Celebrating Black History Month – I did not want February to end without giving recognition to African-Americans in the United States. I hope that by sharing this information I may help someone open the door to their African-American brick wall.
If you missed the first installment, go here.
Isaac Sims, a Slave
James Sims to Isaac Sims Deed
By March 1836 James Sims had disposed of all his real and personal estate including his slave property except for his Negro man Isaac who he intended to emancipate and set free. The steps he took were not as easy as one would think.
James had a deed drawn up detailing the conditions. Isaac had to pay James $150 in three instalments of $50 for his freedom. This sounds like a lot however he continues to note that if he (James) should die before all three instalments were paid Isaac would not have to pay the rest. Further if Isaac should die before him then James would use the monies received for Isaac’s children who were mentioned in this document as was their deceased mother Emily.
“1836 James Sims to Isaac Sims
(note in margin “Delivered to Isaac Sims Sept. 9th 1842”)
Know all men by these presents that I James Simms Sr. of the County
of Nicholas and State of Virginia having heretofore made my last
Will and Testament in which I have disposed of all my Estate real
and personal including my slave property except one slave ….
my Negro man Isaac which said Negro slave Isaac I heretofore
intended to emancipate and set free according to the laws of this
Commonwealth upon certain Conditions thereafter to be mentioned
and put to writing. Now this Instrument of writing Witnesseth
that in Consideration of the premises and for others ……
good causes moving me thereto. I do hereby and by virtue and force of these
presents emancipate and set free forever my aforesaid Negro slave Isaac upon
the following condition to wit that is to say that the said Isaac causes to be
paid to me one hundred and fifty dollars good and lawful money of Virginia
fifty dollars of which is to be paid in hand which said fifty dollars is this
day paid to me and the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged fifty dollars
of which the said Isaac shall cause to be paid on or before the 1st day of
April 1836 and fifty dollars the last payment thereof the said Isaac
shall cause to be paid to me on or before the first day of May 1836 and
it is furthermore agreed to on my part and which I hereby in addition
to the foregoing make known that in the event of my death before the
payment of the fifty dollars which is next due after the date of this writing
that then and in that case the said fifty dollars nor the aforesaid fifty
dollars the last instalment or payment above mentioned nor either of
said payments or instalments shall be required or exacted by my heirs,
Executors, administrators or assigns nor shall they or either of them
cause the said Isaac to pay either of said payments or instalments of fifty
dollars nor shall his failure to pay the same in any manner affect or
do away with the force of these presents in emancipating and setting free
the said Isaac after my death according to the laws of this Commonwealth
now in force. And it is furthermore agreed to on my part that in the
event of my death after the payment to me of the aforesaid fifty dollars
which next becomes due after the date of this writing as above mentioned
that then and in that case the last payment or instalment of fifty dollars
the said Isaac shall be exempt from the payment of in the same manner
and to the same effect as I have exempted him from the payment of the
fifty dollars which first becomes due as is mentioned and set forth in the
preceding paragraph. And it is furthermore agreed upon my part
that in the event of the death of the said Isaac before my death that then
and in that case I do hereby promise and agree that any money or monies
or payments which the said Isaac may cause to be made paid to me
or which may have been in any way paid to me on account of the promises
shall be appropriated by me or my heirs Executors ? in cause of my
death, in the following manner: That is to say that whereas the said Isaac
has two children named George Addison and Harriett Jane by his wife
Emily now dead and owned in her life time by Joseph McNutt
and feeling a natural love and affection for his aforesaid children and wishing
to provide for the comfort and happiness of the same I do hereby
promise and agree as before mentioned to appropriate the money
paid to me after his death that happening before mine as above
stated to such use or uses for the benefit of the above named children
of the said Isaac as will best promote their spiritual and temporal
welfare agreeable to their condition and character in this state and
according to the Laws and usages of this Commonwealth. To the
true performance of the above I do hereby bind myself my
heirs Executors Administrators
as witness my hand and seal this 19th day of March 1836
James Sims
Witness
Joseph McNutt
John Huddleston
Bernard Hendrick
I have this day received this full consideration
in good and lawful money cald for in this foregoing Instrument of
writing as witness my hand & Seal
James Sims
Witness
Joseph McNutt
John Huddleston
Bernard Hendrick”
Isaac Sims Manumission Letter
Below the “Information” sign at the Nicholas County Courthouse in Summersville, West Virginia, there is a framed letter written by James Sims freeing his slave named Isaac.
