SANKOFA'S PLANTATION DATABASE

Fife Plantation

Location: Savannah Back River, 6 miles above city of Savannah; Beaufort Co., SC
Constructed:

History: The land of Fife plantation served as a battlefield during the Civil War. At that time, the overseer managing the plantation fled. After the war, the land was considered "abandoned" and ex-slaves continued to live and farm there. William Henry and James B. Heyward petitioned for restoration of ownership and regained possession of the land. The resident freedmen were then forced to sign labor contracts with the Heywards if they decided to remain at the only place they probably ever knew as home. According to the contracts, the freedmen were to turn over half of their produce to the Heywards.

Associated Surnames: Heyward

Associated Plantations: Myrtle Grove Plantation (Beaufort Co., SC), Rotterdam Plantation (Beaufort Co., SC)

Associated Free White Names

• (1855 - ) William Henry Heyward: owner
• (1855 - ) James B. Heyward: owner of Fife, Myrtle Grove, and Rotterdam Plantations

Associated Black Slave Names

1860: Slaves of William Henry Heyward
From 1860 Slave Schedule, Extracted by Tom Blake

• HEYWARD, Wm. Henry, 386 slaves, St. William, page 39

Agriculture

• Rice

Description of Associated Architecture

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RESOURCES

• Beaufort Co. , South Carolina: Largest Slaveholders From 1860 Slave Census Schedules, Transcribed by Tom Blake http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~ajac/scbeaufort.htm
• The Civil War in South Carolina: Property Losses of Record, Beaufort District http://www.geocities.com/frankoclark/civwar/Beaufortloss.html