Location: Natchitoches, Louisiana, United States
Surnames/tags: slavery Louisiana Lecomte
Magnolia Plantation is a former cotton plantation near the town of Derry in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. The site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2001, significant as one of the most intact 19th-century plantation complexes in the nation (has slave cabins, outbuildings and period technology). [1]
The first owner of the land was Jean Baptiste LeComte, and his son Ambroise Lecomte II had the first structures built.
By 1860, Ambrose II owned multiple properties of over 6,000 acres. Cotton and other crops were cultivated and harvested by 275 enslaved persons housed in 70 cabins. [2] According to one of his account journals held at the Prudhomme Collection at UNC Wilson Library, Ambroise Lecomte had the following plantations: Magnolia, Shallow Lake, Vienna, Cape Hope, Spanish Lake and Lancoucou vachery.
Two of Ambrose and Julia’s daughters married into the Hertzog family, another prominent French Creole planter family. Ambrose gave part of Magnolia to his daughter Atala Lecomte and son-in-law Matthew Hertzog in 1852, and they assumed the management of the plantation.
After emancipation, many descendants remained on the property, until around the 1950's. [3]
Contents |
1820 Census
In 1820, a total of 96 enslaved were enumerated. [4]
1840 Census
In 1840, a total of 160 enslaved were enumerated. [5]
1850 Slave Schedule
NOTE In this record, the enumerator recorded the number of enslaved of the same age on one line. Therefore, the number of enslaved IS NOT 34 as was transcribed, but rather 184. Also, the name on the schedule was poorly transcribed. [6]
Name: | Ambr Lewinte | |
---|---|---|
Residence Date: | 1850 | |
Residence Place: | Natchitoches, Louisiana | |
Number of Enslaved People: | 184 | |
All Enslaved People: | ||
Gender | Age | Number |
Male | 85 | 1 |
Male | 75 | 3 |
Male | 60 | 1 |
Male | 57 | 2 |
Male | 51 | 2 |
Male | 47 | 9 |
Male | 35 | 11 |
Male | 30 | 15 |
Male | 20 | 7 |
Male | 15 | 5 |
Male | 12 | 6 |
Male | 8 | 4 |
Male | 5 | 9 |
Male | 2 | 7 |
Male | 1 | 4 |
Male | 45 | 1 |
Male | 20 | 1 |
Male | 11 | 2 |
Female | 80 | 2 |
Female | 70 | 2 |
Female | 55 | 4 |
Female | 48 | 4 |
Female | 35 | 10 |
Female | 30 | 12 |
Female | 27 | 9 |
Female | 20 | 6 |
Female | 15 | 7 |
Female | 10 | 10 |
Female | 5 | 7 |
Female | 4 | 5 |
Female | 2 | 12 |
Female | 40 | 1 |
Female | 20 | 1 |
Female | 8 | 1 |
1860 (?) Account Journal of Ambrose Lecomte
"The following pages are the slave listings from pages 37 - 51 in Ambrose Lecomte's account journal found in folder 164 Series 3.1.2 of the Prudhomme Collection at UNC Wilson Library. The original pages contained the listings for Magnolia Plantation, Shallow Lake Plantation, Vienna Plantation, Cape Hope, Spanish Lake and Lancoucou Vachery. A vachery is a tract of landused specifically for grazing cattle."
Research Notes The accounts listed below are for Magnolia Plantation only. The accounts are most likely for 1860 since there are births in 1855 and deaths in 1859. However, on the copy of the handwritten record for female slaves (partial list), the year noted in the upper left corner is 1852. However, deaths are recorded as occurring in 1853 and 1854.
Another complication is the age category. If a person is listed as 23 year old, do we assume that s/he was born in 1837 (1860 minus 23) or, is that the age in 1845 when their estimated worth was established? For those who have death dates, it is easier to document their year of birth. **For the profiles' records, I chose to subtract the age listed from 1860.
The female slaves named below is a partial list since the first name on the list is Melia followed by names in ABC order. Male slaves begin with "Ambrose" and continue in ABC order.
These records were shared with me (Gina Jarvi) by a descendant of one of Lecomte's slaves on Ancestry, Jahrod Pender.
