A Friend of Friends Friday: African American Slaves Named in Deeds Spartanburg SC 1785-1827 Book P-Q-R

Note: "A Friend of Friends" was a password used on the Underground Railway

A few months ago I purchased a resource book of deed abstracts from Spartanburg, South Carolina circa 1785-1827 by Albert Bruce Pruitt.  I obtained the book in order to research my colonial BRUTON/BREWTON and WOFFORD families,  who lived in that area.

As I searched through the book, I discovered that it contained much more than land deeds, although they are the majority.  Also included were deeds for estates and their dispersal, for the sale of horses & other livestock, for the dispersal of all household goods & furniture, such as when individuals were leaving for another area (usually Georgia) and some deeds  pertaining to the sale of slaves. 

Here are  deed abstracts that I found in books P-Q-R that name African American slaves:

Book P 1816-1818

p 66-67 June 21, 1816 JOHN FARROW (Spartanburg) to AARON CASEY, WILLIAM WARD, and ROBERT CRESWELL; sold 7 Negroes: WILL about 24 years old; MAN (or MARE) about 17 years old; SAMPSUN about 12 years old; FRANK about 12 years old; JACOB about ten years old; LED about 8 years old and SIMON about 9 months old; etc etc (he sold essentially all household goods and livestock in order to pay off wife's debts); Witness Thomas M Bragg and William M Farrow; signed JOHN FARROW. Witness oath July 31, 1816 Thomas M Bragg to Burrell Bobo. Received Aug 5, 1816.

p 108-109 Jan 1, 1814 (Union District SC) THOMAS LUSK to WILLIAM STONE; Thomas promises to pay William $210.96 by Jan 1, 1815; to secure that debt Thomas "pledges" to William a Negro girl RACHEL about 11 or 12  years old.  Witness Thomas Murray and John Lusk. Signed THOMAS LUSK. April 13, 1816 Thomas borrows $54 from executors of William Stone, deceased. Witness: Sary Lusk. Signed THOMAS LUSK. Witness oath July 4, 1815 Thomas Murray to William Reid. Received Oct 7, 1816.

p 131-132 June 27, 1815 JAMES WOFFORD to NATHANIEL WOFFORD for $500 sold a Negro woman JESSE. Witness John Wofford and Isaac Wofford. Signed JAMES WOFFORD. Witness oath Oct 14, 1816 John Wofford to John Brewton. Received Oct 19, 1816.

p 160 July 22, 1816 LAURENS BANKSTON and ROBERT GARRETT (Spartanburg) to LEONARD ADCOCK "Justice" (Spartanburg); they swears on March 8, 1816 they saw MARY CANTWELL sell a Negro girl SUCK for $200 to her son MARK CANTWELL. Witness Leon Adcock JP. Signed LAURENS BANKSTON and ROBERT GARRETT's mark. Witness oath none. Received Dec 19, 1816.

p 249 Jan 3, 1817 (Laurens district SC) JOHN SPURGEN (Laurens District) to JOHN PADEN (Spartanburg) for $304.93 sold a Negro girl CHERRE and her increase "otherwise called" BUFFY about 14 years old; Condition John Paden can't move Negro and her increase outside South Carolina, and is to give Negro sufficient provisions and clothing and treat her with humanity; and sale is void if John Spurgen pays $304.96 to John Paden by Jan 3, 1824. Witness Henry C Young and George Fowler. Signed JOHN SPURGEN and JOHN PADEN. Witness oath March 27, 1817 George Fowler to Thomas Poole. Received April 9, 1817.

p 260  Nov 6, 1816 JAMES HAMMETT (Spartanburg) to HENRY BROCKMAN; Henry Brockman paid $800 to John and Charles Bulow (Charleston, SC) to secure a debt James Hammett and Henry Brockman had with John and Charles Bulow; sold three Negroes--a wench SUSANNAH and two girls AGGY and MALINDA; Condition: sale void if James Hammett pays Henry Brockman or John and Charles Bulow $800 with interest by Dec 25, 1817. Witness Thomas Brockman and Harriet Brockman. Signed JAMES HAMMETT. Witness oath May 6, 1817 Thomas P Brockman to Thomas Poole. Received May 6, 1817.

