John Blackford. Ferry Hill Plantation Journal

Ferry Hill Plantation Journal:
January 4, 1838-January 15, 1839:
Electronic Edition.

Blackford, John, 1771-1839

Funding from the Library of Congress/Ameritech National Digital Library Competition
supported the electronic publication of this title.

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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
1998.

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Call number F187.W3 B5 1961 (Davis Library, UNC-CH)

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Library of Congress Subject Headings

LC Subject Headings:

Blackford, John, 1771-1839 -- Diaries.
Ferry Hill Plantation (Md.)
Plantation life -- Maryland -- Washington County.
Plantation owners -- Maryland -- Diaries.
Washington County (Md.) -- Social life and customs.
Washington County (Md.) -- Biography.
Slavery -- Maryland -- Washington County.

FERRY HILL PLANTATION JOURNAL
January 4, 1838-January 15, 1839

Edited with An Introduction and Notes

BY FLETCHER M. GREEN

CHAPEL HILL
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS
1961

Copyright, 1961, by
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS
Printed in the United States of America The Seeman Printery, Inc. Durham, N. C.

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To
E. H. G. and M. F. G.
Both of Them Helped

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PREFACE

In 1909 Ulrich Bonnell Phillips published his Plantation and Frontier Documents, which incidentally remains today the most important single collection of published source documents on the plantation regime of the pre-Civil War South, in which he defined a plantation as "a unit in agricultural industry in which the laboring force was of considerable size, the work was divided among groups of laborers who worked in routine under supervision, and the primary purpose was in each case the production of a special staple commodity for sale. The laborers were generally in a state of bondage. Wage earners might be employed; but for the sake of certainty in maintaining a constant and even supply of labor from season to season, indented servants and negro slaves were the commoner resort." He defined a farm as "an agricultural unit in which the labor force was relatively small. There was no sharp distinction between workman and supervisor. A less regular routine was followed and the primary purpose was divided between producing commodities for market and commodities for consumption within the family. Farmers might hire help and might buy slaves. With unfree labor as such, however, they had little or no vital concern."¹ These definitions are generally accepted as correct but it should be noted that there were plantations that had characteristics ascribed to the farm and vice versa. For instance, some plantations did not grow a single major staple for sale but produced a number of crops - grain, fruits, and livestock - for sale, and used slave labor which was not worked in routine under constant supervision.

Since 1909 many excellent journals and diaries of the rice, sugar, and cotton plantations of the lower South have been published, ² but there has been a dearth of significant journals of combination grain, hay, fruit, and livestock plantations of the Virginia-Maryland area. And it is still true, as Phillips said in 1909, "On the subject of small farms....,

1. Plantation and Frontier Documents: 1649-1863. Illustrative of Industrial History in the Colonial & Ante-Bellum South, 2 volumes (Cleveland, Ohio: The Arthur H. Clark Company, 1909), I, 72-73.

2. See below, Bibliography V, Plantation Diaries and Journals, p. 135.

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the reader must keep in mind that there is a hiatus in the documents." ³ It is a well know fact, however, that the farms constituted a most important element in the general agricultural and economic life of the Old South although they were overshadowed by, and attracted less attention than, the large and more striking plantations.

It was my good fortune as editor of Henry Kyd Douglass, I Rode with Stonewall (Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1940), to find in the attic at Ferry Hill Plantation a bound volume of a journal of that plantation kept by the then owner, John Blackford, for the year January 4, 1838, to January 15, 1839. This plantation, located on the Maryland side of the Potomac River across from Shepherdstown, Virginia (now West Virginia), had characteristics of both the plantation and the farm as defined by Phillips. The regular labor force was slave but the plantation produced no special major staple crop. Instead it grew grain of various kinds, hay, fruits, potatoes, livestock and timber for sale as well as home consumption. Mr. J. Howard Beckenbaugh, the owner of Ferry Hill in 1942, deposited the journal and other papers in the Southern Historical Collection of the University of North Carolina, but withdrew them in 1954 and gave them to the newly established Historical Society of Washington County in Hagerstown, Maryland. I had made a copy of the journal while it was on deposit in the Southern Historical Collection, and Mr. Beckenbaugh kindly gave his permission for its publication.

The preparation of this document for publication presented a number of editorial problems. There is ample evidence to show that Blackford had kept a record of his plantation for many years, probably since 1816 when he purchased the ferry, but this document is the only part of the record known to exist. Kept in a bound ledger about ten by fourteen inches, the journal begins abruptly on January 4, 1838. It has no title, but I have chosen to call it a "journal" rather than a "diary." It was written, not in response to spontaneous impulse to record the observations, thoughts, and deeds of the author, but to record the day by day happenings at Ferry Hill Plantation. It includes home life, the operation of the ferry, and work in the fields, barns, and woods - in a word the everyday life of the Blackford family, their slaves and hired workers, and the coming and going of relatives and visitors.

Life at Ferry Hill was very different from that on a major staple crop plantation where the laborers worked in gangs, in routine, and under close supervision. The cultivation and harvesting of corn, wheat, barley, oats, rye, clover, hay, and potatoes; the threshing and milling of the grain; the daily feeding and care of cattle, horses, sheep and hogs, and the slaughter of animals and curing of meats; the growing,

3. Plantation and Frontier Documents, I, 97.

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harvesting, and preservation of apples, and the manufacture of cider, vinegar, and apple butter therefrom; the daily supervision of the ferry; and the cutting of wood for fuel and timber for lumber and shingles for sale, all of which took place at Ferry Hill, could not easily be carried on by slave gangs in routine and under supervision. Consequently the laborers at Ferry Hill worked individually with little or no supervision. Nor were they assigned tasks to do. Blackford never employed an overseer, he chose to manage the plantation himself and to give general supervision to his slaves and hired laborers. But he did not, as a small farmer would have done, work with his slaves. He did no manual labor. It was his function to formulate policies and see that they were carried out. Nor was Blackford and his plantation unique in this respect. They were typical of many planters and plantations of the Maryland-Virginia area.

The Ferry Hill Journal furnishes its own warranty of truth and authenticity. It deals concretely, unconsciously, generally impersonally, and in evident faithfulness with life as it was lived on the plantation. Since Blackford was the supervisor as well as owner he not only saw but experienced the life about which he wrote. Only twice during the year was he absent from the plantation for a full day. On one occasion he, some members of his family, and friends made a business and pleasure trip of seven days' duration to Washington and Baltimore. Again he and his invalid wife spent a week at one of the Virginia resort springs. During these absences one of his sons, and a relative who lived on the plantation, supervised the work. From them and from slaves and hired workers Blackford gathered information to fill in the journal.

Blackford, an intelligent, well educated, and widely read man, made no effort to use correct English in his journal. The entries were hurriedly written for his own use, and he intended to transcribe them into a more permanent journal. He generally wrote short notes, using single words, phrases, clauses, including numerous abbreviations, instead of complete sentences. His capitalization, spelling, and punctuation or lack thereof are not only abominable but also maddening to the reader. For instance in the spelling of the name of one of his close friends and a frequent visitor at Ferry Hill there are at least four variations. As editor I have chosen to reproduce faithfully the journal as written; I have made no corrections, nor have I supplied missing words and punctuation. After the reader has mastered Blackford's original and unique writing practices in the first few pages he can readily grasp the meaning of the erratic English construction.

In order to make the appearance of the printed version of the journal more pleasing to the eye, and to enable the reader to grasp at a glance the day of the month and the day of the week I have chosen to insert the names of the months as chapter divisions and to give the date

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and day as the key to each paragraph. In these two items only have I departed from the original text. For the daily entry Blackford generally gave the date followed by the day, e.g., 4th March. Sometimes he reversed the order; sometimes he inserted the name of the month between, and occasionally he inserted the year also. I have chosen to make all daily entries uniform.

The journal is filled with hundreds of names of Blackford's family, relatives, visitors, acquaintances, strangers crossing the Potomac River on the ferry, and Blackford's slaves and hired laborers. I have made no attempt to identify all these people. It would have been impossible to do so. I have identified those whose identity is essential to an understanding of the story. Most of these appear early in the text. I have kept documentation to a minimum.

I am indebted to many people for aid in this undertaking, most of all to Mr. J. Howard Beckenbaugh who very graciously gave his consent to publication of the journal. Mrs. Frank W. Mish, Jr., of the Washington County (Maryland) Historical Society was untiring in her efforts to locate materials on Ferry Hill. The Clerk of the Court of Washington County, made available John Blackford's will, deeds, and other legal papers bearing on the Blackford family and plantation. The Institute for Research in Social Science at the University of North Carolina gave me a Grant-in-Aid for research and typed a clean copy of the journal. I owe a special debt of gratitude to Miss Dena Neville, Secretary of the Department of History at the University of North Carolina, who typed the final copy and whose sharp eye and good judgment saved me from errors which otherwise would have appeared in print.

The University of North Carolina Research Council aided in both the research for and the publication of the Ferry Hill Plantation Journal.

Fletcher M. Green

Chapel Hill, N. C.

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INTRODUCTION

I
BUILDING THE PLANTATION

When the first settlers - Germans, Irish, and Scotch-Irish from Pennsylvania, and Dutch from New York - began to push into western Maryland in the 1720's they followed the old Indian and packhorse trail from York, Pennsylvania. Those who wished to cross the Potomac River into Virginia found the Packhorse Ford, one mile below the site of the present Shepherdstown, West Virginia, the one and only good crossing for many miles east or west of it. The area on both sides of the Potomac had much to offer the newcomers: a salubrious climate, rich and fertile soil, streams well stocked with fish and fields and forests with game, numerous springs of excellent water and rapidly flowing streams for power, limestone quarries for fertilizer and building stone, and timber for fuel and lumber. The region was rapidly settled. Maryland organized Frederick County in 1748 with Frederick Town as the seat of government and Washington in 1776 with the government at Hagerstown. Virginia organized her Frederick County in 1743 with Winchester as the seat of government and cut off Berkeley and Jefferson counties from Frederick along the Potomac in 1772, with Martinsburg and Shepherdstown as the county seats respectively.

As the population increased Packhorse Ford no longer met the needs for crossing the Potomac River, and in 1765 the Virginia Assembly authorized Thomas Shepherd, who had founded Shepherdstown, to establish a ferry between the town and the Maryland side of the river. Before he began the project, however, Shepherd learned that Thomas Van Swearingen had already been authorized to establish a ferry from the Maryland side and Shepherd abandoned his project. Swearingen began the operation of his ferry in 1765 with charges of three pence per person and the same for each horse. Shepherdstown agreed to maintain a road from the town to the ferry landing on the Virginia side. Meanwhile Washington County, Maryland, constructed a road from Boonsboro via Sharpsburg to the Swearingen Ferry landing on the Maryland side of the Potomac. Sherpherdstown had road connections with Charles Town, later the county seat of Jefferson, Martinsburg, Winchester, Harpers Ferry, and the Shenandoah Valley; and Boonsboro had road connections with Hagerstown, Frederick, and Baltimore,

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Maryland. Hence Swearingen's Ferry was strategically located. It was well patronized, and soon became a successful business enterprise.

John Blackford, son of John Blackford "Captain of the Independence Blues" of the American Revolution and an early and leading citizen of Boonsboro, purchased land from Thomas Shepherd on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. This land, which lay below the ferry, connected land already owned by Blackford with the ferry landing. In 1816 Blackford purchased from Henry Thomas Van Swearingen of Shepherdstown, Virginia, his ferry together with his franchise, boats and apparatus, three tracts of land in Maryland, namely "Antietam Bottom," "Ferry Landing," and "Ferry Landing Enlarged," and also houses and unoccupied lots in Shepherdstown. He later acquired lands from the Bedinger and Hays families which gave him contiguous holdings of above seven hundred acres of land. Thus was consolidated the Swearingen Ferry and lands and the Blackford lands to be called Ferry Hill Plantation.

