Dwelling Place: A Plantation Epic

by Erskine Clarke

Published some thirty years ago, Robert Manson Myers’s Children of Pride: The True Story of Georgia and the Civil War won the National Book Award in history and went on to become a classic reference on America’s slaveholding South. That book presented the letters of the prominent Presbyterian minister and plantation patriarch Charles Colcock Jones (1804–1863), whose family owned more than one hundred slaves. While extensive, these letters can provide only one part of the story of the Jones family plantations in coastal Georgia. In this remarkable new book, the religious historian Erskine Clarke completes the story, offering a narrative history of four generations of the plantations’ inhabitants, white and black.
Encompassing the years 1805 to 1869, Dwelling Place: A Plantation Epic describes the simultaneous but vastly different experiences of slave and slave owner. This “upstairsdownstairs” history reveals in detail how the benevolent impulses of Jones and his family became ideological supports for deep oppression, and how the slave Lizzy Jones and members of her family struggled against that oppression. Through letters, plantation and church records, court documents, slave narratives, archaeological findings, and the memory of the African-American community, Clarke brings to light the long-suppressed history of the slaves of the Jones plantations—a history inseparably bound to that of their white owners.

Genres: History, American History, Nonfiction, Race, Civil War, 19th Century, Politics

601 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Lobstergirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erskine Clarke sifts through seemingly endless family histories and letters to tell us the story of the white slaveowning population of Liberty County, Georgia (the low country south of Savannah and north of Darien), and their slaves from the early 19th century to the aftermath of the Civil War. Clearly, there is more to tell about the owners, since they could read and write and left voluminous correspondence and journals. But Clarke does an excellent job of extracting every bit of data and anecdote he can about the slave families, too.

The two main protagonists are the Rev. Charles Colcock Jones and his wife Mary. Charles and Mary are wealthy. They own a succession of plantations, primarily growing rice. They own some plantations simultaneously. They move around the low country from house to house and plantation to plantation. Charles and Mary are very much in love, and sustain their love for each other until death. Although Charles received his undergraduate and theological education in the north, at Andover and Princeton, he remains a Southerner through and through, wedded to southern values and mores. Though there are moments early in his religious career when, perhaps influenced by his northern colleagues, he questions whether there might be some evils in slavery, he commits to the slave system fully, and as he ages his doubts about its rightness decrease. He ministers at the Presbyterian church near his plantation, whose congregation is both white and black. He also serves as a missionary to the “settlements” where the black slave population lives. He writes a Bible catechism for slaves, and a manual on the religious instruction of slaves. He and Mary both believe profoundly that slaves living under a benevolent slaveowner are better off than slaves living free. They believe that freedom can only lead to amorality and debauchery.

The slaves owned by the Joneses are for the most part well-behaved, trustworthy, and loyal. Whatever resentments they have about being slaves they mostly hide, although Clarke focuses on one slave named Phoebe, the closest personally to Mary, who has a tendency to become uppity at times. (Crossing her arms is one sign of this.) Eventually, the family’s dissatisfaction with Phoebe results in her and her immediate family and some others being sold out of state, which was very out of character for the Joneses. While they did sometimes separate families, husbands and wives, through sales or wills, they tried to keep all the interrelated slave families in reasonable proximity, so that a slave husband could visit his “wife house” on a Saturday. While the Joneses clearly saw this as benevolence on their part, Clarke recognizes it for what it is: arbitrary white power separating black families. For all of Rev. Charles Jones’ preaching to the slaves about morality, family stability, faithfulness between husbands and wives, he was the one driving spouses apart. Clarke, who is himself a professor at a theological seminary, superbly limns the hypocrisy of these Christian owners.

One telling anecdote is a sermon Jones delivers to the large slave congregation in 1833. Its topic is “The Story of Onesimus,” a runaway biblical slave belonging to Philemon.

