Enslaved Persons of Union Hill & Neighboring Plantations in Nelson County, Virginia (1769-1865)

This study used traditional archival research with modern computational methods to construct and organize a comprehensive dataset of over 600 enslaved individuals from the Cabell family's Union Hill and neighboring plantations along the James River in present-day Nelson County, Virginia, from 1769 to the end of the Civil War. Utilizing enslaved laborers, the Cabell family cultivated tobacco for export, with subsequent generations expanding their holdings and establishing multiple plantations including Colleton, Montezuma, Norwood, Soldier's Joy, Rock Cliff, and Union Hill. The study also explores the dynamics of enslaved person transfer between family plantations, documenting patterns of inheritance, sale, and intergenerational transfer. Despite limited documentation of enslaved persons' origins and demographic changes, the study sheds light on their roles within the plantation economy, including as house servants, farm hands, and distillery operators. Through transcription of family journals and court records spanning multiple generations, the study reconstructs the economic and social landscape surrounding Union Hill, incorporating detailed enslaver narratives of 592 events of enslaved persons.