The Enslaved People of Oakland Plantation
Background Information
The institution of enslavement and the act of emancipation have left indelible imprints on many aspects of Cane River life, and the park has been working for many years to uncover the stories of all the people that lived on the plantation. Generations of the same families of workers lived on these lands for over two hundred years. Their labor sustained Oakland Plantation and contributed to the wealth of the Prud’homme family who founded the plantation. The following information has been ascertained from baptismal records, journals of Pierre Phanor Prud’homme, who owned the plantation from the early 1800s until 1865, and Seneca Pace, the white overseer in the 1850s and 1860s. While these documents are limited and incomplete, they do provide information including the names, ages, places of origin, and skills of many of the enslaved individuals who labored across the centuries at Oakland Plantation. We are continuing work to uncover the stories of these people, and will provide more information as it becomes available.
1700s
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.
1804
The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 made processing large amounts of cotton possible. Emmanuel Prud’homme purchased a mechanical gin which made cotton the plantation’s main crop by the early 1800s. As the textile mills increased demand for cotton, the use of enslaved labor to plant, pick, and process cotton increased. As the number of enslaved people grew, records show that many of the enslaved had been captured on the Guinea coast in West Africa.
The following information has been retrieved from archival records.
1810
Hilario, described as a “Guinea Negro,” was taken to Cloutierville as the property of a planter named Langlois. It is unclear when Hilario met Jeanne, an enslaved woman owned by Emmanuel Prud’homme, but they had a son in 1809 named Hilaire. On December 7, 1809 Hilaire was baptized along with twenty-two other enslaved people. Because Hilaire’s mother, Jeanne, belonged to Emmanuel Prud’homme, Hilaire was most likely born on Oakland.
The following information has been retrieved from archival records.
1830s
While very few planters ever allowed enslaved people to learn to read and write, legislation passed in Louisiana in 1830 made it a crime to do so. Out of necessity, the enslaved were forced to carry on the African tradition of conveying information orally.
Enslaved people on Oakland worked six days a week from sunrise to sunset. They were divided into multiple labor gangs. There were gangs for picking cotton, cultivating corn, hoeing, and planting. There were additional gangs for cotton ginning and pressing, land clearing, and fence building. Occasionally, documentation of the work done by the enslaved provided additional information. The 1836 cotton book lists the names of seventy-seven enslaved people who planted, tended, and picked cotton on Oakland.
The following information has been retrieved from archival records.
After his birth in 1809, Helaire disappears from plantation records so little is known about his childhood. He reappears in the records in 1837 in a document that indicates a Prud’homme family member sold thirty-eight bushels of corn for Helaire.
Pictured is a 1837 document indicating the sale of 38 bushels of corn for Helarie.
1845
By 1840 the number of enslaved people living and working at Oakland had grown to 104. Plantation records from 1845 list some of their names and occupations.
1845
Charles, coachman Venus, cook Hilaire, driver/foreman Bysainte, cow herder Solomon (Williams), blacksmith Solomon (Wilson), carpenter Lindor, weaver Marie, house servant Caroline, house servant Martha Ann, washerwoman Celeste, nurse Nanette, hospital nurse and midwife Alexia, shoemaker Butler, brick mason
William Smith, ca. 1900
William Smith was born enslaved at Oakland Plantation around 1843 or 1844. He was the son of enslaved blacksmith Solomon Williams and his wife, Polly. Prior to the Civil War William was sold or given away to a nearby plantation. In 1864 William escaped enslavement and joined the United States Army.
1850s
By 1853, 131 enslaved people were listed as plantation assets including Sallinette, age six months, and Charlotte, age ninty or one hundred years. Only thirty-seven people inventoried earlier appear on the 1853 listing. Helaire and his mother Jeane remained at Oakland but Venus, who had been the enslaved cook since 1836, was sold in 1850. It is likely that the others were sold off or inherited as the plantation passed from one generation of the Prud’hommes to another.
Records show that the Prud’hommes gave each male slave a coat with a hood, a Kentucky jean coat, and trousers made from brown kersey and a cotton shirt. Women received a skirt made from blue denim, a plaid shirt or a shawl, and a shift. Both men and women received hats. Each person that worked in the fields received a blanket. Families with children too young to work in the fields received one blanket for every two children in the family.
