Entry tags:

friends of friends friday, nashville tn, slaves

In December, I ordered back issues of The Middle Tennessee Journal of Genealogy and History.

My copies of the Journal, all of Volume X (published in 1996/1997), arrived in my mailbox yesterday, and included information abstracted and transcribed from a document in the Metro/Davidson County Archives, Agreements, Loans and Slaves, City of Nashville, Nov 2 1830 to Sept 20, 1851, and enumerated, in part, "Description of Negroes purchased by William Ramsey, Jr. for the Corporation of Nashville." The purchase of the slaves took place in the winter and spring of 1831.

In only one instance is a slave identified with a surname. There are often two ages for the slave, the first being the one on the bill of sale, and the second, the age given by the slave him/herself. If only one age is listed, it was in the bill of sale.

From page 32 of the original document:

• Ben, otherwise called Boatsman, 5 feet 7 3/4 inches high, dark complexion approaching to Black. a small scar across the upper edge of the right wrist. speaks deliberately when spoken to, purchased of William O'Hara, Ann Arundel County, Maryland. 25/39 years of age. Cost $450
  
• Emanuel, 5 feet 3 inches high. Dark yellow complexion, a small scar in his left eye brow. stout and muscular. Purchased of William Finch, Chesterfield County, Va., Raised in Petersburg, Va., by Edward Stokes. 25/35 years of age. Cost $420
  
• Jim, 5 feet 2 inches high. dark brown complexion. a scar on the inside of the right knee joint occasioned by a burn. also two scars on the right arm, one below and one above the elbow. Purchased of Thos Hill, Stafford Co., Va. Raised by Robt Ratliff in Fairfax Co., Va. 26/30 years of age. Cost $390
  
• Frank, 5 feet 7 inches high. black complexion. two of his upper and all of his under teeth out, Purchased of German Jordan, Campbell Co., Va. Raised by Charles Slaughter of the same county. 34/45 years of age.
  
• Lewis, 5 feet 9 3/4 inches high. black complexion. his upper eye tooth out. a scar across his breast, occasioned by a burn, about three inches long, purchased of German Jordan, Campbell County, Va. Raised by John Strange in same county. 32/46 years of age.
  
• Moses, 4 feet 7 3/4 inches high. brown complexion. thick prominent under lip, considerable space between his front teeth. a small scar on his right arm below the elbow, occasioned by a burn. purchased of German Jordan, Campbell County , VA. Raised by Richard Shelton, same county. 16 years old. (Note: Frank, Lewis and Moses cost $1,075 together.)
• Salem, 5 feet 9 inches high. yellow complexion. small scar in his right eyebrow. rather slender made. a scar on his left arm above the elbow occasioned by a burn. purchased of Fras J Lawson Co., Isle of Wright County, Va. Raised by Thos Applewhite, Southampton County, Va. 22 years old. Cost $425
  
• Anthony, 5 feet 10 inches high. complexion black. a small scar under the left eye. thick lips. apt to smile when spoken to. purchased of Abednego Goodrich, Isle of Wight County, Va. Raised by Robt Honeycutt, Surry Co., VA. 21 years old. Cost $450

Page 33 of the original document:

• Charles, 5 feet 8 1/2 inches high. complexion black. large scars on his left elbow, caused by a burn. long chin, which projects downwards. All the toes of the right foot has been injured by being frost bitten, particularly the big toe and the two next to it. Purchased from Susanna Hickman and William Snodgrass, Washington County, Va. Raised by William Adams, Botetourt County, Va. 17 years old.
  
• Lucinda - [no description given]
  
• Lilburn Henderson - [no description given] (Note: Charles, Lucinda and Lilburn cost $900 together.)
• Allen, 5 feet 4 1/2 inches high. complexion black. small scar across the back of the right hand. small scar in the left eyebrow. Purchased from Larkin Dorsey, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. raised by the same in same county. 23 years old. Cost $445
  
• Jim, 5 feet 8 1/2 inches high. light yellow complexion. his upper front teeth decayed. long bushy hair. purchased from Charles R Owen, Baltimore County, Maryland, raised by John Goodwin in the same county & state. 24/30 years old. Cost $400
  
• Moses, 5 feet 5 3/4 inches high. brown complexion. a small scar on his right arm below the elbow about an inch long. high forehead. slender made. purchased from James Carder, Randolph County, Va. 24 years old. Cost $400
  
• Allen, 4 feet 10 1/2 inches high. light yellow complexion. slender made. his back much scared (sic) with the whip. purchased from Stepn Beasley, Campbell County, Va. Raised by Barton Robertson, Rockbridge Co. Va. 14 years old. Cost $350
  
• Isaac, 6 feet high. yellow complexion. a small scar near the corner of the right eye. thick under lip. swings himself a good deal when walking. his front teeth irregularly set. purchased from Henry Hance, Montgomery Co., Va. Raised by Bill Husky, Wythe Co. Va. 20 years old. Cost $450
  
• Vincent, 5 feet 5 inches high. yellow complexion. heavy built. large scar on his right elbow. large scar on the right shin bone, caused by a cut with a scythe blade. purchsed from Jno B Williamson, Henrico Co., Va. raised by Matthew Harvey, Botetourt Co., Va. 22 years old. Cost $445

Page 34 of the original document

• Peter, 5 feet 4 1/4 inches high. brown complexion. thick under lip. small scar on the upper right side of the right arm just above the elbow joint. heavy built. the joints of the big toes large. his toes turns out very much. purchased from John Goorum, Sussex Co., Va. Raised by the same in the same county. 22 years old. Cost $435
  
• Bob, 4 feet 7 3/4 inches high. complexion black. large front teeth. small scar near the corner of the left eye. purchased from Charles Bruce, Stafford County, Va. Raised by the same in the same county. 15 years old. Cost $325
  
• Granville, 5 feet 4 1/2 inches high. light yellow complexion. long bushy hair. has an impediment in his speech. purchased of Robt Gibboney at shff sale, Wythe County, Va., was the property of Theodore Johnson, Wythe County, Va. Raised by said Johnson. slender made. 15 years old. Cost $390
  
• John, 5 feet 7 inches high. complexion black. a small cut in the edge of the right nostril. large face. small head and eyes. purchased from Thos Simmons, Prince George County, Va. raised by Coleman Simmons, same county. 22/27 years old. Cost $450
  
• Isaac, 5 feet 9 1/2 inches high. complexion, dark brown. a scar on the left knee about the size of a half dollar. purchased from Richard J Jones, City of Annapolis, Maryland. raised by Edwd Cosey, Wye neck E Shores, Maryland. 26 years old
  
• John, 5 feet 11 1/4 inches high. complexion dark Brown. a small scar in his right eyebrow. rather slender made. has 12 or 13 shot in the calf of his right leg. purchased from Richard J Jones, Annapolis, Maryland and raised as above. 28 years old.
  
• Jim, 5 feet 10 1/4 inches high. complexion black. a small scar, or cut on the right point of the chin. his toes much crumpled up. and his toes turns out a good deal. purchased from Richard J Jones, Annapolis, Maryland and raised as above. 30 years old.
  "The last three above named Cost $1350. sold for $1750 8 Nov 1833."