The History of African Americans at Poplar Hill

Currently, little is known about the history of African Americans at Poplar Hill. The Dunnington Mansion Foundation is actively researching to add depth to the property's history and story. We encourage anyone with information on the people and families that lived and worked here please contact us! We are working with the Robert Russa Moton Museum to help further our research and will update this page as we find more information.

History would suggest that Richard Woodson most certainly owned slaves although records from the 1700s are more difficult to find. 1820 census records report that Francis Watkins Sr. owned 33 slaves at that time. The same census reports James D. Wood owned 17 slaves. Wood was not residing at Poplar Hill at this time but he moved there before emancipation so the assumption can be made that he did own slaves while residing at Poplar Hill, we just don't know how many.

According to an 1860 slave schedule Captain John Hughes Knight did own 30 slaves. Henry A. Watkins owned two at that time but he was also not residing at Poplar Hill in 1860. To our knowledge no photographic documentation exists. 

Anecdotal history suggests that the last person born into slavery at Poplar Hill died in 1935 while still residing there. His name was Jim and he is likely buried in the farm worker cemetery that is now part of the Manor Golf Course property.

We also have anecdotal evidence that a nanny for the Dunnington family, Mary Ann Holmes, was a resident of the nearby Israel Hill settlement. (Please read Israel on the Appommatox, by Melvin Patrick Ely, to learn more about Israel Hill).

Walter and India Dunnington had a large number of African American employees who labored on the Poplar Hill farm and worked in the house. Many of these employees lived on the property, and several of the original outbuildings were used as employee housing during the time of Dunnington ownership. 

A small photographic history of African Americans at Poplar Hill is represented below. Through these photographs, we hope to offer a rare glimpse into the lives of those seldom recorded in this period of history.  We offer thanks to Dunnington family members Kathy Goebel and India Pruitt Trice and historian Jimmy Hurt for photograph contributions!!

Statement of Support from The Moton Museum

As a currently operating site of a historic building in Prince Edward County I write in strong support of the efforts to preserve the Dunnington Mansion. The building is a contribution to architectural history in and of itself, but also serves as a vehicle to tell stories of those who occupied the space. I am very impressed and inspired by the intentional way they choose to tell the stories of the families and those who worked at the home in a variety of capacities. Many of which are ancestors of individuals involved in the Moton story and the history intersects in a prominent way. I commend the foundation for their work thus far, and am hopeful of their efforts to restore the building.

- Cainan Townsend Executive Director, Moton Museum