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The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation: Stories of My Family's Journey to Freedom
When John F. Baker Jr. was in the seventh grade, he saw a photograph of four former slaves in his social studies textbook—two of them were his grandmother's grandparents. He began the lifelong research project that would become The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation , the fruit of more than thirty years of archival and field research and DNA testing spanning 250 years.
A descendant of Wessyngton slaves, Baker has written the most accessible and exciting work of African American history since Roots . He has not only written his own family's story but included the history of hundreds of slaves and their descendants now numbering in the thousands throughout the United States. More than one hundred rare photographs and portraits of African Americans who were slaves on the plantation bring this compelling American history to life.
Founded in 1796 by Joseph Washington, a distant cousin of America's first president, Wessyngton Plantation covered 15,000 acres and held 274 slaves, whose labor made it the largest tobacco plantation in America. Atypically, the Washingtons sold only two slaves, so the slave families remained intact for generations. Many of their descendants still reside in the area surrounding the plantation. The Washington family owned the plantation until 1983; their family papers, housed at the Tennessee State Library and Archives, include birth registers from 1795 to 1860, letters, diaries, and more. Baker also conducted dozens of interviews—three of his subjects were more than one hundred years old—and discovered caches of historic photographs and paintings.
A groundbreaking work of history and a deeply personal journey of discovery, The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation is an uplifting story of survival and family that gives fresh insight into the institution of slavery and its ongoing legacy today.
A descendant of Wessyngton slaves, Baker has written the most accessible and exciting work of African American history since Roots . He has not only written his own family's story but included the history of hundreds of slaves and their descendants now numbering in the thousands throughout the United States. More than one hundred rare photographs and portraits of African Americans who were slaves on the plantation bring this compelling American history to life.
Founded in 1796 by Joseph Washington, a distant cousin of America's first president, Wessyngton Plantation covered 15,000 acres and held 274 slaves, whose labor made it the largest tobacco plantation in America. Atypically, the Washingtons sold only two slaves, so the slave families remained intact for generations. Many of their descendants still reside in the area surrounding the plantation. The Washington family owned the plantation until 1983; their family papers, housed at the Tennessee State Library and Archives, include birth registers from 1795 to 1860, letters, diaries, and more. Baker also conducted dozens of interviews—three of his subjects were more than one hundred years old—and discovered caches of historic photographs and paintings.
A groundbreaking work of history and a deeply personal journey of discovery, The Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation is an uplifting story of survival and family that gives fresh insight into the institution of slavery and its ongoing legacy today.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 18, 2012
I bought this autographed book in the museum store at the Hermitage, Andrew Jackson's estate, near Nashville, TN. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was that the author told of family relationships of those he interviewed but he should have included a fold-out family tree so I could keep them all straight. The publisher may have nixed this as an extra cost. Too bad.
Whatever--
the book was an amazing story of a white family and the black families they owned on the main plantation and several satellite ones in TN during the first half of the 19th century. Compared to other slave narratives, the white owners come off as people who took the responsiblity to treat their slaves humanely. But since the whole system was a travesty, they failed.
However, strange anamolies appeared. The master trained his acknowledged son by a young slave girl to be his valet and the son was treated as "almost family" by the Washingtons. That must have been odd since most children of this kind of alliance were never acknowledged or kept so close to the family.
Also after the war, the white family had artists paint portraits of some of the former slaves and hung those portraits in the foyer of their home. I can't figure that one out.
This is an intriguing story of a large entertwined family in special circumstances in the context of slavery, of the Civil War and then after freedom.
Utterly fascinating and enlightening. A complex evolving movie picture of slavery, war and freedom.
Whatever--
the book was an amazing story of a white family and the black families they owned on the main plantation and several satellite ones in TN during the first half of the 19th century. Compared to other slave narratives, the white owners come off as people who took the responsiblity to treat their slaves humanely. But since the whole system was a travesty, they failed.
However, strange anamolies appeared. The master trained his acknowledged son by a young slave girl to be his valet and the son was treated as "almost family" by the Washingtons. That must have been odd since most children of this kind of alliance were never acknowledged or kept so close to the family.
Also after the war, the white family had artists paint portraits of some of the former slaves and hung those portraits in the foyer of their home. I can't figure that one out.
This is an intriguing story of a large entertwined family in special circumstances in the context of slavery, of the Civil War and then after freedom.
Utterly fascinating and enlightening. A complex evolving movie picture of slavery, war and freedom.
January 6, 2023
I found this to be an interesting look at mainly one large plantation in Tennessee and the surrounding area in terms of the life and relationships between the white owners, both pre- and post-Civil War, and those that were slaves (and their descendants) and later employees.
