Eliza Lucas Pinckney ran and maintained full responsibilities of her father’s three plantations near South Carolinas’ Charles Town. She gained a strong educational background through schools in London that in turn enabled her to be a successful business women in the young colony. While running the plantation, managing the slaves, and completing many successful transactions, Pinckney also dedicated time experimenting with Indigo seeds sent from her father in Barbados. Over time, and many trials and errors, she had success and discovered the right environment for the indigo plant to flourish. The indigo produced a dark blue dye that excited merchants in London and set Pinckney as well as the Carolinas up for very rewarding trades. After introducing Indigo into the young colonies society, it quickly became one of Carolina’s largest cash crops next to rice as well as an intricate part of Carolina’s plantation systems and economy.
As these letters show, Pinckney gained and maintained a strong educational background. Growing up, she was well traveled and educated at a very young age, spending many years at a prestigious school in London. Due to family circumstances, she moved to Charles Town in 1738 at the age of just 15. In her letters, she gives much praise to the educational background that she was able to receive and credits it greatly to her capability to run all the business transactions and exports for the plantations. It is also evident in her mentioned schedules that along with running the plantation, she is prideful in upholding London’s expectations of proper livelihood in the hours she spends practicing her music, experimenting with gardening, and building on her personal library. While Pinckney does take note of the intense workload her day-to-day schedule calls for–as when she writes that “I have the business of 3 plantations to transact, which requires much writing and more business and fatigue of other sorts than you can imagine”–she acknowledges her excitement to be given such a rare opportunity for a women in the colonial period, and makes a point to frequently reassure whoever she is writing that it is her principal duty to see that her plantation affairs and business is successful .
Another way that Pinckney’s intelligence and strong individual mindset shines through was with her progressive education of her slaves. As she mentions in her letters, she dedicated a lot of her time to educating and schooling the young slaves that worked on her plantation, even teaching them how to read. Most people didn’t acknowledge slaves as people, and in turn felt that educating them was a waste of time. Others felt that it was a danger to educate them because it would distract them from their daily labors and encourage rebellion. Pinckney, despite the environment she was brought up, seemed to understand it was the right thing to do.
George Lucas, Eliza Lucas Pinckney’s Father, was the one that entrusted Pinckney to the large family estate. He was a British Army officer and his decision to move his family to South Carolina was for many various reasons. However, one of his main purposes for the bold transition was aligned with the reasons that many men made the move to the young colony—to better themselves financially. Due to war, Lucas was called to report back to his military post in Antigua, where he was eventually appointed lieutenant. Due to war, he was prevented from ever returning back to the Carolinas. This in turn made the communication of letters between him and his daughter a vital element to the success of the plantation.
Letters from Eliza to her Father indicate that he was who she turned to for parental guidance as well as her main aid in terms of navigating her transactions and business affairs. Eliza’s letters show that he was very resourceful and that she valued his advice highly. They also reveal that he was her biggest supporter on the indigo project that she is now famously known for. Many of her journal entries where she discusses writing “papa” only lightly touch on the developments she was upholding with him. Her Father seemed to understand the capability of the plantation and its possible value through exports. Thus, he began sending his daughter different seeds from the West Indies for her to experiment with, and had high hopes that she could yield something of high trade value. Her trial and errors are seen in her letter’s written to her Father where she talks about her troubles with moist seeds and discouraging harvest. The process of developing Indigo was arduous and risky. However, her infallible attitude on the project shines through in her writing as well as her crop yield. Pinckney even remarks on her mind in a letter to a friend, saying: “I have a fertile brain at scheming,” meaning she was wise on how to improve herself and her projects in a way to be successful and profitable.
With the aid and support of her father, educational background and all around bright attitude, Eliza Lucas Pinckney was able to not only adjust to her new home in the Carolinas but rather squeeze it for all it was worth. Due to her admirable, everyday lifestyle, calling her to, “rise at five o’clock in the morning” she was able to “grow strong plants, process those plants, and produce a rich blue dye that excited merchants in London”(Elise Pinckney). Her letters give readers a glance into how she lived her life–a life that marked her as one of the most prominent figures in colonial South Carolina.
* * * * *
From the Letterbook of Eliza Lucas Pinckney
To my good friend Mrs. Boddicott
Dear Madam, May the 2nd [1740]
I flatter myself it will be a satisfaction to you to hear I like this part of the world, as my lot has fallen here—which I really do. I prefer England to it, ‘tis true, but think Carolina greatly preferable to the West Indies, and was my Papa here I should be very happy.
We have a very good acquaintance from whom we have received much friendships and Civility. Charles Towne, the principle one in the province, is a polite, agreeable place. The people live very Gentile and very much in English taste. The Country is in general fertile and abounds with venison and wild fowl; the Venison is much higher flavored then in England but is seldom fat.
My Papa and Mama’s great indulgences to me leaves it to me to chose our place of residence either in town or Country, but I think it is more prudent as well as most agreeable to my Mama and self to be in the Country during my Father’s absence. We are 17 miles by land and 6 by water from Charles Town—where we have about 6 agreeable families around us with whom we live in great harmony.
I have a library well furnished (for my papa has left me most of his books) in which I spend part of my time. My music and the Garden. Which I am very fond of, take up the rest of my time that is not employed in business, of which my father has left me a pretty good share—and indeed, it was unavoidable as my Mama’s bad state of health prevents her going through any fatigue.
I have the business of 3 plantations to transact, which requires much writing and more business and fatigue of other sorts than you can imagine. But least you should imagine it too burthensom to a girl at my early time of life, give me leave to answer you: I assure you I think myself happy that I can be useful to so good a father, and by rising early I find I can go through much business. But least you should think I shall be quite moaped with this was of life I am to inform you there is two worthy Ladies in Charles Town, Mrs. Pinckney and Mrs. Cleland, who are partial enough to me to be always pleased to have me with them, and insist upon my making their houses my home when in town and press me to relax a little much oftener than ‘tos in my honor to accept of their obliging intreaties. But I some times am with one or the other for 3 weeks or a month at a time, and then enjoy all the pleasures of Charles Town affords but nothing gives me more than subscribing my self
Dear Madam,
Yr. most affectionate and
Most obliged humble Servant.
Eliza Lucas
* * *
June the 8th, 1741. Wrote again to my father on the subject of the Indigo, Cotton, &c. Also the concerning of the fall of of bills of Exchange, Lamenting the death of his worthy friend and Captain Fleming. Acquaint him with Mr. Manigaults great civility with regard to the lushers taking in good hands.
* * *
July 23rd, 1741. Wrote to my father concerning the Indigo affair. The report of his having changed commission with Major Heron. About plantation affairs and other business.
* * *
October 14th, 1741. Wrote to my father informing him we made 20 w[eight] of Indigo and expected more. It was not quite dry or I should have sent him some. Now desire he will send us a hundred weight of seed to plant in the spring.
* * *
September 8th, 1742 Wrote to my Father informing his the last Indigo seed sent not good. None of it came up. We shall save enough of our own to make a crop next year.
* * *
Dr. Miss B April 1742
I was much concerned to hear by our man Togo Mrs. Pinckney was unwell, but as you did mention in your letter I am hopeful it was but a slight indisposition.
Why, my dear Miss B, will you so often repeat your desire to know how I trifle assay my time on our retirement in my father’s absence. Could it afford you advantage or pleasure in I should not have hesitated, but as you can expect neither from it I would have been excused; however, to show you my readiness in obeying your commands, here it is.
In general then I rise at five o’clock in the morning, read till seven, then take a walk in the garden or field, see the Servants are at their respective business, then to breakfast. The first hour after breakfast is spent at my music, the next is constantly employed in recollecting something I have learned least for want of practice it should be quite lost, such as French and short hand. After that I devote the rest of the time till I dress for dinner to our little Polly and two black girls who I teach to read, and if I have my Papa’s approbation (my Mamas I have got) I intend [them] for school mistress’s for the rest of the Negroe children—another scheme you see. But to proceed, the first hour after dinner as the first after breakfast is music, the rest of the afternoon in Needle work till candle light, and from that time to bed time read or write. It is the fashion here to carry our work abroad with us so that having company, without they are great strangers, is no interruption to that affair; but I have particular matters for particular days, which is an interruption of mine. Mondays my music Master is here. Tuesdays my friends Mrs. Chardone (about 3 mile distant) and I are constantly engaged to each other, she at our house one Tuesday—I at hers the next and this is one of the happiest days I spend at Woppoe. Thursdays the whole day except what the necessary affairs of the family take up is spent in writing, either on the business of the plantations, or letters to my friends. Every other Friday, if no company, we go a visiting so that I go abroad once a week and no oftener.
Now you may form some judgment what time I can have to work my lappets. I own I never go to them with quite easy conscience as I know my father has an aversion to my employing my time in the powering work, but they are begun and must be finished. I hate to undertake any thing and not go thro’ with it; but by way of relaxation from the other I have begun a piece of work of a quicker sort which requires neither Eyes nor genius—at least not a very good ones. Would you ever guess it to be a shrimp net? For so it is.
O! I had like to forgot the last thing I have done in a great while. I have planted a large fig orchard with the design to dry and export them. I have reckoned my expense and the prophets to arise from these figs, but was I to tell you how great an Estate I am to make this way, and how ‘tis to be laid out you would think me far gone in romance. Your good Uncle I know has long thought I have a fertile brain at scheming. I only confirm him of his opinion; but I own I love the vegetable world extremely. I think it an innocent and useful amusement. Pray tell him, if he laughs much at my project, I never intend to have my hand in a silver mine and he will understand as well as you what I mean.
Our best respects wait on him and Mrs. Pinckney. If my Eyes don’t deceive me you in your last [letter] talk of coming very soon by water to see how my oaks grow. Is it really so, or only one of your unripe schemes. While ‘tis in your head put it speedily into execution and you will give great pleasure to
Y m o s
E. Lucas