
38. Arch
39. Henry
40. L. Reuben
41. George

Oct 1849 - Women

1. Lydia
2. Sarah
3. Amelia
4. L Betsey
5. Ceney
6. Chloe
7. Caroline
8. Desdemona
9. Elvira
10. Elendor
11. Francina
12. Fanny
13. HL Hulda
14. HL Ann
15. Hulda
16. Hannah
17. Hester
18. HL Romeo
19. Kitty
20. Louisa
21. Lynda
22. Martha
23. Margaret
24. Matilda
25. Milly
26. Mary
27. Molsey
28. Molly
29. Neily
30. Pressy
31. Rhoda
32. Sylvia
33. Susan
34. Tab
35. Betsey
36. Amanda

Jan 1852 - These enslaved persons were paid on the amount of corn and Sunday work they did in 1851:^[6]

1. Billy $4
2. David $5
3. Ephraim $4
4. Frank $3.50
5. Jordan $5
6. Isaac $5
7. March $5
8. L Peter $1.50
9. Stephen $4
10. Winston $5
11. William $3
12. Washington $4
13. Amelia $3
14. L Betsey $1.50
15. Fanny $2
16. HL Hulda $5
17. Hulda $4
18. HL Ann $4
19. Kitty $4
20. Martha $4
21. Mary $4
22. Molsey $4
23. Pressy $2

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.peterpatout.com/uploads/9/3/9/5/93954776/bayside_plantation_pip.pdf
   • family history p.38
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayside_(Jeanerette,_Louisiana)
3. ↑ Historical Marker Database https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=85042
4. ↑ Four volumes of information on the plantation can be found https://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/00053/
5. ↑ Bayside Plantation Records, 1846-1866 https://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/00053/#folder_1#1
   • Image scan 218
6. ↑ Bayside Plantation Records, 1846-1866 https://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/00053/#folder_1#1
   • image scan 184