Existing comment:
They did Everything, Everywhere, Anytime:
Hampton used slave labor for almost 100 years. Tasks ranged from highly skilled to menial labor. While documents such as log books, journals, bills, and letters from the Ridgely family give a glimpse into the type of work slaves performed, some questions still remain unanswered. Did those who worked in the mansion have a higher status than those who labored on the farm. What was it like to be a slave working at the Northhampton Iron Furnace alongside paid laborers. How much work were children expected to perform?
Jobs performed by enslaved people varied but can be grouped into three main categories: Industrial, Agricultural, and Domestic.
Industrial:
Northhampton Iron Furnace records indicate that slaves were used for primarily unskilled labor such as cutting and hauling trees, making charcoal, breaking up limestone and slag, working the rolling mill, and as teamsters. However, a will from 1772 shows two slaves, Toby and Daniel, as holding the privileges position of "founder." The founder determined the amounts of ore and limestone put into the furnace -- a position requiring skill and experience. The will stated that "they are to be kept as founders at the said works for their natural lives." A tax list from 1798 shows that 26 slaves worked to keep the Northhampton furnaces in blast. The furnace closed sometime around 1829.
Agricultural:
Crops grown on the Ridgely estate were grown for profit and to feed the workforce. Notes in journals and log books indicate the types of crops grown and work performed. References to cradling, raking, binding, mowing, and threshing snow that slaves harvested wheat and grains. The remains of a nearby corn crib indicate corn was also a significant crop on the estate. Slaves also took care of the mules, horses, hogs, cows, and poultry on the farm. During some years, the Ridgely rented slaves from other estates in the area to take in the harvest.
Domestic:
The size of the mansion and lifestyle of the Ridgely family required a large and specialized workforce. Slaves, referred to frequently as "servants," worked as cooks, waiters, laundresses, housemaids, nannies, and housekeepers. Their days were spent dusting furniture, polishing silverware, preparing meals, ironing,and doing other chores. Outside of the mansion, slaves maintained the ornate gardens, took care of the thoroughbred racehorses, drove the coaches, and performed routine maintenance on the mansion and outbuildings. |