I dwelt chiefly on the character of Runaways,” he reported in the Charleston Observer. He spoke of the “folly, the impropriety, the impolicy of their course. What could they expect to gain by taking off for the swamps or Savannah? Charles then went on to speak of “the duty of all to suppress the wickedness, never to conceal or harbor a runaway etc.” As he spoke, he began to notice the faces of his congregation: “By the countenances of the audience, the subject was evidently disagreeable. Some endeavored to sleep, others to look away, and many got up and left the ground.” Their reactions caught him by surprise, for the county was known for having few runaways – there was in Liberty County, Charles believed, “doubtless less running away than in any other population of like size in the State.” What he was discovering...was the world of the settlements where running away did not seem like wickedness but a bold bid for freedom. Moreover, those who came to church did not want to hear running away condemned by a white preacher. After the meeting, one man came up to him and said: “That is not Gospel at all; it is all Runaway, Runaway, Runaway.” Another said, “The doctrine is one-sided,” and many said, “they would never more come to hear me preach.” Charles was apparently stunned and simply noted: “Thus we parted.”

Given time to reflect, Charles decided he would try to preach ‘without “harping” on the duties of slaves to masters.’

One aspect of the slave system was negotiating how much respect and affection a slaveowner would show to a slave. Joseph Jones, Mary’s father, had a policy of never shaking a slave’s hand: it “suggested an undue familiarity and was an invitation to insubordination.” Not until he lay on his deathbed would his slaves touch his hands, as they paid their respects. Yet there could also be profound intimacy: when one young slaveowning woman had excess milk after giving birth, she nursed the newborn son of one of her slaves.

Rev. Charles Jones also showed his affection and friendship for many of his slaves when, living in other cities or states, he wrote letters to them (which naturally had to be read aloud by others):

“…let Andrew and the people at Maybank know how we are and that we send Howdy for them all by name and Jack, Marcia, and John and Jane send howdy to all.” “Please tell Patience and Andrew and all the people at Maybank howdy for us. Our servants are all well and send howdys. …” Tell [Dr. Harry] and his wife howdy for me. It will be a pleasant day to me when I shall be permitted to Liberty and see all my black friends again.”

But owners and slaves could quickly turn on each other, of course. David Buttolph, Charles Jones’ son-in-law and a minister himself, was hurt, dismayed, and mortified that a formerly loyal, faithful, and willing “servant” of his for many years named Joefinny had run away at the beginning of the war. Why would a slave leave such a benevolent master? It was “the hardest blow.” Rev. Buttolph insisted to a relative that if Joefinny had “wanted anything, he had only to ask for it.” Anything except his freedom, of course.

As Yankee soldiers ransacked one of her plantation homes, the matriarch Mary wrote in her journal:

The workings of Providence in reference to the African race are truly wonderful. The scourge falls with peculiar weight upon them: with their emancipation must come their extermination. All history, from their first existence, proves them incapable of self-government; they perish when brought in conflict with the intellectual superiority of the Caucasian race. Northern philanthropy and cant may rave as much as they please; but facts prove that in a state of slavery such as exists in the Southern states have the Negro race increased and thriven most.

And as Mary saw her former slaves gain their freedom, she wrote: “My heart is pained and sickened with their vileness and falsehood in every way. I long to be delivered from the race.”

[Anson Cassel Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Dwelling Place, Erskine Clarke expands the chronological range of a notable series of letters—published in 1972 by Yale as Children of Pride—to write a history of the extended Jones family of nineteenth-century coastal Georgia, as well as the families of their “people,” their slaves.

This is a good book but not a great one. Clarke writes well enough, though his attempt to be novelistic by foreshadowing the future often seems forced. Clarke does significant service by emphasizing how important life events for southern slaveholders--marriages, deaths, and removal to distant locations--could often have disastrous effects on slave families, many of whom were torn apart by separations so final that slave spouses were treated as if they were dead to one another.

