Hermitage Plantation, Chatham County, Georgia

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: 3 miles East of Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia
Surnames/tags: Slavery Black_Heritage Plantations

Index of Plantations

Contents 1 History 1.1 Owners Through the Years 2 Slaves of John Montalet, French Aristocrat 3 Slaves of Henry McAlpin in Census Records 4 Slaves Named in Henry McAlpin's Will 5 The McAlpin Brothers 6 Sources

History

The land the Hermitage Plantation sat on originally was part of the Creek Nation in Indian Territory but was later abandoned. The Crown took over the land in 1750.

The Hermitage Plantation started off as a 100 acre tract of land three miles east of Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia, named Exon. It went through multiple owners through the years, and gradually grew to over 600 acres.

After Henry McAlpin's death in 1851, an appraisement of the property followed in 1853:

"The Hermitage at this time was one of the best equipped and most efficiently run plantations in the country. An appraisement of 1853 shows the mansion furnished with finest household equipment. Some of the rosewood an~ mahogany furniture, imported china, silver and paintings are still owned by descendants of the well-esteemed Scotsman. The plantation was furnished with 16 vehicles, including buggies, carriages and carts; 32 wheelbarrows, various river conveyances; and the most modern farming implements. The stock included 42 horses and colts, 21 mules, 32 oxen and cows, 38 sheep and 32 hogs. The Negroes living on the plantation, 172 in number, were valued at $63,890.06; 16 valued at $4,800 were maintained at the McAlpin town residence. The plantation had on hand 80,000 burnt bricks valued at $640; 300,000 unburnt bricks valued at $900; 250,000 feet of steam sawed lumber appraised at $1,750 and 150,000 feet of timber at $900."^[1]

The Hermitage was passed down through the McAlpin's family for years, but eventually was purchased by Henry Ford in 1935. Ford tore down the plantation house and removed the materials to be used in other building enterprises. The land eventually ended up owned by the Union Bag & Paper Corporation of Georgia. It now houses one of the largest paper mills in the United States.

Owners Through the Years

The following owners were mentioned in Savannah River Plantations:^[2]

• Joseph Ottolenghe, in 1752 received 50 acres along with his partner who also received 50 acres which Joseph later bought and named Exon
• William Grover, obtained rights to the land from the Crown in 1762
• Capt. Patrick Mackay, purchased the land in 1763 and named it Hermitage
• David Murray, purchased the land in 1765
• John Murray (possibly David's brother), purchased the property in 1776, but abandoned the property when the Revolutionary War started. John was a Tory, so the property was confiscated by the government in 1781.
• Maj. Thomas Washington. purchased the land in 1783
• Dr. Samuel Beecroft, purchased the land in 1785. It had grown to 230 acres
• Samuel Wall, purchased the property in 1798
• Jean Berard (Mocquet) De Mocquet aka John Montalet, purchased it the end of 1798
• William Scott, in 1815 purchased the land for his friend, Henry McAlpin.
• Henry McAlpin (abt.1777-1851), held the property for 36 years. It was left to his children.
• Angus McAlpin (abt.1824-1888) became the superintendent of the Hermitage which had grown to 610 acres after his father's death in 1851.
• Angus McAlpin (abt.1824-1888), James Wallace McAlpin (1831-1905), and Donald Melrose McAlpin (1833-1892), in 1854, jointly owned the Hermitage under the firm of "A McAlpin and Brothers."
• Aaron Champion (1792-1880), father-in-law of James Wallace McAlpin (1831-1905), obtained the Hermitage in 1866 when he foreclosed on the mortgage the brothers took out with him in 1857. He gave the property to James in trust for his daughter, Maria, who was James' wife. The property continued to be handed down through the descendants until Henry Ford bought it in 1935.

Slaves of John Montalet, French Aristocrat

"Montalet's Negroes were all called by French names, among them Mathurin, Antoine, Gustin, Dominique, Prene, St. Foix. These Negroes had probably been brought from St. Domingo... Montalet was among the last of the unfortunate planters who left that ill fated country on the evacuation of the British under General Maitland."^[3]

Slaves of Henry McAlpin in Census Records

In the 1820 census Henry was in Savannah, Chatham, Georgia. He owned 27 slaves.^[4]

• Slaves - Males - Under 14: 9
• Slaves - Males - 14 thru 25: 1
• Slaves - Males - 26 thru 44: 3
• Slaves - Males - 45 and over: 1
• Slaves - Females - Under 14: 9
• Slaves - Females - 14 thru 25: 3
• Slaves - Females - 26 thru 44: 1
• Total Slaves: 27

In the 1840 census Henry was in Savannah, Chatham, Georgia. He owned 13 slaves.^[5]

• Slaves - Males - Under 10: 2
• Slaves - Males - 24 thru 35: 1
• Slaves - Females - Under 10: 4
• Slaves - Females - 10 thru 23: 3
• Slaves - Females - 24 thru 35: 2
• Slaves - Females - 36 thru 54: 1
• Total Slaves: 13

In the 1840 census in a second entry, Henry was in District 8, Chatham, Georgia, with 258 slaves.^[6]