Magnolia Plantation: Adult Males | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NAMES | MALE SLAVES | AGE | ESTIMATION IN 1845 | DEATH | NOTES | |
Ambrose | Mulatto boy | 36 | 750 | |||
Adams | Negro boy | 28 | 650 | |||
Auguste | Negro boy | 38 | 400 | 1847 | ||
August | Negro boy | 23 | 750 | 1847 | Drowned | |
Azinos | Mulatto boy | 27 | 500 | |||
Azinor | Negro boy | 22 | 450 | |||
Albert | Negro boy | 29 | 700 | |||
Baptiste | Negro boy | 47 | 900 | |||
Barthelemy | Mulatto boy | 17 | 250 | July 1851 | Cholera | |
Bill | Negro boy | 25 | 700 | July 30 1851 | Cholera | |
Charles Natchitoches | Negro boy | 27 | 700 | Jan 19 1855 | Pleurisy | |
Ciriaque | Mulatto boy | 25 | 500 | |||
Chouchoute | Mulatto boy | 26 | 550 | |||
Cupidon | Mulatto boy | 36 | 750 | |||
Charles (Blacksmith) | Negro boy | 23 | 550 | |||
Chenite | Negro boy | 26 | 700 | August 1850 | ||
Georges | Negro boy | 30 | 700 | |||
Gros Joe | Negro boy | 44 | 900 | |||
Grand Mulate | Mulatto boy | 23 | 650 | |||
Grand Louis | Mulatto boy | 42 | 750 | |||
Grand Francois | Negro boy | 62 | 10 | 1847 | ||
Henry | Negro boy | 26 | 750 | |||
Honoré | Mulatto boy | 21 | June 4 1859 | Drowned | ||
Joseph | Mulatto boy | 24 | 600 | |||
Joseph Destin | Mulatto boy | 52 | 400 | |||
Joseph Lavinge | Mulatto boy | 34 | 750 | May 1850 | ||
Jefry | Negro boy | 44 | 700 | |||
John Smith | Negro boy | 45 | 0 | June 20 1855 | ||
John Davis | Negro boy | 34 | 550 | |||
Joy Gasparite | Negro boy | 49 | 400 | 1846 | ||
Joe Anglais | Negro boy | 29 | 700 | |||
John | Negro boy | 9 | 125 | Sept 30 1849 | Drowned | |
James | Negro boy | 38 | 0 | |||
James Fils | Negro boy | 12 | 0 | |||
Jacques Cyrian | Negro boy | 28 | 10 | |||
Louis Petit | Mulatto boy | 27 | 700 | |||
Louis Ginon (Commander) | Mulatto boy | 66 | 350 | |||
Moses Carpenter | Mulatto boy | 40 | 800 | |||
Ned (big) | Negro boy | 26 | 700 | |||
Ned (Little Coon) | 18 | Sept 29 1856 | Burnt in the press | |||
Prudemes | Negro boy | 10 | 150 | |||
Paulin | Mulatto boy | 23 | 500 | |||
Raphael | Negro boy | 10 | 150 | |||
Tirence | Negro boy | 25 | 700 | |||
Tony | Negro boy | 26 | 600 | |||
Thomas Carpenter | Negro boy | 46 | 700 | Cholera | ||
Ursin | Mulatto boy | 29 | 750 | |||
Victorien | Mulatto boy | 27 | 750 | |||
Valsin | Mulatto boy | 30 | ||||
William | Negro boy | 42 | 700 | |||
Warren Carpenter | Negro boy | 23 | Bought in N.O. 1852 for $2000 | |||
Magnolia Plantation: Adult Females | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NAMES | FEMALE SLAVES | AGE | ESTIMATION IN 1845 | DEATH | NOTES |
Melia | Mulatto girl | 21 | 250 | ||
Matilde | Mulatto girl | 45 | 450 | ||
Meliza | Mulatto girl | 25 | 450 | ||
Marsi Quinon (?) | Mulatto girl | 47 | 200 | ||
Madeleine | Mulatto girl | 29 | 600 | ||
Marionette | Negro | 47 | 150 | 1807 | |
Martha | Negro | 29 | 450 | March 1809 | |
Octavia | Negro | 12 | 200 | July 21 1851(?) | |
Pasite | Negro | 20 | 550 | ||
Rosaline | Negro | 21 | 500 | ||
Rose | Mulatto girl | 35 | 600 | ||
Suzanne (old) | Mulatto girl | 69 | 10 | 9th Feb 1853 | |
Sucky | Negro | 45 | 450 | 28 April 1853 | |
Siverine (?) | Negro | 18 | 200 | Manuel's wife | |
Sarah | Negro | 40 | 750 | ||
Siliphine | 29 | 500 | |||
Sally | Negro | 60 | 50 | August 19, 1850 | |
Victorine | Mulatto | 36 | 00 | Die 1854 | |
Venue | Negro | 20 | 525 | ||
Zelina | Negro | 31 | 600 | July 30, 1851 | Cholera |
Male Children Born Since 1845
Magnolia Plantation: Male children Born since 1845 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NAMES | MALE CHILDREN | AGE | MOTHER'S NAME | YEAR BORN | DEATHS |
Celestin | Mulatto boy | 7 | Constance | 1845 | |
Eugene | Mulatto boy | 3 | Azilie | 1849 | |
Albin | Mulatto boy | 3 | Kijiah | Dec 10 1849 | |