The following information has been retrieved from archival records.
1850
Achille, age 20 Adams, age 3, son of Rachel Alexandre, age 60 Alfredo, age 35 Angelique, age 53 Appollinaire, age 16 Arsene, age 8, son of Elenore Arthemise, age 28, mother of Dolore Auguste, age 34 Augustus, age 32 Baguie, age 80 or 90 Barbe, age 64, mother of Philippe Barre, age 20 Big Lisa, age 35, mother of Fanny Bob, age 32 Butler, age 1, son of Rachel Bysainte, age 52 Caroline, age 40 Celeste, age 43 Cesaire, age 2, son of Elenore Charles, age 38 Charlotte, age 90 or 100 Chrysostine, age 25, mother of Tacotin Clarien, age 1, child of Severine Clement, age 1, son of Rosette Colas, age 50 David, age 4, son of Perrine Denis, age 10, son of Franchonne Denise, age 9, daughter of Perrine Dersilien, age 19 Desneige, age 40, mother of Joseph Dolore, age 3, daughter of Arthemise Dorcino, age 42 Edmond, age 6, son of Elenore Elenore, age 28, mother of Edmond Ellen, age 22, mother of Franchonnette Fanny, age 6, daughter of Big Lisa Franchonnette, age 2, daughter of Ellen Franchonnette, age 55, mother of Denis Francois, age 32 Francoise, age 8 Frank, age 30 Gregoire, age 60 Gustin, age 2, orphan Gustin, age 64 Helaire, age 42, son of Jeanne Henriette, age 32 Honore, age 30 Jacot, age 12 James, age 37 Janvier, age 21 Jean, age 4, child of Severine Jean Louis, age 35 Jeanne, age 60, mother of Helaire Jefsey, age 35 Joseph, age 10, son of Desneige Julia, age 2, orphan Julie, age 1, daughter of Arthemise Kere, age 34 Layaz, age 48 Lens, age 40 Lindor, age 54 Little Laisa, age 28 Louis, age 7, son of Desneige Malingo, age 80 or 90 Marianne, age 3, daughter of Arthemise Marie, age 4, daughter of Rosette Marie, age 59 Marquerite, age 10 Martha Ann, age 30 Martin, age 60 Mary, age 5, daughter of Rachel Modeste, age 18 Nancette, age 52 Neuville, age 10, son of Big Lisa Patsy, age 2, daughter of Polly Paul, age 19 Perrine, age 52, mother of Denise Petit Antoine, age 15 Petit Jacque, age 7 Philippe, age 40, son of Barbe Polly, age 30, mother of Patsy Pomponne, age 62 Rachel, age 30, mother of Mary Rose, age 1 month, daughter of Ellen Rose, age 55 Rosette, age 39 Sallinette, age 6 months Salomon, age 32 Salomon, age 45 Seraphin, age 10, child of Elenore Severin co Rosette, age 9 Severine, age 27, mother of Jean Silesie, age 5, child of Sirene Sirene, age 36, mother of Silesie Tacotin, age 2, son of Chrysostine Valsin, age 9, son of Arthemise Venus, age 40 Victorine, age 7, child of Polly William, age 4, son of Polly
1860
The following information was drawn from the journal of the Oakland Plantation Overseer Seneca Pace. He recorded the names of the enslaved workers along with how many pounds of cotton each individual picked on Monday, August 20, 1860. Pace also noted other work done by a few of the enslaved people that day as well as injuries or illness.
