Sweeny Plantation
Old Ocean, Brazoria County, Texas
Marker Inscription
John Sweeny, Jr., after returning from the Texas Revolution, was given this plantation by his father, an extensive landholder. In 1837 slaves built the house, using only brick, nails and wood made on his land. Molasses, cotton, sugar were produced. Still owned by descendants. (1965)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
After fighting in the Texas Revolution, John Sweeny, Jr. received this land from his father, one of the region's large landholders, and in 1837 enslaved workers built the plantation house entirely from brick, nails, and lumber produced on the property. The plantation raised molasses, cotton, and sugar, the cash crops of the antebellum Gulf Coast. The land has remained in the family's hands for generations.
Why it matters
The plantation exposes the foundation of the antebellum Texas economy in enslaved labor, whose skill and toil built the very structures the era took pride in.
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Related people
- · John Sweeny, Jr.
Related events
- · Texas Revolution
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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