Life as a Plantation Owner By Thomas Tatham

February 10th, 1709 I rose at 5:10 o'clock this morning and read a chapter in Mark. I prayed my morning prayers and whipped the two house slaves. I read law in the morning and Italian in the afternoon. I ate tough beef for dinner. I walked about the plantation. I said my prayers. I had good thoughts, good health, and good humor this day, thanks be to God Almighty.

June 22 nd 1709 I was mad with my wife for trusting Anaka [a house slave] with rum to when she was so given to drinking, but it was soon over. I also went by horse to see how the tobacco was growing in the other part of my plantation. When I came back my wife and I made up.

September 6 th 1709 My wife was indisposed again but not to much purpose. In the afternoon I beat Jenny [a house slave] for throwing water on the couch. I went hunting today and killed a big turkey.

May 13 th 1710 It was very hot this day, and the first day of summer...my wife and I took a walk about the plantation; when we returned we found our son very sick of a fever and he began to break out terribly. We gave him some treacle water [a medicinal compound used as an antidote for poison]. I hope he is better soon. He has to start school.

October 4 th 1710 I rose at 7 o'clock and my wife shaved me with a dull razor...About 11 o'clock we went to the militia court... We fined all the Quakers and several others [for their refusal to take up arms]... I spoke gently to the Quakers which gave them a good opinion of me and several of them seemed doubtful whether they would be arrested or not for the future. I told them they would certainly be fined five times in a year if they did not do as their fellow subjects did.

Oct 24 th 1710 I rose at 6 o’clock and took a bath. It was refreshing being the first in two days. I whipped Marca (a house slave) for spilling the milk on the floor and not cleaning it all up. I also went to market this night and got a new slave for $5. He better be strong enough to do the work or strong enough to take a nice beating for all that money.

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