The Enslaved People of Oakland in the 1700s

Tobacco was one of the first cash crops in the Cane River region.

NPS

Oakland Plantation was founded on a 1785 Spanish-era land grant by Jean Pierre Emmanuel Prud’homme. In the 1790s a small, enslaved work force of thirty-eight people grew tobacco and indigo. Enslaved people literally had a hand in every aspect of the operation of the plantation. They were responsible for all labor on the plantation and worked daily in the fields and houses.

The following information has been retrieved from archival records.

1766
Clemence
Therese

1775
Conga

1785/1786
Christophe
James
Peter

1788
Francisca

1791
Juan
Francisca
Monica, baptisted in 1791

1792
Guillermo, godparent of Maria Marta
Maria Elana Leonora, godparent of Maria Marta
Maria Marta, baptisted 1792

1795
Iago, baptisted 1795, age 20, Congo
Iago, namesake and godparent of Iago
Maria Anna, godparent of Iago
Magdelena, baptisted age 2 months, daughter of Juanna
Juanna, mother of Magdelena
Anna, baptisted age 1 year, daughter of Maria Luisa
Maria Luisa, mother of Anna

1796
Louis, baptisted age 7, son of Ursule
Francois, sponsor of Louis
Honore, baptisted age 1 year, son of Marthe
Marthe, mother of Honore and Marie
Marie, baptisted, age 3 years, daughter of Marthe

1797
Marie Ann, godparent to infant of MarieTherese Coincoin
Evangeliste

1800
Maria, baptisted, age 4 months, daughter of Ursele
Ursule, mother of Maria
Maria Celeste, godparent of Maria
Charles
Marie Therese, baptisted age 9 months, daughter of Marthe
Henriette, godparent of Marie Therese

1804