Sims Manumission Letter-1836
Know all men by these presents that I James Sims
of the County of Nicholas in consideration of a large
sum of money paid to me by my slave Isaac
as for the additional considerations of his fidelity
to me I have on this day manumitted and let
him the said Isaac free. To remain and continue
from hence forward to all intents and purposes
entirely free and discharged from servitude to
me my heirs and assigns forever. And for the purpose
of removing any difficulty as to the identity of the said
Isaac and to enable him to enjoy his Freedom in
the most absolute and perfect manner. I also hereby
certify and state that the said Isaac was born my
slave, that he has resided with me up to this date
that he is very black, his stature about five feet
five inches, of slender make and about forty three
years old, that he has had his right leg broken
just above his ankle. In testimony whereof I
have hereto set my hand and seal this 26th day of
September 1836.
James Sims
in the presence of
Andrew M. Dickinson
Joseph McNutt
John Huddleston
Edward Rion
Bernerd Hendrick
John Hill”
Petition to Grant Residence to Isaac Sims
Nicholas County residents signed a petition to the Legislature of Virginia to grant permanent residence to Isaac Sims. The original can be found in the archives division of the Virginia State Library. It reads as follows:
A PETITION FROM NICHOLAS COUNTY, VIRGINIA
TO GRANT PERMANENT RESIDENCE TO ISAAC SIMS
1836
To the Legislature of Virginia
Your Petitioners humbly represent that JAMES SIMS
of the County of Nicholas has recently emancipated ISAAC
a blackman who is desirous of remaining in the Commonwealth,
your Petitioners represent that there are but very few
slaves in the County of Nicholas not exceeding sixty –
nor is there more than one other coloured person in the
County who is free — your Petitioners further state the
said black man ISAAC is an exceedingly honest industrious
and useful man addicted to no vicious habits whatsoever,
but peaceful & inoffensive & meek in all his intercourse
& business with the country — your Petitioners would be
truly gratified should this Legislature in its wisdom think
proper to grant his application — your Petitioners are
well convinced that no mischief can result to the country
by doing so and as a precedent in this part of the state
nothing of evil is to be apprehended.
Saml Price David Mays
John H. Robinson William Sims
E. S. Duncan Robert Hughes Jr
Johnson Reynolds Edward Sims Jr
Benj. H. Smith Jeremiah Sims
P. B. Wethered Martin Sims
John McWhorter Co. John Sims
Ro Hamilton Anderson Sims
L. D. Wilson Charles Sims
Addison McLaughlin William Morris
John McDermott Joshua Morris
Thomas Miller John H. Morris
Jacob D. McClain Thomas Elliott
Thm. Hill Aron Loyd
Mathew Hughes G. C. Landcraft
Charley Reynolds William Sims
Robert Hill Edward Rion
Harrison A. Low William R. Summers
George Reynolds Edward Campbell
Andrew Odle George Rader Sr
John Kincaid John Foster
James Nichols Jas. G. Murray
James Walkub James Bryant
William Hamrick G. W. Grose
John Dunbar David Bare
Robert McCutchen Lemasters Stephenson
William Miller Jacob C. Chapman
Allen Ewing John Groves
Jacob Drennen John G. Stephenson
Joseph Darlington Jacob Chapman
J. D. Sutton Michael Rader
J. M. Alderson John Linch
J. McClung Andre Skidmore
James R. Henderson Isaac Gregory
James a. Walker Fielding McClung
R. Duffield Abner Stephenson
Seth Thayer Wm. Bell
Thomas Legg Cortes Stephenson
Joshua Stephenson John Rader
Wm. D. Cottle J. G. Neel
Samuel Nichols T. B. Thomas
Joel Hamrick Alexander Grove
David Stuart James Simany
Jefferson Grose Joseph McClung
(?) Dorsey Daniel Falkler
J. Warren Henry (?)
Richard A. Arters William Chapman
William Taylor David Moore
Wilson Arters David R. Hamilton
Philip Duffy Moses Hill
R. Kelly Ira Davis
Elij. Lightner Jacob Odell
James Lightner Wm. Hughs
James Kelly Wm. Bryant
J. M. Hamilton George Fitzwatters
John McCue Andrew Neil
John McClung Robert Neil
S. A. Hamilton Samuel Hutchison
Edward McClung George Hardweg
Nathan Groves John Morris
Peter Duffy John Duffy
J. McMillian B. L. Boggs
Wm. Livesay M. A. Triplett
Jacob Hutchison William M. Boggs
David Hanna John Trout
David Peebles James Grose
Adam Given Robert Keenan
Elverton T. Walker Isaac Fitzwater
Thomas M. Fitzwater Nathaniel Hughes
Thomas B. Morris Hiram S. Marsh
W. Summers Sr. S. Backhouse
Henry Morris Jos. Montgomry
John Smith L. C. Buster
Thomas T. Marton Thos. Hawkins
Peter Coleman Thos. Hines
John Backhouse Cyrus Hedge
William Bird John Slack
Cornelius Dorsey James B. Cole
Pascal Backhouse Austin McCorgil
Joseph Backhouse Nathan Huddleston
Jeremy G. Odel William Kincaid
Joseph Backhouse James Settle
William Hillard Bolen Ballenger
William Smith John Johnson Jr.
