Slave Name Roll Project: RELEASING Jinney, Aaron, Hannah, James, Peggy, Abby, and Charles

The enslaved family I wrote about in last month’s post Slave Name Roll Project: RELEASING Amy, Addison, Henry and his Enslaved Family was recognized by Ta Lee who wrote: “Such a surprise when True A Lewis shared your blog posting. I was totally in shock. These are my folks!!! I have more info on Henry Pack. The Halls are my family. Margaret Pack nee Hall was the sister to my grandfather’s grandmother.”

Ta (rhymes with day) and I did email. I told her I planned on sharing Henry Honaker’s will in my August post. She said, “These people are my people too!” It has been so rewarding to make a connection with a descendant of an enslaved person I’ve written about.

My 5th great-grandfather Hans Jacob HONEGGER was the father of 14 children with his second wife Maria GOETZ whom he married in 1753 after his 1749 arrival in America. The wife and son who travelled with him died at sea in 1749. Hans Jacob and Maria’s second son Henry was a slaveholder as were his sons and his grandson.

Generation 1:

Henry HONAKER b. 1756 d. 1830 (I don’t have the will, the excerpts below are from The Honaker Family in America, a book edited by Frieda Patrick Davison, 1998 © The National Association of Hans Jacob Honaker Families)

Henry bequeathed his two sons, Jesse and Henry, Jr., “…all my lands in Draper’s Valley which I am in possession of at this time to be divided between them in the following manner…” The manner directed that a partition line, designated in the will, be run north and south through the farm. The land on the west of the line went to Jesse, along with slaves Ephriam, Peter, Will and Reny. The land on the east of the line (on which sat the stone house) went to Henry, Jr., along with slaves Aaron, Jenney, Samuel, and Peter, Jr.
To his wife Edith, Henry left “…my negro man, Thomas, and all my stock of horses, cattle, sheep and pigs, and all my household and kitchen furniture not heretofore disposed of, also the stone house and one half the garden during her natural life, also at her death an equal division between my two sons, Jesse and Henry, of all the personal estate left to her, if any remains.”

Generation 2:

1. Jesse Honaker (b. 1789 d. 1869) was the son of Henry and his first wife Ann Baker. Jesse had one son Henry and several daughters per supplements to the Honaker book. In addition to the slaves he had inherited from his father, Jesse owned at least two other slaves — Gilly, daughter of Arena, born in 1855, and probably Arena.

2. Henry Honaker Jr. (b. 1795 d. 1863) was the son of Henry and his second wife Edith Smith. He did not have children with his wife Sarah “Sally” Calfee. He left half of his estate to his grandnephew John Honaker, son of Henry Honaker Jr.*

Generation 3:

Henry Honaker (b. 1819 d. 1869) was the son of Jesse Honaker and the nephew of Henry Honaker Jr. He was also the husband of Rachel Byrnside Pack whose parents Samuel Pack and Sarah Wyatt were slaveholders in last month’s post. I don’t have his will which was written in 1867 per the Honaker Family Newsletter, Fall 1997, page 6. It is not abstracted in the Honaker book or newsletter. As Henry wrote it and died after the Civil War it would not have names of slaves.

*Note: After the death of the first Henry (b. 1756) in 1830, his grandson Henry (b. 1819) was known as Henry Honaker Jr. to distinguish him from the second Henry (b. 1795). The use of Junior caused a bit of confusion and is the reason I listed the three generations above.

RELEASING
Ephriam, Peter, Will, Reny, Aaron*, Jenney*, Samuel, Peter Jr., Thomas
Gilly and Arena
Jinney*, Aaron*, Hannah and her three children James, Peggy & Abby, and Charles
* slave names seen in 1830 and 1863 wills.

Last Will and Testament of Henry Honaker (1795-1863)

I Henry Honaker of Drapers Valley in in (sic) the County of Pulaski
and State of Virginia, do hereby make, constitute and ordain
this my last will and Testament, hereby revoking all other and
former Wills heretofore made by me.
1st. I direct that so soon after my decease as my Executors (herein=
after Named) shall think is advisable, there as much of my live
stock, and if necessary of My other personal property not herein
otherwise particularly disposed of to be Sold as will be sufficient
to pay all my just debts expences (sic) of administration & a
2nd I give to my wife Sallie Honaker during her natural
life the plantation on which I now live in Drapers Valey (sic) and
all my land adjoining the same. I also give her during her life
as aforesaid the following Slaves (viz) Aaron, Hannah and her
three children James, Peggy & Abby and the increase of the females
if any.
3rd I give to my sd [said] wife Sally Honaker and her heirs and
assigns forever the following property (to wit) all of the lands I
purchased of Sam T. Calfee in the County of Wythe. Also 3 head
of Horses, six head of Cattle, twenty head of Sheep, twenty head of
hogs, three beds and bedsteads and bedding sufficient to make and
keep them comfortable, 1 Table, six chairs, one Secretary and ?
press, it is my will that my wife shall have the privelige (sic) of choos=
ing from all the stock and household furniture I may have at
the time of my decease the above mentioned stock and furniture.
I also give to my sd wife and her heirs forever such farming utensils
kitchenware, spring houseware and loom house fixtures as my
Executors shall think necessary for the conform and convenience of her
family. I also give to my sd wife my two clocks and desire her
to leave them to some person that she thinks will keep them together

