Enslaved Communities on Drayton Family Plantations: SC, GA, FL and TX
"Slaves of the Rebel General Thomas F. Drayton" Photographer: Moore, Henry P., 1833-1911
Source: Library of Congress: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.04324
No known restrictions on publication.
Table of Contents
| + Ann Unknown |
| 2 Mary Drayton [Fuller] |
| 2 Stephen Fox Drayton |
| 2 John Drayton |
Introduction
In the first project of its kind, the Magnolia Plantation Foundation of Charleston, SC has sponsored genealogical research to reconstruct the lineages of enslaved communities on Drayton family plantations in the United States and Barbados. For the past four years, the Lowcountry Africana team and known descendants of families formerly enslaved on Drayton family plantations have worked together to rediscover the scattered paper trail which may connect the enslaved ancestors on Drayton family plantations with many thousands of living descendants throughout the United States. We are now compiling the research for presentation here.
The documents presented here are small fraction of those to be presented. In the course of our research we have gathered more than 30,000 pages of documentary evidence which spans the years 1724 to 1930.
To begin exploring the Drayton family records, you may follow the links to the first and second generation of the slaveholding Drayton family in the column bar to the right.
Project Scope And Research Goals
The goal of the present study is to trace the descendants of the founding enslaved populations on Drayton family plantations by bringing the lineages of enslaved ancestors forward through time to connect with the family oral history and genealogical research of living descendants.
The first component, presented here, documents the founding enslaved communities on Drayton family plantations. With the estate settlement of Thomas Drayton, Jr. in 1724, the slaveholding Drayton family lineages diverge, as Thomas Drayton's estate was divided among his sons. Please be sure to visit often as we track lineages forward.
Known Descendant Families
The research team includes known descendants of Drayton family freedmen and researchers from Lowcountry Africana. Descendants have shared family oral history, documents, photographs and results of past genealogical research. Working with these vital pieces of the puzzle, we have compiled known family histories, then searched the historical record for documents which would fill gaps in known lineages.
You may view the lineages of known descendants by following the link below:
Research - Phase I
Phase I of the research project consisted of the following:- Gathering oral histories of known descendants and constructing family tree files from known lineages
- Identifying slaveholding Drayton family members for each generation from 1724 to 1865
- Gathering will and probate records for Drayton family slaveholders to learn the names of those enslaved on Drayton family plantations
- Gathering an array of other historical documents such as runaway slave advertisements, court records, Drayton family correspondence and plantation records which reveal more about the lives of enslaved ancestors on Drayton family plantations
- Gathering post-Emancipation records for known descendants of enslaved ancestors to learn more about their lives
Phase II: Underway
Phase II is underway. We are now compiling the historical documents and presenting them here at Lowcountry Africana. We've posted the wills, estate inventories and plantation records of known Drayton family slaveholders in the Lowcountry Africana document database in order to make them available for researchers as we work to build the website presentation.
Each new document brings new information and as the pieces of the puzzle come together, the names and lives of enslaved ancestors begin to come into focus.
As we layer on documents and lineages, we will weave those stories together and present them here.
Join the Research Project
If your family has roots on Drayton family plantations, we would love to hear from you, and we invite you to join in the ongoing research. Please let us hear from you! You can write to us at info@lowcountryafricana.com.
Hello:
I am curious as to how you are researching the Drayton Family history in Barbados?
Currently, I am doing research on the Middleton family, plantation owners in Barbados,
who also owned plantations in GA and SC. Could you direct me to a source that may
have relevant information?
I know Drayton family members here in the Lowcountry. I don't know if they are direct descendents of the slaves from this part of South Carolina or not, but I have to assume so, with Drayton being a fairly common name for African-American families between here and Charleston. If anyone is interested in adding this article to the current family information, the link is: http://www.jaspercountysun.com/news/drayton-part-…
Mr. Drayton – and his family – are fantastic people and have very strong roots here in Jasper County. I wrote the article, and went into the interview not realizing that the extended family had such a long history in the area. It's fascinating to me to see how deep family roots run, particularly in the Carolinas…
What an enriching project for the families of Drayton Hall. I just recently learned that my paternal side of the family came out of Barnwell, SC by 1880 they were living in Savannah Chatham Georgia. Do you have any information or website that you can share with me on the district of Barnwell S.C. during those times, and its people. I have recently listen to your experience with the dwelling place project. I hope that in the days to come, that a restored slave dwelling place will become a museum for all to visit and comprehend a sad piece of American History. Thank you again.
willie drayton was born in 1913
If my great grandfather was a slave at Drayton Hall. If so I would like to find out as much information about the history of my family roots
I am trying to search my family roots. I am having some trouble with where my family was from. My father name is Matthew Drayton one of 18 children. My father was the son of Willie Drayton who was from Society Hill South Carolina. My grandfather was born in r91y to Teddy Drayton and Celie Williams Drayton. I only have the name of one of my grandfathers siblings and her name was Jennifer Drayton Douglas. My grandfather left Society Hill at faage 13 to work in Whiteville North Carolina. I have questions about the rest of my grand
if you want too know more email Howard Wright
sankofahh003@yahoo.com