The tax document analysis returned data on the enslaved population with categories for able men, able women, other enslaved populations, and the total enslaved population for each estate. The average total enslaved population from 1772 to 1817 was approximately 130, with values ranging from 24 to 368. Betty’s Hope and Bethlehem Old Works had the largest average enslaved population, with Bethlehem Old Works having the largest number of enslaved people (368) in 1780, while Adventure and Great Pond had the smallest average. The total average enslaved population across all analyzed estates peaked in 1782 and was at its lowest in 1817, the last year of our data set.

Figure 2. Average enslaved population across 1772-1817 for selected estates 

Note. Archived soil samples are in blue while fresh (control) soil samples are in orange. Archived average was taken from archived soil samples #1-5 (OG1), #21-23 (OG2), & #36-38 (SG2). Fresh average was taken from 3 soil samples collected at UCLA (C1, C2, C3). 

Note. The average DNA concentration in archived soil samples from OG2 (x̄ = 13.2 ng/μL) is greater than the samples from OG1 (x̄ = 5.16 ng/μL) and SG2 (x̄ = 4.5 ng/μL).

Note. The average DNA concentration in OG (x̄ = 8.17 ng/μL) vs. in SG (x̄ = 4.5 ng/μL). p = 0.14 > 0.05 shows that the difference in average DNA concentration between OG and SG is not significant.

Note. Highlighted in blue are the archived soil samples from ELP and highlighted in orange are the fresh (control) soil samples from UCLA.

Note. DNA concentration of C1 is a negative number.

DNA Concentration in Archived Soil Samples from OG2 Plot and Fresh (Control) Soil Sample from Sage Hill at UCLA

DNA Concentration in Archived Soil Samples from SG2 Plot and Fresh (Control) Soil Samples from Franz Hall at UCLA

Note. Units of depth were not provided in the metadata. Only OG samples were averaged for DNA concentration since there was more than 1 sample at each depth.