Blackford and his family lived in a large, two-story red brick house which they called Ferry Hill Place. Erected in 1812 the house still stands in 1961 although remodeled and somewhat changed. On Ferry Hill Plantation were three other dwelling houses and "The Cottage" erected by Van Swearingen for the ferry attendant. The three residences were occupied in 1838 by Franklin, Blackford's married son, and Charles and Joseph Knode, brother and nephew of Mrs. John Blackford. Franklin had his own business interests but gave some assistance to his father in managing the plantation. The Knodes cultivated Blackford's land on a rental basis paying him a share of the crops grown. Blackford placed the ferry under the control of two of his slaves and rented "The Cottage" and his houses in Shepherdstown, generally but not always, to people employed on his plantation.

Ferry Hill Plantation was located in a fertile and thickly populated area. Joseph Scott, a well known geographer of his day, surveyed the region in 1807 and reported that the lands of Washington County were "esteemed equal if not superior in fertility to any in the state." Another writer declared that the Antietam Valley was "remarkable for its fertility and the wheat grown here is of the finest quality and is manufactured into superior brands of flour." There were on Antietam Creek some fourteen flour mills and several sawmills and iron works. The average yield of wheat per acre in Washington County in 1840 was 34 bushels, of corn 26 bushels. The county led the state in per acre yield of corn and was second in wheat. Other principal products were oats, rye, hay, potatoes, apples, honey, livestock, limestone, and lumber. Agriculture was conducted in a scientific manner; implements of the most improved kind were used; livestock was improved by the best of foreign breeds; and the rewards of planting were most gratifying.

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The population of Washington County in 1840 was 28,850 of which 24,724 were white, 2,546 were slave, and 1,580 were free Negroes. A contemporary writer described the people of the area as "noted for their thrift, intelligence, and prosperity."

Ferry Hill Place was located on the Potomac River four miles from Sharpsburg, eleven from Boonsboro, twenty-two from Hagerstown, and twenty-five from Frederick, Maryland, and less than three miles from Shepherdstown and about fifteen from Harpers Ferry, Virginia. By 1838 it had turnpike connections with all these places and thence to Baltimore, Maryland, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The turnpike to Frederick crossed the National, or Cumberland Road to Wheeling, Virginia. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal ran through the plantation on its way to Williamsport giving water transportation to Washington, D. C. And the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad gave rail connection at both Frederick and Harpers Ferry.

II
THE BLACKFORD FAMILY

John Blackford (July 18, 178-, November-, 1839) was a wealthy and prosperous business man. In addition to his plantation and ferry he owned stock in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, the Baltimore Insurance Company, the Boonsboro Turnpike Company, and other unidentified business ventures. Furthermore he lent considerable sums of money at interest. He was a public spirited leader in his community. He served in the War of 1812 and commanded a company that, because of its action at the disastrous battle of Bladensburg, was dubbed the "Bladensburg Racers." Despite the poor showing of his troops Captain Blackford's reputation did not suffer. He at least was later promoted to a colonelcy in the volunteers. He served for many years as a justice of the peace; was supervisor of the public roads in his district; was active in organizing and building the Boonsboro Turnpike; was a delegate to several county conventions held to encourage the building of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and, when it was organized in 1828, invested in its stock. In 1830 he was appointed to a committee of Boonsboro citizens to try to get the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church to locate its proposed college in that town. He never sought public office but presided over a county Democratic Republican convention in 1828. He became an ardent Whig and on occasion bitterly condemned the Democratic majority in the county for what he termed "questionable action" in the conduct of local elections.

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Blackford was a comunicant of the Episcopal Church but not a regular attendant upon its services. He contributed to its support and to the German Reformed, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches. He gave handsome sums toward the building of new church edifices of both Episcopal and German Reformed congregations, but he refused to contribute to the Maryland Bible Society.

Blackford married into the Knode family which had migrated into western Maryland and Virginia with the earliest German settlers from Pennsylvania. His wife was an invalid for some years and was confined to her bed for most of the period covered by the Ferry Hill Plantation Journal. Blackford was deeply devoted to her, gave her all possible medical attention, sent her to the Belinda Springs, two miles southeast of Sharpsburg, to take advantage of its medicinal waters, and himself took her for a week's stay at the more famous Shannondale Springs near Charlestown, Virginia. But all to no avail, Mrs. Blackford died on October 7, 1838.

Mrs. Blackford bore her husband five children, three sons and two daughters. Franklin, the eldest son, was married and had one child. He and his wife Elizabeth lived in one of the dwelling houses on his father's plantation. He engaged in various enterprises, among them running a tavern, breeding horses, and operating a line of packet boats on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. He sometimes assisted his father in managing Ferry Hill, but did not seem to have his father's full confidence. Jeannette Y., Blackford's eldest daughter, married Dr. Otho Josiah Smith of Boonsboro. He was a graduate of the University of Maryland and had studied medicine under Dr. Charles MacGill of Hagerstown. Blackford's second son Henry V. S. was a student at the Mercersburgh (Pennsylvania) Academy in 1837-1839. Helena, the youngest daughter, was unmarried and lived with her parents. William Moore, the youngest child, was just beginning his schooling in 1838 at Francis Deary's School in Boonsboro.

Three of Blackford's wife's relatives lived on Ferry Hill Plantation. Catherine Knode, a sister, never married and John Blackford, in his will, provided for her an annuity for life. Charles Knode, a brother, rented the Bedford Place from Blackford and cultivated it on shares. Joseph Knode, a nephew, rented the Shepherd Farm as a share tenant. He sometimes assisted Blackford with the plantation, boarded some of his hired hands, and permitted his slaves to work in the fields with Blackford's slaves. In fact it seems that slaves belonging to John Blackford, Franklin Blackford, Mrs. Otho J. Smith, Charles Knode, and Joseph Knode worked interchangeably for their respective masters. The Knodes, a large clan, were frequent visitors at Ferry Hill Place.

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III
PLANTATION MANAGEMENT

Blackford, like most Southern planters, was a busy and hard working man. He did not of course do manual labor but he chose to manage his plantation and supervise his varied business interests without the help of an overseer. The only manual labor he reported doing during 1838 was to replace the crank and handle of a grindstone broken by one of his hired laborers, and it took him the entire day to perform this minor task. The only time he mentioned an overseer in his journal for 1838 was when an overseer from a neighboring plantation sought a job with Blackford because his current employer had decided to rent rather than cultivate his plantation. Much of Blackford's time was spent in his office where he kept the plantation journal published herewith, a financial record of the ferry, records of his activities as a justice of the peace, and other business transactions.

As noted above Blackford rented farms to his son and two of his wife's relatives. This relieved him of close supervision over the cultivation of these lands. How profitable his rental lands were the records do not show. Joseph Knode paid him 385 bushels of corn, 138 3/4 bushels of wheat, and 85 1/2 bushels of rye for the Shepherd Farm in 1837. In addition Blackford received unspecified quantities of forage including shucks and fodder from the corn, straw from wheat and rye, and clover and timothy hay. Blackford appointed two of his slaves as "Foremen of the Ferry." They did the work themsleves, called on other slaves to assist, and even hired free labor, both white and black, to assist in rush periods. They kept the receipts from the ferry and were permitted to spend money therefrom for supplies as the need arose. They generally reported the receipts daily, but sometimes they did not report for several days. Obviously Blackford devoted little of his time to the management of the ferry.

The slaves and hired laborers who did the general plantation work carried on with a minimum of direct supervision. Occasionally Blackford might ride into the fields, the range, or the woods to give general directions or to specify exactly what work was to be done. For instance, "I rode out and marked off the land I wish cleared." Blackford seems to have found this system satisfactory. Certainly he recorded few complaints about the work done. Blackford himself looked after his rental property, including "The Cottage" and the houses in Shepherdstown. And he gave considerable time and attention to lending money

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and supervising his investments. These affairs caused him considerable difficulty and he employed Joseph I. Merrick, a prominent lawyer of Hagerstown and Baltimore, to assist him in these matters.

The most important money crop grown at Ferry Hill was wheat. Blackford experimented with various types, particularly Blue Stem and White, in an effort to increase the yield. Other crops grown were corn, rye, oats, buckwheat, hay including timothy and red and white clover, broom corn, potatoes, apples, pumpkins, turnips, hemp, and flax. Blackford harvested his own seed and sold seed to the neighboring farmers and planters. He had his grain milled at Mumma's, Staub's, and Glassford's mills located on Antietam Creek, and shipped flour and meal to Baltimore for sale. Apples, vinegar, cider, apple butter, and potatoes were sold in the local markets.

Second in economic importance to general field crops at Ferry Hill was timber. The forests supplied wood for fuel in the homes; posts, rails, and palings for fences; and plank, scantling, and shingles to keep the barns, stables, storage houses, and dwelling houses in repair. Blackford employed a large number of hired laborers for work in the woods during the fall and winter months. He sold large quantities of wood for fuel to the inhabitants of Shepherdstown, Sharpsburg, and Boonsboro. The wood sold for $2.50 per cord, and Blackford sold as many as one hundred cords per year to a single customer in Shepherdstown. Some householders sent their own laborers to cut and haul their wood. In addition to wood for fuel Blackford sold posts, plank, scantling, and shingles in considerable quantities. In some instances he sold logs to the mills. He supplied various mills and factories with their particular needs. For instance he sold the Antietam Iron Works gum, oak, and hickory suitable for making helves for the huge hammers used in its plant. And he sold timber to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company for fuel and repairs.

The ferry across the Potomac River was an important adjunct to the plantation. Blackford bought a one half interest in the ferry from Henry Thomas Van Swearingen in 1816 for $900.00. He later bought the remaining half from Mrs. Swearingen for an undisclosed sum. Blackford rarely failed to close the daily entry in his journal without some comment on the ferry business. Usually it was a laconic note running from "Very Poor" through "Poor," "Tolerable," "Middling," "Good," to "Very Good." The state franchise laid down general regulations for ferriage but Blackford could fix specific charges. Thus the foremen charged a sheep herder $4.00 for ferrying a herd of five hundred sheep across the river but charged the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company $133.16 for ferrying two loads of gun stocks destined for Harpers

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Ferry. The foremen had some difficulty in agreeing upon charges for a circus company. The owner appealed to Blackford and only after "considerable haggling" did he pay the charges. The ferry was a profitable investment. In 1837 it brought Blackford $697.00 above the cost of operation. And it continued to yield a profit to Blackford's son Franklin, to whom it descended in 1839, until he sold it to a company which built a bridge across the river which in turn abandoned the ferry in 1850.

Blackford took great pride in livestock breeding of all sorts. He raised enough hogs to supply Ferry Hill with ample pork, sausage, and hams, with a surplus for sale. He cured his own meats and in 1838 bought a machine for making and stuffing sausage and liver pudding which he found greatly facilitated the process. So successful was the machine that neighboring planters made use of it. Blackford raised sheep for food and wool. Among others he raised Saxons and Merinos. The wool was processed on the plantation and made into coarse cloth which the seamstress made into garments for the work force. Blackford sent yarn to the Conrodt Woolen Mills in Frederick and had it made into fine grade carpets. Blackford raised cattle to supply the plantation with milk, butter, beef, and work oxen. He kept a blooded bull to maintain the quality of his herd. Blackford kept brood mares and a stallion and raised horses to be used on the plantation. Occasionally he bred his mares to stallions widely known throughout the region. Blackford practiced the arts of a veterinarian, not always successfully. And he raised bees, chickens, turkeys, and pea fowl. Feathers from the latter were marketed in Washington, D. C.

