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Brewster McKenna

Background/Context:

Brewster McKenna was born on June 19, 1826 and began his occupation as a farmer on a plantation in Henrico County, Virginia in 1849 after receiving an inheritance from both of his parents (5,7,10). During this time period slavery was huge in the south and McKenna himself was a slave owner (2). He was a husband to Caroline McKenna as well as a father (7). McKenna served in the Civil War as a Colonel in the confederate army (21, 12). The Civil War was from April 12, 1861 to April 9, 1865. He was a nothern sympathizer of slavery and cared deeply for his slaves (2). He was well known for how well he treated his slaves and giving them more than the average slave owner would give (22). Post Civil War McKenna was asked to represent his district in the House of Burgesses (21). The date of his passing is unknown, but his last will and testament was entered into probate on June 7, 1888 (18). His eulogy was given on April 23, 1888, so it was likely he died early 1888 (5). He wouldn’t be forgotten after his death, for in the eyes of the people who knew him he will always stand above the rest of the plantain owners of his time (5).

Antebellum and Civil War Period:

Brewster McKenna bought two slaves, Ruthie and Pompei in 1847, before his life on the plantation(13, 17). He started his life on plantation in 1849(7). The 100-200 acres of land was given to him by his dad and the better portion of land was given to his brother Robert(7). The soil was dead, tobacco was scarce, and he had to take care of his wife and three slaves(7). Despite the rough start, he was able to build a strong plantation and was known to treat his slaves with respect(22). In a letter written by Joseph Culpepper in 1852, Brewster Mckenna is described as a man who made the most out of what he was given(22). With the terrible soil he had, the tobacco plants were in good condition and the slaves he had were all healthy and well fed(22). Unfortunately, his son, Brewster McKenna III, passed away in 1860 due to excessive drinking(23).

Reconstruction and Post-Reconstruction Period:

Post civil war, Brewster McKenna Jr. came back to his plantation destroyed. The main house, all of the slave houses and other buildings were all destroyed. Fortunately, all of the slaves remained on the plantation, which historians say is due to how he treated them. Even after the Union victory and the Union telling the slaves they were free on March 17, 1865, they all decided to stay and wait for McKenna to return. Three years after his return, McKenna started to make a small profit off his land. On October 17, 1877, a white supremacist contacted McKenna saying that he should join the Henrico County Rifle Club, a group to keep black people as slaves. There are no records that state whether McKenna joined the HCRC. On May 18, 1878, McKenna asked his district for the opportunity to represent them at the House of Burgesses. On April 23, 1888, McKenna was buried at St. Henry Episcopal Church in Henrico County, Virginia. Reverend Albert Groh, said how McKenna was caring and a great father, friend, and husband he was. Reverend Alber Groh follows by saying, “Who was Brewster Mckenna? Grand planter or simple farmer; cagey reactionary or dedicated servant of southern progress; wastrel of the long-ago tobacco aristocrats or scion of an ancient line of Virginia cavaliers… In this world, it will be for history to judge him. In the other, it will be for his father, in whose arms he now reposes, to decide.” In the last testament signed on June 7, 1888, McKenna states that he lived an enjoyable life, and how he helped everyone around him.

Meaning and Significance:

There are many aspects of Brewster McKenna Jr.’s life that shed light on themes and ideas relating to the Civil War and the Reconstruction Period. Some of these aspects do support ideas of Reconstruction and the Civil War, but others challenge ideas that we may have originally accepted as the full truth. Brewster McKenna is a great example of someone who challenged the beliefs other held regarding this time period. We most often hear how poorly slaves were treated, and while there is no denying that there was much pain and suffering, there were cases where slave owners treated their slaves with kindness and compassion. The living quarters that McKenna provided for the slaves may have not been the best but he treated them with kindness and accepted them as one of their own people (2,10,15). We also tend to believe that slaves were in a way forced to remain with their masters due to the lack of other options after their freedom was announced, but some evidence suggests otherwise. It was said that McKenna’s slaves stayed with him even after they were announced free, displaying their loyalty to him (10,15). So, despite popular belief, the period of Reconstruction and the Civil War wasn’t exactly what people made it out to be.