White Oak

Plantations & Homes of Camden County

Camden is full of beautiful homes. The majority of the time residents and visitors never see the inside of them. These stately, but generally very practical, residences are fast disappearing. Some, like the Fleming House, have undergone some renovations. Others, like the Proctor House, have undergone massive restoration. Others, like Bellevue, are simply fading away.

Linda Plantation is not in Camden now. However, it used to be in Camden before that section became first a part of Wayne and is now part of Brantley.

Be sure to check out the St. Marys Historic District where photos of many downtown St. Marys homes (including Orange Hall) are listed.

Camden's Plantations

Camden County had many plantations. The majority of the crops were cotton and rice. A few grew the higher quality "sea island cotton". I have read of about 70 plantations; however, most do not exist as plantations anymore. Some of the names are still familiar today. Here's the list. A few have links while most do not.

Information from Camden's Challenge and the US GNIS Survey for Camden County.

Known Plantations:

Antrim, North of St. Marys, south of Bolingbrook. Not Active. 2900 acres bordering the edge of Dark Entry Swamp, on the road from Jefferson to St. Marys. Belonged to James Seagrove. Sold it to John Boog in 1809. Boog sold it to Garett Demott for the account of John H. McIntosh in 1819.

Bellevue, Midway up Camden's coast. East of Hermitage. Southwest of Fairfield in Floyd's Neck.

Benceville, north of Longwood. South of Brookfield. West of Cona and Berne. Owned by John Lewis Kale Holzendorf in the early 1800s. Euphemia (Holzendorf) Theresa was born there in 1836. She married Dr. Uriah Van Geisner in 1858 at the adjoining Berne Plantation. Benceville was later willed to Lewis Holzendorf, son of J.L.K. Holzendorf.

Berne, North of Laurel Isle/Island. South of Benceville. East of Cona. Joined Benceville and was also owned by J.L.K. Holzendorf. In 1821 offered for sale (500 acres plus "new" large residence - 9 rooms, large piazza, cotton and gin houses). Did not sell. Alexander Holzendorf, son of J.L.K. Holzendorf inherited it. In 1867 it was sold to Virgil L. Hillyer from Ohio. Hillyer established a school there to teach blacks a trade (this was right after the Civil War).

Black Hammock, Dover Bluff - NE end of Camden. At the mouth of the Little Satilla River in Hazzards Neck. 500 acres was granted to John Tompkins in the late 1700s. Part became a plantation. Nathan Atkinson acquired the the plantation in 1800 and was left to his children, John, Alexander, Nancy, and Edmond, at his death in 1817. Black Hammock remained in the family until it was acquired by W.C. Kirby, Sr. As of the 70s, it was owned by Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Kirby, Jr.

Black Point, Harriet's Bluff - midway up NE side of Camden on coast. South of Pine Barrens. Owned by Thomas Ellis Hardee (son of John). Thomas was married in 1818 and lived there for several years afterwards. He later moved to St. Marys and the plantation was sold to John Floyd in 1827.

Boggy Swamp, North end of Camden. East of Old Post Road. North of Waverly Plantation and south of Wayside Plantation. Started about 1820 by David Brown and wife Elizabeth Atkinson. In 1817, Mr. Brown bought White Oak Plantation and moved there. Boggy Swamp was sold to Alexander Atkinson (a bachelor). In 1840 Mr. Atkinson was murdered by 5 slaves. The 5 were captured, tried, convicted, and the hung at the spot where Mr. Atkinson was killed. The place is now known as The Gallows.

Bolingbrook, North of St. Marys, south of Laurel Isle, SW of Kings Bay and Marianna 1000 acres granted to Alexander Elliot and was deeded to Mrs. Martha Deloney in 1803. In 1826 it was sold by Sheriff James Scott (for Mrs. Deloney) to William Gaston of Savannah. In 1827 Gaston deeded the area to Robert Deloney, son of Mrs. Martha Deloney. In 1837 Robert Deloney sold it to H.R. Sadler It later became the property of J.H. McIntosh. After McIntosh's death, it was sold to Colonel Hallowes. Hallowes family lived there until after the Civil War, when it was disposed of by his heirs. (There is some confusion here - in the book DISPUTED RUINS it is stated that Hallowes bought New Canaan and changed the name to Bolingbrook, but records show that the name Bolingbrook is an older name for the property. Hallowes possibly bought New Canaan and Bolingbrook and combined them.) Near the McIntosh Sugar Mill Ruins.

Bourbon, Upper north end of Camden. East of Old Post Road. South of Homeward and east of Wayside Plantation. Established by Nathan Atkinson in the early 1790s. Nathan later sold Bourbon to his brother, John Atkinson, after he moved to the area in 1800. (John and his wife, Catherine Ferrell, are said to be buried at Bourbon in unmarked graves.) Nothing is left of this plantation except the depression from the well and an old road that ran between Middleton Neck and Wayside Plantation (both owned by Burwell and Ann Atkinson).

Brick Hill, north Cumberland Island. Brookfield, Middle of Camden. South of Satilla River. South of Gatehouse. North of Benceville. Was the plantation of William Cole. In 1895 Julian and Ann (Felder Mallette) Proctor moved there with their family. They lived in a log house until Mr. Proctor built a new home in 1898. Also called The Proctor Place.

