G'Day Dante, Maybe means sheep herders (shepherd) as they would use a crook as a tool in that work, maybe not as I have no knowledge of the way plantations are organised, Cheers, John in Oz ----- Original Message ----- From: <caribbean-request@rootsweb.com> To: <caribbean@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2010 3:00 PM Subject: CARIBBEAN Digest, Vol 5, Issue 37 > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Slavery- Crook boys and girls (Dante Beretta) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2010 23:39:48 -0500 > From: Dante Beretta <dberetta@meltel.net> > Subject: [Carib] Slavery- Crook boys and girls > To: caribbean@rootsweb.com > Message-ID: <3B6F8EE2-FD8B-45A9-B6B8-132681706BA8@meltel.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > > I'm reviewing an 1837 inventory for a plantation on the island of St. > Croix, Danish West Indies (now U.S. Virgin Islands). The slaves are > categorized as to their different jobs. Most of the boys and girls > between age 7 and 11 are on the 'Grass Gang' which I understand to be > supplying grass/forage to the livestock. Between age 12 and 17, most of > the boys and girls are listed as 'Crook Boy' or 'Crook Girl'. I can't > find this term anywhere, but I assume it was outside work preparing one > for field work which was the work of the majority of the adult slaves. > Does anyone have a clearer idea of what the term 'Crook Boy' entailed when > it came to life on the estates? > > Dante > > > End of CARIBBEAN Digest, Vol 5, Issue 37 > **************************************** >