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STREETER PLANTATION

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 Greene County, North Carolina

HISTORY:

Susan Virginia Streeter Atkinson Whitehead

Susan Virginia Streeter was born in 1825 in Greene County, the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner. In 1843, she married Peyton Ashley Atkinson of Pitt County and thereafter resided at his plantation "Bensboro," north of the Tar River. Mr. Atkinson, active in local politics, was a very wealthy man who purchased several tracts of land in the area and acquired nearly 117 slaves. The couple had six children but four died before reaching their first birthday. With the death of Peyton Atkinson in 1863, Susan received nearly $250,000 from his will. For several years, she managed her holdings and her late husband's business ventures while raising their two still living children, Benjamin Streeter and Francis Marion. Susan remarried to William Whitehead in the late 1860s though this marriage was short lived as she quickly divorced him for whipping her. After suing Whitehead for her property, Susan struggled to run her plantations with the help of her two sons. Tragically, both Benjamin and Francis died in the early 1880s, leaving her virtually alone in the world. Susan Virginia Streeter Atkinson sold off almost all of her family's land and died in 1895, having outlived her entire family.
 

Here is some info on a Greene County, NC Plantation. This was the Streeter Plantation, originally owned by Benjamin Streeter (1798-1856). After his death it passed to his daughter, Susan Virginia Streeter Atkinson Whitehead ( 1825-1895). In 1850 , Benjamin Streeter had 54 slaves working on his plantation. His daughter, Susan married Peyton Atkinson of the Bensboro Plantation in Pitt County. Peyton had 84 slaves on that plantation in 1850. Peyton Atkinson died in 1863, and Susan moved back to the Streeter Plantation in Greene County. In 1860, there were 118 slaves working between the Streeter Plantation in Greene County and the Bensboro Plantation in Pitt County. In 1863, Susan would become the master of all these slaves. She was also one of the wealthiest women in North Carolina with an estimated worth of five million dollars. After the Civil War she filed a claim for $10,000.00 dollars against the US government for property taken by Union troops. She was awarded $7,838 dollars based mainly on testimony from former slaves on her plantation. Home has been destroyed. Was located off of Hwy 13 between Snow Hill, NC and Farmville, NC

Mike Edge
Snow Hill, NC

East Carolina University, NC Periodicals Index; Jeff's Family Tree ;Atkinson- Streeter Graveyard . Photos submitted by Mike Edge