p 374 Nov 20, 1817 REBECCA TURNER to son MATTHIAS TURNER; for $1800 sold five Negroes: JOAB, REUBIN, SARAH, JOHN, and EPHRAIM. Witness William Turner and John Turner. Signed REBECCA TURNER's mark.  Witness oath Dec 8, 1817 William Turner to J Camp. Received Dec 17, 1817.

p 434-435 Nov 1, 1816 JOSEPH WOFFORD to daughter MARTHA WHITE; for good cause give "an Intailment (entitlement?) forever from one generation to another" a Negro girl MARY and her increase. Witness John Mullinax and Thomas Jones.  Signed JOSEPH WOFFORD. Witness oath April 6, 1818 John Mullinax to James Hamm. Received April 6, 1818.

p 435 Sept 13, 1816 JOSEPH WOFFORD to son JOSEPH WOFFORD; for good cause give a Negro woman RODY and her increase, and a Negro boy ISAAC.  Witness Samuel Tucker and John Tucker. Signed JOSEPH WOFFORD. Witness oath Sept 19, 1816 Samuel Tucker to John Dean. Received April 6, 1818.

Book Q 1818-1820

p 2-3 Nov 1, 1817 JOSEPH WOFFORD to daughter REBECCA MILLINAX (MULLINAX?); for good cause give as "an Intailment (entitlement?) forever from one generation to another"

a Negro girl ESTHER and her increase. Witness Moses White and Thomas Jones. Signed JOSEPH WOFFORD. Witness oath April 6, 1818 Moses White to James Hamm. Received April 7, 1818.

p 23-24 May 20, 1818 JOHN OWENS Sr (Spartanburg) to son DAVID OWENS (same) for love and affection give 130 acres on Enoree River where John Owens Sr lives, and give a Negro boy TOLL, a Negro girl RACHEL, two Negro wenches JUDE and ROSE, a Negro boy WASHINGTON, two Negro children JACKSON and JACOB, and all his goods and chattles and household, etc etc. Witness James Leonard, James Lanford, and Caty Redman. Signed JOHN OWENS' mark. Witness oath May 20, 1818 James Lanford to Samuel Woodruff. Received May 21,1818.

p 137-138 Nov 2, 1818 WILLIAM ROLLINS (Spartanburg) to WILLIAM BENNETT (same) for $442 and /4 cents (sic) which is amount William Rollins gave William Bennet in a note and to secure payment, sold a Negro boy PATON between 5 and 6 years old, black complexion, and healthy and sound; Condition William Bennett is to giive William Rollins the money if more than $404 and 3/4 cents is obtained if PATON is sold by Marchd 1, 1819, after giving 20 days notice at the Spartanburgh Court House. Witness W Walker and Edmund Cooley. Signed (not signed). Wfitness oath Nov 2, 1818 Edmund Cooley to James Young. Received Nov 2, 1818.

p 197-198 Nov 6, 1817 RICHARD BARNETT (Spartanburg) to HANCOCK SMITH; for $500 sold a Negro girl BETTY about 14 years old. Witness Catherine Smith. Signed RICHARD BARNETT. Witnes oath jan 12, 1819 Catherine Smith to Daniel White. Received Jan 12, 1819.

p 198-199 Oct 8, 1815 JANE SMITH (Spartanburg) to HANCOCK SMITH; for $500 sold a Negro boy PHILL about  13 years old. Witness Isaac Smith. Signed JANE SMITH. Witness oath Jan 12, 1819 Isaac Smith to Daniel White. Received Jan 12, 1819.

p 378-379 May 18, 1819 (?) EDWARD HOOKER (Spartanburg) to son ZADOK HOOKER (Abbeville District Cambridge) for love and affection give Negroes 1) African named DICK about 45 or 50 years old, a boy DICK about 12 years old; a girl HAGAR about 10 years old and all her increase; and a boy JAMES about 7 years old; etc, etc; Witness Benjamin Hooker and Jesse Lamb. Signed EDWARD HOOKER. Witness oath Nov 11, 1819 Jesse Lamb to M Casey. Rec Nov 15, 1819.