Nevertheless, Dwelling Place has significant weaknesses. First, Clarke’s chronological sweep, which takes the reader from 1805 to 1869, scoops up too many characters, many of whom are tangential to the main story as told through the lives of Charles and Mary Colcock Jones. Clarke provides helpful biographical notes and elaborate genealogical charts, but it’s doubtful that any but the most persistent reader can keep all the characters straight.

Second, although Clarke tries to put as much weight on slave existence as on the life of the masters, he is faced with a conundrum that exercises every historian who tries to write antebellum history from “the bottom up,” that is, that the poor are frequently illiterate and therefore virtually inarticulate. Furthermore, lower class existence is repetitive and usually has small effect on the course of history. Sea island cuisine cannot hold its weight against the coming of the Civil War, which (in passing) Clarke slights.

A more serious weakness is Clarke’s repeated attempts to read the minds of the slaves in ways that satisfy twenty-first century taste. For instance, Cato, a driver for Charles Colcock Jones, says in a letter (written for him by a plantation manager) that he felt “like crying with love and gratitude” for such “a kind master.” Clarke can’t leave this letter without suggesting that slaves understood that “successful revolution only ‘grows out of the barrel of a gun,’ and that slaves lacked the necessary firepower and military organization to challenge white hegemony.”

Maybe, maybe not. I have never been a slave, but I was a draftee infantryman during the Vietnam era and one definitely unsuited to military life. A historian who tried to guess how I felt about being pulled away from school to prepare to kill people would probably go far astray. Frustration and fear were mingled with patriotism and pride in my new (but definitely limited) military prowess. My calculated desire to shirk as much work and responsibility as possible was combined with a determination to accomplish my mission to the best of my ability. We do not have to adopt a Gone-with-the-Wind mentality about plantation slavery to believe that slaves were sometimes sincerely devoted to their masters and to the religious faith that they shared. They were not always hypocritical when they spoke words later romanticized and promulgated by purveyors of the Lost Cause.

Although I recommend Dwelling Place, the more sophisticated reader (especially one who has a taste for big books) should tackle Children of Pride instead. In that massive volume the reader can approach the remarkably articulate Jones family on its own terms and calculate its conflicted feelings about slavery without twenty-first century intervention.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a remarkable feat of research and historical imagination, Erskine Clarke allowed me to enter into coastal Georgia plantation life in the period from about 1800 to 1865. It is set in Liberty County, Georgia, a place where I spent part of my childhood and teenage years, which made this story all the more fascinating. The book centers on Charles Colcock Jones and his family and his slaves. It's quite a long and complicated story, encompassing so many interconnected people. I didn't try to follow every thread, but the focus on Charles and his wife, Mary, gave it a through line that I could hold on to. It's just fascinating and telling to see how slaveholding was practiced in one particular place by one particular person -- someone who sincerely believed he had the best interests of the black people at heart. It's enlightening and painful to see, as Clarke frequently points out, that although Charles was sympathetic and responsible, he had such huge blind spots when it came to the humanity of the black people whose lives he controlled. As much as possible (from the evidence preserved through the records of the white people), Clarke helps us to see the lives, personalities, contributions, and value of the black people, as well as of the white people. This book is written beautifully and engagingly. It makes for an impressive contribution to enlightening me about a period of history that continues to affect life today.

[Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the best books I've ever read is Children of Pride by Robert Manson Myers . An absolutely incredible, emotional and amazing book, it consists of a collection of letters between members of the Georgia family of Charles Colcock Jones from 1854-1868 -- just before, during and after the Civil War. The experiences of that family are epic. Their 100 or so slaves are mentioned in their letters, but are mostly invisible.

And the thought uppermost in my mind after finishing the book was puzzlement. These were good kind intelligent people -- how could they not see the inherent evil of slavery? But they didn't. These kind generous people truly believed in the rightness of "benevolent" slavery.

Now historian Erskine Clarke has written a history of that family and of their plantations and of the slaves who lived there. It is utterly fascinating and revealing to read more of the story -- to read essentially a side-by-side biography of the Charles Colcok Jones family and of their slaves. I now have more insight into that question I had --how could they not see the inherent evil of slavery?

