Kingsley Plantation: cultivating the strange paradox of slavery.

Zephaniah Kingsley was a slaver. He bought and sold slaves. His unique selling proposition was that he upgraded his offerings—teaching them English, an applicable agricultural trade—thereby dramatically increasing the price he received at auction. Slaving was the primary focus of the Zephaniah plantation on Fort George Island, deep in the bayous of Jacksonville, Florida. The plantation was only accessible by water. A series of alligator-infested bayous awaited any slave who tried to escape.However, Zephaniah discouraged escapes by treating his slaves better than most slaveholders. The work was hard and unrelenting, but slaves were given plenty of family time when the day was done. Zephaniah did not believe slaves were inferior. His wife was a slave who bore him four mullato children, all of whom earned their freedom in 1811, and in the strange paradox of slavery, went on to become slavers themselves. Besides the dark practice of cultivating valuable slaves, Zephaniah’s plantation was primarily engaged in the production of Sea Island cotton, prized by Europeans for its long, silky fibers. Of the plantation's 750 acres, most was devoted to cotton production. An overgrowth of trees has since reclaimed it. Zephaniah also became involved in the brutal practice of sugar cane cultivation, as well as a small amount of indigo, but the Kingsley plantation was primarily engaged in cotton production.The grounds of the Kingsley estate include the oldest plantation house still standing in Florida, and its collection of slave cabins constructed from tabby is one of the best-preserved in the United States. It is considered "the oldest surviving antebellum Spanish Colonial plantation in the United States." It is a must-see in any tour of Jacksonville. Crotty Farm Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Thanks for reading Crotty Farm Report! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Crotty Farm Report at crotty.substack.com/subscribe