Benjamin Chaires Sr. was an early arrival in Leon County and one of the wealthiest land owners in Leon County. His brothers Green H. Chaires and Thomas Peter Chaires also established plantations in Leon County, Evergreen Hills Plantation and Woodlawn Plantation, respectively.[1]
Chaires bought 500 acres (200 ha) 10 miles east of Tallahassee in 1832. That land became the nucleus of the Verdura plantation. That year Chaires built a plantation house on his new plantation. The house was built of bricks in Greek Revival style. It had three floors and 15 rooms, each with a fireplace. The downstairs rooms could be opened up to create an 80-foot long ballroom. Verandas supported by ten (five on each side) Tuscan order columns were on the East and West sides, rather than across the front. It was built of bricks made by hand by slaves on the plantation. The house stood on a hill partially surrounded by a stream. On a clear day the Gulf of Mexico was visible from the attic. The plantation house burned in 1885.[2][3]
Chaires added to the plantation throughout the 1830s, including in 1836, when he added a plantation of 800 acres and 57 slaves to his holdings. Chaires died in 1838. Tax records in 1839 showed his estate to consist of 9,440 acres (3,820 ha) and 80 slaves. His son Joseph Chaires was managing the plantation that year. His estate continued to grow after his death. In 1842, the estate (which had not yet been divided among the heirs) foreclosed on property, including land and slaves, valued at $35,570 (~$1.04 million in 2022).[4]
Chaires left the plantation house and 500 acres surrounding it to his wife, Sarah, as well as 10% of his personal estate. Chaires had ten children, five of whom were minors. Chaires appointed his brother Green and his son Joseph as executors.[5] In 1845, the County Court authorized the division of the estate among the heirs, including about 10,000 acres (4,000 ha), slaves, provisions, livestock, and equipment.[6][7]
Benjamin Chaires was the master of Verdura when the Great Storm of 1873 killed seven mules there.[8]
Each child's share of the Verdura plantation was still among the largest plantations in Leon County. While some planters were heavily in debt at their deaths, Chaires was not, and his heirs continued to maintain large holdings, and were not involved in lawsuits with banks over debts. In 1860, the US Census reported 63 slaves at Verdura had produced 160 bales of cotton and 25,000 US bushels (880,000 L; 200,000 US dry gal; 190,000 imp gal) of corn. The plantation suffered after the Civil War from the loss of slave labor and a depression in the cotton market. After the main house burned in 1885, the plantation was abandoned. It was sold by the Chaires family in 1948.[9][10][11]
Hering, Julia (July 1954). "Plantation Economy in Florida 1830-1840". The Florida Historical Quarterly. 33: 32–47. JSTOR 30138933.
Matrana, Marc R. (2009). Lost Plantations of the South. Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of MIssissippi. ISBN9781578069422.
Paisley, Clifton (1981) [1968]. From Cotton to Quail: an agricultural chronicle of Leon County, Florida, 1860–1967 (Reissue ed.). Gainesville, Florida: University Presses of Florida. LCCN 68-9708.
Paisley, Clifton (1989). The Red Hills of Florida. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: The University of Alabama Press. ISBN0-8173-0412-6.
Smith, Julia Floyd (2018) [1973]. Slavery and Plantation Growth in Antebellum Florida, 1821–1860 (ebook reissue ed.). Gainesville, Florida: Library Press@UF (Original publisher: University of Florida Press). ISBN978-1-947372-63-4 – via University of Florida Digital Collection.
Robles, Eduardo (2017). "Plantation Houses of North Florida". International Journal of Architecture Technology and Sustainability. 2: 59–71. doi:10.4995/vitruvio-ijats.2017.7520. hdl:10251/83614.
