Somerset Plantation 1785 - 1865

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Somerset Plantation1785 - 1865

• Was one of only four plantations in NC that held
  over 300 slaves.
• Primarily cultivated rice, wheat, and corn.
  Produced lumber for plantation housing as well as
  for export.
• Maintained 2 story hospital primarily to serve as
  quarantine - a protection from economic calamity
  if many slaves got sick.
• 80 slaves were brought directly from West Africa
  in 1786. These were the people who had first-hand
  knowledge of rice cultivation.

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Somerset - Main House
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Boarding School - about 30 yards from main house
since mother did not want to send children away

• 6 Collins Boys
• Minister
• 1-2 Tutors
• 25 dogs
• 2 pet monkeys

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Overseer House
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Slaves Cabin
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Pen - adjoined slave quarters where they could
grow their own food and/or keep livestock
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Nine people lived in this 18x18 cabin
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Dining table - note gourd bowl
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Slave bed which slept 2
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Slave doll - the absence of legs symbolized lack
of freedom
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Dairy - note presence and position of louvers to
help keep interior cool
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Kitchen to prepare food for main house
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Kitchen
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Most cooking was done over an open fire
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Waffle Iron
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• The canal was dug by slaves - 6 - 12 feet
  deep, 20 feet wide, 6 miles long. Connected Lake
  Phelps to Scuppernong River. From there goods
  went to Edenton to be shipped from there.

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Somerset Plantation

• Over 100,000 acres.
• By 1850 there were over 50 structures on the
  plantation including barns, sawmills, gristmills,
  stables, an Episcopal chapel, smoke and salting
  houses.
• Within five years of the slaves emancipation,
  the owners were forced to sell.