Bernard Hendrick James Likens
Mathew Kaincaid John P. Huddleston
John Dorsey W. Tyree
John Fitzwater Hiram Curry
John Dorsey Sr P. Keenan
Dryden Sims E. Hutson
Hudson N. Dickenson Henry Montgomery
Miles Hansen John Huddleston
Jas. H. Miller John Hill
P. W. Buster Joseph Huddleston
Pleasant Hawkins Henry Tritt
Seaton B. Prowsy William Huggins
James B. Murray Robert Huggins
James J. Sims Robert Heuse
(Name Illegible) John Heuse
Leonard Cury S. A. Masterson
William Johnson Joseph W. Nutt
Jno. McNutt Jno. Carton
F. T. Hughes Adam Johnson
Fenton McMorrow Wm. Kelly
Job Huddleston Taswell W. Hues
Nelson Sims Andrew Kenan
Joseph Reams (?) Price
Francis Cincaid E. R. Hutchison
William Loyd Joseph Young
Thos. S. Buster Edda Young
Moses Coleman William Martin
T. B. Hamilton Thos. L. Lewis
John Kincaid Wm. Myles
Thos. J. Huddleston William Kincaid Jr.
John Johnson Gataspher Kincaid
Me_?_ J. Conly Benjamin Darlington
Levi B. Murrey H_?_ Long
Edward Hughs Joel Alexander
Joshua Foster
[Source: Webster County Historical Society, Nicholas County, (West) Virginia Records of the Pioneers, 1818-1860. Upper Glade, West Virginia, Webster County Historical Society, Inc., 1985. 929.3 N597w.]
Isaac Sims, a Free Man
continued in Part 3…..
© 2015 Cathy Meder-Dempsey
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Opening Doors in Brick Walls 
Kudos to you madame. Your contribution to the preservation of family histories is most commendable. Someday the awards for Opening Doors in Brick Walls will be beside Cyndi’s List and Dear Abbey!
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You are too kind Rock Foster. I know that many read your books and I gladly accept your praise. 🙂
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Cathy, I am thrilled to see images of these original documents! I am so happy to see what Isaac’s manumission letter looks like and could kick myself for not noticing it this past summer when I was at the courthouse in Summersville! It makes me very proud to see that my great-great-great-grandfather Joseph Backhouse and several Backhouse and Grose GGG grand uncles signed the petition requesting that the VA legislature allow Isaac to stay in their community. The picture that these and other findings paint is one of a group of people who liked and respected a former slave enough to want to keep him as a neighbor, which runs counter to what many believe about white southerners of that time period. My own research, which I’m writing about, indicates that at least some of the Methodist Episcopalians of that time and place were strongly opposed to slavery based on their Christian faith rather than economic reasons. And yet, of course, there were others among them, even fellow church members, who were slave owners. It is a story that has not yet been fully told. Thank you again for these posts — I look forward to reading Part Three!
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Thank you Christy. I’m having some problems getting my comments posted this afternoon so I will wait for you to read part 3 tomorrow.
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I love Isaac Sims story so far. Sadly, I have not yet found a manumission document among my slave-owning ancestors. What a find!
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I am lucky that there are so many descendants of James Sims working on his history. Thank you Schalene.
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Incredible papers. I do wonder how Isaac managed to obtain the money necessary for emancipation. Did James pay him wages? Really interesting!!
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You’ll have to wait until tomorrow to learn that Amy. 🙂
Thank you for following.
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Very interesting story. I have many ancestors that did own slaves but I’ve never seen any documents like yours. You certainly dug up a gem to share. Looking forward to Part 3
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Not all are gems like these but we need to share them! Thank you Jeanne.
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I wonder how you felt when you first saw this Manumission Letter and all it entailed? It was very meticulous and well written and I can appreciate all the long hours of transcribing it. Makes me wonder to all those witnesses, who were those men in a presence and their relation to him on 9-26-1836? This is when you truly want to be a eye to History and Thank you for letting us get a glimpse into it. Part 2 was very informative.
