10 Major Slaveowner Families and How They Lost (or Kept) Power After the Civil War - History Collection

4. The Randolph Family (Virginia)

The Randolph family, descendants of Thomas Jefferson, faced significant financial challenges following the Civil War. Burdened by debt, they were compelled to sell Monticello and numerous other holdings. Despite these hardships, some family members established legacies in politics and academia. For instance, Thomas Jefferson Randolph, Jefferson’s grandson, served as a Virginia state legislator and was instrumental in managing Jefferson’s estate after his death.

5. The Hammond Family (South Carolina)

The Hammond family, led by James Henry Hammond, a prominent South Carolina politician and plantation owner, faced significant challenges after the Civil War. The abolition of slavery dismantled their labor-intensive cotton empire, leading to financial hardships and the loss of numerous properties. In response, the remaining family members sought to adapt by redeploying their assets into business ventures and political roles. For instance, James Henry Hammond’s grandson, James H. Hammond II, became active in state politics, serving as a State Representative and later as a State Senator in South Carolina (genealogytrails.com).

6. The Pinckney Family (South Carolina)

The Pinckney family, once influential in South Carolina’s rice cultivation, faced significant challenges after the abolition of slavery. Their extensive rice estates, which had relied heavily on enslaved labor, were no longer viable, leading to the loss of many properties. While some family members retained smaller holdings, the family’s national political stature diminished. Successive generations adapted by pursuing careers in finance, law, and local politics, striving to rebuild their prominence in a transformed society (encyclopedia.com).

7. The Washington Family (Virginia)

As descendants of George Washington, the family faced significant challenges following the Civil War. Mount Vernon and other holdings barely survived wartime turmoil. Charitable foundations helped preserve estate history, but their antebellum wealth vanished. The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association acquired the estate in 1860, ensuring its preservation. However, the Washington family’s financial standing declined, and they were compelled to sell properties, including Claymont Court, due to economic hardships (washingtonpost.com).

8. The Telfair Family (Georgia)

The Telfair family, major slaveholders in Savannah, Georgia, faced financial ruin after the Civil War. Their mansions were sold, and their wealth dissipated. However, their philanthropic legacy endures through the Telfair Museums, established in 1886. The museums, comprising the Telfair Academy, Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters, and Jepson Center for the Arts, house over 4,500 works of art, preserving the family’s cultural impact in Georgia (telfair.org).

9. The DeSaussure Family (South Carolina)

The DeSaussure family, once prominent in Charleston, South Carolina, experienced significant financial decline following the Civil War. Many plantation assets were lost, compelling descendants to seek new livelihoods. Some became lawyers, such as Wilmot Gibbes DeSaussure, who served in the South Carolina House of Representatives and as a Confederate officer. Others pursued careers in banking and education, adapting to the post-war economic landscape.

10. The Davis Family (Mississippi)

Jefferson Davis’s Brierfield plantation was severely impacted by the South’s defeat in the Civil War. Union troops ransacked the property in 1863, taking enslaved individuals and valuables. After imprisonment, Davis faced financial ruin but recast himself as a symbol of the Confederacy. Some family members pursued public service or writing; for instance, his daughter, Margaret Howell Davis, became a writer and philanthropist. Davis’s memoir, “The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government,” published in 1881, reflects his post-war endeavors (mississippiencyclopedia.org).

Conclusion

The post-Civil War era presented profound challenges for major slaveholding families, as emancipation and Reconstruction dismantled their economic foundations. Many faced financial hardships, losing vast estates and wealth. However, some adapted by leveraging existing social networks and political connections, enabling them to rebuild fortunes and influence within a generation. This resilience underscores the complex interplay between economic upheaval and social capital in shaping the trajectories of these families during a transformative period in American history (aeaweb.org).