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

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 book T  that name African American slaves:

Book T 1825-1827

p 59 Feb 7, 1825 JESSE GODFREY to THOMAS WOOD JP: an oath that JESSE GODFREY has owned a mulatto girl SUSANNAH TATE since her infancy and she was always called a free born person and is 18 or 19 years old. Signed JESSE GODFREY's mark. Received April 25, 1825.

p 84-85 Jun 21, 1825 JAMES BURNETT Sr (Spartanburg) to JAMES BURNETT Jr; for $600 sold two Negro boys SPENCER about 12 years old and WILLIS about 17 years old. Witness William Clement and Zachariah Wall. Signed JAMES BURNETT's mark. Witness oath July 4, 1825 William Clement to W Bennett. Received July 4, 1825.

p 85 June 21, 1825 JAMES BURNETT Sr (Spartanburg) to MATHEW BURNETT; for $800 sold three Negroes: a man JOHN age 40, woman DILSE 47 years old, and girl AMBRILLER 5 years old. Witness oath July 4, 1825 Zachariah Wall  to W Clement. Received July 4, 1825.

p 92-93 June 21, 1825 JAMES BURNETT Sr (Spartanburg) to son-in-law WOODSON BURNETT (Same) for love and affection give a Negro boy SIMPSON in his eighth year of age. Witness W Bennett and Mathew Burnett. Signed JAMES BURNETT's mark. Certified July 6, 1825 by W Bennett. Received Aug 1, 1825.

p 104-105 Aug 18, 1825 JAMES KEEN (Spartanburg) to grandson THOMAS FINCH (Same) for love and affection give 15 Negroes: AMOS, ISAAC, AMY, SALLY, SUSY, ALFRED, MILES, NERVA, NANCY, JACOB, NOAH, AMOS, HARRIET, BENJAMIN AND ISHAM; Thomas gets slaves when JAMES dies; Thomas to provide wholesome food, clothing and washing and lodging for John Finch, and Jane Finch, parents of Thomas Finch, during their lifetime; provided John and Jane Finch consent to move to Thomas' place; Thomas has to deliver to his brother william Finch in 6 months time after JAMES KEEN died a Negro boy slave of value $200, or $200 in cash; if Thomas refuses, then other folks can sue. Witness William Trimmier and John Bomar Jr. Signed JAMES KEEN's mark.  Witness oath Sept 4, 1825 William Trimmier to W Hunt. Received Sept 5, 1825

p 110-111 JAMES KEEN to wife's (MARTHA) brother-in-law PHILIP BREWTON, because his wife desires it and for $100 give Martha's share of her father's estate: a Negro woman SUCKEY who has had increase RUTH about 18 years old and child JONAS one year old; REUBEN 16 years old; MASSEY 14 years old; CASSEY 12 years old; BETSEY 10 years old; MAT 7 years old; and DECEY 2 years old; the $100 was paid to JAMES KEEN "sometime since" by Dr EBER SMITH and PHILIP BREWTON for medical services on MARTHA and family of Negroes; PHILIP BREWTON has agreed to maintain JAMES KEEN's "mathin law" ELIZABETH AUTRY during her lifetime, provided she  chooses to live with PHILIP BREWTON. Witness Thomas Bomar, John Brooks and  W T Tanner.   Signed JAMES KEEN's mark. Witness oath Sept 12, 1825 W T Tanner to James Crook. Received Sept 12, 1825.

p 126 July 18, 1825 JAMES BURNETT Sr (Spartanburg) to granddaughter MARGARET JOHNSON (same) for love and affection give a Negor girl CLARINDA now in the third year of her age and her increase.  Witness W Bennett and Mathew Bennett. Signed JAMES BURNETT Sr's mark. Certified July 20, 1825 W Bennett. Received Oct 20, 1825

p 282-283 Dec 1, 1825 GEORGE HILL (Spartanburg) to LEONARD HILL and JOHN CLARK  (same) for $4500 sold (entire cotton mill & spinning equipment & business; extremely long list)....a Negro boy GILBERT.... and all other articles the late firm of Hill and Clark owned jointly; GEORGE HILL relinquishes his claim to above stuff. Witness Jasper Billings and William Philips. Signed GEORGE HILL. Witness oath July 1, 1826 William Philips to Wm Young. Received Nov 6, 1826.