Blackford might be called a progressive farmer. He made extensive use of natural manures and purchased agricultural lime which he applied to his grain and hay crops. Although he continued to use out-moded tools and time worn methods of cultivation he adopted and used new and improved farm implements and machinery, including harrows and rollers. Some of his grain was cut with scythes and hand cradles but in 1838 he rented a harvesting machine, probably a McCormick reaper, for cutting his wheat. Some grain was threshed by wooden flails or by treading, but in 1838 Blackford used a threshing machine driven by horses, and he owned a windmill, or as he called it a "revolving machine," powered by nine horses. He used blooded cattle, horses, hogs, and sheep for improving his livestock. It is not known that Blackford took any prizes at the local county agricultural society fair, but he was certainly aware of the extensive prize lists, published in the local newspaper, which included horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, poultry, wheat, corn, rye, oats, clover, potatoes, domestic linsey and carpets, apples, cider, and vinegar, all of which were produced at Ferry Hill.

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IV
THE LABOR FORCE

The Ferry Hill labor force consisted of twenty-five slaves and a large number of hired workers. Among the slaves were seven young children. Two of the adults regularly attended the Ferry and an unknown number were household servants. The remainder worked at whatever was to be done on the plantation - cutting fire wood and saw timber, caring for the livestock, planting, cultivating, and harvesting the grain, hay, and apple crops, and such irregular jobs as filling the two ice houses, and rebuilding the cistern and water works for Ferry Hill Place. During the year three births were recorded, two of which were stillborn.

The slaves were generally satisfactory workers. Ned and Jupe, who were assigned as "Foremen of the Ferry," were never criticized in regard to their work. Occasionally Blackford would complain that some of the field hands or woodcutters were "piddling at the job" but only one severe criticism was recorded of any of the slaves workers. Once, three slaves and an equal number of hired laborers, including one German, were hauling wheat from the fields and storing it in the barns. Blackford found their work wanting, and recorded of their activities, "Bad planned and poorly managed Negroe dictation."

The slaves were generally trusted and rarely closely supervised. As already noted Ned and Jupe were given full command of the Ferry. They were premitted to hire extra labor at rush periods and to spend money from the ferriage receipts without specific authorization. Other slaves were sent to Shepherdstown, Sharpsburg, or even to Boonsboro with cash with which to purchase groceries, tobacco, clothing, and various other commodities. In fact Blackford once sent one of his slaves to town to purchase trimming for a fancy vest he had had a tailor cut for himself. They were permitted to drive horses and carriages to the neighboring towns, and in no instant was this trust violated.

The slaves were well clothed and well fed. Blackford bought clothing for his slaves individually and when needed, and did not distribute it to them at stated periods in the fall and spring as most planters did. In fact he often let the slave purchase his own clothing. The following entries taken from the journal are typical. "Gave Ned $1.50 to pay for a Blanket which he bought of Lane and Webb." "Gave Murf a new coat good Lindsey." "Gave Will 12 1/2 cents to buy him some tobacco."

Blackford was most solicitous about the health and well-being of his slaves. Little Caroline fell while playing in the barnyard and Doctor

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Richard Parran was called to treat her bruises. Little George fell ill and Blackford immediately sent for Doctor Parran to attend him. When Hannah, Will's wife, was delivered of a female child Mrs. Israel Fry a midwife attended her. Daphney, who was pregnant, was taken ill and Doctor Parran and Mrs. Fry were both called. She had a miscarriage and was hospitalized for eleven days.

Blackford showered his slaves with special favors. In addition to furnishing them with tobacco he bought and distributed whiskey to the workers. He permitted them to visit the family and slaves of his daughter, Mrs. Otho J. Smith, in Boonsboro. They drove a cart and carried chickens, eggs, butter, and other such commodities to them. Occasionally they were given stagecoach fare to make the trip of some eleven miles to Boonsboro. Despite such treatment Blackford's slaves were not a contented lot. Caroline, Daphney, Will, and Isaiah were all reported as runaways more than once. Daphney, on one occasion, got to Sharpsburg where she spent the night before Henry, who "went in parsuit," overtook her. Isaiah, a house servant who was reported "absent without parmition," went to Boonsboro. Were they merely taking advantage of their liberties; were they stimulated in their efforts by the numerous free Negroes who resided in the neighborhood; or did they seek freedom as a natural right?

Some of the Blackford slaves were an ill-behaved lot. They frequently indulged in excessive use of liquor. Ned, a foreman of the Ferry was reported by Helen Blackford to be "quite much intoxicated" at high noon. Again he "came up from the Ferry after dark quite stupid with liquor." The following entries in the Journal are typical. "Murf and Julious both drunk." "Murf drunk as usual," "Murf down at the ferry pretty drunk." Blackford, who reported that he once got "very high" on champagne when on a business trip to Hagerstown, did not punish his slaves for drunkenness. In fact he seemed to condone the practice, and once excused them for being a little "slow and stiff" at the harvesting of wheat because "they had no bitters the whiskey which they all love dearly has given out."

But Blackford did not fail to administer punishment when he felt it was deserved. Careless or deliberate destruction of property he would not tolerate. Enoch "suffered the grey mare to run off and broke off shafts of the cart" and Blackford "corrected him. . . by giving him a few lashes." "Isaiah sat the peoples victuals down and the hoggs destroyed it," and Blackford "whipped him." Again Blackford "punished Isaiah pretty severely for his misconduct." Among other offenses recorded, several of which went unpunished, were "use of profane language," "bad conduct eave dropping and attempt to break into [Blakney's] house," "Caroline behaved bad in the kitchen," "Ned beat Little John," "Jupe and Caroline behaved bad," and Ned "confessed to the destruction

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of 2 pea cocks." Two of the young slaves "little Caroline" and "little George" were accused of "pilfering money" from members of the Blackford family but neither charge was proven.

Judging from the record Blackford was a kindly, even indulgent, master. His slaves were well fed, well clothed, worked almost entirely without supervision, were given all sorts of special privileges, were given the same sort of medical care as members of their master's family, and were not severely punished. Blackford hired out two of his slaves to close personal friends and in each case the contract called for "good and sufficient clothing and provisions." Finally, in his will Blackford declared "It is my will and desire that care shall be taken to prevent any of my slaves being sold out of the State or to slave traders or their agents unless for grave faults, or to any but humane and good masters."

Blackford employed a large number of hired laborers for seasonal farm work, for cutting wood and timber, and for special jobs such as filling the ice houses and repair work on barns and houses. Some few were hired for the year. The hired laborers included native whites, foreigners whom Blackford called Germans, Dutch, Scotch, Irish and Italian, free Negroes, slaves belonging to his neighbors, and Indians. Most of these were unskilled workers but Blackford occasionally hired skilled carpenters and brick masons. The latter were employed to remodel his own house and to rebuild a cistern and water works. It is impossible to say just how many workers Blackford employed, but a count for two months in 1838 discloses 3 slaves, 4 free Negroes, 3 Indians, 2 Dutchmen, 6 Germans, 1 Irishman, 1 Italian, and 21 local whites. Nor is there sufficient evidence to generalize about wages or the quality of work done. One white man was paid $1.00 per day, a white woman 62 1/2 cents, and a Negro girl 87 1/2 cents in wheat harvesting. An old man who did what Blackford called "piddling work" was given his keep, a little tobacco, and an occasional sum of money for making fence palings. An "old Negro" was hired to make brooms of broom corn grown on the plantation at 6 1/4 cents each. One free Negro cut 18 1/2 cords of wood, split 550 fence rails, and sawed blocks for shingles and logs for lumber, but his wages were not recorded. One white laborer split 2,640 shingles by hand, a carpenter pulled off the old roof on the barn and smokehouse on Shepherd Farm and nailed on 6,800 shingles on the house in Shepherdstown. The brick mason who rebuilt the cistern and water works at Ferry Hill Place was engaged in the task for more than a month.

The hired laborers generally proved satisfactory workers, but they occasionally fell under condemnation. For instance two free Negro wood cutters were denied the use of Blackford's grindstone because "they had carelessly broken the handle off of the crank." Isaac Widows, a white wood cutter also "broke the crank of my grindstone. I conclude

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he is very Trifeling." Martin Shellman, another white man and a "trifeling fellow," was discharged but continued on the place and "ate in the kitchen with the Negroes." Both these men had been employed for the year and both were re-employed after having been discharged.

Blackford's chief grievance against his hired laborers was their excessive use of whiskey. He himself contributed to this habit by serving them liquor and by furnishing them money to purchase it for themselves. On one occasion Nicholas and Martin came to work, but "booth are for a sprey." Blackford gave "Nicholas $2.75 and Martin $1.00 which will keep them drunk for some time." After Shellman "went on a sprey for more than a week," which he had spent in Sharpsburg and where he had taken one of Blackford's sheep dogs, Blackford called him in on August 26 and gave him a lecture on whiskey drinking. "He said he would quit and drink no more." On September 4, Blackford wrote "Shellman making shingles, sober and stedy"; September 20, "Shellman still perfectly sober." Blackford thought he had worked a cure. But alas, on September 30, "Shellman came in the evening. has been Drunk in Sharpsburg all last night." A few days later a stranger called and asked for a job but Blackford decided "he looked like a drinker therefore I would not imploy him." It might be noted that Blackford treated his hired laborers as individuals be they black or white, slave or free, and judged each on his own merits. One example will suffice. Isaac Widows, a white man employed for the year, "called wants meat, bread, & money gave him none. Negro George came, gave him $1 to purchase a hat."

V
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE

The members of the Blackford family seem never to have had a dull moment. Situated in a thickly populated area and within easy driving distance of Hagerstown, Boonsboro, and Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Shepherdstown and Harpers Ferry, Virginia, Ferry Hill Place was hardly ever without one or more visitors, some of whom spent days and weeks at a time. Furthermore the Ferry led many travelers and strangers to stop at the plantation house. Many of Blackford's close friends and relatives called every day to inquire about Mrs. Blackford's health and dined or supped with them, and travelers often ate at the plantation. A check for one month shows that daily callers ranged from two to ten, those who dined ranged from two to five, those who spent the night ranged from two to four, and that individual guests remained three, five, nine, and twenty-four days. Some came, like Miss

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Berry of Sharpsburg, to bring delicacies, "cake and jelly for Mrs. B" and remained for only a few minutes. Some were business men, and some laborers seeking employment. And among them were Scotsmen seeking subcriptions to magazines and Irish and German peddlers with their packs on their backs.

The Blackford family, white and black, suffered many ills. Mrs. Blackford had been ill for some time before January 4, 1838, when the journal opens. Dr. Richard Parran paid professional calls nearly every day for several months, sometimes twice per day. But he was also a close friend and he, his wife, and the widow of Doctor Charles MacGill paid many social calls and often dined at Ferry Hill Place. Dr. Otho J. Smith, Blackford's son-in-law, paid professional calls as did Mrs. Israel Fry, a midwife who attended the Blackford slave women. But she also paid social calls. Blackford himself administered drugs and patent medicines to members of both his black and white families. These medicines included Sedlitz Powers, Brandreth Pills, castor oil, calomel, epsom salts, spirits of niter, saltpeter, magnesia, and laudanum.

Another person who was often at Ferry Hill Place was Mrs. Nafe, a seamstress. She seems to have made most of the clothing for the slaves and much of that for the Blackford family. Blackford and his sons patronized tailors in the nearby towns who measured and cut their garments but Mrs. Nafe would sew the garments which the tailor had cut. This was true also of the clothing of his wife and daughter. But Mrs. Nafe was more than a hired worker, she was a friend and she and her daughter were often guests in the home.

Blackford was a well educated and widely read man; his family too was educated and well read. Blackford was an avid reader of the Baltimore Patriot and always noted in his journal the failure of its arrival. He also subscribed to the Hagerstown Torch Light, the New York Whig, a Virginia paper probably the Richmond Whig, and an unidentified Philadelphia paper. He subscribed to the American Farmer of Baltimore and the Ladies' Companion of New York. His library consisted of a "Large collection of books" including encyclopaedias, dictionaries, a set of State Papers, history, classics, and biographies. Among the latter were John Marshall's Life of Washington and Plutarch's Lives. Blackford's son Franklin and other young men of the vicinity made use of both the newspapers and books at Ferry Hill Place. Blackford sent one of his sons, Henry, to the well known Mercersburgh (Pennsylvania) Academy and the youngest one, William, to Francis Dreary's School in Boonsboro. It was to please Henry that Blackford subscribed to the Philadelphia newspaper.

