Springfield Plantation, Georgetown County, South Carolina

Date: 31 Mar 1806 to about 1865
Location: Georgetown, South Carolina, United States
Surnames/tags: Withers, Ward Slavery Black_Heritage

US Black Heritage Plantation Index

South Carolina Plantation Index

Contents 1 History 1.1 Owners 1.2 Slaves 1.2.1 Probate Inventory 1.2.2 Enslaved Workers 1.3 Freedmen 1.4 Cemetery 2 Sources

History

Francis Withers was a planter. He began planting rice at Springfield Plantation, located in Georgetown Co, SC, in 1806.^[1] There were 2 plantations named Springfield at this time, one on the PeeDee River, and one on Murrells Inlet. The plantation listed here is the one on Murrells Inlet.

Owners

• Francis Withers owned Springfield Plantation. In his will he bequeathed his Springfield Plantation to his niece Mrs. Mary Memminger^[2]

• Joshua John Ward purchased Springfield Plantation after Wither's death in 1848.^[3]

Slaves

Probate Inventory

In 1848 the 248 enslaved persons of Springfield Plantation passed from one owner to the next. Their names are recorded in Francis Withers probate inventory.^[2] Hester and her children were on that list.

Enslaved Workers

In 1849 there was a list of enslaved workers on Springfield Plantation.^[4]

In 1849 there was a list of enslaved workers on Brook Green Plantation.^[5] (Plantation page to be made in the future)

For more information please see:

• the Slaves of Francis Withers
• the Slaves of Joshua John Ward

Freedmen

The following persons signed a labor contract with Joshua Ward for Springfield and Brookgreen plantations.^[6][7]

Cemetery

The Springfield Plantation also had a cemetery. It is recorded on Find-A-Grave with 123 records. However when I looked at some of the death certificates noted there, some stated the burial was at Springfield, and some stated the person was buried at Brook Green/Brookgreen. These may have been two separate cemeteries.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Springfield Plantation Journal https://lcdl.library.cofc.edu/lcdl/catalog/250575?tify={%22pages%22:[2],%22panX%22:0.554,%22panY%22:0.522,%22view%22:%22info%22,%22zoom%22:0.479}
   • image 2
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} South Carolina Probate Re... Bound Volumes, 1671-1977: "South Carolina Probate Re... Bound Volumes, 1671-1977"
   Catalog: Charleston County, South Carolina inventories, appraisements & sales, ca. 1834-1867 ca. 1834-1850
   Image path: South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977 > Charleston > Inventories, Appraisements, Sales, 1844-1850, Vol.B > image 218 of 311; Citing Department of Archives and History, Columbia.
   FamilySearch Image: 939L-JD9H-5Z (accessed 7 May 2022)
   • 1848 probate inventory of Francis Withers on Springfield Plantation
3. ↑ South Carolina Probate Re... Bound Volumes, 1671-1977: "South Carolina Probate Re... Bound Volumes, 1671-1977"
   Catalog: Charleston County, South Carolina inventories, appraisements & sales, ca. 1834-1867 ca. 1834-1850
   Image path: South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977 > Charleston > Inventories, Appraisements, Sales, 1844-1850, Vol.B > image 219 of 311; citing Department of Archives and History, Columbia.
   FamilySearch Image: 939L-JD9H-L6 (accessed 4 July 2023)
   • purchase of Springfield
4. ↑ Records of ante-bellum Southern plantations from the Revolution through the Civil War: "Records of ante-bellum Southern plantations from the Revolution through the Civil War"
   Catalog: Records of ante-bellum Southern plantations from the Revolution through the Civil War Paul D. Weston papers - estate papers, 1830- 1867 John Sparkman plantation book, 1859-1864 Joshua John Ward plantation journals, 1800-1869 Dr. Andrew Hasell medical account book, 1830- 1842 Reverend Alexander Glennie parish diary, 1832- 1859 Thomas Aston Coffin plantation book, 1800-1813 Daniel Webb plantation books, v. 1-4, 1817-1842
   Film number: 008891450 > image 170 of 1089
   FamilySearch Image: 3QHV-R3GS-99C8-9 (accessed 4 July 2023)
   • 1849 workers on Springfield
5. ↑ Records of ante-bellum Southern plantations from the Revolution through the Civil War: "Records of ante-bellum Southern plantations from the Revolution through the Civil War"
   Catalog: Records of ante-bellum Southern plantations from the Revolution through the Civil War Paul D. Weston papers - estate papers, 1830- 1867 John Sparkman plantation book, 1859-1864 Joshua John Ward plantation journals, 1800-1869 Dr. Andrew Hasell medical account book, 1830- 1842 Reverend Alexander Glennie parish diary, 1832- 1859 Thomas Aston Coffin plantation book, 1800-1813 Daniel Webb plantation books, v. 1-4, 1817-1842
   Film number: 008891450 > image 168 of 1089
   FamilySearch Image: 3QHV-R3GS-99CT-G (accessed 4 July 2023)
   • 1849 workers on Brook Green Plantation
6. ↑ 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 Register of complaints, Nov. 1865-Apr. 1866; Register of rations issued to destitutes, Jan.-Sept. 1867; Register of contracts, Dec. 1865-Apr. 1866; Labor contracts, Dec. 1865-Apr. 1866; Labor contracts, May 1865-Mar. 1867 [NARA M1910 roll 76].
   Image path: South Carolina, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1865-1872 > Georgetown (subassistant commissioner) > Roll 76, Labor contracts, May 1865-Mar 1867 > image 591 of 673; citing NARA microfilm publication M1910 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Image: 3QSQ-G9ZG-CW5K (accessed 27 June 2023)
   • Freedmen's Bureau Labor Contract
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 > Georgetown (subassistant commissioner) > Roll 77, Labor contracts, Apr 1867-Mar 1868 > image 196 of 354; citing NARA microfilm publication M1910 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Image: 3QSQ-G9ZG-87FJ (accessed 4 July 2023)
   • Freedmen's Bureau Labor Contract
8. ↑ Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2357258/memorial-search?cemeteryName=Springfield%20Plantation%20Slave%20Cemetery&page=1#sr-242908564