Book R 1820-1822

p 75-76 March 6, 1820 JOHN W FARROW (Union District SC) to THOMAS FARROW (Spartanburg);. Thomas Farrow was sued and judgement obtained against him in U S District Court for $7000 due to his securityship to John W Farrow as  paymaster of late 28th Regt US Infantry; so Joh W Farrow sold ......the following: a Negro boy BEN about 20 years old, a Negro girl PATT about 8 years old.... (basically John Farrow sold everything Thomas Farrow owned down to spoons knives & forks!). Witness E Williamson and Sarah Williamson. Signed J W FARROW. Witness oath May 22, 1820 (Newberry district SC) E Williamson to Jno B O' Neall. Received July 3, 1820.

p 97-98 Aug 14, 1817 JAMES WILSON to JAMES VERNON; for $1300 sold a Negro woman NANCY, a Negro woman THURAY (daughter of NANCY), and her child BOB. Witness John Montgomery and Alexr McMakin. Signed JAMES WILSON's mark. Witness oath Aug 12, 1820 John Montgomery to John T Rowland. Received Aug 14, 1820.

p 104-105 Sept 21, 1816 ABRAM CANTRELL (Spartanburg) to WILLIAM BENNETT (same) for $500 sold a Negro woman POLLEY between 20 and 30 and her increase; aagreeable with the will of ISAAC CANTRELL deceased and all ABRAM CANTRELL's rights to mother MARY CANTRELL's property (when she died)....etc etc. Witness Iredell Cunningham and Alfred Cunningham. Signed ABRAM CANTRELL. Witness oath Oct 1, 1816 Alfred Cunningham to James Young. Received Sept 4, 1820.

p 140 Oct 10, 1820 THOMAS BURTON to daughter MARY McVAY, wife of CLABRON McVAY (Giles Co TN), and to grandchildren (children of Mary McVay) for paternal love give a Negro girl SARY 12 years old, adn her increase supposed to be worth $500; SARY is to "attend" to Mary during her lifetime and at her death to her children.  Clabron can't dispose of the Negro SARY. Witness Joseph David and Isaac S Whitten. Signed THOMAS BURTON's mark. Witness oath Oct 19, 1820 Joseph Davis to J Whitten. Received Oct 19, 1820.

p 223-234 April 1, 1821 THOMAS DARE (Spartanburg) to sons-in-law WILLIAM ROSS and MUSE TOLLESON (same) for love and affection give all lands, utensils, goods and chattels...and 13 Negroes--OWEN, SAUL, JABER, VINCE, MANUEL, NELSON, BOB, JIM, CLARY, PAT, HANNAH, WILL and MARY; etc, etc; Witness William Trimmier and Memory N. Chapman. Signed THOMAS DARE. Witness oath April 2, 1821 William Trimmier to E Bomar. Received April 2, 1821.

p 248-249 June 10, 1819 MUSE TOLLESON (Spartanburg) to ALFRED TOLLESON son of JOHN TOLLESON for affection give when Muse's father (John Tolleson) dies, a Negro boy MILAS and a mulatto girl MARY, children of Negro woman JANE; both born as property of Muse's father; John Tolleson has the Negroes now and is allowed to sell them in his lfietime, but if John doesn't sell them then they go to Alfred.  Witness James Tollison and Birdsong Tollison. Signed MUSE TOLLISON. Witness oath April 7,, 1821 James Tollison to William Reid. Received April 19, 1821.

p 253-254 June 10, 1819 MUSE TOLLISON (Spartanburg) to LUCINDA TOLLISON , daughter of JOHN TOLLISON; for affection give , at decease of John Tollison, a Negro woman JANE and her child EBYINA (or EBZINA?); JANE was sold by Norman Morrison to Maj John Tollison, but John can sell Negro during his lifetime if he wants to; if John doesn't sell her, she goes to Lucinda, and if Lucinda dies without issue then the Negro goes to James, Birdsong, Josephus B and Alfred Tollison. Witness James Tollison and Birdsong Tollison. Signed MUSE TOLLISON. Witness oath April 20, 1821 James Tollison to William Reid. Received May 1, 1821.