Some reviewers have commented that the book makes things look entirely too rosy and this makes it unbelievable. However, I feel the author tries to be even-handed. He cites the many ways the white Washingtons seemed to try to treat their slaves well, but he also does mention runaways and whippings. There was obviously a symbiotic relationship going on with some of the individuals (and possibly more?). Author Baker is a descendant of some of the slaves discussed; I believe he does not have any axe to grind, but wants to tell the stories he's heard, many directly from those involved.
As a librarian and genealogist, it was nice to read about a young man that got the bug for family history while very young. His parents supported his research and encouraged him to record the oral histories of the elders in the community, as well as driving him to research facilities (until he was old enough to drive himself!). Thank you, John Baker, for sharing all this lovingly collected information, so that we all can obtain a glimpse of various sides of the history of this area.
My main criticism would be that the volume would have really benefited from some family charts to show relationships! So many of those discussed and/or interviewed have the same small handful of surnames (and first names!). It would have been helpful to have something to help keep folks straight.
On a similar note, the narrative often bounces between information from the black Washingtons and the white Washingtons and sometimes caused some initial confusion. I'm not sure how best to fix this one, but felt it was worth mentioning. But, I applaud this work and it's contribution to our understanding of one another.
Some reviewers have commented that the book makes things look entirely too rosy and this makes it unbelievable. However, I feel the author tries to be even-handed. He cites the many ways the white Washingtons seemed to try to treat their slaves well, but he also does mention runaways and whippings. There was obviously a symbiotic relationship going on with some of the individuals (and possibly more?). Author Baker is a descendant of some of the slaves discussed; I believe he does not have any axe to grind, but wants to tell the stories he's heard, many directly from those involved.
As a librarian and genealogist, it was nice to read about a young man that got the bug for family history while very young. His parents supported his research and encouraged him to record the oral histories of the elders in the community, as well as driving him to research facilities (until he was old enough to drive himself!). Thank you, John Baker, for sharing all this lovingly collected information, so that we all can obtain a glimpse of various sides of the history of this area.
My main criticism would be that the volume would have really benefited from some family charts to show relationships! So many of those discussed and/or interviewed have the same small handful of surnames (and first names!). It would have been helpful to have something to help keep folks straight.
On a similar note, the narrative often bounces between information from the black Washingtons and the white Washingtons and sometimes caused some initial confusion. I'm not sure how best to fix this one, but felt it was worth mentioning. But, I applaud this work and it's contribution to our understanding of one another.
October 21, 2020
I was able to get this ebook as a $2.99 daily special on BookBub or otherwise may have missed knowing about it. I was intrigued by the description that the author was able to trace the family trees of most of the descendants of slaves on this plantation due to good record keeping by the plantation owners who kept all correspondence and accounting receipts plus confirmation of these trees by DNA. But more impressively through the diligence of the author/researcher and the fantastic memories of those he interviewed.
Our community has a genealogy club so I was aware of how difficult it is for most blacks in America to trace their ancestry. The book does a good job of explaining this problem caused by many slaves not being listed on census by name and often not even given last names. If last names were used as slaves, they may have just taken a master’s name, the name of the plantation, or given one based upon some description. Being sold to other plantations often meant new names or no names listed. Thankfully, the Washingtons named all of their slaves and kept records for each family.
The book describes the author’s research over several decades of his life to first find out how his ancestors photo was in a history book then to generalize his research to many of the descendants of slaves at the plantation. But it is also a history book relating many eras from both the white owner and black slave then freeman perspectives.
A greater appreciation of black culture with the importance of name meanings, church, family, respect for elders, political participation, and civil rights involvement is gained. An understanding of social struggles also results. Don’t worry about remembering all of the names. Read it for the stories and history and the important characters will stand out. Slave trade in the 1700s, plantation life during slavery, the Civil War, reconstruction, the Northern Migration, and Jim Crow are discussed through the stories of ancestors.
I can’t recommend it for a book club as it is special interest but I can suggest it for anyone interested in black history or genealogy. Kudos to the author for all of his time involved in this project. His genuine concern for others and respect for the older relatives he interviewed is apparent throughout. As someone who also does genealogy, I admire what you have accomplished with far fewer “hints” than ancestry programs provide.
Our community has a genealogy club so I was aware of how difficult it is for most blacks in America to trace their ancestry. The book does a good job of explaining this problem caused by many slaves not being listed on census by name and often not even given last names. If last names were used as slaves, they may have just taken a master’s name, the name of the plantation, or given one based upon some description. Being sold to other plantations often meant new names or no names listed. Thankfully, the Washingtons named all of their slaves and kept records for each family.