p 310-311 Dec 8, 1826 ROBERT LIGON to daughter EDITH GOODMAN formerly EDITH LIGON;' for love and affection give four Negroes (not named) value of $1200 and "other property" valued at $750 for a total of $1950; and to put children on equal standing in dividsion of his estate ggives to son ROBERT and daughters JANE and NANCY LIGON for love and affection--gives to ROBERT LIGON four Negroes--man GEORGE, boy BEN, girl LOUISA (wife of GEORGE), and her child (not named). and $750 (to be given when ROBERT becomes of age); to JANE LIGON give four Negroes-- boy SAM, PHEBE (his wife), KITTY, and her youngest child KITTY and $750 (to be give when JANE marries or comes of age); to NANCY LIGON four Negroes--a boy CHARLES, girl BETSEY, girl DIANNA, and girl JUDITH and $750 (to be given when NANCY becomes of age or marries).  Property remains with ROBERT LIGON (grantor) until he dies or children become 21 years of age.  Witness William Bomar and William Trimmier. Signed ROBERT LIGON. Witness oagth Dec 18, 1826 William Trimmier to E Bomar. Received Dec 18, 1826

p 314-315 Dec 4, 1826 "articles of marriage" BERRYMAN S HOLDER (Spartanburg) and SARAH TOLLESON (Franklin Co W Tenn) to MORDCAI W HUTCHESON (Franklin Co W Tenn) for $1 sold everything SARAH TOLLESON has-- 1) 174 acres on Cumberland River in Wilson Co W Tenn and 2) dower rights to property of late husband MUSE TOLLESON; and a Negro woman DELILA and her child CLARENTINE; etc, etc.  Property sold in trust for SARAH TOLLESON's benefit during her lifetime and then equally divided among her children (not named).  Witness James V Miller, Moses Foster, and Stephen Foster. Signed B S HOLDER, SARAH TOLLESON and M W HUTCHESON. Witness oath Dec 23, 1826 James V Miller to E Bomar Received Dec 26, 1826

p 369 Jan 16, 1827 JAMES NEWMAN (Spartanburg) to WILLIAM YOUNG for $200 sold a Negro boy GLOUSESTER about 13 years old. Condition: sale void if JAMES NEWMAN pays William Young $200 by Oct 1, 1827. Witness Thomas Young. Signed JAS NEWMAN. Witness oath Apriil 9, 1827 Thos Young to Joel Dean. Received April 10, 1827.

p 390-391 May 15, 1827 MARGARET McELRATH late MARGARET FORD, guarding for minor kids of WILLIAM FORD, deceased, to JONATHAN NESBETT; to secure JONATHAN NESBETT from harm due to JONATHAN being security for MARGARET McELRATH as guardian sold 188 acres where MARGERET lives; gratn to JONATHAN NESBETT and sold three Negroes --ANACA, ROSE and RESTA (REPTA?); Condition: sale void if JONATHAN NESBETT doesn't lose anything due to security for guardianship. Witness W Ford and James Nesbett Jr. Signed MARGARET McELRATH's mark. Witness oath May 28, 1827 James Nebett Jr to E Bomar. Received May 28, 1827.

p 385-397 Feb 27, 1827 HUGH DAVITT and CHARLES BERRY for $1125.92 sold three Negroes--a boy ALONSO about 16 years old, a mulatto girl BECCA about 21 or 22 years old; a girl PATSEY about 14 years old; etc etc.  Sale is void if HUGH DAVITT pays CHARLES BERRY $1125.92 by Feb 1, 1828. Witness Charloes Moore. Signed HUGH DAVITT. Witness oath June 15, 1827 Charles Moore to Robert Ligon. Received July 2, 1827.

p 409-410 Jan 27, 1824 HUGH DONOLDSON (Spartanburg) to WILLIAM HARDY, a man of color (same) for $200 sold 82 acres on Ham's Creek of Fairforest Creek; bordering Cruse, McCarter, Sidney Donoldson, and Gossett; Hugh Donoldson's share in distribugtion with Sidney Donoldson, only heirs of Robert Donoldson, deceased. Witness James Donoldson and Darcas Donoldson. Signed HUGH DONOLDSON. Witness oath May 13, 1824 James Donoldson to John Elson. Received Aug 20, 1827.

Have a great day!

Betty


© Betty Tartas  2010