Bullhead, Jerusalem West side of Camden. Belonged to Joseph Thomas, was deeded to his son, Joseph Thomas, Jr. in 1829. For years the land was, and still is, occupied by the descendants of Britt Manning.

Cambray, north of Brookfield. South of Satilla River. East of Oakland.

Canty's Creek, NW Camden

Cedar Hill, in Bend of south side of Satilla River. Middle of Camden. North of Jefferson(ton), south of Refuge, Maryfield and Vernon Plantations. West of Woodbine and East of Ivanhoe Plantations.

Cherry Point, north of Marianna, west of Laurel Isle/Island. South of Elliot Plantation.

Clinton, Middle of Camden. South of Oakland Plantation. East of Old Post Rd. South of Satilla River. Midway between Lebanon and Brookfield.

Cohen Hill, South of Jefferson(ton), Cedar Hill and Satilla River. East of Hazelhurst and West of Woodbine.

Cona, South of Benceville. West of Berne. North of Longwood.

Cottage, The. NE Kingsland

Crum, North Camden. North of Morrison and White Oak Plantations. West of Waverly Plantation. East of Old Post Road.

Drysdale, Possibly one of the earliest plantations - possibly in the Kings Bay area.

Dungeness/Greene, Cumberland Island South

Elliot, Harriet's Bluff. North of Cherry Point. South of Black Point.

Fairfield, Midway up coast of Camden. North of Pine Barrens and Bellevue and East of Hermitage Plantations - Floyd's Neck..

Gatehouse, Woodbine. West of Hermitage, north of Brookfield. South of Satilla River.

Gorman's Bluff, West Camden, South of Satilla River

Greene/Dungeness, Cumberland Island South

Greenfield, on Crooked River.

Grey/Greyfield, Cumberland Island

Harrietts Bluff

Hazelhurst, Jerusalem, on Satilla River

Hermitage, NE Kingsland

Hickory Bluff

Homeward, northwest section of the county.

Honey Creek, Dover Bluff between Honey Creek and Maiden Creek. It is now the location of the Episcopal Conference Center.

Hull, Dover Bluff/Waverly. Bounded by White Oak River and Swinney Creek in Hazzard's Neck. Page on its cemetery is online.

Idlewind, Tarboro NW Camden. Near Bickley Chapel at intersection of State Rd. 259 and the Idlewind-Incahee Rd.

Incachee, Tarboro

Ivanhoe, Jerusalem, on Satilla River

Kings Bay - where present-day Kings Bay Submarine Base is located.

Langsbury, about 7 miles west of Waverly and a few miles north of Incachee.

Laurel Isle/Island, Harriet's Bluff - now the Golf Course accessible via Colerain Rd. in Kingsland

Lebanon, West Camden, South East of Satilla River. South of Jefferson(ton) and Cohen Hill Plantation, North of Bullhead Plantation.

Linda Plantation - now Brantley County.

London Hill, Harriet's Bluff East. On Crooked River. Used to be part of the Berne Plantation. Now a sprawling subdivision.

Long Bluff, Jerusalem, NW Camden, north on the Satilla River

Longwood, Kingsland

Marianna, Harriet's Bluff - north of Kings Bay and south of Cherry Point, east of Laurel Isle/Island

Maryfield, Jerusalem - off of Owen's Ferry Rd. on Satilla River. Private Property

Moire, South West Camden - on St. Mary's River. Just off Hwy. 40 between Kingsland and Folkston (Charlton Co).

Morrison, South side of White Oak Creek.

New Canaan

New Town, St. Marys - Pt. Peter.

Oakland, on Old Post Road. North of Clinton and Brookfield. Middle of Camden. South of Satilla River. Between Colesburg and Tompkins.

Parrish, NE Camden. Believed to be in the Sandhill section north of Burnt Fort.

Pine Barrens, Harriet's Bluff. North of Black Point, east of Brookfield. South of Fairfield and Bellevue. On Crooked River.

Pine Dale , NW Camden on north side of the Satilla River.

Plum Orchard, Cumberland Island South

Reddicks, NW Camden. Sandhill section about 6 miles north of Burnt Fort.

Refuge, Jerusalem. NW Camden, on Satilla River

Rural/Rual Felicity, Hazzard's Neck.

Spring Bluff, along the Little Satilla River.

Springs, The, Cumberland Island

Stafford Place, Cumberland Island South

Stave Landing, On the Great Satilla River.

Sunnyside, on Bailey's Branch near the Satilla River. Is now part of Charlton Co.

Thandy Hall, SW Camden - between Moire and Woodlawn Plantations on the St.Marys River.

Vernon, NW Camden on Satilla River. Located between the Maryfield and Refuge plantations.

Wambassie, Possibly in Brown's Neck about 1 mile NE of White Oak and possibly used with White Oak Plantation.

Waverly, Includes the man-made Clark's Island.

Wayside, on the Old Post Rd. in the Sandhill section of NW Camden.

White Oak, On the White Oak River. Is now the town of White Oak. Some photos of the creek are on-line.

Woodbine Plantation is now the town of Woodbine

Woodlawn, West of Kingsland between Thandy Hall and Longwood (Kingsland) Plantations. On the edge of Big Catfish Swamp.

Wright's, Kingsland, on St. Marys River. Apparently on the present Griffin's Bluff where Wright's Fort later stood. Off of Scrubby Bluff in Kingsland.

Yellow Bluff, near old Camden Seat (Jeffersonton) on Satilla River off of Rose Creek.