The book describes the author’s research over several decades of his life to first find out how his ancestors photo was in a history book then to generalize his research to many of the descendants of slaves at the plantation. But it is also a history book relating many eras from both the white owner and black slave then freeman perspectives.
A greater appreciation of black culture with the importance of name meanings, church, family, respect for elders, political participation, and civil rights involvement is gained. An understanding of social struggles also results. Don’t worry about remembering all of the names. Read it for the stories and history and the important characters will stand out. Slave trade in the 1700s, plantation life during slavery, the Civil War, reconstruction, the Northern Migration, and Jim Crow are discussed through the stories of ancestors.
I can’t recommend it for a book club as it is special interest but I can suggest it for anyone interested in black history or genealogy. Kudos to the author for all of his time involved in this project. His genuine concern for others and respect for the older relatives he interviewed is apparent throughout. As someone who also does genealogy, I admire what you have accomplished with far fewer “hints” than ancestry programs provide.
November 9, 2019
To be honest, I expected this book to be angrier and more simplified than it is. It's a family history written by an African-American man who researched his family starting when he was just a boy. He interviewed dozens of family and community members over the years who had emerged from slavery (or recalled the stories of their parents who did), and he had the daunting task of weaving all of this together. And I mean it's an overwhelming amount of information. That information existed partly because the wealthy white family who had owned many of his ancestors and more extended family members kept extensive records--they were rich enough and strangely unashamed enough to do so. But Baker weaves in the voices of the Black community as well, and the combination is compelling.
The book allows that the situation of end-stage slavery and Jim Crow were complex and nuanced without forgiving either. His tone is even-handed, respectful, and questioning. He shows documentation that indicates both that the white Washington family was more merciful than some slave-holders (they mainly did not divide families, for instance) but also calls that into question and shows that even the best of slave-holders failed to live moral lives (the Washingtons didn't free their slaves and they set out to capture and punish those who attempted escape). The book provides a close picture of the years immediately around the Civil War, and it's a fascinating picture of a society in turmoil.
I learned a lot and encountered many facets of slavery and post-slavery that I hadn't given much thought. For instance, so many families had been divided by one or another member being sold off. After the War, many people placed newspaper ads and made other efforts to try to locate their original families. Often, this ended with more than one spouse, both of them still alive, and quite the quandary about choosing which spouse (and sometimes children) to retain as one's family. Imagine the difficulty of that.
Baker also has managed to weave some of the main players through the complicated array of names and events, and he has created a narrative arc against all odds. He drives toward a poignant end for one of the freed Blacks (though probably mixed-race and perhaps the son of his former "master") after the Civil War, a mystifying choice that will haunt me for a long time.
The book allows that the situation of end-stage slavery and Jim Crow were complex and nuanced without forgiving either. His tone is even-handed, respectful, and questioning. He shows documentation that indicates both that the white Washington family was more merciful than some slave-holders (they mainly did not divide families, for instance) but also calls that into question and shows that even the best of slave-holders failed to live moral lives (the Washingtons didn't free their slaves and they set out to capture and punish those who attempted escape). The book provides a close picture of the years immediately around the Civil War, and it's a fascinating picture of a society in turmoil.
I learned a lot and encountered many facets of slavery and post-slavery that I hadn't given much thought. For instance, so many families had been divided by one or another member being sold off. After the War, many people placed newspaper ads and made other efforts to try to locate their original families. Often, this ended with more than one spouse, both of them still alive, and quite the quandary about choosing which spouse (and sometimes children) to retain as one's family. Imagine the difficulty of that.
Baker also has managed to weave some of the main players through the complicated array of names and events, and he has created a narrative arc against all odds. He drives toward a poignant end for one of the freed Blacks (though probably mixed-race and perhaps the son of his former "master") after the Civil War, a mystifying choice that will haunt me for a long time.
November 9, 2020
Although this book was well-written and thoroughly researched I did not finish it. I have been trying to research my own family history and have reached the point where I cannot continue because of the incomplete slave records for my ancestors. It is bittersweet to delve into the oral history of my family, then align the information with other documentation only to hit the “brick wall” that most African-American families confront. I believe my grandfather changed his name upon being freed and that has shut the door for me to do any further research. Slavery was an immoral, despicable method of controlling my ancestors and America will eventually be judged for this horrendous chapter of its history.
July 27, 2021
Despite me not having finished this book through to the end, I can't give it anything less than 5 stars. The amount of work and dedication Mr. Baker put into this book is awe inspiring. I have lived in Robertson County my entire life. I am a direct descendant of Moses Winters, the original landowners. I can tell you, probably about 96 percent of Robertson County residents know nothing about this plantation. They may know OF it but nothing about it. This book should be a reading requirement in the Robertson County school system. Great job, Mr. Baker!
