Ravenswood Plantation, Charleston County, South Carolina

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Edisto Island, Charleston, South Carolina
Surnames/tags: slavery black_heritage

US Index of Plantations

South Carolina Plantations

Contents 1 History 1.1 Owners 1.2 Slaves 1.3 Freemen 2 Sources

History

Ravenswood Plantation contains about 300 land-locked acres in a triangle shape along the publiic road that stretches from the Presbyterian Parsonage to Middleton's Lane.^[1]

The Ravenswood property was owned early on by the Hamilton, Townsend and McLeod families.

After a number of years the plantation was purchased from the Master in Equity, John Ravens Mathews and his wife Eliza Caroline Mathewes, who sold it to William G. Baynard, 8 May 1835. Possibly why it was called "Ravenswood", for Mathews' middle name? It is possible the property had belonged to his wife and her family before her marriage to Mathews.^[2][3] After William G. Baynard's death Ravenswood was passed to his son, Thomas A. Baynard, through his will.

The principal crop was cotton.

Owners

• William Bower? (no property connection seen)
• Paul Hamilton to McLeod^[4]
• Andrew Townsend to McLeod^[5]
• Rev. John McLeod
• Ann Lardent Wilkins (wife of Townsend, no property connection seen)

About 50 years unknown owners between

• John Raven Mathewes Master in Equity, sold to Baynard
• William Grimball Baynard (1792 - abt. 1861)
• Thomas Archibald Baynard

Slaves

Please see the following Slaves of pages for each owner (except John R. Mathews who sold for the unknown owner).

• Slaves of Paul Hamilton
• Slaves of Ann and Andrew Townsend
• Slaves of Rev. John McLeod
• Slaves of William Grimball Baynard
• Slaves of Thomas Archibald Baynard

Freemen

After the Civil War Thomas Baynard applied for return of his property. The notes on 23 Jun 1866 record the property in acres, 56 Cultivated, 70 Woodland, 1174 Cleared, 1300 total acres, and Buildings: dwellings good, cabins good, crops fair.^[6] There was a labor contract between the freedmen and Thomas Baynard.^[7](List needs to be transcribed)

The following persons held land certificates for a plot of land on Ravenswood Plantation. It is unknown if they actually received this land.^[8] Date: Sept. 26 Certificate No. 328 Name: John Miller Date: Sept. 26 Certificate No. 329 Name: Chas. Miller

Labor Contracts for Ravenswood per Thomas A, Baynard ^[9]

Jack Miller	Miriah Geddis	Martha Jenkins	Frederick Jenkins
Hannah Miller	Israel Geddis	Moses Mack	Jimmy Wright
Isabel Judge	Jim Scott	Sue Mack	Betty Wright
Sam Judge	Venus Scott	Robert Chisolin	Castilla Wright
John Miller	Brister Deas	Lizzie Chisolin	Dina Jenkins
Delia Miller	Cinda Deas	Jacob Heart	Minda Johnson
Charles Miller	Sam Proctor	Sarah Heart	Adeline Johnson
Phoebe Jenkins	Toby Bias	Christiana Wright	Morris Gadsden
Sam Obliging	Cibbe Bias	Mary Wright	Minty Green
Robert Obliging	Jenny Bias	Larinia Wright
Ruth Obliging	Tom Bias	Peggy William
Alfred Geddis	Stephen Jenkins	Susanna Porcher