1860
Cecelia - 100 Alexis - 160 Andrew - 265 August - Bone fellou Bad Buller - Benjamin - 175 Bob - Carpenter work in Gin Collins - 190 Charles Little - 95 Derzelin - 140 Ement - 190 Francois - 195 George - 90 Honore - 235 Jack corn - 000 Jack your - 205 Jhoseph - 230 Jaccot - 140 Jessy - 145 Mosis - 165 Minique - 225 Nathan - 190 Nueville - 245 Nancy - 150 Raymo - arm Swell appear as if it will Rise Semor - 265 Serephin - 225 Severen - 130 Edmond - fever Juel - 155 Gregoir - 160 York - 170 Arsen - Big Belly work in Gin yard Catherine - 175 Elenore - 215 Elen - 200 Feleciete - 150 Franswares - 155 Harriet - Bone fellou of Rising in hand Koese - Bone fellou or Rising Bad hand Kitty - 150 Martha - house Servant Liede - 235 Lizebeth - 150 Luezan Big - 195 Luezan Little - 185 Laizar - 170 Margret - 100 Marjane - 235 Phillis - washer for house Roselie - 250 Suzone - 155 Suzette - 190 Jane - 210 Justene - 220 Lucinda - 205 Roseilenne - 230 Therrez - 215 Azlee - 140 Gerlizie - 135 Fanny - 205 Clarrah - 175 Lize - 165 Hannah - 155 Fachonet - 170 Millete - 120 Eugene - 145 Cesar - Servant or horseler Edware - house Servant Marie - 110
1864
In the spring of 1864 United States Army troops advanced up the Cane River during the Red River Campaign. Some enslaved people saw the opportunity to gain their freedom. Pierre Phanor Prud’homme complained that of his 162 enslaved people “12 men-8 negresses- [and] 12 children out of the field” left with the army. This exodus included Celine, Daniel, Elcy, Julia, Moses, Sophie, and twenty-six others. Those who stayed remained the human property of the Prud’homme family until the end of the Civil War. It was only with the passage of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in December of 1865 that slavery was banned in all of the United States.
The following information has been retrieved from archival records.
1864
Achille Aimee Albert Goodson Alexandre Alexis Petit Alexis Amelia Amelie Anais Angela Ann Anna Charles Arsene Aspagie Auguste Johnson Azelie John Azenna Baptiste Benjamin, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Caroline, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Celine, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Cesaire, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Charles, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Daniel, left with US troops, March 22, 1864 Edmond, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Edward, left with US troops, March 22, 1864 Elcy, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Elenora, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Florence, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Henry, left with US troops, March 22,1864 James, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Julia, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Moses, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Nancy, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Nanette, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Pauline, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Roseline, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Sophie, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Suzanne, left with US troops, March 22,1864 Rose Bob, left in September Francoise, left with US troops Betsy Brillant Bysantine Campy Carelate Catherine Compere Cecile Cecilia Francois Celestine Charlotte Clara Clarice Claire Clementine Collins Page Denise Dominique, Carpenter Dorcino Elizabeth John Ellen Goodson Emile Eugene Williams Fanchonette Bob Fanchonette Fanny Felicite Frank Frederick Gregoire Gustava Gustus Woodward Gustine Heloise Henriette Smith Henry Hilaire Langlois Irene J. Baptiste Jacques Jack Compere James Jean Wolly Jean Baptiste Charles Jean Louis Jerone Jilezie John Errante Jose Josephe Josephine Jules Honore Jules Julie Julien Juliette Kere Kitty Butler Lafille Laide Williams Lalee Larine Larza Lisbeth Lise Little Louisa Lolette Auguste Louis Louisa Antoine Lucinda Page Lucinda Lucile Manette Mannon Marceline Marguerite Errante Maria Nargot Marie Wilson Marie Jeanne Hilaire Marie Louise Marie Rosette Marjianna Marquerite Melanie Francois Melinda Langlois Mona Merante Mercelila Nalsin Nancy Nathan Smith, Foreman Nathan Neuville Oliver Ophelia Paul Phillis Langlois Polly Pouponne Prudence Rachel Rosalie Toussaint Rosalie Roselia Rosette Salenette Seraphin Charles Severine Silvie Simon Toussaint Solomon Wilson, Carpenter Solomon Williams, Blacksmith Sosie Suzette Woodward Suzette SylvestreTherese Therise Minique Toussaint Ursin Virginia Butler Zelina Langlois
Historical Documents
Enslaved Persons purchased and summary of Phanor Prud’homme’s accounts after his father’s death. Undated document but after 1845. Microfilm 16-00530 - 16-00535. In the Prudhomme Family Papers #613, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
List of Clothing Sizes for Enslaved Workers. Oakland Plantation, undated document, Microfilm 16-00504 and 16-00502. In the Prudhomme Family Papers #613, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
List of Shoes Given on Plantation to sharecroppers. Now listed with last names. November 1865 Microfilm 16-00473. In the Prudhomme Family Papers #613, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
Place Map
Locations of Referenced Places along Cane River
