Abandoned Plantation In Missouri with toppled gravestones video -Haunting

Belle Montgomery

2nd Lieutenant
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Location
44022
I don't know how many here wished they could travel back in time but because I do I love watching these "explorer" videos (some better than others) of old plantations and houses. I study the architecture and wonder what it would've been like living there when it was in it's prime and sometimes research them. This one here struck me because it shows some gravestones, even 2 slaves, and the dilapidated gravestone of an Amanda Creswell whose husband was Joseph who lived there. I researched and found Joseph was the son of George b. 1796 (wife Hannah) … a native of England and a well known settler of Washington County and is buried (with other relatives) in the graveyard on the other side of the chapel shown on the property in the video known as Souls Chapel Cemetery in Liberty, Mo. (another website has listing of graves) Amanda's gravestone, shown in the video, is close by in what's called the Walser-McCracken cemetery, McCracken being Amanda Alia's maiden name. They even named their eldest son after George. In 1860 it shows George's real estate valued at $10,000-1870-$25,000 and estate at $40,000-1870-$15,000 I also found this interesting about George Cresswell considering he was also well known for his lead plantation (built in 1840) and the remaining stack is on the list of National Historic places (house not-too renovated in the 1960's) but supposedly grew cotton too:

40 Male Black George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
36 Male Black George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
32 Female Mulatto George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
32 Female Black George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
31 Female Black George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
30 Male Black George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
19 Male Black George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
15 Male Black George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
7 Male Mulatto George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
6 Male Black George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
4 Female Black George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
3 Female Mulatto George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
2 Female Mulatto George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
2 Female Black George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
1 Female Black George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri
1 Male Black George Cresswell Liberty, Washington, Missouri

The lead smelting industry in the years before the Civil War was firmly established in the region. Litton's 1854 report and furnace record books show Cresswell received a great deal of his ore from area miners. Most would convey the raw ore to the smelter where its estimated weight was computed. Although the Civil War had an inhibiting effect on the lead industry a post-war boom, precipitated by deep shaft mining, better smelting techniques and railroad expansion dramatically changed the nature of the mining industry. In 1871, George Cresswell died and operation of the furnace was conducted by his son, Joseph. A lead hauling book dated 1877 is the last documentary evidence of lead mining or smelting activities in the family papers. Family tradition relates the furnace continued in use to the turn of the century.
1860 census shows Joseph as a "farmer" and his real estate at $2,000 and personal at $5,000. 1870 shows Alia (aka Amanda) at $2,000 and $1,070 respectively. Their 17 year old son George "works on farm" Joseph had died in Jan. of 1867.
I wonder if any (didn't find any) men in this family fought in the war or was their presence there essential for making the lead? Just curious.

 

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