The Blackford family was deeply religious and, except for Blackford himself, were ardent churchgoers. Blackford was a member of the

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Episcopal Church, Mrs. Blackford of the Presbyterian and the children were divided in their affiliation. Jeannette married a Roman Catholic. The other children attended various churches, including Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, German Reformed, and Dunkard. They attended also inter-denominational revival services in Sharpsburg and a camp meeting in Pleasant Valley. The Blackfords entertained seven different ministers, two Episcopalian, two Presbyterian, and one Methodist, one Dunkard, and one German Reformed, at Ferry Hill Place during the year. All of them dined at least once and two of them spent the night. The family contributed regularly to the support of the Episcopal, Presbyterian, and German Reformed churches and made large contributions to building both Episcopal and German Reformed edifices. They also made small contributions to the Methodist church program.

The Blackfords enjoyed the social life typical of the rural farmer and planter class. Men and boys enjoyed fishing and hunting and the women quilting parties. Blackford himself took great delight in shooting foxes because of their destruction of birds and poultry. Franklin shot quail and pigeons in Virginia which abounded in great numbers "flying in all directions." The young people of both sexes enjoyed boat riding on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal during the summer and skating and sleigh riding in the winter. They organized "Oyster Parties" at Shepherdstown and "fishing parties" at "Anti Eatem" Creek, as Blackford always wrote it. Three circuses made their appearance at Shepherdstown and Boonsboro during the summer of 1838 one of which the Blackford boys attended "to the great dissatisfaction of their mother." The Blackfords also enjoyed the visits of Irish and German peddlers from whom they purchased linens and trinkets. They joined in the public celebration of Washington's birthday and July Fourth in Shepherdstown where they enjoyed military parades, martial music, and the firing of small arms as well as the "refreshments at the Springs as customary." But Blackford looked askance at the "Fandango barbacue or whatever you call it" given in the park.

The Blackfords enjoyed visits to the Virginia Springs, to Hagerstown and Harrisburg, and to Washington and Baltimore. All members of the family made short visits to the Belinda Springs near Sharpsburg where they took the baths and the mineral water, and enjoyed the social entertainment. On these trips they were often entertained by Colonel John Miller's family who were devoted friends of long standing. Blackford and his sons visited Hagerstown and Harrisburg chiefly on business but on one of his trips he attended a party at Kalhoofers "where we drank prety freely of Champain wine," and he arose the next morning "with head ache and bad feelings from having taken too much Champain." Blackford and his daughter Helena made an extended business

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and pleasure trip by boat to Washington, thence by train to Baltimore and back home. They were accompained by Colonel and Mrs. Miller and their daughter. In Washington they visited the City Hall, the Capitol, and the White House where they talked with President Martin Van Buren. They attended musical performances at Miss English's Female School and other salons. Blackford took his wife to the Shannondale Springs in the Shenandoah Valley where they spent a week and took the medicinal waters and baths and enjoyed a quiet and peaceful rest. The season was over, so they saw few people and found little social entertaining.

Various exciting incidents and accidents occurred at Ferry Hill. Among others was the drowning of a horse that fell from the tow path into the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. More tragic was the accidental drowning of a young man in the Potomac River. He was a member of a skating party. The thin ice broke and he sank beneath the surface and was drowned before his companions could rescue him. The incident that caused greatest excitement, however, was the robbery at Ferry Hill Place. While Blackford was away at the Shannondale Springs a slave boy, belonging to Dr. Joseph Hays of Sharpsburg, broke into his office and took $170.77 from his cash box. "Yealow boy Charles," as Blackford called him, was tried and convicted of the crime in the Washington County Superior Court on November 27, 1838.

VI
DISSOLUTION

John Blackford, author of the Ferry Hill Plantation Journal published herewith, died from a lingering illness in less than a year after he made the last entry in the Journal on January 15, 1839. In his will, dated November 1, 1839, he disposed of his large estate. He divided Ferry Hill Plantation among his three sons. To Franklin he bequeathed lands purchased from Thomas Van Swearingen, including the Ferry, the Ferry House Landing and Lot, together with the boats and apparatus, the franchises and privileges, and the Landing in Virginia and the land thereto attached. In addition Franklin was given Orchard Field, the Lot along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and the dwelling house and vacant lot in Shepherdstown. With the Ferry went Edmund and Julious the Foremen. Henry Blackford was given Ferry Hill Place. William Moore Blackford was given the Lower Farm, the Shepherd Place, the Bedford or Bedinger Farm, and his father's gold watch. Jeannette Smith, Blackford's eldest daughter, received $12,000 in money and her mother's gold watch. Helena Blackford received $12,000 and the family portraits.

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Catherine Knode, Blackford's wife's sister, received the income on $3,333.00 which yielded an annuity of $200.00 for life. After the above bequests were taken care of the executors were to sell the other property and divide the proceeds equally among the five children.

The executors ordered a public sale of Blackford's personal estate to begin on December 10, 1839. The inventory of the property reveals a house well stocked with sliver; a large quantity of Brussels, Ingrain, and Garth carpets some completely new; a large number of mahogany and cherry bedsteads, tables, sofas, lounges and secretaries; eight dozen Windsor chairs; a "Large Collection of valuable books"; lamps of all kinds; glass ware, clocks, and Williams and Frankin stoves; and a great variety of kitchen furniture. The plantation was stocked with work and breeding horses; milk, beef, and breeding cattle; fifty fat hogs and numerous brood sows and stock hogs; a large herd of Saxon and Merino sheep; wagons, carts, plows, cultivators, rollers, and wind mills; large quantities of hay, wheat, rye, corn, oats, hemp, and flax; timber, plank, shingles, locust posts, saw logs, and fire wood; a blacksmith shop and saw mill; a carriage, barouche, sleigh, gig, cart, and harness; and, finally, sixteen slaves. The executors reported $30,917.22 derived from the sale. No report was made on debts collected, sale of stocks and shares, or the Kentucky lands Blackford is known to have purchased.

A clearer understanding of the value of the estate may be gotten from the knowledge that in 1846 Henry Blackford sold Ferry Hill Place to his brother Franklin for $17,180. Assuming that the portions of the landed estate which fell to Franklin and William were about equal in value to that which went to their brother, John Blackford left a landed estate of something like $52,000 exclusive of the land in Kentucky. His personal estate amounted to about $54,000, exclusive of the value of shares in various business enterprises and money, certainly over $2,500, at interest. The total would have amounted to about $110,000, a very handsome estate in 1840.

Page 1

FERRY HILL PLANTATION JOURNAL
January 4, 1838-January 15,1839

Page 3

January 1838

4th Thursday. Weather Remarcable soft and pleasant. It is as warm as a day in May. Doct. Parran¹ called. Mrs. B² appears to be better. Parran and Franklin³ rode shooting. Birds. Doct. Smith⁴ called, dined and spent two hours. he brought Mr. Samuel Powells receipt, dated Decr. 2d for $50 in full. I placed in the Doct. hans this day $100 to be paid to Jno. A. & S. Bentz & Co. ⁵ on account. I rode out and marked off the land I wish cleared. Helena ⁶ and Mary Miller ⁷ Rode out this afternoon. discovered a sheep ded in the pasture. Will puled the wool off him and Murf threshing clover seed off the straw Enoch ⁸ hauling manure from Hogg pen to Barnyard. My Balt newspaper ⁹ did not come By the last nights mail. So says the Shepherds Town poastmaster. Ned complaining him and Jupe ¹⁰ in the Boat. ¹¹

1. Doctor Richard Parran of Shepherdstown, Virginia, was the Blackford family physician and a close personal friend of John Blackford whose will he witnessed.

2. Mrs. B. was John Blackford's wife. She never fully recovered from her illness and died October 7, 1838.

3. Franklin was John Blackford's eldest son. Married and with one son, Franklin lived in one of the houses on Ferry Hill Plantation and assisted his father in the management of his various business enterprises.

4. Otho Josiah Smith of Boonsboro, Maryland, a graduate of the University of Maryland (1833), had studied medicine under the famous Doctor Charles McGill of Hagerstown. Smith married Jeannette Y. Blackford, eldest daughter of John Blackford.

5. John A. and Samuel Bentz were general merchants in Boonsboro, from whom Blackford purchased many of the supplies for his family and plantation.

6. Helena, also called Helen, was Blackford's youngest, and unmarried, daughter.

7. Mary Miller, daughter of Colonel John Miller of Sharpsburg, Maryland, was a close friend of Helena Blackford and a frequent visitor at Ferry Hill where she sometimes spent a month on a single visit.

8. Will, Murf or Murphey, and Enoch were slaves on Ferry Hill Plantation.

9. Blackford was a regular and an avid reader of the Baltimore Patriot. He also subscribed to newspapers published in Hagerstown, Maryland, Richmond, Virginia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New York City.

10. Ned or Edmund and Jupe or Julious were slaves who regularly attended the Ferry Boat on the Potomac River. Blackford called them "Foremen of the Ferry." Other slaves sometimes assisted at the Ferry as did hired hands including free Negroes, Indians, native whites, and Irish and German immigrants.

11. Blackford bought a one half interest in the Ferry on the Potomac River from Henry Thomas Van Swearingen of Shepherdstown, Virginia, in 1816.

Page 4

5th Friday. Weather morning cloudy and some little Rain. only a sprinkle. Mrs. Hoffmyer¹² and Mrs. Miller¹³ called. Doct. Parran called. Enoch suffered the grey mare to run off and broke off the shafts of the Cart the wind has sprang up and the clouds dispersed the wind is from the south. it continues warm The Revd. Hoffmier ¹⁴ & Mrs. Miller dined with us then set off home. I corrected Enouch by giving him a few lashes. Exchanged $30 with Franklin for Canal scrip. ¹⁵ he has taken the colt to brake. he rode my mare to Sharpsg in the evening. recd a letter from C K¹⁶ informing of the Birth of a son. that Jennett Smith¹⁷ was delivered of a fine son at 10 o clock this morning Helena sent a small bundle and a note by the stage before she knew her sisters situation I recd 2 patriot papers having missed one the last mail Ned and Jupe in the Boat. The hands finished the clover seed.

6th Saturday. Weather continues soft and warm like unto spring. Doct. Parran called. Mrs. B. appears some better. took a doass Magnetia and spirit of niter.¹⁸ Mr. Hargrave and Lady¹⁹ and Mrs. Swearingen²⁰ called spent a short time. I wrote a letter addressed to C. Knode on the subject of the Birth which Jennett has given to a son. Sent Daphney ²¹ with the letter and a bottle and money to get yeast. J. K. ²² called left two receipts one for 60 B. 44 w ²³ wheat left in Mammas mill and

12. Mrs. Hoffmyer of Hoffmier, a close friend of Mrs. Blackford, was the wife of a Lutheran minister of Sharpsburg, Maryland.

13. Mrs. Miller, a close friend of the Blackford family and a frequent visitor at Ferry Hill, was the wife of Colonel John Miller of Sharpsburg.

14. The Reverend Mr. Hoffmier was a minister of Sharpsburg. Blackford, himself an Episcopalian, contributed to Hoffmier's church which he sometimes referred to as the German Reformed and sometimes as the Lutheran Church.

15. The scarcity of small coins in circulation, caused by the disappearance of specie during the panic of 1837, led the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company in June of 1837 to issue notes of $5.00 or less and later up to $20.00 in value. By July 1838 a total of $436,513.50 had been issued. The scrip circulated widely in Maryland and Virginia and spread also into Pennsylvania and Ohio.

