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Laurette's Room
The slaves’ rooms were very plain compared to the lavishly decorated main house. The walls were whitewashed, the pine floors were bare and unfinished, and the windows were covered with simple muslin curtains. The furnishings were cast-off, broken, and old pieces of furniture that may have once been used in the more elegant parts of the house, but were no longer good enough for the family and guests.
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19th-century sources, including census reports and notarized bills of sale, suggest that the following slaves occupied the slave quarters in 1860 (i.e., the first year the Gallier family lived in the new house): Laurette (female, 42 years old), Rose (female, 25 years old), Julienne (female, 18 years old), and François (male, 16 years old).
Laurette was purchased by Mrs. Gallier’s father in 1853 and given to Mrs. Gallier before her marriage to James Gallier, Jr. We believe she was the housekeeper and supervised the other slaves.
The slaves might have gathered in Laurette's room in the evening or during the day to do the mending and sewing. Slaves were often expected to make their own clothing from materials supplied by the family. |
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