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Thank you True for reading through this. The petition to allow Isaac to reside in the county is from his perspective a wonderful document. For all persons researching their ancestors in Nicholas County it is even more valuable as the names of nearly all men living in the area are included. People can use this date on their timelines and can place their ancestor at a precise location and time. If Isaac had not been the man he was this precious petition would never have been drawn up!
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It has been many years since I first saw the research dynamo CMD at work. I was impressed beyond words then and shared many times with many people “there is a lady in Luxembourg” and you cannot believe what she accomplished research wise in such a short time from 6000 miles away. I remain amazed and hope to cheer you on to even bigger and better days in your future. I would guess that makes me a fan? I share your passion for sharing Isaac’s story. My books, admittedly not great literary works, reveal my passion for those I love. When you first introduced me to Isaac Sims 10-12 years ago I knew his story was one I had to also tell. Thank you for the introduction to a pioneer father who was way ahead of his time. Whatever magic he possessed also has me under his spell in admiration as it did those “Who’s Who” gentleman of Nicholas and surrounding counties that did the right thing requesting that he be their neighbor. We will hear from him again. Wow, would I love to share a cup of coffee with him. Great work Cathy.
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Rock, thank you so much from the lady in Luxembourg. I know that you share my passion for Isaac’s and our James Sims’ stories. I am so looking forward to reading your next book!!!
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Cathy, somewhere in my research I came across the theory that the petition to keep Isaac in Nicholas County may have been tacked up at the county courthouse (and perhaps elsewhere in town, maybe on trees) and folks could sign as they went about their business in Summersville. That may even be something I picked up from you, but just wanted to mention it because it gives a mental image of how that all came together. Whether it is a documented remembrance, I’m not sure, but seems plausible.
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No Christy that is the first time I’ve heard how they might have gone about getting the petition signed. As you say it does seem plausible. This is one of the reasons I am always trying to get back to the original source of things I find.
The questions I had concerning the names of the wives of James Sims and how his first wife died led me to the group of researchers who helped me get all of these documents together.
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I just found this online on the Friends of Thomas Bauch Library website (http://www.balchfriends.org/glimpse/JPetersIntroBkLaws.htm). It details 19th Century Virginia Black Laws and is reprinted with permission from a document of the same name housed at the Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County, Virginia (http://aaha.pastperfect-online.com/31450cgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=2A2DB89A-443B-4460-B498-497185874000;type=201).
[In 1837] the legislature said, any slave emancipated since May 1, 1806 could apply to the local court for permission to remain in Virginia.
Upon satisfactory proof that the petitioner was of good character, peaceable, orderly, industrious, and not addicted to drunkenness, or other vices, permission could be granted. A notice had to appear on the court house door for two months announcing the petitioner’s intent to remain in the State and three-quarters of the justices of the court had to agree that the individual, couple, or family could remain.
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Thank you Christy! I wonder how many more of these petitions can be found in the Library of Virginia.
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There is a petition database connected to the Library of Virginia. Here is the link which will show you the 10 men who petitioned on Isaac’s behalf: https://library.uncg.edu/slavery/petitions/listPeople.aspx?id=2737&p=p
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Thank you Christy. I see that there were actually two petitions, #11683622 and #11683632.
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Wow, it looks like the first one was rejected! Thanks for pointing the second one out 😉
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I wonder since it says “rejected; reasonable”?? The printed copy I have with the names adds up to abt. 238 – could it be that the papers somehow got divided up?
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Excellent, thanks for adding the Webster Co. source. I was also wondering whether the papers were divided — one petition says 5 pages, another 3 and 2, or something like that. Both were filed on 9 December 1836 and each has ten different petitioners. I am very curious about whether these men were all in Richmond on that day and whether when the first one was rejected, they presented a second? In any event, two petitions for one free person of color says to me that they were not going to take no for an answer and that they must really have valued Isaac as a neighbor. Don’t you think? I will be in Richmond this summer and will be happy to look up the original document or any associated docs and share them with you!
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That would be great! Then we wouldn’t have to speculate and would know if there were two or only one petition. I looked up the book on google and found that it must have been the Webster County Historical Society that brought out the book. I’ll remove the italics. 🙂
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Christy, I added the source below the petition. I have only the table of contents of the book and the pages concerning the petition. I did not have a full name for the book. RMSR who sent this to me per fax 🙂 wrote across the top “Original at the Virginia State LIbrary Archives Div., Nicholas Co. Petitions.”
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Hi, James Simms was my 4th great grandfather. I appreciate all of the information you have posted. Thanks.
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You’re welcome, Ali. If you have anything to add please get in touch. We always need help on the SIMS line.
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