Z 1284.000 Hill (James) Plantation Journal

This journal is the daily record of weather and planting on the Forest Home plantation by James Hill, who seems to have been the master of the plantation. In parts of the journal it sounds like he might be an overseer, but the fact that he does not mention who the plantation belongs to and that he hired an overseer named Barber in 1851 solidifies belief that Hill was the master of the plantation. The close working relationship he had with the slaves may simply indicate an owner who took an active part in running his plantation. In addition, Forest Home appears to have been a very modest plantation. The plantation was apparently located near Jackson, Louisiana, south of Woodville and between Natchez and New Orleans in East Feliciana Parish. Clinton, Louisiana, was also near by. Hill indicates in the journal that he settled at Forest Home around 1833.

Although the thoughts conveyed in the journal are predominately those of Hill, he did not do all of the actual writing. A Mr. John Ives wrote for him during one period. The overseer, Ben Barber, also made some entries. While Hill was in Natchez, Woodville, New Orleans or Clinton on business, someone else, perhaps his wife, made entries in the journal. Main observations in the journal deal with the weather, the planting of the crops and other work performed by the slave on a daily basis. Mention is made of neighbors and friends as well as some business transactions.