16. Charles Knode, Mrs. Blackford's brother, resided in one of the houses on Ferry Hill Plantation and cultivated a tract of land, called "the lower farm," on which he paid rent.

17. This was Blackford's eldest daughter who married Doctor Otho J. Smith of Boonsboro. Christened Jeannette the family called her Jennett or Janet.

18. Blackford, as did most planters of the pre-Civil War South, administered patent medicines and standard drugs to members of his household both white and black.

19. John T. Hargrave was a Presbyterian minister residing in Shepherdstown. Mrs. Hargrave was a friend of Mrs. Blackford.

20. Mrs. Swearingen, widow of Henry Thomas Van Swearingen from whom Blackford purchased the Ferry, and her family were close friends of the Blackfords and frequent visitors at Ferry Hill.

21. Daphney, more often called Daph, was a slave woman.

22. Joseph Knode was Mrs. Blackford's nephew and, as a share tenant, cultivated the Bedford farm of the Ferry Hill Plantation.

23. Blackford used the letter w to represent pounds.

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32 B. Rye in Staubs Mill²⁴ which sett[l]ed up his last years rent being 138 B 44 w wheat 85 1/2 Bushel Rye and 385 Bushel corn. Elizabeth ²⁵ called spent the afternoon. Mrs. Eaton ²⁶ left before dinner she has spent 24 days with us. Hannah Van Swearingen and Quigleys little son²⁷ called spent a short time. Murf has hauled 6 logs to the mill. Will pidling about feeding the hoggs and cutting a little wood Enoch helping Murf Ned & Jupe in the Boat.

7th Sunday. Weather continues soft and pleasant. Doct. Parran called quite early with a promise to call again in the afternoon. Mrs. B. dose not appear much Better. - one lamb only up to this date. 4 Sows have 24 Pigs. Doct. P. called again this evening. J. K.'s wife came up in the evening and spent a short time. - the wind sprang up from the S. West this evening. have spent a very quiet day. There has been no company to interupt the quiet of the family. - Mary Miller Helena and myself and little William²⁸ composed the family - Ned and Jupe in the Boat. a midling Business. The weather moderate.

8th Monday. Weather Wind blew nearly all the last night. clouded over and commenced raining about day Break this morning. Wind shifted to N. W. and cleared at 12 oclock. Doct. Parran called Mrs. B. appears to be Better. Abraham Smith called paid the balance of his acct. in canal scrip $12 - Elizabeth came up and spent an hour and returned home. Murf and Enoch have hauled to the saw mill 2 popler logs and brought over some pailings scantling and plank. Will has been pidling about the hoggs and cuting some wood, two more lambs is reported, which is 3 now come Franklin Exhibited the colt in his breaking gears. - Ned & Jupe in the Boat. very small Business. -

9th Tuesday. Weather. A large white frost this morning. Col. Miller's ²⁹ Black Boy called to inform us of the decease of Mrs. Johnson George Knodes Daughter Elizabeth.³⁰ She died at Harpers ferry, is to be buryed

24. Blackford patronized both Samuel Mumma's and Henry Staub's wheat and grist mills and stored his grain in their warehouses awaiting grinding and sale.

25. Franklin Blackford's wife, as well as Joseph Knode's wife, was named Elizabeth and each had a small child. Since they lived on the plantation and were frequently at Ferry Hill it is not always possible to distinguish between the two Elizabeths.

26. Mrs. Eaton of Shepherdstown was a frequent, as well as long staying, guest at Ferry Hill.

27. Hannah was the daughter of Mrs. Henry T. Van Swearingen. Quigley's little son was Mrs. Van Swearingen's grandson.

28. William Moore was Blackford's youngest child.

29. John Miller (1787-1885) of Sharpsburg, Maryland, captain in the War of 1812, wealthy planter and business man, was a close friend whom Blackford named in his will as an executor of his estate.

30. The Knodes of Harpers Ferry, Virginia, were close relatives of Mrs. Blackford.

Page 6

this day at 12 oclock. Mrs. Hargrave called this morning Doct. Parran called remained to Dinner as did Mrs. Hargrave Doct. Smith arrived while we were at Dinner. spent an hour and returned home Murf and Enoch hauled 2 logs to the saw mill. and Brought over some pailing stuff. Will cut some wood. put up the stuff for pailings. Mrs. Hargrave returned home in the evening Mary Miller here Mrs. B. is much Better Murf & Enoch hauled some rails together this afternoon. The weather continues fine changed a little cooler. Ned & Jupe in the Boat a very small Business.

10th Wednesday. Weather changed. Cooler. A white frost last night. J. K. called this morning. Brought my Bags home. Mrs. Miller came Murf and Enoch hauling Rails together in the woods Mrs. McFarlin ³¹ came over and little John. Boath remained all night. Mrs. Miller returned home after supper. Will cut some hickory wood brought a small load home. Widows³² called to know about cuting wood. the weather is quite cold began feezing before sunset. I have been writing on my Books.³³ Ned & Jupe in the Boat.

11th Thursday. Weather has changed. much colder, the last night froze quite hard. Doct. Parran called this morning Mrs. B. is mending. is still confined to her bed. Mrs. Eaton came over Mrs. McFarlin and her son John was here all night. J. Knode called this morning left his account for Boarding some hands³⁴ which I credited him; a young man left an account from Adam Licklider ³⁵ for mending harness &ct amt. $8.87 1/2. Murf went out after late breckfast with wagon to haul Rails he Broke off the wagon Toung. brought home a load hickory wood which Will cut. There has come 7 lambs one of which perished last night. sent Enoch to Sharpsburgh. had my mare and the Bob Horse shod. Brought some Beef from Col. Miller called on Mrs. Nafe ³⁶ and

31. Mrs. McFarlin, sometimes written McFarlen and McFarlan, and members of her family of Shepherdstown were frequent visitors at Ferry Hill.

32. Isaac Widows of Shepherdstown was a day laborer hired by Blackford as wood cutter and field hand.

33. Blackford kept an account book of his Ferry, another of his dealings with the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, a record of his justice of the peace activities, and a consolidated financial record. None of these books are known to exist.

34. Occasionally some of Blackford's hired laborers ate their meals with Knode who rented his farm and house from Blackford. When they did so Blackford credited the board bill to Knode's account.

35. Adam Licklider, who ran a leather and harness shop in Shepherdstown patronized by Blackford, had difficulty in collecting this bill which Blackford characterized as an "Extravegent Harness mending account." He finally paid it on May 10.

36. Mrs. Nafe, also written Neff, who lived in Shepherdstown was a seamstress often employed at Ferry Hill. She and her daughter were accepted socially at Ferry Hill where they often visited and dined with other guests.

Page 7

Mrs. Morrison³⁷ Widows called again. Mrs. McFarlen gone home this evening - Ned & Jupe in the Boat. poor poor Business - John Brien³⁸ has been very ill is geting better.

12th Friday. Weather Cold froze hard last night. Isaac widows came and commenced cuting wood. I went out and shewed him a lot then rode through the woods to where J. K. was cuting fire wood. a horse sent for Mary Miller she went home Mrs. Eaton here. Doct. Parran called Mrs. B. sat up some. Lickliders young man called wants money for the accounts he left yesterday Murf and Enoch geting out clover seed with 9 horses and the revolving machine. Franklin rideing the Bay mare colt Rose Will cuting wood and takeing care of the stock Ned & Jupe in the Boat. done but poor Business recd. the Patriot of 10th & 11th.

13th Saturday. Weather clear more moderate and pleasant. Franklin called has rode my mare to Sharpsg Murf and Enoch Treading the clover seed.³⁹ Enoch took a Bag Corn to mill. Will cuting some wood Miss V. Swearingen & Miss Henry called and spent a few minutes; Miss Berry came over and brought some cake and jelly for Mrs. B. Will hauled a load wood with the ox cart for Franklin in the evening Martin Shellman⁴⁰ called to say he wants come on Monday to cut timber. Sent $1.25 to buy sugar coffee & pepper. Ned and Jupe in the Boat has been a very poor Business done this week. Mrs. Eaton here. she came on Thursday. Enoch took one other Bag white corn to the mill and Brought a Bag of corn meal home. Mrs. B. is recovering her strength & health.

14th Sunday. morning clear cold a white frost. I arose this morning with unpleasant feelings. swimming gidiness in my head with my stomach affected. eat no breckfast. Helena and William gone to Sharpsburgh to meeting - Elizabeth and J. K.s wife called, eat dinner and spent a short time with Mrs. B. who is recovering. Daphney and Isaiah came Isaiah returned in the evening. he rode the Doct. gray Horse took with

37. Mrs. Morrison was the wife of the Reverend J. H. Morrison an Episcopal minister in Sharpsburg.

38. John McPherson Brinn was the owner of a forge, a nail factory, and a blacksmith shop connected with the Antietam Iron Works. Blackford patronized Brinn's shops and sold Brinn timber and sand.

39. Blackford followed such time worn methods of threshing grain but also made use of horse powered threshing machines.

40. Martin Shellman of Shepherdstown was employed intermittently throughout the year although Blackford, exasperated with his constant and excessive use of whiskey, often threatened to dismiss him. At one time he persuaded Shellman to give up the use of whiskey and expressed the view that Shellman was cured. Alas, a short time later Shellman was drunk again.

Page 8

him in a Bag some off fall sausage &ct. and 3 Chickens ⁴¹ from C. Knodes. Salley Williams came in the evening and spent the night. I took 4 of the Breandrith ⁴² pills going to Bed. Ned & Jupe in the Boat. Very little doing. no Traveling -

15th Monday. morning windy which sprang up some time before day. the pills I took opperated before day which sickened and gave me unpleasant feelings. Isaac Widows came over to cut wood he broke the crank of my grind stone, I conclude he is very Trifeling Sally Williams left after Breckfast. Doct. Parran called. Murf and Enoch are cleaning clover seed. Will cuting wood. I have been ingaged all this day, mending the crank of the grind stone that Widows broke - this day has been very pleasant. I recd no paper by this nights mail. This is the second failure within two weeks. Ned and Jupe in the Boat. gave Ned $1.50 to pay for a Blanket which he bt. of Lane & Webb. ⁴³

16th Tuesday. morning pleasant I took 4 pills last night which sickened me this morning when they commenced opperating - Martin Shellman came eat his breckfast and him and Will went out to cut shingle timber. Mr. Kirk called wants popler plank and to sent the warehourse in S. Town. A. Humerickhouse called to request me to make out my acct. against the Packet Coy. ⁴⁴ for ferriages which I have done amt. $11.75 to sent to Mr. Wm Shortt. Mrs. Nafe came after Breckfast. Murf and Enoch working at the clover seed. Sent the P. Coy. acct. to Mr. Shortt by Ned. I finished poasting my Books. Mrs. Nafe took two coats to make home with her. Ned and Jupe in the Boat but little doing -

17th Wednesday. morning cloudy and a small sprinkle of Rain. Still warm for the season clears off and is as warm as a May day Morrison came down ingaged to cut wood next week I rode out to the woods. Shellman & Will cuting and sawing shingle timber. Isaac Widows cuting

41. Daphney and Isaiah, slaves at Ferry Hill, often visited and worked for Dr. and Mrs. Otho J. Smith of Boonsboro. On numerous occasions they took supplies from Ferry Hill to the Smiths.

42. Brandreth pills were a very popular patent medicine. A Shepherdstown newspaper advertised them as "an effective remedy for consumption, influenza, colds, indigestion and headache." It declared that 9,000,000 boxes had been sold in a five year period, and that more than 300,000 patients had been cured of their ills by the use of the pills.

43. Lane and Webb was a merchandising firm in Shepherdstown often patronized by Blackford. As this entry shows Blackford did not distribute clothing to his slaves as a group at stated periods but purchased, or permitted the slaves to purchase for themselves, for each slave individually as the need arose.

