- Collection Overview
- Collection Description & Creator Information
- Access & Use
- Collection History
- Find Related Materials
Vincent, Dr. Joseph H., Account for Medical Treatment of Enslaved People on the Plantation of Colonel John McNeil, 1842-1844
Collection Overview
Collection Description & Creator Information
- Scope and Contents
Consists of a running account for physician Dr. Joseph H. Vincent's medical work on people enslaved at Colonel John McNeil's cotton plantations in Autauga and Coosa Counties, Alabama. McNeil was listed in the 1840 census for Nixburg, Coosa County, as a man in his 50s residing with one younger white woman (apparently his orphaned niece) and 46 enslaved people. Dr. Joseph H. Vincent made 34 visits to the plantations between May and November 1843, before the Colonel's death on December 7th. These visits are listed in detail, and include entries for interventions such as opening abscesses, treating blisters, pulling teeth, fitting a truss, and addressing gynecologic conditions. There is also an entry for the "treatment of gonorrhea," which may have been for McNeil as no name is listed. The running account was written in a ledger book but later cut out and submitted to the estate for payment, which was settled on January 30th, 1844, when it was docketed on the second page and signed by a justice of the peace.
- Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by the name of the creator or by the date of acquisition.
Collection History
- Acquisition:
Purchased from Swann Auction Galleries (Sale 2562, Lot 6) in 2021 (AM 2022-013).
- Appraisal
No material was separated during processing.
- Processing Information
This collection was processed by Lisa Yankowitz during the summer and fall of 2010 . The finding aid was written by Lisa Yankowitz in January 2011 and was regularly updated with new acquisitions by Faith Charlton, Kelly Bolding, Armando Suárez, Amy C. Vo, Kalliopi Balatsouka, and Lauren Williams.
Collection-level notes were revised by Faith Charlton in 2024 to more accurately describe the nature of this collection.
No additions will be made to this collection. Single item acquisitions will be added to Princeton University Library Single Item Acquisitions (C1771).
Access & Use
- Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research use.
- Conditions Governing Use
Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.
- Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
- Credit this material:
Vincent, Dr. Joseph H., Account for Medical Treatment of Enslaved People on the Plantation of Colonel John McNeil; General Manuscripts Miscellaneous Collection, C0140, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library
- Location:
-
Firestone LibraryOne Washington RoadPrinceton, NJ 08544, USA
- Storage Note:
- Firestone Library (mss): Box B-001675
Find More
- Existence and Location of Copies
Parts of this collection are available on microfilm, cataloged separately as RCPXM-7497696.
- Subject Terms:
- African Americans -- Medical care -- Southern States -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Enslaved persons -- Medical care -- Alabama -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Physicians -- Alabama -- History -- 19th century -- Sources
Plantations -- Alabama -- History -- 19th century -- Sources - Genre Terms:
- Accounts -- 19th century
Medical records -- 19th century