February 15, 2024
verdura, plantation, large, cotton, plantation, acres, eastern, leon, county, florida, united, states, established, benjamin, chaires, drawing, house, leon, county, florida, contents, history, also, notes, referenceshistory, editbenjamin, chaires, early, arriv. Verdura Plantation was a large cotton plantation of 9 440 acres 3 820 ha in eastern Leon County Florida United States established by Benjamin Chaires Drawing of Verdura Plantation house Leon County Florida Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 Notes 4 ReferencesHistory editBenjamin Chaires Sr was an early arrival in Leon County and one of the wealthiest land owners in Leon County His brothers Green H Chaires and Thomas Peter Chaires also established plantations in Leon County Evergreen Hills Plantation and Woodlawn Plantation respectively 1 Chaires bought 500 acres 200 ha 10 miles east of Tallahassee in 1832 That land became the nucleus of the Verdura plantation That year Chaires built a plantation house on his new plantation The house was built of bricks in Greek Revival style It had three floors and 15 rooms each with a fireplace The downstairs rooms could be opened up to create an 80 foot long ballroom Verandas supported by ten five on each side Tuscan order columns were on the East and West sides rather than across the front It was built of bricks made by hand by slaves on the plantation The house stood on a hill partially surrounded by a stream On a clear day the Gulf of Mexico was visible from the attic The plantation house burned in 1885 2 3 Chaires added to the plantation throughout the 1830s including in 1836 when he added a plantation of 800 acres and 57 slaves to his holdings Chaires died in 1838 Tax records in 1839 showed his estate to consist of 9 440 acres 3 820 ha and 80 slaves His son Joseph Chaires was managing the plantation that year His estate continued to grow after his death In 1842 the estate which had not yet been divided among the heirs foreclosed on property including land and slaves valued at 35 570 1 04 million in 2022 4 Chaires left the plantation house and 500 acres surrounding it to his wife Sarah as well as 10 of his personal estate Chaires had ten children five of whom were minors Chaires appointed his brother Green and his son Joseph as executors 5 In 1845 the County Court authorized the division of the estate among the heirs including about 10 000 acres 4 000 ha slaves provisions livestock and equipment 6 7 Benjamin Chaires was the master of Verdura when the Great Storm of 1873 killed seven mules there 8 Each child s share of the Verdura plantation was still among the largest plantations in Leon County While some planters were heavily in debt at their deaths Chaires was not and his heirs continued to maintain large holdings and were not involved in lawsuits with banks over debts In 1860 the US Census reported 63 slaves at Verdura had produced 160 bales of cotton and 25 000 US bushels 880 000 L 200 000 US dry gal 190 000 imp gal of corn The plantation suffered after the Civil War from the loss of slave labor and a depression in the cotton market After the main house burned in 1885 the plantation was abandoned It was sold by the Chaires family in 1948 9 10 11 See also editPlantations of Leon County Florida National Register of Historic Places listings in Leon County FloridaNotes edit Paisley 1981 p 4 Robles 2017 pp 64 65 Smith 2018 p 135 Smith 2018 p 103 126 127 Smith 2018 p 126 127 Smith 2018 p 127 Hering 1954 p 38 Ellis Mary Louise April 1984 North Florida and the Great Storm of 1873 The Florida Historical Quarterly 62 4 494 JSTOR 30146596 Matrana 2009 p 138 Robles 2017 p 65 Smith 2018 p 125 126 References editHering Julia July 1954 Plantation Economy in Florida 1830 1840 The Florida Historical Quarterly 33 32 47 JSTOR 30138933 Matrana Marc R 2009 Lost Plantations of the South Jackson Mississippi University Press of MIssissippi ISBN 9781578069422 Paisley Clifton 1981 1968 From Cotton to Quail an agricultural chronicle of Leon County Florida 1860 1967 Reissue ed Gainesville Florida University Presses of Florida LCCN 68 9708 Paisley Clifton 1989 The Red Hills of Florida Tuscaloosa Alabama The University of Alabama Press ISBN 0 8173 0412 6 Smith Julia Floyd 2018 1973 Slavery and Plantation Growth in Antebellum Florida 1821 1860 ebook reissue ed Gainesville Florida Library Press UF Original publisher University of Florida Press ISBN 978 1 947372 63 4 via University of Florida Digital Collection Robles Eduardo 2017 Plantation Houses of North Florida International Journal of Architecture Technology and Sustainability 2 59 71 doi 10 4995 vitruvio ijats 2017 7520 hdl 10251 83614 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Verdura Plantation amp oldid 1193908795, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