Narcisse | Negro boy | 3 | Eloise | Dec 1849 | |
Edward | Negro boy | 1 | Lagross | Aug 26 1851 | |
Severin | Negro boy | 1 | Selephine | Sept 28 1851 | |
Dominique | Negro boy | Kate | July 14 1852 | July 1852 | |
Lucien | Negro boy | Eloise | Aug 18 1852 | Oct 1852 | |
Alexis | Mulatto boy | Lorenza | Sept 9 1852 | ||
Emile | Mulatto boy | Milia | Sept 13 1852 | ||
Frederick | Negro boy | Constance | Nov 10 1852 | ||
Alexandre | Mulatto boy | Azilie | Nov 17 1852 | ||
Marcel | Negro boy | Roseline | March | June 7 1853 | |
Tisire | Negro boy | Selephine | Sept 1853 | ||
Laurent | Negro boy | Kate | Oct 14 1853 | ||
Baptiste | Negro boy | Helene | Dec 1853 | ||
Ursine | Negro boy | Lorenza | July 1854 | ||
X | Sisorsine | ? | 1855 | ||
X | Kate | Jan 10 | Jan 13 1856 | ||
X | Selephine | Aug 23 1855 | Aug 29 1855 | ||
Emile | Mulatto boy | Clementia | Jan 31 1856 | ||
Francis | Negro boy | Kate | Feb 6 1858 | ||
Dorsina | Negro boy | Bajeks | Aug 25 1858 | ||
Janvier | Negro boy | Eloise | Oct 6 1858 | ||
Neuville | Mulatto boy | Nelia | Sept 4 1854 | ||
Gustave | Negro boy | Kate | Oct 22 1859 | ||
Moses | Negro boy | Neiona | July 12 1860 |
Female Children Born Since 1845
Female Children Born Since 1845 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NAMES | Female Children | AGE | Mother's Name | Year Born | DEATHS | NOTES |
Ambrosine | Negro girl | 4 | Zelma | Feb 1845 | ||
Suzanne | Negro girl | 3 | Helene | 10 Nov 1849 | ||
Legida | Negro girl | 2 | Constance | Apr 1850 | 12 Dec 1855 | Burnt |
Amira | Mulatto girl | Henriette | 2 Feb 1852 | |||
Clara | Negro girl | Helene | 29 Mar 1852 | |||
Mathilda | Mulatto girl | Clentia | 21 Dec 1852 | |||
Amanda | Mulatto girl | Henriette | 10 Apr 1854 | |||
X | Constance | 30 May 1854 | 31 May 1854 | |||
Arsine | Negro girl | Helene | 1854 | |||
Urene | Negro girl | Azalie | 4 Dec 1854 | |||
Suzette | Negro girl | Lagrosse | 27 Jan 1855 | |||
Deneige | Mulatto girl | Eloise | 17 Apr 1855 | |||
Jolette | Mulatto girl | Emilia | 15 Jun 1855 | |||
Charlotte | Mulatto girl | Meliza | 5 Nov 1855 | |||
X | Mulatto girl | Clementine | Jan 1856 | Jan1856 | ||
Chaquite | Feb 1857 | |||||
Emilia | Mulatto girl | Clementia | 1 July 1858 | |||
Georgiana | Mulatto girl | Melia or Emilia | 17 Apr 1857 |
Slaves Purchased 1853 - 1859
Slaves Purchased | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DATE BOUGHT | NAMES | SEXES | AGES | COST | WHERE AT | NOTES | |
February 1853 | |||||||
19th | Osborne Gibson | Negro man | 22 | 1225 | Magnolia | ||
19th | Harris Dickerson | Negro man | 20 | 1225 | Magnolia | Died 1854 | |
19th | Henry Dickerson | Negro boy | 15 | 1050 | Magnolia | ||
19th | Charles Dickerson | Negro boy | 13 | 900 | Magnolia | ||
19th | Ennais Dickerson | Negro boy | 10 | 800 | Magnolia | ||
19th | Ellick Washington | Negro man | 18 | 1250 | Magnolia | Died Aug 1854 | |
21st | Matt Ross | Negro man | 22 | 1300 | Magnolia | Died May 1854 | |
21st | Plutarch Barnes | Negro man | 16 | 1200 | |||
21st | Patterson Bell | Negro boy | 14 | 1000 | |||
21st | Clark Oblenis | Negro boy | 10 | 800 | Magnolia | Died March 1862 (with J. Cojins)? | |
March | |||||||
11th | William | Negro man | 25 | 1300 | Shallow Lake | (S.J.D. Imins) (?) | |
16th | Daniel (mad Compire) | Negro boy | 11 | 850 | Magnolia | ||
April | |||||||
4th | Angey | Negro Woman | 36 | 600 | Magnolia | ||
4th | Nelson | Negro Boy | 15 | 900 | Magnolia | Angey's son | |
4th | William | Negro Boy | 12 | 800 | Magnolia | Angey's son | |
4th | Allen | Negro Boy | 10 | 700 | Magnolia | Angey's son | |
4th | Landen | Negro Girl | 6 | 450 | Magnolia | Angey's daughter | |
4th | Dave | Negro Boy | 4 | 450 | Magnolia | Angey's son | |
