Thursday, February 22, 2018

Prince Edward County, Virginia - Enslaved People from Wills and Inventories 1863-1865

While researching my husband’s family in Prince Edward County, Virginia, I found the Will Books on Ancestry.com.  These contain wills, inventories and related documents for many decades.  As I scanned the books I was taken by the names of people who were enslaved. 

Since I am working with a friend to find her ancestors who had been enslaved – different state, probate records not online – I started indexing the names that I found.  To date I have only looked at two years, from the Emancipation Proclamation to the end of the Civil War.  I am working backwards as is typical in genealogy, but I think this also gives the best chance to find a connection to a family in the 1870 census.

This was an eye-opening exercise for me, even though I had some experience researching the period.  Reading the wills gives a sense of what it was like to be in Virginia during the Civil War.  Some had been written years earlier and some by men heading off to fight.  Some people included slaves in their bequests a few months before the end of the war.  One man wanted his slaves sold – perhaps seeing the writing on the wall.

Since collecting the names, I have been searching for a way to share them.  I am putting them in my blog because of a suggestion in a recent Legacy webinar by Nicka Smith, Full Circle: Tracing the Descendants of a Slaveholding Ancestor.

As of now the Ancestry collection, Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983, is hard to access.  The title does not show up in the catalog and when I click on it in record view I get an error message.  However, it does show up as a search result for a person and once you get to the images there is a dropdown menu that goes to different books and indexes (this works for me sometimes but not today).  Note that most of the names in the books are not indexed and will not be found when doing searches.  Here is a work-around:

Will Book 11 (1859-1864) Images 309-630 (search for Charles Baldwin died 1861 in Prince Edward County, Virginia – goes to image 526)

Will Book 12 (1864-1869) Images 632-757 (search for Wm A Gehee – goes to image 653 which is preceded by an index)

If nothing else you can scroll through the books using the filmstrip at the bottom of the screen.

This link goes to image 632 when logged into Ancestry, so maybe it is a start. 




Please note that at this time nobody has double-checked my indexing, so there are likely errors, typos and omissions.  If you find one, please tell me and I will change it.  If you are seriously researching this county, you should read through the books.  Luckily, the persons who recorded these records had reasonably good handwriting which is a blessing in genealogy.




Prince Edward County, Virginia – Will Books 11(partial) and 12 With Inventories & Accounts



Jan 1, 1863
Emancipation Proclamation









Will Book 11 With Inventories & Accounts (Partial - Images 525-630)






Image
Decedent
Date
Names of enslaved people
Value





525
Thomas Mohorn or Mohan
16 Mar 1863
Woman Betty
700

1860 - 23 slaves

Boy Elijah
1200



Boy Edward
1200



Boy Samuel
1000



Boy Richard
800



Girl Esther
500



Girl Hannah
300



Girl Jane
800



Woman Anna
900



Woman Nancy & child Harriet
1400



Girl Cena
800



Boy John
700



Boy Seavior
400



Girl Pattie
350



Girl Ellen
1000



Girl Lucy
1200



Girl Anna
500



Woman Fanny
1400



Girl Maria
650



Girl Millie
400



Boy Tom
200



Boy Washington
1000



Woman Charity
300



Boy Stephen
1200



Boy Bob
1500
526
Wm N Fowler
25 Jan 1863
Jim
1700



Dily
100



Jane and her child Galenda
1900
526
Charles Baldwin

to my son Archibald A Baldwin one negro woman named Patience


1860 – 10 slaves

to my son john R Baldwin one negro boy John




to my son Charles I Baldwin one negro boy Abe




to my daughter Susan E Baldwin one negro boy Henry




to my daughter Agnes H Woods one negro boy Pleasant




to my daughter Elizabeth Boatwright one negro girl Jane

527


to my daughter Judith P Peacock on negro girl Francis




to my granddaughter Mary A Baldwin one negro boy named William

533
John Meadow
18 Jan 1860; presented 20 Apr 1863
to my daughter Polly H Gresham…to Nancy H Meadow fifteen negroes…named Ben, Billy, Armstead, James K Polk, Wilson, Charles, Sam Claborn, Susan, Louisa, Kitta, Sarah, Caroline, Catharine, Lucy, Ann, Manda.




