Garden patches at Bohemia, 1792

Garden patches at Bohemia, 1792

Slave labor; Slaves--United States--Social conditions; Private plot-agriculture; Master and Servant.

In 1792, Fr. Francis Beeston recorded the dimensions of the garden plots of the enslaved community at Bohemia Plantation. Among the regulations. both men and women were allowed a patch of at least 100 yards long and 40 yards wide. Married men had access to larger plots of land if their wives lived at Bohemia plantation. Children had no access to plots until "he or she [were] a full hand, with respect to work."

Maryland Province Collection

Georgetown Slavery Archive

1792

Elsa Barraza Mendoza

Georgetown University Library

PDF

English

Manuscript

GSA300

N.B. The dimensions of a Negroe’s patch in future shall be 100 yards long & 40 yards wide from the fence of the field to which it joins. - If he be a married man, & his wife live on this Plantation, he shall be allowed a patch 200 y^ds. In length & 40 ^yds in breadth from the fence of the adjoining fields. Which breadth shall never be increased on any account. -

If a married man has a patch of these last dimensions, his wife shall have no separate patch. - No boy nor girl shall be entitled to a patch till he or she is a full hand, with respect to work.- The patches shall be made only in such places, as the master shall appoint. If anyone transgress these rules; he shall, without fail lose his patch ^ & all title to any in future.

Manuscript