May 7, 2019
Engaging story of Baker's ancestors and insightful description of the slavery experience on a significant plantation. The book also explores the complex progression triggered by emancipation for both plantation owners and former slaves. The author's life-long pursuit of history preserved invaluable stories from descendants of slaves. This book obviously only scratches the surface of Baker's collection of narratives.
March 8, 2019
Must Read!
This was a story that made the life of a slave/master told in a way I felt like I understand both worlds a little better than before I read it. Told from a direct descendant who spoke with people who shared their memories, time and emotions with him made this a read I couldn't put down. I will read this several times over.
This was a story that made the life of a slave/master told in a way I felt like I understand both worlds a little better than before I read it. Told from a direct descendant who spoke with people who shared their memories, time and emotions with him made this a read I couldn't put down. I will read this several times over.
November 5, 2020
More genealogy than history and the ‘begats’ got a bit monotonous. The author is not the best at telling a cogent tale of family. On the other hand, this is still too important a piece of history to be overlooked. Well worth reading.
March 24, 2024
Fascinating history
Amazing walk through generations of a family through highs and lows. Details of life during and following slavery with insight on how life changed for everyone.
Amazing walk through generations of a family through highs and lows. Details of life during and following slavery with insight on how life changed for everyone.
December 31, 2017
Interesting for Washington descendants.
December 27, 2020
A fascinating story of the people of both races on a TN plantation. The author, whose ancestors were among the enslaved, digs out the history and draws an amazing history.
September 23, 2024
Literally a book about my family history so cool!
August 2, 2011
Indeed this is some fine work, what I call a book of many historical books condensed and framed around descendants of Washington and Wessyngton.
Moreso than the collection of historical accounts and stats, and the abundance of photos to support the work (astounding!), but it is the presentation that wins this work over. It's as if, and I'm almost sure the author did, painstakingly and meticulously pieced together the research done, letter by letter. I honestly stopped trying to figure out who was related to who; when, where and how...but instead watched how America unfolded clear to present day, right before my eyes. It hardly will take DNA to see the Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation isn't just about them. It's about All of Us!
Most times I fear picking up books like this one, thinking I'm going to get the lengthy hog-tied switch, but I took my chances, similar to the way the author was lured by the photo on the cover...to inspect further. I'm glad I did. Mr. Baker presented a truth I can live with. A Phenomenal Read.
Moreso than the collection of historical accounts and stats, and the abundance of photos to support the work (astounding!), but it is the presentation that wins this work over. It's as if, and I'm almost sure the author did, painstakingly and meticulously pieced together the research done, letter by letter. I honestly stopped trying to figure out who was related to who; when, where and how...but instead watched how America unfolded clear to present day, right before my eyes. It hardly will take DNA to see the Washingtons of Wessyngton Plantation isn't just about them. It's about All of Us!
Most times I fear picking up books like this one, thinking I'm going to get the lengthy hog-tied switch, but I took my chances, similar to the way the author was lured by the photo on the cover...to inspect further. I'm glad I did. Mr. Baker presented a truth I can live with. A Phenomenal Read.
June 22, 2013
I was interested in this book for the reasons I read In Search of the Promised Land. But, this book was much more about the life-long journey of the author into his family history. Again, Tennessee history was key, the Wessyngton Plantation uniquely situated as central to the story and the impact of the civil war key to how the lives evolved. The factual information such as the laws governing race relations and freedom after the civil war were so informative. Realities I benefited from reading. But, the flow of the book was frustrating at times and I found myself skipping some of the "family stories" for the historical story. My husbands family is from a neighboring county not too far from where these people's lives were lived. Again, I gleaned genealogy insights I will use on our own family genealogy. So, I rate this book as fulfilling that piece of purposeful reading.
August 6, 2012
This book gave great insights into the lifestyles of the people at Wessyngton Plantation. The Washington s,(related to George Washington,the president) I've learned where keepers of data even down to a note that was jotted down on a piece of paper, this and the accounts of people interviewed that have memories from that time made this book a fascinating read and it's not what you think should or would happen during those time periods. This book helped to confirm some oral history that had been spoken of by my mother(who is a Washington). Thank you John for compiling the data. You have been a great inspiration in the research of our family origins through DNA and genealogy.
March 10, 2014
A little slow-going, because I became so engrossed with the author's research, especially into family records, yet this is absolutely a book I'd recommend to American history buffs. Fascinating, and told without embellishment, with photos and other illustrations that help bring it to life.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews