Discovering the fruit of a dark tree

The Poplar Bluff Museum tells many unknown tales of our community. I want to tell you some of those hidden tales found within the museum walls.

A Poplar Bluff family was researching their ancestry. They didn’t like what they found. Amongst their great-grandfather’s documents were several bills of sale for his enslaved people.

During the 1860s, his family lived in Louisiana, then part of the Confederacy. The 1862 document described the “property” as, “One certain negro woman and a slave for life Della aged about 24 young and her two children Esther aged about 4 years young and Lewis aged about 2 years.” Price $1,700. Their great-grandfather had also bought land. The bill of sale for the land was the same document used for slaves, only the description of the “property” was changed.

What was even more disturbing was that three other bill of sales were discovered dating back to 1856 and 1858. The heading on these documents read “United States of America.” This was before the Civil War. The enslaved people listed were Richard, 12 years of age for $1,050; Brian and Jarvis, ages 26 and 27 years, for $2,225; and Silas for $1,025.

Along with the documents, the family found a three-foot canvas strap with a wooden handle. When they put this strap in context with the documents, the family came to the conclusion that this was a whipping belt.

Be careful when you shake the family tree, you might not like what falls out.

The family was horrified. With deep conviction, they donated these items to the Poplar Bluff Museum. They are solemnly displayed in the Civil War exhibit of Kanell Hall. When asked why we display these memories of the American Holocaust, we must refer to Winston Churchill, who stated, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

An additional item not related to the family was also received by the museum. It is a shipping manifest for slaves. George, age 26; Strother, age 27; and Lucy, age 27, and her three children, were shipped from New Orleans, Louisiana to Mobile, Alabama. This is also on display in Kanell Hall Civil War exhibit.

“To see these objects makes history real,” stated one museum employee.

The museum is open free of charge and handicap accessible. It is open 1-4 p.m. Sunday at 1010 N. Main St. Tell them Mike sent you.

Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and board member for the Poplar Bluff Museum.