p 254-255 May 7, 1821 JOHN LINDER (Spartanburg) to son THOMAS LINDER for (omitted) give a Negro boy JACK. Witness Nathaniel Linder and Abraham Linder. Signed JOHN LINDER. Witness oath May 7, 1821 Nathaniel Linder to  E Bomar. Received May 7, 1821

p 255  May 4, 1821 JOHN LINDER (Spartanburg) to son JACOB LINDER for (omitted) give a Negro boy JIM. Witness Lee Linder and Elisha Bomar. Signed JOHN LINDER. Witness oath May 7, 1821 Lee Linder to  E Bomar. Received May 7, 1821

p 255-256 May 6, 1821 JOHN LINDER (Spartanburg) to son LEE LINDER for (omitted) give a Negro boy DANIEL. Witness Elisha Bomar and Jacob Linder. Signed JOHN LINDER. Witness oath May 7, 1821 Jacob Linder to  E Bomar. Received May 7, 1821

p 256 May 7, 1821 JOHN LINDER (Spartanburg) to son NATHANIEL LINDER for (omitted) give a Negro boy DAVE. Witness Thomas  Linder and Abraham Linder. Signed JOHN LINDER. Witness oath May 7, 1821 Thomas Linder to  E Bomar. Received May 7, 1821

p 266 June 20, 1819 JOHN TOLLISON to MUSE TOLLISON; for $1200 sold a Negro woman MILL and JANE and her children MILAS, MARY and EZINA. Witness Charles McAbie and Matthew Norton. Signed JOHN TOLLISON. Witness oath March 31, 1821 Charles McAbie to W Hunt. Received Mahy 14, 1821.

p 308 July 28, 1821 SAMUEL FOWLER (Spartanburg) to son JOHN FOWLER (same); for extra attention givenby John to Samuel and for parental affection give a Negro woman named DARK; Samuel reserves "authority and command of" DARK during his lifetime. Witness John W Lewis and John S Rowland. Signed SAMUEL FOWLER's mark.  Witness oath July 28, 1821 John S Rowland to J Whitten. Received Aug 6, 1821.

p 308-309 July 28, 1821 SAMUEL FOWLER Sr (Spartanburg) to grandson SAMUEL FOWLER Jr, son of JOHN FOWLER (same); for services rendered and attention paid to Samuel Sr, give a Negro boy CALEB at Samuel Sr's decease; Samuel Sr reserves  "authority to" CALEB during his lifetime. Witness John W Lewis and John S Rowland. Signed SAMUEL FOWLER's mark.  Witness oath July 28, 1821 John S Rowland to J Whitten. Received Aug 6, 1821.

p 334-335 Oct 9, 1821 NEMROD E BENSON to ABNER BENSON...to secure debt sold a Negro DICK about 35 years old; STEPHEN about 22 years old; ALEXANDER about 19 years old; LOT about 37 years old; MICHAEL about 17 years old; MOSES about 14 years old; and LARKIN about 20 years old. Witness E Roddy and Wilson Nesbett. Signed N E BENSON. Witness oath Oct 10, 1821 E Roddy to E Bomar. Received Oct 10, 1821.

p 351-353 Oct 1, 1821 AUGUSTIN SHANDS (Spartanburg) to PHEBE SHANDS (same) for $671 sold a Negro man PUNCH(?), etc etc (tools and livestock to secure debt); Witness Elijah Ballinger and Elijah Foster. Signed AUGUSTIN SHANDS. Witness oath Nov 6, 1821 Elijah Ballinger to James Hamm. Received Nov 10, 1821.

p 360-361 April 10, 1821 JOHN WOFFORD to FREDRICK PARHAM; for security of a  note John gives a Negro boy SMART age 10 years old to Richard Hewel and George Wofford if they lose out due to security on John's debt. Witness John W Williams and Samuel Turner.  Signed JOHN WOFFORD's mark. Witness oath Nov 5, 1821 Samuel Turner to Thomas Poole. Received Nov 10, 1821.

p 380-381 Aug 2, 1819 ROBERT McMILLEN (Spartanburg) to HUGH McMILLEN (same) for $800 sold a Negro woman OMA and her two children MARY and MARILLA. Witness John S Rowland and Luke Burnett. Witness oath Sept 15, 1820 John S Rowland to James Young. Received Dec 3, 1821.

p 384-385 ELIZABETH McCARRY (Spartanburg) to JOHN ARNOLD (same); power of attorney to obtain her due from teh will of EDMOND CHAMBERS, deceased (Spartanburg)...A Negro girl LEAH, etc etc . Witness William Lancaster. Signed ELIZABETH McCARRY. Witness oath Nov 7, 1821 William Lancaster to J Whitten. Received Dec 27, 1821.

Have a great day!

Betty


© Betty Tartas  2010