Slaves on Moreland Plantation
Beaufort County, South Carolina

Other old plantations adjoining Moreland and also now a part of Palmetto Bluff appear on a plat supplied by the late Betsy Caldwell (the 1987 Director, Bluffton Historical Preservation Society, Inc., Box 742, Bluffton, SC 29910.) of Bluffton.  The owners of these plantations:  Richard Pettigrew, Hartstene, Winborn A. Lawton, and Jeremiah T. Theus.  Also, a T. H. Gregorie appears as a neighbor in 1860.  The "Hartstene" name was used as a middle name by some Cole family members, but Hartstene was only a friend, not a relative.  Moreland Plantation was owned by John James Cole (1809-1867).  In the 1850 census for St. Lukes Parish, John James Cole reported 70 improved and 150 unimproved acres of land; occupation "mechanic"; owning five male and six female slaves.  In 1860 the Slave Owners and Agricultural Censuses do not mention him.  My wife, Jane Knebel is the g.granddaughter of John James Cole and his wife, Esther Caroline (Corley) Cole.   In 1987 Jane and I were guests at Palmetto Bluff.  During a tour of the preserve we saw the "Moreland Cemetery" shown on the USGS Topographic Map, "Pritchard."  Few graves, and no Cole graves, were marked.  There were a number of depressions in the sandy soil, indicating more graves.  The Cemetery may have been subject to ocean storm tides as it is situated a few feet above sea level and near Atlantic Ocean tidal flats.  Cemetery monuments, if ever erected, could have been washed away.

This list of slaves was added to the Cole family bible during its rebinding.  The rebinding caused names on the third page to be partially concealed.  I have penciled in what I think these names were.

Sarah (Cole) Schultz, granddaughter of John James Cole, wrote a novel, "Stranger in a Strange Land," based on her compilation of Cole family history covering some 30 pages.  She was the Cole family historian.  Jane Knebel has fallen heir to this info.  The Texas Collection Library at Baylor University, Waco, Texas, has copies.

We hope this helps you in your research.  I neither seek nor avoid having my name used in connection with the release of this data.  You may use my name.  I've been into genealogical work for over 10 years, have only yesterday ceased being in the German translation business, am a member of die Pommerschen Leute, Pommerscher Verein Freistadt, and Hood County Gen. Societies guest lecturer at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, SAR, and the local gen. workshop.

Sincerely,

Bob Knebel

John James Cole Family Bible Records
Birth of Slaves