Contents of Inventory

Biographical/Historical Note	4
Scope and Content Note	4
Collection Description	5-7
Cross References	8-9
Container List	10

Use of manuscript materials. If you wish to examine items in the manuscript group, please fill out a call slip specifying the materials you wish to see. Consult the Container List for location information needed on the call slip.

Photocopying. Should you wish to request photocopies, please consult a staff member. The existing order and arrangement of unbound materials must be maintained.

Publication. Readers assume full responsibility for compliance with laws regarding copyright, literary property rights, and libel.

Permission to examine archival materials does not constitute permission to publish. Any publication of such materials beyond the limits of fair use requires specific prior written permission. Requests for permission to publish should be addressed in writing to the Head, Public Services, Special Collections, LSU Libraries, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803-3300. When permission to publish is granted, two copies of the publication will be requested for the LLMVC.

Proper acknowledgement of LLMVC materials must be made in any resulting writing or publications. The correct form of citation for this manuscript group is given on the summary page. Copies of scholarly publications based on research in the Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections are welcomed.

Summary

Size.	607 items and 6 manuscript volumes.

Geographic locations.	Saint James Parish, La.; Carroll Parish, La.; New Orleans, La.;

Inclusive dates.	1741-1865

Bulk dates.	1847-1854

Language.	English and French

Summary.	Legal documents, bills, and plantation records of business partners Bruce, Seddon, and Wilkins of St. James Parish and Carroll Parish, Louisiana

Organization.	Chronological

Restrictions on access.	If microfilm is available, photocopies must be made from microfilm. Due to the fragile condition of materials in box 3, patrons must instead use microfilm of the contents of that box (reel 10).

Related collections.	William Webb Wilkins Papers, Mss. 4005 Ashton Plantation Auction Broadside, Mss. 3729 Wilton Plantation Sugarhouse Plan, Mss. 2983

Copyright.	Copyright of the original materials in this collection has expired, and they are therefore in the public domain.

Citation.	Bruce, Seddon, and Wilkins Plantation Records, Mss. 2668, Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections, LSU Libraries, Baton Rouge, La.

Stack location(s).	S:124; J:20

Also available on:	Microfilm 5322, Series I, Part 1, Reels 9-10

Biographical/Historical Note

William Webb Wilkins (d. 1859?), James Coles Bruce (1806-1865), and James Alexander Seddon (1815-1880) were partners in the ownership of sugar and cotton plantations, a saw mill, and a cooper's shop in Saint James Parish and Carroll Parish, Louisiana.

Scope and Content Note

Papers chiefly consist of legal documents, bills and receipts, and correspondence related to the operation of jointly-owned sugar and cotton plantations. Letters and statements of New Orleans cotton factors Kelly and Conyngham document the partners' sales of cotton. Letters (1845-1865) describe flood conditions on the Mississippi River and measures taken to protect crops. Included are photocopies of a circular and a broadside concerning the slaughter of horses for the subsistence of Union troops and a broadside concerning the employment of slaves in Louisiana under Federal occupation, both issued by the U.S. Army.

Manuscript volumes consist of cashbooks, daybooks, and plantation diaries for a saw mill, a cooper's shop, Ashton Plantation in Carroll Parish, and Wilton Plantation of Saint James Parish. Entries (1845-1865) include slave lists, lists of provisions furnished to slaves, and wages paid to slaves for cutting wood at the saw mill.

Collection Description

Stack Location	Box: Folder	Dates	Content

S:124	1:1	1808-1836	16 items: Various notarial acts of the sale of land

	1:2	1838-1842	4 items: Photocopies of land grants (originals restricted due to fragility); sale of house from Madame Félix Bourquet to Edouard Jacob (1840); sale of house from Joseph Victor Jacob to Edouard Jacob (1840)

	1:3	1844-1846	6 items: List of names and prices of slaves (1844); land grant; sale of slaves to Edouard Jacob (1845); account of Dr. W.W. Wilkins to John F. Rennie (1846)

	1:4-5	1847	41 items: Shipping receipts; blacksmith bills; account statements; property sales; memorandum for Adlard Jacob regarding expenses;

	1:6-8	1848	61 items: Receipts; bills; account statements; letters and bills from Kelly and Conyngham

	1:9	1849	34 items: Receipts; bills; account statements; letters and bills from Kelly and Conyngham

S:124	2:10-11	1850	81 items: Account sheets for Ashton Plantation; receipts; bills; letters and bills from Kelly and Conyngham

	2:12-14	1851	157 items: Receipts; bills; accounts for Ashton Plantation; letters and bills from Kelly and Conyngham; medical bills

	2:15	1851	2 items: Plats

Stack Location	Box: Folder	Dates	Content

	2:16-17	1852	74 items: Receipts; bills; accounts for Ashton Plantation; letters and bills from Kelly and Conyngham; medical bills; letters to Dr. Wilkins from James Johnson