…twenty one negroes…named Joe, John Pleasant, William, Sidney, Jen, Hannah[?], Emily, Allis, Adoline, Jeffry, Eliza, Edward, George W. Junius, Mary, Willis, Henrietta, Imoline, Betta, Jefferson, Ann, Martha…

534
Mrs Mary Allen
18 March 1863
Moses 53 years of age
800

1860 – 15 slaves

Albert 25     deformed
100



Jack 25
1800



Thomas 23
1800



Douglas 18
1800



Monroe  18
1800



Little Tom  10
1200



Peter  10
1000



Molly  70  at nothing [?] taken by Archer W Allen by Cond of Leg*




Maria  60  in bad health
150



Nelly  44
300



Kass [?] 27 & child
1200



Betsy & child  21 years of age
1400



Lucy  15
1300
535


Ella 15
1300



Judy  13 years of age
1300



Fanny  8
800



Levenia  8
800



Anna  6
600



May  6
600



Sally  3
400
542
Wm A Walton
Apr 1863
1 negro woman Sally & 4 children
2000

1860 – 23 slaves

1 man John
1500
549
Charles Baldwin
1 Jun 1863
Davy
1800

1860 – 12 slaves

Abram
500



Rueben
1200



Jane & 4 children
4000



Phillis & child
1400
554
Branch O Scott
1 Jun 1863
One negro man Tom
1800

1860 – 40 Slaves

One negro man Sam
2000



One negro man Isham
2000



One negro man Henry
1700



One negro man Johnson
1400



One negro man Jim
300



One negro man Doctor
1800



One negro man Lee
2000



One negro man Tom Haskins
2000



One negro man Madison
2000



One negro man Ellick
1700



One negro man Abram
750



One negro man Jacob
750



One negro boy Daniel
1000



One negro boy Ca[?]
1650



One negro man Shepperd
1000



One negro boy Nathan
1300



One negro woman Lucy & child Nelson
1500



One negro woman Permelia
2000



One negro woman Dolly
1800



1 negro girl Maria & child Davy
2000



1 negro girl Fanny
300



1 negro woman Gency Ann
900



1 negro woman Polly
200



1 negro woman Mary & children Susan & Caroline
2150



1 negro girl Nannie
1800



1 negro girl Cora
1800



1 negro woman Emma & child Isaac
1800



1 negro girl Patty
1000



1 negro girl Ann Rebecca
900



1 negro boy Lewis
600



1 negro girl Amanda
1100



1 negro boy Ryland
1700



1 negro boy Joe
1200



1 negro boy John Reed
1300



1 negro boy Jacob Jr
700



1 negro boy Henderson
600



1 negro boy Abby
700



1 negro girl Nancy
800



1 negro girl Litty
500



1 negro boy John Randolph
350



1 negro girl Harriet
450



1 negro girl Elizabeth
400



1 negro woman Dolly Chappell
100



1 negro woman Martha Fears
800



1 negro man Abb (very old)

555
Lilleous D Womack
Signed May 1856; presented 15 Jun 1863
To my son Wm. L. Womack…negroes Mat, Catharine Milly & Susan




To my son James A Womack…negroes Jefferson Harriott Billy & Isaac




To my daughter Mary A Guthrey…negroes Mary, Effy, Nancy, Jn’ & Cesly




To my son Archer W Womack…negroes Deck, Francis & Farrer




To my daughter Betsy L Cary…negroes Rendy & George




To my daughter Margaret I Gilliam…negroes Walter [?] Betsy & Billy




To my daughter Sallie A Womack…negroes Jerry Ann Eliza & Adam




To my son John D Womack…negroes Bagly, Doctor, Ida & Polly little Polly’s daughter




To my son Adam C Womack…negroes Muncie, Spencer & Jane daughter of Lizie




William H Cary may keep Elizabeth & family…or she may be sold…

558
Lilleous D Womack
22 Jul 1863
Nancy  14 years old
1500

1860 – 34 slaves

Sally  8
1100



Peter  16
2000



Robert 16
2000



Janetta  17
1400



William  5
700



Thomas  3
600



Susan Ann  18
1500



Henry  16
1000



Jack  18
2500



Rose  12
1500



Polly 40
800



Rhoda  5
600



Horace  6
800



Kenny  51
1500



Joe  29
2600



Polly  52
500



Merchant  29
2700



Albert  47
1500



John  13
1500



Jim  9
950



George  10
1000



Eliza  36  & child Martha Susan 1
1000



Fanny, Letta, Martha, Lillie, worthless

560
Jennetta P Allen
1860 – 14 slaves

…to my son John James Allen…my interest in one negro slave Edmund (given by my mother Elizabeth Shepperd…)