44. The Packet Company operated a line of boats on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from Georgetown to Williamsport, Maryland. It unloaded goods at Ferry Hill to be ferried across the Potomac to Shepherdstown on the Virginia side. Humerickhouse was a boatman, Short an official of the company.

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cord wood. Martin boarding at J. K.s I rode down to J. Ks. Nicholas⁴⁵ called to settle and ingage the house for the next year. added up his account and find he owes me $16.22 1/2 Including his house Rent which is $20. Murf and Enoch working at the clover seed. Jacob Miller⁴⁶ called wants some timber which I granted him privilege to cut on my land. I have counted this day 22 Sucking Piggs and 5 lambs. Murf reports that he has cleaned up 11 1/4 clover seed and put in Bags Ned and Jupe in the Boat light Business.

18th Thursday. Weather is Remarcably warm for this season of the year. Franklin and Helena sat out for Boons on horseback after an early Breckfast gave Helena $1.50. sent Enoch with the cart and wagon to Sharpsg to have shafts and a Tounge Murf commenced geting out wheat Will assisting Martin Shellman to fall and saw shingle Timber. There was a second failure in my newspapers none by the last nights mail. Recd a letter from Amanda Shepherd ⁴⁷ dated November. Springfield. Illanois F & his sister returned after sunset report that Catherine Miller went and returned with them. Ned complaining say he is troubeled with great heat in his abdomen and thies. Mrs. B. has sat up a part of this day, in her room. Ned and Jupe in the Boat -

19th Friday. Cloudy and raining has rained during the night. The wind shifted and blew from W. & N ceased raining about 9 oclock. Murf and Enoch in the Barn geting out wheat. Will gone to assist Martin saw Shingle Timber. Widows not at work wants something to eat. I walked out where Martin and Will are at work found a young lamb. dead which is the 7th that has come. Col. Millers Boy came for the Bull⁴⁸ The weather has changed much colder this evening. Murf reports that he has maschsoned ⁴⁹ 850 sheaves wheat, this day and yeasterday. I am informed that Caroline⁵⁰ pilferd money from Helena. I Recd By the mail this evening 2 papers the 15 & 16 and 17 & 18 am missing the 12 & 13. Ned and Jupe in the Boat. Small Receipts. Quite cold this evening.

20th Saturday. The weather Clear morning. Cool, the ground slightly froze this morning. Franklin called. Got the Bill gray mare to ride

45. George Nicholas, a wood cutter and farm laborer at Ferry Hill, rented a house in Shepherdstown owned by Blackford.

46. Jacob Miller a carriage maker of Shepherdstown, not to be confused with Colonel John Miller of Sharpsburg.

47. Amanda and her husband Thomas Shepherd had sold their farm to Blackford and removed to Illinois.

48. Blackford kept a blooded bull which he let his friends and neighbors use to improve their cattle.

49. No longer in common usage, the verb masch meant to beat or thresh, hence to beat the grain from the sheaves of wheat.

50. Caroline was a young slave girl.

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to Boonsg, gave him $2.50 to purchase coffee sugar and Ink. Murf and Enoch geting out wheat. Will assisting M Shellman to cut Shingle timber. They broke the handle of the saw. Sent Enoch for the wagon & cart and sent the saw to have mended. Franklin returned from Boonsg Brought sugar Coffee and Ink, paid for them $2 a 12 1/2 Licklider sent again for the amt. of his Extravegant Harness mending account. Mrs. Eaton left gone to S. Town. Elizabeth came up with the child. I bought half Bishel oysters and a string of Pearch Pd 37 1/2 Murf reports 500 sheaves got out this day Shellman called a few minutes this evening. Enoch brought the wagons home the cart and saw not done. Ned & Jupe in the Boat -

21st Sunday. Morning Cloudy and looks like snow might soon fall. The air is cold, it froze last night a white frost this morning. a ewe had twins last night one of the lambs dead this morning C Knode and little son Elizabeth and Child came spent the day and dined with us on Peafowl Mrs. B. is still confined to Bed she sits up some little. Michael Swiger called after candle light. has been down at J. Knode's says he is in search of coment stone ⁵¹ that wants to ingage to take down the canal. he give me to understand that wished to stay all night I shewed him to Bed. little Miss Pennal staid with Helena. William slept in the Room with them. Ned and Jupe in the Boat

22nd Monday. Weather, morning clear and cool froze some little during the last night. Michael Swiger remained for breckfast. went out to examine for sement stone. I am to write to him stateing the price I will take pr. pearch for the privilage to qu[a]rry them. Doct. Parran called to see Mrs. B. James Elgen ⁵² called. wants a team to haul a load lime from Sharplessy Kiln. Helena wrote to her brother Henry. ⁵³ sent Enoch to Sharpsg. for the cart sent $1 to purchase sugar. Murf treading out wheat. Will gone to the woods to help Shellman who is not there but at Sharpsg. drunk, Jonathan Miller called, eat his dinner, and I paid him for makeing 2640 shingles $8.27. Shellman brought the saw from Sharpsburgh him and Miller went down to the ferry House. I rode out to shew two free negroes where to cut wood. four Germans called want wood to cut. Will has cut some wood Murf has done sheaves 500 Enoch returned with the cart at dark. Ned & Jupe in the Boat. Small Business.

51. There was a quarry on the plantation but for some reason Blackford refused to sell the lime - or as Blackford called it cement - stone to Michael Swiger or Swigart of Washington, D. C.

52. James Elgen of Shepherdstown was a business associate of Franklin and a friend of the Blackford family.

53. Henry V. S. Blackford, second son of John, was a student at the Mercersburg (Pennsylvania) Academy.

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23rd Tuesday. Weather clear morning. Cold a large white frost the ground slightly froze. recd two papers by the last nights mail. which gives the number the 12th & 13th has been detained untill last night it came with the 19th & 20th. Murf & Enoch geting out wheat. Will helping Martin who he says has resumed his work. Helena gone to S. Town gave her $2. to purchase some small articles. Received a lettle from Jos. I. Merrick⁵⁴ enclosing one from A. Barnes⁵⁵ to him of the 13th Inst. have got out 500 sheaves this day Widowns and two free negroes cuting cord wood Prisila Miller⁵⁶ came home with Helena M Shellman called sober wants tobacco. gave Will 12 1/2 to buy him some Ned and Jupe in the Boat

24th Wednesday. Weather continues moderate freezing at night and thawing in the day Murf & Enoch get out 400 sheaves wheat and in all 2700 sheaves. quit and caned up. Franklin & Enoch hauled him a load fire wood. Will hung up in the smoak house the poort of our first Butcher 18 hoggs. makes 108 pieces ham shoulder & midlings took down pieces old Bacon which he placed in a Hogshed sold Isaac Widows one side 10 1/2 a 10 cents a pound. Mrs. Juett her daughter and Miss Welchons called spent some time supped and returned home. Martin Shellman spliting shingle wood Widows & the 2 free negroes cuting wood I rode out to see them in the evening. a young man called with S. Costs⁵⁷ account which he left amt. $13.12 1/2 Ned and Jupe in the Boat small Business.

25th Thursday. Weather changed first fair then cloudy then fair and pleasant. Mrs. & Miss Gibon & Miss Hammond called to see Mrs. B. spent but a few minutes Urias Knode his wife and David Knode ⁵⁸ called Murf Enoch & Caroline cleaning wheat. Will cuting and sawing shingle timber with Martin Shellman The Bay mare Bill had a nail in her hind foot which I drew out. Urias K and wife went home after dinner David rode down to see Franklin & Joseph Knode returned this evening. Miss Prisila Miller is here since Tuesday. There is at this 8 lambs. Murf and Enoch finished passing the wheat twice through the windmill which does not make it clean. Enoch Brought 5 bags from J. Knodes Ned and Jupe in the Boat. This day the weather has been fine spring weather.

54. Joseph I. Merrick, a well known lawyer and business man in Hagerstown, Maryland, was Blackford's business agent and attorney.

55. A. Barns of Baltimore was heavily indebted to Blackford. Barns finally became bankrupt and Blackford lost the large sum of money he had lent him.

56. Priscila Miller intimate friend of Helena Blackford and a frequent guest at Ferry Hill.

57. Samuel Costs, a merchant of Boonsboro with whom Blackford did business.

58. Urias Knode and his brother David were relatives of Mrs. Blackford.

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26th Friday. weather Remarcable moderate and as mild as Spring. a sprinkle of Rain fell during the night. David Knode remained all night and left here after Breckfast for his brother Uriases. Murf & Enoch measured up 68 1/4 wheat it being what was out of 2700 sheaves - he sat out with it for Mummas mill. Franklin has gone on with him to see it measured - Mrs. Swearingen Henry and McFarlen came. - little George⁵⁹ taken strangely with a fainting spell quite insensable for a short time. suppose worms to have caused the spell. Mrs. S & Mrs Henry went home after they supped Mrs. McFarlen remained. her son John came both to spend the night - Rebecah Neff ⁶⁰ Brought Murfs & Neds coats which her mother has made. 8 hands cuting in the clearing including Will & Martin Franklin reports that there is brought from S. Mummas mill 2 Bbls S. fine flour 1595 w Bran. 1 Bbl of the flour changed to F.B. Ned & Jupe in the Boat. -

27th Saturday. Weather. morning cloudy and commenced at 8. Oclock to snow hail and Rain all together. Murf and Daph unloaded the wagon and put the Bran away and deld the Bbl flour to Franklin. Then went to hauling plank and pailings from the saw mill. Isaac Widows came from the wood cuting wanted money or an order. I gave him neither. Mrs. McFarlin her son Miss Naff and Miss P. Miller all here. It has changed to snowing in turn and that very fast, all the afternoon. Shellman came up in the evening he is prety well soaked. wanted an order for a shirt I gave little George a doase Calomel last nigh 5 grains and caster oyl this morning he has discharged worms and is quite peart. Ned and Jupe in the Boat. Seased snowing at dark and no more fell all night.

28th Sunday. Weather is moderate tho the ground is covered with snow it is not cold. some wind clouds and the wind blowing some from N West. Rebecah Naff walked home before Breckfast this morning, Martin came up from Franklins is a little drunk. the two free negroes went off for Sharpsburg J Knode rode up eat dinner and spent the afternoon Mrs. McFarlin & son John & Miss P. Miller are here. could not well leave on account of the snow. Will reports a yew to have two lambs last night under the straw house the snow is very much reduced in the course of the day by the wind and sun. It appears like freezing tonight - Mrs. B. has sat up moast of this day. Ned & Jupe in the Boat.

29th Monday. Weather changed. cold the last night froze and this morning the wind has sprang up and is now blowing. Cold from the N.W. Franklin called up gave him a Doore latch and fixing for one of

59. George was a young slave.

60. Rebecca Neff or Nafe was the daughter of the Blackford seamstress.

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the Doores of the ferry House. Martin Shellman ground his ax directed Will to take the last killing of pork out of the Hogshed preparitory to hanging it up to smoak. gave to John McFarlin Mr. Deary's ⁶¹ account with an order on George Rynolds for $11.40 him and his mother left here after dinner. Will went to the woods to cut after taking out the meat. Martin went out to split wood for Franklin Murf and Enoch resumed geting out wheat with the revolving machine and horses. have got out 750 sheaves J. Ks wife sent the girl up with some Tripe for Mrs. B. who has sat up moast of this day and is recovering rapidly from her illness. There was no paper came by this evening mail. Isaiah came home in the stage from Boosg. Ned and Jupe in the Boat very small receipts from the ferry -

30th Tuesday. Weather morning cold and cloudy. has the appearance of snow - Will hanging up in the smoke house the last Butchering of Pork of 16 hoggs which was butchered the 28th of December. - Martin Shellman is drunk and not doing any work old Nicholas called he is not sober says he came from the wood cuting. complains of its being too cold to work. Some little snow fell about 12 Oclock then ceased. I am informed of the Bell mares situation supposed she has the lock jaw Franklin bled her she is very Bad must die I suppose - Mr. Raw called wants to borrow money. Will hauled a load wood with the ox cart for Frann Murf & Enoch geting out wheat. Isaiah pounding hominy sent him to S. Town Brought coffee pd. $1 and Brought shoes twice. J.Ks wife called spent some time supped with us then went home.

