A wealthy farmer, John Dickinson, lawyer and landowner, is most often remembered as The Penman of the Revolution.

He also served as President of both Delaware and Pennsylvania and was one of the signers of the US Constitution. He was also a member of the Continental Congress and delegate to the Federal and Constitutional Convention in 1787.

John Dickinson was a wealthy farmer who owned at least 59 slaves. His lifestyle was heavily influenced by Quakers. He inherited land and slaves in Kent County upon his father's death in 1760.

The slaves were the primary source of the labour required for the production of wheat and corn. In 1777, John Dickinson no longer desired to maintain slavery and so he executed a manumission which freed his slaves. It was a conditional agreement requiring slaves to serve him for a period of 21 years in exchange for food, shelter, clothing and remuneration.

In 1785, to clear his conscience, he conditionally freed all of his slaves. Therefore, the adults among Dickinson's freed slaves were presumably among the 293 free Blacks assessed in the county in 1797. Their freedom was restricted by law and did not include privileges, such as the right to vote.

However, free black slaves had the right to own property by law in 1787.

While visiting the John Dickinson Plantation, history was played back in the minds of many. From learning about our ancestral routes to travelling back and living the life in which they did. Being split up into groups, we travelled back into time generations before some of us were born. As we walked on the shell created path the first thing that was spotted off to a distance was the grave of Samuel Dickinson.

Travelling down memory lane the first stop was the Log'd Dwelling.

The Log'd Dwelling was a small log structure build were slaves and tenant lived on the Dickinson Plantation. The one room structure had no wooden flooring or foundation; it was the smallest and most unadorned of the houses.

While there we learned how to make Beaten Biscuits which the slaves used to make. Next we visited the Herb Garden where we walked through and smelled the different aromas that were planted such as thyme, lavender, fennel, rosemary and lemon grass.

Heading over to the mansion we stopped first in the part of the mansion in which everything was created and woven together. From sheep wool to cotton and even thread we saw and learned how it was all created.

The fun part was that we got to work hands on and learn how to make a rug, it was exercise, but it was so much fun to get to play the role of one who was back in time.

Moving throughout the mansion we finally got to the main house where the Dickinson's lived their everyday life.

Where they walked the walk and talked the talk of the Quaker like family; from the bedroom where John Dickinson slept in, to the kitchen and basement where his trusted slaves worked. The mansion still had original pieces lurking throughout from the furniture and even a clock.

The John Dickinson Plantation is a historical landmark, during the times of war and freedom to the times of today. Our ancestors have build up this world, going through the trouble of segregation and discrimination even a time of creation.

If we didn't leave without learning anything new we wouldn't have learned anything at all.