563
D C Glenn
20 Jan 1863
Negro man Branch
1000

1860 – 24 slaves

Girl Ella
1000



Girl Victoria
1000



Boy William
1100



Boy John
1150



Maria & 2 children Lou and Laura
1600



Elvina & 2 children Maria & Julia
2000



Jane & 2 children Robert & Mollie
2500



Andrew negro man
1400



Henry  (sick)
1200



Alexander
1500



Nathaniel  boy 16 yrs old
1400



Sally and 2 children Horace & Ann
2000



Amy  yellow girl
1500



Cephis [?] negro boy
1200



Lewis  negro boy
1200
565
S C Chumney
12 Sep 1863
Jacob
2500

1860 – 4 slaves

Missouri
1299



Sarah
2000



Amelia
1500



Ellen
400



Joe
150
566
Thomas H Anderson
17 Sep 1863
Isaac  60 years of age
550

1860 – 25 slaves

Anthony  17
2575



Robert  24
2800



Nelson  23
2600



John  31
2800



Munroe  36
2700



Dick  22
2900



Charles  19
2900



Frederick  21
2600



Henry  12
1800



Sam  9
1500



Vicey  26 years of age and child Patty
2650



Booker 7 years of age
1000



Archer  4 years of age
800



Polly & child, woman 25 years of age
2800



Maria  35 years old and child Ella
2300



Margaret  6 years old
850



Emma  14 years old
2500



Chancey  45 years old
450



Mollie  4
600



Ann  12
1300



Winney  21  & child Page
2800



William  19
2600
568
Robert Hill
6 Oct 1863
One negro man Spencer
2500

1860 – 5 slaves

One woman Mollie
1000



Harriett and 2 children Ella and Mollie
4000



One negro man Don
2700
571
Vincent Phillips
29 Jul 1863
Pleasant
00

1860 – 25 slaves

Ellen
300



Amply
1500



Mahala
750



Henry
1400



James
2500



Charles
2600



Malinda
1000



Hyram
2500



Matilda
2000



Elisha
1500



Jarret
2500



Patty
2200



Branch
2000



Daniel
1100



Laura
1500



Amy
300



Otilla
500



Madison
2000
580
John HIll
1 Aug 1863
To my beloved wife Judith B Hill one negro woman named Lucndan and her children Mary, Cora and Ida…


1860 – 25 slaves

To my daughter Mary E Morgan on negro woman named Nancy…




To my daughter Ann E B Atwood…one negro woman named Mahala…




To my daughter Judith E Pigg…one negro woman named Rhoda




To my son John R Hill…on negro man named Archer…




To my daughter Martha J Hill one negro girl named Harriet…




To my daughter Elvira D Hill one negro girl named Mary

580
Edward R Brightwell
25 Nov 1863
Negro boy George about 11 years old
2250

1860 – 3 slaves

Negro woman Mary about 40 years old very much affected & valueless

582
Janetta P Allen
6 Oct 1863
Julia
200



Elvira
500



Clapton
2000



Archer
2500



Julia Ann
1800



Henry
2000



Louisa
2000



Maria
1200



William
1000
582
Thomas H Anderson
5 Jun 1863
To my son William H Anderson…the following slaves viz: Bob, Polly and her child Betty, Winney, and her child Page, Dick, Charles, Anthony, Emma, Bell and Vicy




To my daughter Lucy A C Bradley the following slaves viz: Alia, Sallie, Tom, Seth, Catharine, Lucy, Fanny, Jane, Mat and Esther…at my decease the following slaves viz: Isaac, Nelson, Maria, Ella, Margaret, Chancy and Mollie…




To my niece Marietta E L Stiff one negro girl Ann




To my son William H Anderson…the following slaves viz: Munroe, John, Frederick, Henry, Sam, Patty, Edward & Archer

584
William Bradshaw
1 Dec 1863
Negro Sam
1500

1860 – 14 slaves

Spencer
1500



Nelson
3000



Doctor
3000



Alec
3000



Milton
3000



Jack
2000



Judy
400



Matilda
600



Becky
3000



Henry
2500



Benton
2500



Mary Jane
800
586
John Hill
26 Nov 1863
Negro man named Daniel
3000



Negro man named Dennis
2500



Negro man named Clay
3000



Negro man named Bob
3000



Negro man named Bouldin
3500



Negro boy named John
2000



Negro boy named Ned
2500



Negro woman named Mary
3300



Negro woman named Winney
3000



Negro woman named Becky & six children Chancy, Alice, Rose, Washington, Jennie and Lee
9300



Woman Sally & six children viz: Harriet, James, Isham, Henry, Bettie, Sam
11100



Woman Silla
100



Woman Lucinda,& Mary, Cora & Ida
6200
589
Wm S Brent
18 Jan 1864
Louisa & 3 children Rogers, Neal & Rufus
5000



Illinois & 1 child
2850



Alcey
200



John
2000



Stephen
2500



Robert
2500
589
Booker Foster
29 Dec 1863
To Mrs. Ann McGhee:


1860 – 11 slaves

Molly an old woman valued at
000



Sam a man
3000



Collin a man
3500



Beverly a man
3500



To Nelson Booker McGhee:




Bob an old man valued at
000



Clarissa a woman valued at
1000



Washington a man valued at
3500



Richard a man valued at
3500
598
George G Fowlkes
7 Dec 1863
Negro man Randolph
4000

1786 – 2 slaves

Negro man Washington
4000
600
Josiah Brightwell
15 Feb 1864
Ralph
500

1860 – 13 slaves

Jacob
2500



Maria, 300 less than nothing
00



Hannah Glascow & Lee
2500



Mary
4500



Alice & child Laura
5000



Patrick
3500



Dolly
1250



William
2000



Robert
3000
625
Thomas A Gilliam
1860 – 1 slave
(13 – female)
Signed 29 Jun 1863; presented 10 Oct 1864
To my beloved wife Susan R Gilliam a negro girl Eliza

625
James Mickle
1816 – 16 slaves
Signed 28 May 1858; pres. 20 Jun 1864
To my wife my negro woman Nancy and the youngest child she has now…and my negro man Sam




To my son Joel E Mickle…one negro man named Henry sometimes called Dick…my woman named Anica or her value…my son in law Stephen Fore is to have the privilege of taking the said woman Anica at valuation…




My son George Mickle a negro man named Billy




To my daughter Elizabeth Matthews the following slaves viz: George, Tom, Spencer, Sam & John children of a woman named Clementine…




To my daughter Mary Jane Lan [?] the following slaves…viz: Polly and Catharine and the children that they may have now…

626


To my daughter Harriet J Fore one negro woman named E [?]…with all the children…except for one girl named Martha which I have given my son James…




To James Mickle a negro girl named Martha the daughter of a woman named Eliza…




To my daughter Sarah Ann Mickle the following named slaves viz:  Lucy, Elijah, Clementine, Peggy sometimes called Margaret, Tom & Richard sometimes called Howard…




To my daughter Mary Frances Elam the following slaves…Sophia, Lewis, Charity & Patty and after the death of my widow one negro boy named Alexander




To my son John S Mickle on negro boy named Jack…




To my daughter Cordelia S Adams the following slaves…Indiana, Thompson, Mary, Milly & Titia and after the death of my widow one negro man named Reubin




To my widow…I loan her the following slaves…Reubin, one boy named Alexander, and one woman named Mahala

627
Mary Carter
Signed Aug 1863; pres. 21 Nov 1864
I direct that my slaves seventeen in number named as follows to wit: Isaac, Lizzy, Malinda and her children Caroline Salina, Milly and Mason Sarah and her child Edwin, York, Martha and her children Beth and Jenney, Charles, Aggy, Cora and Winney…be divided inot five equal parts


1860 – 19 slaves

The first lot embracing Lizzie I give to John B Bell to be held in trust…for my son Richard Carter…




The second lot embracing Isaac, I give to my son John Thomas Carter…




The third lot embracing Malinda, I give to the children of my daughter Elizabeth Fowlkes…




The fourth lot embracing Charles I give to my son James B Carter…




The fifth lot embracing York I give to my son Samuel Carter…









Will Book 12 With Inventories & Accounts






643
Stephen B Farrar
4 Dec 1864
Sidney
6000

1860 – 8 slaves

Jim
3000



Louisa and two children Doctor and Walker
6000



Manerva
1500
645
James Mickle
19 Dec 1864
Sam
1500



Reuben
1500



Elich
1500



Buck
00



Mahala
300



Anica
300



Sophia & child Martha, Jinny & Signora
2800



Louisa & child
1500



Margaret & child
1800



Frank
600



Howard
800



Tom
800
648
Robert C E Elliot
25 Dec 1864
Chancy
500

1860 – 5 slaves

Gabrilla
3000



Emma
2000



Page
5000



Munroe
2500



Judith
4000
652
Henry M Vaughn
15 Mar 1865
Granville
2000

1860 – 14 slaves

Ben
2500



Stephen
2000



Davy
1500



Betty
4500



Patty
4500



E? & child
?



Elvira
4500



Francis & child
5050?



Eliza
4500



Allice
1850



Armstead
2500



Thacus
2200



Egbert
850



Dolly

653
Wm A McGhee

Mary to my sister Eliza S Daniel




Sarah to my sister Sarah A McCargo

656
Samuel Anderson
1860 – 16 slaves
1852; presented to court 18 Sept 1865
to my wife Lucy H Anderson all my negroes to wit Lewis, Rose, Easther, John, Patrick, William, Easter, commonly called by us Hannah, and Chloe, Phillis and Isham, and Sarah or Sary and Cora and Ellen, and Judy and Dallas and Henry and Rose & Joe …

658
Branch A Farley
28 Mar 1865
to my son George A Farley my negro boy Jim








April 9, 1865
General Robert E. Lee surrendered at the village of Appomattox Court House.  No more slaves appear in inventories after March 1865.




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