Estate Cotton Grove

Cotton Grove is estate 5 in St. Croix’s East End B Quarter. Cotton Grove was involved in both cotton and sugar production. Sugar was produced here by the 1790s and the windmill constructed by 1856. This windmill tower is incorporated into a dwelling. An inscription stone says “Wellington.”

Estate Cotton Grove has an interesting evolution of ownership and combinations and later disassociations with other neighboring estates. Like the entire eastern one third of St. Croix, no habitation is shown during the French period. The widow of William Richardson is shown owning the estate in 1750, indicating that William Richardson owned the estate prior, since women did not establish land ownership on their own at the time. No sugar machinery is shown on the Beck versions through the 1750s and 1760s. The annotated Beck maps indicate that Lucas von Beverhoudt owned portion of estate 5 along with estate 43 in East End A Quarter. The eastern half of estate 5 has ownership attributed to Jacob Madsen on these maps.

By the early 1790s, the east-west ownership split was attributed to Dungan and William Ryan, respectively. Oxholm’s 1794 map is the first appearing of sugar production machinery with an animal mill at Cotton Grove, where ownership still extends into East End A Quarter. The eastern half of estate 5 is shown to be a cotton plantation called little profit. Parsons shows a windmill at Cotton Grove in 1856. The USGS topographic maps indicate the base of the mill at approximately 100 feet, with the 1921 map indicating the elevation of the top of the mill at 140 feet. As the McGuire description below shows, the Cottongrove Hills rise to over 800 feet in elevation, separating the north and south of the east end of St. Croix.

Historic Maps of Cotton Grove

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1982 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
The 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map show a windmill ruin at Cotton Grove, with the base at approximately 100 feet elevation.
Snippets of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
The 1958 and 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map show a windmill ruin at Cotton Grove, with the base at approximately 100 feet elevation.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
The 1921 USGS topographic map shows an old mill tower with the base at approximately 100 feet and the top at 140 feet elevation at Estate Cotton Grove.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
The 1907 map indicates a circle at Estate Cotton Grove.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill in Estate Cotton Grove with some structures to the north and west of the mill.
Snippets of the Oxholm map of 1799 and the Lang updated to it of 1820 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
Oxholm’s 1799 map and the 1820 revision with the Lang revisions both show an animal mill in the western half of estate 5 with some structures to the south. Interestingly, the symbol for a cotton plantation is shown in both the eastern and western portions of estate 5. The ownership of Estate Cotton Grove reaches across the Quarter line to estate 43 of East End A, with the eastern half named little profit.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows an animal mill in the western half of estate 5 with some structures to the south. Interestingly, the symbol for a cotton plantation is shown in both the eastern and western portions of estate 5. The ownership of Estate Cotton Grove reaches across the Quarter line to estate 43 of East End A, with the eastern half named little profit.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen split estate 5 east and west, with ownership attributed to Dungan in the west and William Ryan in the east.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
Küffner’s 1767 Beck replica includes no settlement in the area of estate 5, with the name Beverhouts in the area from estate 43 in East End A Quarter and estate 5 in East End B Quarter.
Snippets of the 2 manuscript copies of Beck from 1766 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
The 1766 manuscript copies of Beck, like the annotated Becks, depict no sugar machinery in estate 5. Ownership for the estate is split, with the western half attributed to Lucas von Beverhoudt and the eastern half to Jacob Madsen.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps made from 1766 to 1770 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
The 1766, 1767, c.1767, and 1770 annotated Beck maps illustrate no sugar machinery in estate 5. Ownership for the estate is split, with the western half attributed to Lucas von Beverhoudt and the eastern half to Jacob Madsen (or unattributed).
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
In the original printings in the 1750s, Beck shows no sugar machinery in estate 5.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
The Cronenberg and von Jægersberg map of 1750 indicates estate 5 and the adjoining areas are planted in cotton, evidenced by the blue coloring. Plantation houses and other structures are in the neighboring areas and not in estate 5. Ownership attributed to the widow of William Richardson.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 5, currently named Cotton Grove.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near Cotton Grove.