Women's Slave Quarters

In 1799, approximately 89 enslaved people lived and worked at the Mansion House Farm. As many as 15 to 20 people lived in each of four sleeping rooms similar to this one. Many of the enslaved persons at the Mansion House Farm lived on the second floor of the buildings where they worked, such as the kitchen or carpenters shop, or possibly in small cabins near the north lane. Originally, there were four sleeping rooms like this one for enslaved men, women, and probably some children who lived on the Mansion grounds. These living quarters, flanking the Greenhouse, were built in 1792, replacing a structure called the House for Families, which was subsequently torn down.

Do you see anything that indicates children lived here? Young children probably had jobs such as hauling water, weeding the family garden, and caring for younger siblings. At some point between the ages of 11 and 14, children began to assist other enslaved workers, and by their mid-teens, they were fully part of the enslaved workforce.