Uncle Sam Plantation, Convent, St James Parish, Louisiana

One of the most extensive of Louisiana sugar cane plantations, it included 1300 acres originally. Mighty oaks that once graced the front lawn have been devoured by the ever approaching river.
Due to encroachment of the Mississippi upon the levee bordering the plantation, demolition of the main group of buildings began in March of 1940, The main house, garconnieres, offices and pigeonniers as well as a stable and carriage house were all marked for removal.
The slave hospital, sugar mill and other unidentified buildings were destroyed previously with only their footings remaining.
Samuel Fagot, the original owner, died, shortly before the Civil War, leaving the plantation to his widow who lived until the 1870' s. Management of the field and mill was handled by Lucien Malus, Fagot's son-in-lav. Malus died a few years after his mother-in-law and the property then went over to the Jacobs brothers, Jules and Camille, who married the two daughters of Malus and Felicie Fagot.
The main house gutted by fire in 1849 and was rebuilt. It's believed the outside walls were saved.
Malus helped to preserve and restore the plantation and the Jacobs brothers introduced modern machinery and practiced principles of soil conservation.
Shortly after the turn of the century Jules Jacobs bought out his brother and in 1915 sold the manor to a New Orleans commission merchant.
Prior to demolition, One stable, a carriage house, a barn and stable combined, blacksiaith shop, foreman's house, twenty-one slave houses and three houses probably occupied by white workmen still stood, all in a poor condition. All these structures were of frame construction except the blacksmith shop which was brick. Brick foundations of a slave hospital, sugar mill, sugar house, and of one unidentified house remained.