SANKOFA'S SLAVERY DATA COLLECTION

Waterford Plantation

Location: St. Johns Co., FL
Constructed: 1828

History: Edwin T. Jenckes had traveled the world and lived in Rhode Island as a retired man before he decided to persue planting. Attracted to the mild climate of Florida, he made plans to etsablish a sugar cane plantation there. While Jenckes was in Charleston, South Carolina (ca. 1828), he had purchased $4,000.00 of Florida land and made plans to purchase $15 - 16,000.00 in slaves and supplies at Charleston.

Waterford Plantation experienced both productive and hard times. Jenckes described in a letter written in June 1862 efforts to fight a drought: "The negroes have had sundry alligators killed and turned with their bellies up in the field for several weeks which is an infallible method of bringing rain."

Associated Surnames: Jenckes

Associated Free White Names

• Edwin T. Jenckes: owner
  • wife Hannah Jenckes

Associated Black Slave Names

• ----

Agriculture

• Sugar cane, cotton, oranges

Description of Associated Architecture

• ----

Landmarks

• St. Johns River

Other People Researching This Plantation

• The USF Africana Heritage Project (e-mail, website)

RESOURCES

• Waterford Plantation was originally submitted by The USF Africana Heritage Project. Thanks!!!
• Tanner, Earl C. "The Early Career of Edwin T. Jenckes a Florida Pioneer in the 1830's" Florida Historical Quarterly 30(3):262-276. Article online at USF