Prestwould Plantation, Mecklenburg County, Virginia

Date: 1773 [unknown]
Location: Mecklenburg, Virginia
Surnames/tags: Skipwith Slavery Black_Heritage

US Black Heritage Index of Plantations

Virginia Plantations

Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Family Names 1.2 Slaves of Prestwould 2 Sources

Introduction

Prestwould Plantation is a late 18th-century plantation located on the Roanoke River in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. It was acquired by Sir Peyton Skipwith in 1765 from William Byrd of Westover. Skipwith, appointed Justice of the Peace in Mecklenburg in 1769 ^[1], settled there by the late 1760s or early 1770s. Skipwith continued to live in Mecklenburg County, either at Prestwould or at nearby plantation Elm Hill.

Prestwould existed primarily as an agricultural enterprise that grew tobacco and corn, raised and sold sheep, pigs and cattle. Built by slave labor in 1794, Prestwould Plantation prospered to become one of the wealthiest properties. There was a mill and a blacksmith shop. Skipwith's account books show that he also served as a merchant to the local population. Skipwith maintained a small store on the plantation, where he sold imported goods to other county residents. He sold alcohol, fabric for slave clothing, and foodstuffs such as salt, sugar and molasses. Skipwith also operated a ferry service. His blacksmith shop served the local community and he maintained a very profitable venture in breeding thoroughbred horses and also served as a banker by lending money through bonds and petty cash.

Prestwould survived due to the labor of African-Americans, first as slaves, and later as tenant farmers. At the time of his death, Skipwith owned 235 slaves, a number which ranked him near the top slave owner for the county.

Family Names

Sir Peyton Skipwith (1740-1805) of "Prestwould," Mecklenburg County, Va., his second wife Jean (Miller) Skipwith (1748-1826), their son Humberston Skipwith (1791-1863), and Humberston's son Grey Skipwith (1839-1895). Also, Susan D. (Skipwith) Smith (1853?-1920), Grey Skipwith (1876-1934) and Hugh Skipwith (1884?-1963)

Slaves of Prestwould

From the Will of Lady Jean Skipwith: The Will of Lady Jean Skipwith

To my Son Humberston Skipwith:

I give and bequeath the whole of the Prestwould Estate, together with all the Negroes, not otherwise disposed of, to him and his heirs forever

To my Daughter Helen Coles:

Mason Dick, his wife Rachel

Black Smith named Caesar, his wife Ephez? with all their children

To my Daughter Selina Skipwith:

Richard a Carpenter, his wife Marcia,

a man named Polux, by trade a Mason, his wife Mira, a boy named Anthony (brother to Polux), with all their children

Sources

1. ↑ Executive Journals of the Council of Virginia VI

• Skipwith Papers: https://researchworks.oclc.org/archivegrid/data/56999356
• https://research.colonialwilliamsburg.org/DigitalLibrary/view/index.cfm?doc=ResearchReports%5CRR0393.xml#p7
• LADY JEAN SKIPWITH, MISTRESS OF PRESTWOULD: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4013&context=etd