This book is a wonderful historical work, and a fascinating companion to Children of Pride. The book is a serious work of history and for me was a bit long on facts and short on emotional insight. So I await eagerly one more book about this family: I would just love to read a historical novel based upon the people and events covered by these two books. THAT would be a novel worth reading!!!

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing story of low-country Georgia life in the antebellum period. I was constantly surprised by the depth of knowledge the author had about the lives of these white and black people -- the family's manuscript collections must be very rich indeed. Although this was a long slog for a reader who prefers fiction, I think it is one of the most interesting books I've ever read.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege to meet the author and hear him speak about creating this wonderful book. I was literally spellbound and I am not afraid to admit that he was an inspiration. I loved this book. Yes, it is quite long, and at times, it is difficult to keep track of the diverse characters in this history. But, it is one of the most well written history books I have ever read. If you are interested in the sea islands, you must read it but only if you can simultaneously tour the areas that he describes. I was able to do both (even had the opportunity to visit the graves of some of the main characters) and it was an experience I will never forget.

[Ruby Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

slaves, what a ugly word!

I loved reading Dwelling Place. It is still hard for me to process how white plantation owners felt they were doing a moral & Christian duty to the slaves. But we all know much of it never ended. Almost 200 hundred years later we still oppress our African American brothers & Sisters! Will we ever be a nation who doesn’t see color of skin but look at all humans as equal to each of us & in the eyes of our Lord. To stand up for each other as one people & one nation!

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

An important reminder of slavery, institutions and faithfulness. I found myself wondering what blinders I wear today that keep me from seeing truth when it is not to my advantage to do so.

Clarke is a professor of American Church history at Columbia Theological Seminary so it does read a bit like a "history book" - not that there is anything wrong with that!

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book if you want to understand why slavery in the Old South was not only brutal to the slaves but also corrupted the slaveowners.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at slavery in one place from 1800-1865. The book follows one white family with all of its marriages, birth, deaths and moving around, and two black families, the slaves of the whites. There happens to be an abundance of records so the author can tell a pretty complete story. Since the slaves were freed by 1865 it is also possible to get their viewpoints of what happened. The main character Charles Colcock Jones (1800-1863) was a Presbyterian minister and a leader in the drive to Christianize the slaves. It is interesting and sad to watch his change from 'slavery is an absolute evil' so we must help the blacks become able to lead themselves (blacks were considered incapable of self-government) to slavery is right and anyone who works against it is evil. The lives of the blacks, especially their movements from one plantation to another, is interesting. The story takes place in lowland Georgia where the Gullah community still lives. Although slaves were moved around it was mostly within one days walk of each other which allowed the blacks to develop their own culture and dialect.

Unfortunately the publisher did not bother to get the rights to the photographs in the ebook. It would have been nice to actually see the peoples faces.

3 stars
Recommended if you are interested in American history, black history, slavery or 19th century history. Written for the educated adult, no special knowledge needed.

[Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clarke does a tremendous job recreating the lives of numerous people from one large multi-generational plantation community to paint the portrait of antebellum life in the Georgia low-country. So much of the popular imagination surrounding slavery is focused on the late-comer cotton, that it is refreshing to see slavery examined through rice and the much different rhythms of the labor system that surrounded it.

The result reads almost like an epic novel or melodrama--sort of a real-life counterpoint to revisionist fiction like Gone With the Wind. The standout stories here are the evangelical young family scion who begins with abolitionist leanings and ends as a slavery apologist and Confederate supporter; and the slaves he ministered to (or thought he ministered to) brought back to life through tremendous work with the extant sources.

May be a bit long for some, but if you want to take a deep dive into American slavery tied to a particular geographical area, you cannot do better than this book.