Sources

1. ↑ Spencer, Charles, Edisto Island 1663 to 1860: Wild Eden to Cotton Aristocracy Charleston, SC: The History Press (2012) p. 150
2. ↑ Charleston city, Charleston County and South Carolina miscellaneous land records, 1719-1873; index to land records, 1719-1898: "Charleston city, Charleston County and South Carolina miscellaneous land records, 1719-1873; index to land records, 1719-1898"
   Catalog: Charleston city, Charleston County and South Carolina miscellaneous land records, 1719-1873; index to land records, 1719-1898 Land records, v. I10-M10 1835-1836
   Film number: 008300030 > image 138 of 1049
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSR8-6SJR-Z (accessed 14 May 2023)
   • Bk I-10 p.256
3. ↑ Charleston city, Charleston County and South Carolina miscellaneous land records, 1719-1873; index to land records, 1719-1898: "Charleston city, Charleston County and South Carolina miscellaneous land records, 1719-1873; index to land records, 1719-1898"
   Catalog: Charleston city, Charleston County and South Carolina miscellaneous land records, 1719-1873; index to land records, 1719-1898 Land records, v. N10-Q10 1836-1837
   Film number: 008293559 > image 799 of 1158
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSR7-TS73-Z (accessed 14 May 2023)
   • Deed Bk P10, p.483
4. ↑ Memorials of seventeenth and eighteenth century South Carolina land titles and index to auditor general memorials, 1731-1775: "Memorials of seventeenth and eighteenth century South Carolina land titles and index to auditor general memorials, 1731-1775"
   Catalog: Memorials of seventeenth and eighteenth century South Carolina land titles and index to auditor general memorials, 1731-1775 Memorial books, v. 7-8
   Film number: 008621906 > image 551 of 1186
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C34L-W9TB-R (accessed 13 May 2023)
   • Memorial Land Deeds Bk 7 p.504, Paul Hamilton to McLeod
5. ↑ Memorials of seventeenth and eighteenth century South Carolina land titles and index to auditor general memorials, 1731-1775: "Memorials of seventeenth and eighteenth century South Carolina land titles and index to auditor general memorials, 1731-1775"
   Catalog: Memorials of seventeenth and eighteenth century South Carolina land titles and index to auditor general memorials, 1731-1775 Memorial books, v. 7-8, Andrew Townsend to McLeod
   Film number: 008621906 > image 66 of 1186
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C34L-WSSF-B (accessed 13 May 2023)
   • Memorial Deed Bk 17 p.18
6. ↑ United States, Freedmen's...t Commissioner, 1865-1872: "United States, Freedmen's...t Commissioner, 1865-1872"
   Catalog: Records of the Assistant Commissioner for the state of South Carolina, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1870 Endorsements sent, endorsements pertaining to restoration of lands 1865-1866. Register of letters received 1865-1866. Register of applications for restoration of property 1865-1866. Register of lands and occupants 1865-1868. Register of restoration orders 1865-1866. Restoration orders 1865-1866. (NARA Series M869, Roll 32)
   Image path: United States, Freedmen's Bureau, Records of the Assistant Commissioner, 1865-1872 > South Carolina > Roll 32, Register of restoration orders, 1865-1866 > image 11 of 49; citing multiple NARA microfilm publications; Records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1861 - 1880, RG 105; (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1969-1980).
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9TZ-8QW7-W (accessed 14 May 2023)
7. ↑ South Carolina, Freedmen'...Office Records, 1865-1872: "South Carolina, Freedmen'...Office Records, 1865-1872"
   Catalog: Records of the field offices for the state of South Carolina, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872
   Image path: South Carolina, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872 > Berkley district > Roll 62, Labor contracts, A-W, 1866 > image 320 of 1110; citing NARA microfilm publication M1910 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-89ZG-8XT8 (accessed 14 May 2023)
   • Freedmen Labor Contracts, list of freedem on 3rd image
8. ↑ United States, Freedmen's...t Commissioner, 1865-1872: "United States, Freedmen's...t Commissioner, 1865-1872"
   Catalog: Records of the Assistant Commissioner for the state of South Carolina, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1870 Personnel rosters 1868. Requests for transportation 1865-1866. Register of signed transportation, orders given to officers 1866-1867. Registers of orders authorizing transportation 1866-1867. Transportation requests received 1866. Transportation orders issued 1866. Monthly transportation reports 1866-1868. Other records 1865-1867. (NARA Series M869, Roll 44)
   Image path: United States, Freedmen's Bureau, Records of the Assistant Commissioner, 1865-1872 > South Carolina > Roll 44, Other records, 1865-1867 > image 28 of 70; citing multiple NARA microfilm publications; Records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1861 - 1880, RG 105; (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1969-1980).
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9TZ-D98M-H (accessed 14 May 2023)
   • Freedmens Land Certificates
9. ↑ Spencer, Charles, "Documents on Edisto Island History" Edisto Island, SC: Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society (2008)