• Slaves - Males - Under 10: 19
• Slaves - Males - 10 thru 23: 42
• Slaves - Males - 24 thru 35: 30
• Slaves - Males - 36 thru 54: 37
• Slaves - Males - 55 thru 99: 7
• Slaves - Females - Under 10: 20
• Slaves - Females - 10 thru 23: 35
• Slaves - Females - 24 thru 35: 30
• Slaves - Females - 36 thru 54: 28
• Slaves - Females - 55 thru 99: 10
• Total Slaves: 258

In the 1850 census Henry was in District 13, Chatham, Georgia, United States. He had 39 slaves.^[7]

• Gender Age
• Male 9
• Male 9
• Male 6
• Male 2
• Male 1
• Male 6/12
• Male 8/12
• Female 8
• Female 4
• Female 3
• Female 1
• Female 4/12
• Female 6/12
• Female 1/12
• Female 1
• Female 2
• Female 5
• Female 8
• Female 8
• Female 9
• Female 9
• Male 8
• Male 6
• Male 5
• Male 5
• Male 3
• Male 1
• Male 1
• Female 1
• Female 10
• Female 10
• Female 12
• Female 12
• Female 14
• Female 15
• Female 15
• Female 15
• Female 16
• Female 16

Slaves Named in Henry McAlpin's Will

Henry wrote his will in 1849 and named the slaves he was giving to each of two sons. Joseph was bequeathed 13 slaves. Angus was to receive 15 slaves. Henry's estate passed probate in August 1849.^[8]

Joseph McAlpin (abt.1820-aft.1882), son, was bequeathed the following slaves:

1. John
2. Floyd
3. Bob, not same person as Bobby
4. Myers
5. Bobby, not same person as Bob
6. Glascow
7. Daniel, not same person as Danl
8. Ceasar, not the same person as Ceazar
9. Danl, not same person as Daniel
10. Walker
11. Andrew
12. Kate
13. Nancy

Angus McAlpin (abt.1824-1888), son, was bequeathed the following slaves:

1. Samuel McAlpin
2. Rose
3. Ceazar, not the same person as Ceasar
4. Tubby
5. Moses
6. Cooper
7. Leah
8. Louisa
9. Old Mary
10. Flora
11. Diana
12. Hagan
13. Sambo
14. Binah
15. July Ann

The McAlpin Brothers

In 1854, as all the McAlpin heirs had attained the age of 21 years, there was a division of the property into "six equal portions" by mutual agreement. Under this division Angus, James Wallace and Donald "conjointly selected as their portions" the Hermitage with its "brick, lumber, timber, wood lime and provisions and the Negro Slaves thereon being 185 in number, and the wood Pine land in the County of Effingham." Under the firm of "A McAlpin and Brothers," these three sons of Henry McAlpin carried on their father's work until the War between the States. ^[9]

• Slaves of Henry McAlpin, Georgia
• Slaves of Angus McAlpin, Georgia
• Slaves of Joseph McAlpin, Georgia

Sources

1. ↑ Savannah River Plantations, pp 443-444
2. ↑ Savannah River Plantations, The Hermitage, pp 421-450
3. ↑ Savannah River Plantations, The Hermitage Plantation, p 430
4. ↑ 1820 Census: "1820 United States Federal Census"
   1820 U S Census; Census Place: Savannah, Chatham, Georgia; Page: 96; NARA Roll: M33_8; Image: 76
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7734 #1454141 (accessed 25 November 2022)
   Henry Mcalpine in Savannah, Chatham, Georgia.
5. ↑ 1840 Census: "1840 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1840; Census Place: Savannah, Chatham, Georgia; Roll: 50; Page: 46; Family History Library Film: 0007047
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8057 #3670866 (accessed 25 November 2022)
   Henry Mcalpin in Savannah, Chatham, Georgia.
6. ↑ 1840 Census: "1840 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1840; Census Place: District 8, Chatham, Georgia; Roll: 38; Page: 137; Family History Library Film: 0007042
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8057 #1665627 (accessed 25 November 2022)
   Henry Mcalpin in District 8, Chatham, Georgia.
7. ↑ 1850 Census: "1850 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules"
   The National Archive in Washington DC; Washington, DC; NARA Microform Publication: M432; Title: Seventh Census Of The United States, 1850; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8055 #93347329 (accessed 25 November 2022)
   Henry Mcalpin in District 13, Chatham, Georgia, USA.
8. ↑ Probate: "Georgia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1742-1992"
   Wills, 1775-1927; Author: Georgia. Court of Ordinary (Chatham County); Probate Place: Chatham, Georgia
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8635 #70621 (accessed 25 November 2022)
   Henry McAlpin probate in Aug 1849.
9. ↑ Savannah River Plantations, p444

• Savannah River Plantations, The Hermitage Plantation, pp 450-456
• HERMITAGE PLANTATION, Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia
• Henry McAlpin (1777-1851), Henry McAlpin, of "The Hermitage" Savannah, Georgia
• Hermitage Slave Quarters