[Robin C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read but problems with the text

For a very scholarly and well-researched book, it read surprisingly like a fictional account. The narrative moved at a good pace and I developed a feeling for the characters. It offered insights into how the pseudo-paternalistic slaveholder religion transitioned into the racism of sharecropping and eventually Jim Crow. My complaints lie with the textual errors in the Kindle edition. There were many instances of incorrect spacing between words:
“theone” (“the one”) and “norecord” (“no record”). Many words were hyphenated mid-sentence, not at the end of a line. This was especially common with proper names such as “May-bank” and “Leigh-ton.” Kind of a sham for such a thorough book to have such a shoddy text.

[John W Pipes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started to give a 3 star, but felt that was not fair to the author. The book is well researched and insightful; however, those responsible for the Kindle version did not do the author any favors. Multiple times I found words squished together. Example shewas instead of she was. I can overlook a couple such errors, but there were a multitude.

Additionally, I don’t know why they would move forward with e-publication without having the necessary licensing to include the pictures, but have the audacity to include “see the published version” where the photo should be. Almost felt like they wrote “Should’ve bought the print version”. Photos help us connect the story to people and places. It just seemed lazy for them not to be included.

[Stephanie Estes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel was woven together by a UGA professor that used primary documents as its basis. A wonderful and historical novel about the plantation owners and slave narratives. The author includes a great glossary of who’s who to refer back to when needed.

[Shana]

A dense but rich read. It took me about three months to get through it, and I always needed to be reading something else at the same time, but I'm very glad I stuck with it. I have some more thoughts that I might add to this review later, but I need to a bit more time to digest the whole thing.

[Darlene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great book for people who are looking for a tremendous amount of detail concerning the pre and Civil
War era in the south.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book leapt out at me because of blurbs by David Brion Davis, Mark Noll, and John Boles, preeminent historians of slavery, American religion, and the American south, respectively (it also won the Bancroft Prize for best work in American history in 2006).

Caldwell's book is remarkably written history, following the lives of generations of slaveholders along the Georgia coast and the slaves they owned. His research is prodigous, we know the geography and we know the people deeply, even intimately. If it is easier to access the religion, family relations, and business dealings of the slave masters, Caldwell has also given us an intimate portrayal of slave life. The book approaches the novelistic in its interior commentary and at times I wondered where some of his details came from (essentially how could he know that), but he has a detailed historical imagination and I came to trust his historical judgment as I read. It is a long book and the author's tendency to offer hints at the future does wear, but those are small quibbles for what is a delightful and sobering read. Delightful for its evocation of time and place, sobering for the rationalizations the Rev. Jones used for his slave ownership.

[Kevin Hoag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched story of plantations in coastal Georgia, from about 1820 until after the Civil War. The author was conscientious about presenting the stories of both white and black, and focused on a plantation where one of the sons went north to seminary, and then struggled wth conflicts over slavery. Especially interesting was how often the white plantation owners expressed surprise when the slaves tried to escape, or sought their freedom during the war. Also important were the recorded perspectives on Sherman's march, and atrocities seen from the southern vantage point.

[Jim Hodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met the author, so had to read his book. It kept me engaged. The main character (and this is non-fiction) is a Presbyterian minister who is also a slave owner and plantation owner in the South. His struggle with the issues of the Civil War, religion, etc., were well described, and helped to get some historical perspective on slavery from both the slaves' perspective and the plantationists' perspective.

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on historical records of the Jones family of the Georgia coast, this book is a worthy effort toward depicting life in the slave families of this Civil War era community. Some assumptions are involved to fill in gaps in the records, but the author does an admirable job of bringing real people out of the shadows. Read as a follow-up to the real epic, Children of Pride.

[Janie Lynes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to read this for a class. I did read the whole thing and it was ok but I thought there were too many characters. The book could have portrayed a successful parallel with far less characters especially since many die soon after they are introduced.

[Meagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this read immensely and enjoyed meeting and discussing it with the author even more. Very insightful story of the Charles Colcock Jones family.