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Letter from Robert Edmondson to Mrs. St. George Tucker
10/17/1826
Cited in John W. Blassingame, ed. Slave Testimony: Two Centuries of Letters, Speeches, Interviews, and Autobiographies. (Baton Rouge: LSU Press, 1977).
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In this letter, a slave, most likely assigned the task of overseer or foreman, reports to the plantation mistress on the state of affairs in her absence. He makes note of the work of several slaves, an upcoming birth, and rampant illness, which has taken the lives of a number of children.
WilliamsBurg October the 17-1826
Dear Mistress [Mrs. St. George Tucker].
This will inform you how we are and how our affairs are
Our Coal ar Come to the amount of Six hundred Bushills tho Dr Cole Said that master wrote to him the other day that he shoud oder down 800 which he will do if he say to 200 Bushills more to make up that quantity
Still he have had as much as master derict and wants to know fether about it
i shall be glad to know wether i Shall Lay in foddow and straw for the winter-all your friends ar about But there is no famal in Town But what there is some one Sick
There is nothing dun yet about the Repairing the Lot
mr Rocker has Begin to Bring Timber to the place to Go to work-as to the State of the Gardin it is in a very poor State at this time
Katy is trying to do what She Can with her Spining
polly's time will be up the fourteenth
he[r] child lived about Ten dais
She has also Been very sick tho all Except My Self seem to Be Tallorible well-i am trubled with this pain in my hip and Lions which Cause me to be very weak
the neigh Bers all Sends there Love and master particularly mr miller mrs peachis family
The doctor him Self is about
his children as Still Purplexed with the Hooping Cough
mr Saunders is returned from Richmond By what i herd today he is not Benefited and Complaint as much as Before-it have been very Sickly down amangst us and very dry
a Great number of children have died a great number ar now sick-nothing worth Relating But my duty to you master
Mr and Mrs Cabbell and my fellow Servants
Joins me in Love to you all
and to Remain your Servant
Robert Edmondson
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