Tuscawilla Plantation
Encyclopedia
Leon County, Florida
Leon County is a county located in the state of Florida, named after the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. At the 2010 Census, the population was 275,487. The county seat of Leon County is Tallahassee which also serves as the state capital. The county seat is home to two of Florida's major...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA established by George W. Parkhill.
Location
Tuscawilla Plantation bordered the northern tip of the south tract of Chemonie PlantationChemonie Plantation
Chemonie Plantation was a medium sized cotton plantation of in northern Leon County, Florida, USA established by Hector Braden.-Location:Chemonie Plantion was situated on two separate tracts of land. The first tract was located between Centerville Road and the Monticello Road occupying a large...
. Today, the land that was Tuscawilla is now the neighborhoods east of Chaires Cross Road and the north and south sides of Buck Lake Road, much of Baum Road, north and south sides of I-10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
, including Heartwood Hills, Tung Grove Road, Pennewaw Trace, and Bexhill Lane.
Plantation specifics
The Leon County Florida 1860 Agricultural Census shows that the William Bailey Plantation had the following:- Improved Land: 1500 acre (607 ha)
- Unimproved Land: 1500 acre (607 ha)
- Cash value of plantation: $United States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
36,000 - Cash value of farm implements/machinery: $1500
- Cash value of farm animals: $10,000
- Number of slaves: 172
- Bushels of corn: 3000
- Bales of cotton: 200
The owner
John Parkhill was a physicianPhysician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
by trade and a native of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and left Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
on April 15, 1827, with his brother-in-law William Copland in a stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
headed south. Parkhill left his wife and 2 year old son behind. Parkhill and Copland headed to Florida to examine and purchase land. Parkhill worked as a postmaster and banker in Tallahassee.
Parkhill joined the Confederate Army August 20, 1861 as a Captain and died at the Seven Days Battle near Gaines' farm and Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
between June 25, 1862 and July 1, 1862.