	2:18	1864	2 items: Copies of notices from the Office of Provost Marshall

	2:19	Undated	15 items: Notes; receipts; bills

S:125	3:20a-b	1838-1842	2 items: Land grants (surrogates in folder 2)

	3:20c	1741-1831	10 items: Marriage contract between Jean Gaudin and Marie Laurent (1741); certificate of survey and survey plat (1827); estate of Marie Broussard (1827); fragments of manuscripts

	3:21	1836	16 items: Contracts; act of mortgage; fragments of manuscripts

	3:22	1837-1846	11 items: Power of attorney from Mr. & Mrs. Jean Haudressy to Edward Jacob; contracts; fragments

	3:23	1847-1850	20 items: Contracts; legal documents; fragments

	3:24	1851-1852 undated	12 items: Letter to Wilkins; contracts; receipts; fragments

	3:25	undated	Manuscript fragments


J:20	--	1847-1865 undated	Manuscript Volumes
			Vol.1 Cashbook. Saw Mill and Cooper’s Shop. (1847-1849)

			Vol.2 Cashbook. Sugar and Cotton Plantations. (1847-1851)

Stack Location	Box: Folder	Dates	Content

			Vol.3 Cashbook and Daybook. Saw Mill and Cooper’s Shop. (1848-1849) 10 items removed from Volume: (1849, undated)

			Vol.4 A. Cashbook (1848-1851) B. Daybook (1854-1862) C. Provisions Furnished Slaves Loose item removed from Volume (1855)

			Vol.5 Cashbook. Wilton Plantation – St. James Parish and Ashton Plantation – Carroll Parish. (1851-1854) 4 items removed from Volume: (1851, 1854, undated)

			Vol.6 A. Plantation Diary (1853) B. Cashbook (1854-1862) C. Slave Lists and Plantation Record 8 items removed from Volume: (1865, undated)

Cross References

Subject	Date	Description of relevant documents
Agriculture--Louisiana.	ca. 1845-1865	Plantation records including records of purchases of guano and other supplies for cotton and sugar plantations.

Commission merchants--Louisiana--New Orleans.	ca. 1845-1865	Accounts and letters pertaining to business relationship between cotton and sugar plantations and factorage firm of Kelly and Conyngham.

Cotton growing--Louisiana--East Carroll Parish.	ca. 1845-1865	Cashbook, bills, receipts, and letters concerning operation of Ashton cotton plantation. Letters describe flood conditions and measures taken to protect crops.

East Carroll Parish (La.)--Economic conditions--19th century.	ca. 1845-1865	Papers and manuscript volumes pertaining to the operation of Ashton cotton plantation.

Floods--Louisiana--East Carroll Parish.	ca. 1845-1865	Letters describing flood conditions and measures taken to protect crops.

Plantations--Louisiana.	1741-1865	Business and legal papers, and manuscript volumes pertaining to Ashton cotton plantation in Carroll Parish and to Wilton plantation in St. James Parish.

Saint James Parish (La.)--Economic conditions--19th century.	ca. 1845-1865	Papers and manuscript volumes pertaining to the operation of Wilton sugar plantation.

Saint James Parish (La.)--History, Military--19th century.	1864	Union circular concerning slaughter of horse for subsistence of Union troops and Union broadside concerning employment of slaves in occupied Louisiana.

Sawmills--Louisiana.	1847-1849	Cashbook and daybook recording business operations of a sawmill, including wages paid to slaves for cutting wood, orders, footage, and other items.

Slavery--Louisiana.	1845-1865	Slave lists, lists of clothing and other provisions furnished to slaves, and records of wages paid to slaves for cutting wood; also memo on care of slaves, Feb. 22, 1847.

Slaves--Employment--Louisiana.	ca. 1845-1865	Record of wages paid to slaves for cutting wood and making bricks.

Sugar growing--Louisiana--Saint James Parish.	ca. 1845-1865	Cashbooks, daybooks, bills, receipts, and letters concerning the operation of Wilton sugar plantation, St. James Parish.

Container List

Stack Location	Box	Folder(s)	Contents (with dates)

S:124	1	1-9	1808-1849

S:124	2	10-19	1850-1864, undated

S:125	3	20-25	Fragile – RESTRICTED, USE MICROFILM 1741-1852, undated

J:20	--	--	Manuscript volumes:

			Vol.1 Cashbook. (1847-1849)

			Vol.2 Cashbook. (1847-1851)

			Vol.3 Cashbook and Daybook. (1848-1849) 10 items removed from Volume: (1849, undated)

			Vol.4 A. Cashbook (1848-1851) B. Daybook (1854-1862) C. Provisions Furnished Slaves Loose item removed from Volume (1855)

			Vol.5 Cashbook. (1851-1854) 4 items removed from Volume: (1851, 1854, undated)

			Vol.6 A. Plantation Diary (1853) B. Cashbook (1854-1862) C. Slave Lists and Plantation Record 8 items removed from Volume: (1865, undated)