31st Wednesday. Weather cold morning calm. The Bay Bell mare died last night occationed from a nail which she by some means got into her near hind foot five or six days since Murf and Enoch geting out wheat Will gone to the woods to cut wood. Isaac Widows called and beged me for 2 Bushel corn says the family has no bread. a man from the Forge called wants wood to cut. I wrote a letter to Michael Swigart. Welch called says he worked 15 1/2 days at the sheds & 6 at ferry House at $1 pr. day is $15.50 nailed on 6800 shingles on the Barn and smoke house at Shepherd Farm which charged 25 cents per hundred or $2.50 pr. thousand and pulling off the old roof amt. $17.00 in all $32.50. Murf & Enoch report they have got out 1650 sheaves William reports that Nicholas skined the Bay mare and Murf hauled her to the woods. gave Murf a new coat good Linsey Martin Shellman at Sharpsg. drunk. Ned & Jupe in the Boat.

61. Francis Deary was a school master in Boonsboro to whom Blackford later sent his son William.

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February 1838

1st Thursday. Weather continues cold cloudy this morning and looks likely to snow, Franklin and J. Elgin called took one No. of the Encyclopedia¹ - Catherine & Mary Miller came. Nicholas M. ² called let him have 2 side old Bacon 8 1/2 w Murf & Enoch treading out wheat. Will gone to the wood cuting. there is none but him and George Nicholas and his man cuting so reports Nicholas. ³ Catherine & Mary Helena & Prisila Miller all four and Wm. went down to Franklins to eat oysters returned and dined then the girls sat off home F. and Elgin went with them. F. rode my mare. his wife is at her fathers went there last evening. Carpenter called gave him 56 cents for work done some time since Franklin and Engin returned from Sharpsburgh brought the dog Wallis that went with Shellman who is there drunk for the last two days, Ned & Jupe in the Boat - very little done.

2nd Friday. Weather changeable morning Snowing some little then quit S. M. Hitt called offers his farm in Virginia asks $60. pr. acre he paid me $60.37 1/2 on account of premium which should have been $120.63 3/4 by calculation. ⁴ Will gone to the woods to cut. I see by a memom.. which I made that the off fall had from S. Hitt was 1343 w. Franklin came says Elizabeth ⁵ has returned lent him $5. The Red whiteface cow had a heifer calf last night in the stable. Enoch gone with the ox cart to haul some wood for Franklin. The River is froze over below the landing. Murf & Enoch report 2700 sheaves wheat got out. Helena recd a

1. John Blackford possessed a "Large collection of valuable books" said the Hagerstown Mail, November 29, 1839. It included encyclopaedias, files of The American Farmer and several newspapers, a set of American State Papers, histories, the classics, and biographies. Among the latter were John Marshall, Life of George Washington in five volumes and Plutarch's Lives.

2. Nicholas Matua or Matern was an elderly, poverty-stricken Greek immigrant sometimes employed by Blackford who occasionally gave him bacon and other supplies. He was a bad character. See entry for February 3.

3. George Nicholas of Shepherdstown hired himself and his slave to cut wood and do other farm work at Ferry Hill.

4. Blackford held stock in the Baltimore Life Insurance Company and had sold Hitt a policy in this company.

5. Elizabeth, Franklin Blackford's wife, had been on a visit to her father.

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letter from Henry by the mail this evening. I received one from Samuel Bentz asking for money. Two patriot papers came this mail. the 26.27 & 31 & 1st. Febry the 29 & 30 having been received by the Wednesday nights mail. Ned & Jupe in the Boat very little done. Cloudy and looks likely to snow before morning Prisila Miller here all this week.

3rd Saturday. Weather Cloudy has fallen a Snow during the past night two inches deep - Mrs. Fry⁶ called says Nicholas Matern has abused and threatened her in such a manner last evening that she had him taken before a magistrate and gave security for his better behaviour. I gave her parmition to move into the cottage ⁷ untill spring. J. Knode is hauling her goods up. Negroe free George called to ask for money for wood cuting did not give him any - Murf & Enoch caveing up ⁸ preparitory to cleaning up. Will hauling fire wood with oxen and cart. Martin Shellman has come up from Sharpsg. where he has been drunk for the last three of four days. Helena & P. Miller rode over to S. Town Eliza Miller returned with Helena. Will Hauled Franklin one cart load wood and some he had sawed and split by the road side.

4th Sunday. Weather cloudy and cold. Franklin Elgan Eliza Miller and Helena went to Sharpsg in the Sleigh on the Bare ground as the small quantity of snow and that very light rendered no service to the sleighing. They returned in the evening with Elenora Miller with them. Elizabeth spent the day with Mrs. B. and myself and dined with us. She returned home in the sleigh after they came from Sharpsg. The River is covered prety much over with Ice. Except a curved channel for the Boat to pass. Will reports 11 lambs. - The thermometer has ranged between 4 & 8 degrees below freezing point for the last three or four days. Mrs. B. is still confined to her room. This siting up and recovering her strength. Ned and Jupe in the ferry Boat a very small Business doing.

5th Monday. Weather cold and cloudy. Mrs. Nafe came early. Miss Eliza and Ellen Miller here. Murf and Enoch went to cleaning wheat. Eliza Miller walked home after breckfast. Mrs. Nafe went to sewing. Will went to the woods to cuting. Morrison called says him and his son is cuting wood wants 2 loads wood one for himself and one for his son. Daphney cleaning out the Ice House. Capt. Ashberry ⁹ returned

6. Mrs. Israel Fry practiced midwifery and was called in by John Blackford to attend his slave women in child birth.

7. This cottage, known as The Stone Cottage, was situated on the Potomac River near the Ferry landing.

8. To "cave up" was to separate grain, which had been beaten or trod from the chaff, with a rake or similar tool.

9. Captain Ashberry of Shepherdstown was a friend and business associate of Franklin Blackford.

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from Washington last night. Ned & Jupe in the Boat. Recd. a letter dated Washington the 2d. Int. from M Swigart by post. I had wrote him 6 days since by mail.

6th Tuesday. Weather has moderated. The morning calm and pleasant. a young man named Mintstagh drowned was sceating near the lift lock broke through the Ice. he was a shoemaker to trade, and a connection of the Crokers family. Murf has gone to Mummas Mill with a load of wheat. Franklin gone on ahead to have the grey mare shod and see the wheat measured at the Mill. Will cleaning out the Ice House Ashberry Elgan & Eaty geting out Ice to fill Franklin Ice House The Shepherds Town people are geting out Ice commenced yesterday. Mrs. Nafe sewing. Helena Elen Miller & Wm. gone down to J.Ks. Enoch went to the Mill with a Bag corn and brought Buckwheat flour to amt. of 3 bushels Buckwheat which is to be sent to Mr. Staubs. Franklin returned brought S. Mummas receipt for 55 B. 11 w wheat deld. this day. There is now in that mill 182 B. 23 w had the horses shod at Millers Shop. Murf brought home a load wood from the clearing and took the wagon Body full of the old straw and stuff from the Ice House to the Barnyard. Ned and Jupe in the Boat. Still a very small business at the ferry. Receipts are very small.

7th Wednesday. Weather changed this morning. Cloudy a damp cold air from the east. Commenced hauling Ice from the river to the Ice house Murf & Enoch with the wagon and Will in the house Breaking. Franklin was at the River assisting to load and geting out Ice Nicholas Martin Mrs. Fry's son and a German. Sent William down to inform J. Knode I wanted him to haul Morrison 2 cords wood to Sharpsg which he said he would do. Joseph Gauf called to ingage to cut wood. directed him when to cut. I rode out. Morrison and J. Gauf cutting. J. Knode loading the second load cord wood for Morrison requested him to haul one for negroe George, Helena & Ellen Miller went over to S. Town, gave H. 62 1/2 to purchase some small articles. 12 wagon loads Ice put in the house this day. Mrs. Eaton came this afternoon. J. K. hauled 3 cords wood to Sharpsg. 2 for Morrison & 1 for negroe George to Coon the Taylor.¹⁰

8th Thursday. Weather morning soft and thawing. Rained smartly in the early part of last night. resumed hauling Ice. J. Knode came after Breckfast with his wagon and joined in the hauling. have hauled 13 loads and 12 yeasterday is 25 in the House say about 23 good loads as some hauled this day was not full; about the middle of the afternoon the[y]

10. Free Negro George cut the wood, sold the wood to one Coon a tailor, and Joseph Knode hauled the wood to Coon.

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finished here and then commenced filling the Ice House at the ferry House put in 4 loads. Franklin has ingaged at the Ice Martin Shellman Israel Fry a German and Indians. Mrs. Nafe Mrs. Eaton & Elenora Miller here. has the appearance of clearing this morning. the wind is from the N.W. has been quite warm. most of this day and thawed prety much it may freze some this night. Ned & Jupe in the Boat. very limited Business. Will is pounding the Ice.

9th Friday. Weather changed somewhat colder. Sat out after Breckfast for Boonbg. met Mary Miller and Miss Cambell between home and Sharpsg. arrived at Boonh. 12 Oclock after haveing met S. Bentz & wife I paid Lawson Welk $222.00 the Balance of Jno. A. & S. Bentz & Co. a/c and took their Receipt in full which states $222.66[.] paid Samuel Costs a/c in full $11.87 1/2. I Bought some goods to amt. of $15.09 on credit. I dined at Doct. Smiths and sat out from there 1/2 after 3 ocl. Called at Col. Millers bought a Phial of worm destroying medicine pd .25 and 12 1/2 at Bruckharts for my mare. ¹¹ the hands report 20 loads Ice put in the lower House and 2 loads more brought up to this house Murf drunk. him and Caroline has behaved bad. J. Knode all day with his wagon & Team Martin Nicholas Israel the German Murf Will and Enoch, all working at the Ice. Ned & Jupe in the Boat.

10th Saturday. weather changed colder still froze hard last night. my goods brought by the stage charges 25 cents Mrs. Nafe went off home after Breckfast. Murf & Enoch put the two loads Ice brought up yeasterday evening into the house which will be 25 wagon loads in the house. They then went to hauling fire wood hauled 4 loads. Will pileing up plank. Franklin and J. K gone to Sharpsg. Patrick Welch called and proved an account against Charles Nourse I requested him to give an answer as respects his keeping the house in Shepherd Town. ¹² Ann Miller & Mrs. Eaton here. this day has continued cold very little thawed Ned and Jupe in the ferry Boat. a very small business. Morrison and his son cuting wood. none others of the cuters for the last two days. I remained in the office all this day. Weather rough and unpleasant out.

11th Sunday. Weather Rough windy & cold the Ice moveing. started by the wind blowing. gave Martin an order to Nicholases wife for a pair gloves price 25 cents. Elizabeth & child and J.Ks wife and little son came, dined with us and returned to their homes in the evening. Helena Ann Miller and William went down to the lower house with them.

11. Bruckhart kept a livery stable in Boonsboro which was often patronized by Blackford.

12. Patrick Welch rented a house in Shepherdstown owned by John Blackford.

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Wm. finger pained and kept him from sleap all the early part of the night. Ned made no return.

12th Monday. Weather continues cold. Ice still moveing slowly on, which the past night has increased. Mrs. Nafe came this morning. half after 8 oclock. Mrs. Fry called to see about wood and to know if she could keep the house for a year. Murf and Enoch to getting out wheat. Will sheling a Bag corn and delivered 3 Bushels Buckwheat for which we have the flour last week. Mrs. Eaton left here after breckfast for Shepherds Town. Nicholas called let him have a midling old Bacon 4 w. asked him conserning the afray between him and Mrs. Fry. Franklins stove from Webb Will brought over in the cart. he took over a bag corn. The two free negroes came this evening to assume their wood cutting. I refused them to grind on my stone. Ned came up this evening, but small receipts.