4th | Green | Negro Boy | 18 mos | 100 | Magnolia | Angey's son | |
February 1854 | |||||||
17th | Jack | Negro Man | 43 | 1600 | Vienna Plantation | ||
17th | Cassy | Negro woman | 45 | 1035 | Vienna Plantation | Jack's wife and cook | |
17th | Peyton | Negro Man | 43 | 1500 | |||
17th | Peyton Jr. | Negro Boy | 7 | 0 | son of Peyton | ||
17th | Nancy | Negro Girl | 6 | 0 | daughter of Peyton | ||
17th | Mathilda | Negro Woman | 35 | 1110 | wife of Peyton, sickly | ||
17th | Lomis | Negro Boy | 11 | 775 | son of Peyton | ||
17th | Prudemis | Mulatto Boy | 11 | 805 | Cape Hope | Orphan | |
March 1854 | |||||||
Bought at Mad. Julian Rachel's sale | |||||||
21st | Prudence | Mulatto Woman | 30 | 1825 | |||
21st | Janvier | Mulatto Boy | 11 | 1050 | son of Prudence | ||
1855 | Alexander | Mulatto Boy | 15 | 830 | Cape Hope | ||
1859 | Martha | Mulatto Woman | 22 | 1800 | washerwoman |
1860 Slave Schedule
As in the 1850 Schedule, the enumerator recorded the number of enslaved owned of the same age. Instead of 48, as was transcribed, there were 234 enslaved recorded. There is a notation that there are 70 slave houses on his property. [9]
Name: | A Lecompte | |
---|---|---|
Residence Date: | 1860 | |
Residence Place: | Natchitoches, Louisiana | |
Number of Enslaved People: | 234 | |
Number of Slave houses: | 70 | |
All Enslaved People: | ||
Gender | Age | # |
Male | 75 | |
Male | 65 | |
Male | 52 | |
Male | 62 | |
Male | 60 | 2 |
Male | 55 | |
Male | 50 | |
Female | 53 | |
Female | 52 | |
Female | 65 | |
Female | 51 | |
Female | 70 | |
Female | 63 | |
Female | 51 | |
Female | 70 | |
Female | 60 | |
Female | 52 | |
Female | 56 | |
Female | 55 | |
Female | 45 | |
Male | 48 | |
Female | 49 | |
Female | 48 | |
Female | 47 | |
Male | 57 | |
Male | 52 | |
Male | 50 | |
Male | 53 | |
Male | 55 | |
Male | 56 | |
Female | 58 | |
Female | 65 | |
Female | 57 | |
Female | 50 | |
Male | 50 | |
Male | 55 | |
Male | 50 | |
Male | 54 | |
Female | 53 | |
Female | 49 | |
Male | 25 | 61 |
Female | 25 | 45 |
Female | 12 | 14 |
Male | 12 | 14 |
Male | 8 | 16 |
Female | 8 | 17 |
Male | 3 | 17 |
Female | 3 | 9 |
Sources
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnolia_Plantation_(Derry,_Louisiana)
- ↑ https://www.nps.gov/articles/slaverymagnolia.htm
- ↑ A brief ethnography of Magnolia Plantation: Planning for Cane River Creole National Historical Park. Muriel (Miki) Crespi National Park Service. 2004. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/188083144.pdf
- ↑ 1820 Census:"1820 United States Federal Census"
1820 U S Census; Census Place: Natchitoches, Louisiana; Page: 99; NARA Roll: M33_31; Image: 97
Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7734 #1493621 (accessed 24 November 2021)
Ambraies Lecomt. - ↑ 1840 Census:"1840 United States Federal Census"
Year: 1840; Census Place: Natchitoches, Louisiana; Roll: 127; Page: 152; Family History Library Film: 0009689
Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8057 #1306592 (accessed 24 November 2021)
Abrise Lecomte. - ↑ 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 #90720601 (accessed 24 November 2021)
Ambr Lewinte in Natchitoches, Natchitoches, Louisiana, USA. - ↑ https://uh-ir.tdl.org/bitstream/handle/10657/2733/WEBB-THESIS-2013.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
- ↑ slave listings from pages 37 - 51 in Ambrose Lecomte's account journal found in folder 164 Series 3.1.2 of the Prudhomme Collection at UNC Wilson Library
- ↑ 1860 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Original data:United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Eighth Census of the United States, 1860. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1860. M653, 1,438 rolls.
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