13th Tuesday. Weather cloudy in the morning. about 12 hailed and snowed. J. K. came up and assisted to Butcher the steer. C. K. & Jennett with her babe came in Mrs. Chaneys little carriage the carriage returned immediately. gave Franklin a peck hominy corn. which Martin shelled and pounded and Brick to cloose his fireplace. Will took over in the cart the hide and to bring a Bag Corn meal Murf and Enoch geting out wheat, report 1700 sheaves yeasterday and this day. C. K sick after his arrival. The ground is covered an inch and better with hail and snow. Ned & Jupe in the Boat. Very small Receipts. very little crossing. This is winter weather.

14th Wednesday. Valuntines Wednesday. Williams Birthday. Morning cloudy. J. K. came up cut up the Beef & returned. Murf and Enoch geting out wheat Will assisting about the Beef cuting wood short &ct. The lock Keeper from the lock above called says Rogers ¹³ noticed two logs which I have in the Canal. his name is Girm ¹⁴ Franklin brought his wife and child up in his Sleigh. but poor sleighing not snow sufficient, is thawing this afternoon. Will took down the hams of bacon which have been some smoked and I had them diped in weak lye and then sprinkled well with ground Black pepper I put 3 w on the hams. Jennett wrote a note to the Doct. and I wrote an order for 25 w sugar and 3 w Raisins to S. Bentz to be sent by the stage driver this night. Ned and Jupe in the Boat. Very small receipts -

13. G. W. Rogers was an official at one of the dams on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal above Ferry Hill.

14. Despite the lock keeper's warning Blackford failed to remove the logs and on March 11 Rogers himself called on Blackford and threatened action.

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15th Thursday. Weather morning cloudy and Rained & snowed some little, Catherine & Mary Miller came wrote a note and sent Enoch to Corbans for some apples. Murf hauled Franklin a load wood. then him & Will went to geting out wheat. Mrs. Nafe is still here sewing makeing some shirts for myself. Sent Isaiah to S. Town gave him 37 1/2 to purchase Brooms and Buttons. he returned and brought 12 1/2 cents would not pass. Catherine & Mary dined with us and returned home in the evening Enoch returned brought 3/4 B. apples reports that all are well 1/2 Bushel of the Apples from G. fathers Corbans hand is sore Ned & Jupe in the Boat. still little doing.

16th Friday. Weather morning cloudy dark cold unpleasant. has hailed last night and is hailing and freezing through the day. Prisila Miller here came yeasterday. Snowed and hailed this afternoon for an hour briskly. Cleared off about sun set and then came on a sevear Blow of wind almost a harican which drifted the snow that had so lately fell and continued to Blow nearly all night and was very cold. made much Ice on the River Ned is reported to be sick. no return of this days Business Murf Enoch and Will at the Barn geting out wheat &ct &ct.

17th Saturday. Weather cold and windy The past night has been the coldest this winter there is two or three Inches snow hail and Ice on the ground this morning. Murf reports 2600 sheaves of wheat got out since Monday. Sent Will to S. Town for some articles to the store for which he pd. $1.72 1/2 assisted over with a wagon then cut off some wood at the house. Doct. Smith came and dined and returned home Franklin and Capt. Ashberry and William gone in the Sleigh to Sharpsburgh. Murf and Enoch have been rakeing off and caveing up the wheat. Mrs. Naff gone home . sent Isaiah with her on my mare. Isaac Widows called wants meat Bread and money gave him none negro George came gave him $1 to purchase a hat. Murf hauled two loads wood one of which for Franklin. did not finish caveing up the wheat Ned came up this evening.

18th Sunday. weather clear with some little wind. J. K's wife rode up in the morning and spent the day. Franklin and Joseph Knode went in the sleigh to G. fathers - Elizabeth and child came up after dinner spend an hour and returned home as did J. Ks wife. Prisila Miller went home Jennett and Babe here. Ned & Jupe in the Boat

19th Monday. weather clear and more moderated - Franklin had a horse in the sleigh to Hedricks. Licklider sent to me again for money gave him none 4 men called to get wood to cut. Mr. Shay called wants sand

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for the furnace.¹⁵ Will and Martin went to the woods to cuting shingle timber. Ellen Hiser called to rent a room says she lives at Mrs. Lines, sent Caroline down to assist Elizabeth Murf & Enoch cleaning up wheat. I rode out to the clearing. Widows puting up his wood. Morrison & son the two negroes Nicholas all cuting. Brien got sand. Franklin got a Bee hive from Corban and one from Hedrick Murf has put the wheat through the fan the first time. Ned & Jupe in the Boat. small receipts has thawed prety much

20th Tuesday. Weather clear reather pleasant Jennett & child with Helena and little negroe Ann sat out after 10 Oclock for Boonboro. Franklin driving the carriage to whome I gave Stagdon & Stokes account to hand to Shafer the Tavern Keeper gave Helena $1 and Jennett a memom to get some articles at Bentzes store. Murf sat out for Mummas Mill with a load wheat has J. Knodes Black man in the team Doct. Quigley¹⁶ called wants money for Mrs. Swearingen recd a letter by last nights mail from the Revd Mr. Johns ¹⁷ asking for money the Balance of his a/c $82.40 as stated again. Will and Martin cutting shingle timber he reports 3 additional hands joined the wood cuting Isaac Widows called says he has been cuting wood paid him $1 he wants everything. Murf returned from Mummas Mill where he deld 52 B 41 w wheat. Franklin returned at sun set, has changed very cold. Brought sundry goods from J. A. & S. Bentz & Co. amt. $4.65 1/2. Murf hauled a load wood. Ned & Jupe in the Boat. tolerable Business.

21st Wednesday. Weather clear and very cold. the last night the coldest this winter. the Ink froze for the first time in the office. the River is closed this morning with Ice. Murf and Enoch loaded the wagon with wheat and Murf sat out for Mummas Mill directed Will to assist Ned to cut the Ice for to pass the Boat. Negro Will belongs to Grove called gave him wood to cut he is to commence tomorrow. - Franklin called to get change for a 10 Dollar note. has Bought a horse from Emert at $45. between him Ashberry Elgen have formed a partnership to run a Boat with marketing Martin Shellman called is prety much disused with liquor Murf returned from the mill Brought Bran for Franklin. he deld. 52 Busl 49 w wheat. says he had the horses shoes roughed at Kribzers shop Murf is pretty well done says he got it at the ferry House Ned and Jupe in the Boat. small receipts -

15. Shay was a workman at the furnace belonging to John M. Brinn of the Antietam Iron Works.

16. Doctor John Quigley was Mrs. Henry T. Van Swearingen's son-in-law and business agent. He sought payment of Mrs. Swearingen's share in the Ferry receipts.

17. The Reverend Mr. L. H. Johns was the rector of an Episcopal church in Sharpsburg of which the Blackfords were communicants.

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22nd Thursday. Washingtons the anniversary of his birth. The Shepherds Town folks are making some music and firing some platoons of small arms. The Weather is considerably moderated clear and calm. Henry, Rye James H Elgen & Franklin called. Elgen confessed judgment on a warrant which Patrick Welch had issued and served on him for $26.13 3/4 which Franklin superseded for him for 6 months. Costs 58 cents not paid paid me 25 cents for the Judment & supersedes ¹⁸ Murf & Enoch geting out wheat Will gone to the clearing to assist Martin to cut shingle Timber - William rode down to J. Ks with sugar & Coffee & beef Franklin rode up looking for little negroe John who he suspects for pilfering some pieces of money. a letter from Henry B. to C. K came by the last nights mail and one from Miss Bell to Helena. Franklin says he bought Elgens debt from Welch. Will reports that Groves negroe man Will was cutting. Ned & Jupe in the Boat.

23rd Friday. weather morning cold and cloudy. Mrs. B. has a bad pain in her stomach and bowels. J. K. came up for the wagon Body. took his Bags says he bt. a horse from Detrich gave $45 and his colt. Murf & Enoch geting out wheat. Will gone to the clearing to cut shingle timber. Mrs. Williams son Charles came over. two Scotch men called one of them wanted to rent part of my house in S. Town - he says he works with Price in the factory the other lives at Reynolds mill named Jack Mr. & Mrs. Hargrave and Mrs. Quigley ¹⁹ called supped with us and returned. It has thawed some in the middle of this day. the evening turned cold. I have recd my Balto. regularly this week some corn crossing for Brien at the forge. Will reports 12 lambs now liveing. Ned and Jupe in the ferry Boat. continue to do a very small Business.

24th Saurday. Weather continues cold it is clear and thawing some where the sun shines. the wind which is light is cold. Franklin has taken the wagon and team put his horse in befor on the off side him & Ashberry went to the woods for a load fire wood. Murf & Enoch geting out wheat. Will in the clearing with Martin cuting shingle timber untill dinner when they quit Franklin hauled 2 loads wood for himself and one cord for me Will helped load. it was cut by the free negroes which is 3 cords of their cuting hauled 2 of which brought home and 1 taken to Sharpsg for George Snavely hauled by J. Knode Ned & Jupe in the Boat.

25th Sunday. Weather continues cold this morning is clear and calm. Elizabeth spent part of the day with us, dined and returned in the

18. This is an example of Blackford's services or duties as a justice of the peace.

19. Mrs. Quigley, nee Mary Van Swearingen, was the wife of Doctor John Quigley.

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evening. Franklin here for a few minutes. Mrs. Williams son Charles here most of the day. Helena absent with her sister in Boonsg - Ned and Jupe in the boat. small Business. -

26th Monday. Weather morning clear and cold the river covered with prety strong Ice. Sent Enoch down to J. K.s he sat out with his wagon very early for Harrisburgh Pensa I wished him to do some business for me in Hagers Town Will gone with Martin to cut shingle timber. Murf & Enoch geting out wheat in the Barn. wrote a letter to The Reved. Mr. Johns stateing that I could pay his acct. in Canal money Franklin got away the stove and pipe. Enoch hauled it down for him. directed Will to Butcher the calf which is 3 weeks & 2 days old it is from the Red white faced cow a heifer calf Recd by this nights mail my Balt. & Richmond papers and a letter from Henry dated the 23 requesting me to send him money $70 to pay his Board and Tuition ²⁰ Ned and Jupe in the Boat - The River continues covered with Ice. Cold weather

27th Tuesday. Weather cold and cloudy Patrick Welch called to say that he would not keep my house in Shepherds Town Says G. Price will rent it. recd. the sugar came by the stage last night. suppose 25 w N. O sent by S. Bentz. Will and M. Shellman sawing shingle timber in the clearing all the people cuting there except Widows he is absent I rode to Sharpsg. Bot a vest patern from Md Mackay Trimings & Ribon paid $2.93 3/4. Dulony cut it and a pair pantaloons of the Casimer bot. at Boong. Mrs. Nafe promises to come on Monday next to sew had my mares shoes removed. Murf and Enoch geting out wheat in the Barn. Ned and Indians in the ferry Boat a midling Business done -

28th Wednesday. Weather. clear and more pleasant is thawing after the sun was up to som

Ferry Hill Plantation Journal: January 4, 1838-January 15, 1839: Electronic Edition.

Blackford, John, 1771-1839

FERRY HILL PLANTATION JOURNAL January 4, 1838-January 15, 1839

BY FLETCHER M. GREEN

CHAPEL HILL THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS 1961

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

I BUILDING THE PLANTATION

II THE BLACKFORD FAMILY

III PLANTATION MANAGEMENT

IV THE LABOR FORCE

V SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE

VI DISSOLUTION

FERRY HILL PLANTATION JOURNAL January 4, 1838-January 15,1839