as they were imported from Germany to this Country together. And in
case any aforesaid wife shall die before I do then and in that
case I give the property I have given to her and her heirs forever to
the following persons, (to wit) I give the lands I bought of S. T. Calfee
to her Brother James D. Calfee and his heirs forever provided he will
pay to Joshua A. Holmes, James R. Holmes, John Holmes, William Holmes,
Wilson D. Holmes, one hundred dollars each and the heirs of Jane
Miller decd formerly Jane Holmes, one hundred dollars, and also pay
to James Calfee, Emily Calfee, Henry Calfee, Amanda J. Calfee, Wm Davis
Calfee, John H. Calfee, Calvin J. Calfee, Leander S. Calfee, Mary M. Calfee, Rhoda J.Calfee,
Augusta A. Calfee and Monroe H. Calfee, the children of Evelina Calfee
each two Hundred and twenty five dollars and the stock, household &
Kitchen furniture & a to be equally divided between the four daughters
of Nancy Howard (viz) Patsey Allison, Centhia, Rhoda & Shophia Howard
and I also wish my sd wife to take my little black boy Charles and
keep him as long as she lives and then he is to live with which
ever of My legatees he may choose without them paying anything
for him, more than to clothe him and pay any expences (sic) his may be
to them.
4th I give the land I own in the upper grid of Drapers Valley
known as the Olinger tract to George H. Comer and his wife, during
their lives and at their death to their children.
5th I give to the children of Jefferson R. Fugate, Bartram Galbreath,
and Joseph Shaffer and John Honaker, son of Henry Honaker junr.
the whole of my estate not otherwise disposed of. The same to be dis=
posed in the following manner (to wit) The children of Jefferson R.
Fugate to have one fourth part, the children of Bartrum Galbreath to
have one fourth part, the children of Joseph Shaffer to have one fourth part
and John Honaker to have the other fourth part.
6th I give to the children of J. R. Fugate the land I own in the County
of Raleigh which to be sold to them at two thousand dollars.
7th I give to the children of Bartram Galbreath my plantation on which
John Black now lives, known as Story(?) Battery which place is to be
sold to them at seven hundred dollars.
8th I give to John Honaker son of Henry Honaker Jr. at the death of my
wife, the plantation on which I now live and all my lands adjoining
the same and if the sd John Honaker should die without heirs then
his next oldest Brother to have it, which place I sale to him at ten
thousand five hundred dollars.
9th I wish my executors to rent out the land I have given to my wife
and her heirs forever and the land I give to the children of Bartrum
Galbreath until my wife’s decease, and that they the lands may _?_
be _?_ I wish them to be farmed according to the improved mode
of farming in this country that is, to be kept in grass at least four
years out of every six.
I wish them also to dispose of all my personal property ?
herein before disposed of other than the Slaves to the best advantage
either publicly or privately as they may choose and as I desire that
my slaves after my decease may fall into the hands of good trustees
I desire that my Executors may allow them to choose their own Mas=
ters, and if they choose any person who is unwilling to give the amount
they are appraised at, that they the executors reduce the ?
till they take off one third part, and ? such credit or credits
as they may think proper and I desire in any case ? the said slaves
may be sold to said person they desire to go to and I wish them
to be sold as much in families as possible, the mothers choosing for
their own children then under 18 years of age.
When the Executors have sold the property and collected the money

and paid all just debts and expences then I I (sic) wish them to ret?
money enough in their hands to pay all expences of taking care of
my old black woman Jinney, during her life.
I desire my executors to hold the money in their hands or leave it
out as they may think best and pay to the children as they come of
age, so that each ones children may receive as much as another
and if the land I have given any of them is more than their
share they are to pay to the other as I wish my land that I
have given to J.R. Fugate, Bartram Galbreath and John Honaker
and my other property to be equally divided in four parts and
each part to be divided so as each ones children may fare equally
except the little boy of J. R. Fugate who is crippled, whose name
is Henry I wish him to have as much as either too of
brothers or sisters.
The Slaves I have herein given to my wife during her life I
wish to be disposed of, at her death in the said way as I have
directed for any other slaves to be disposed of.
I desire that the following Gentlemen be appointed to appraise
my property (viz) Robt D. Martin, Anthony Owens, Jas M. Crocket, Robt
Graham.
I desire the following gentlemen may be my Executors (viz)
John B. Baskerville, John S. Draper, Charles L. Fox, and John C. Graham
In witness whereof I have herewith _?_ my name and af=
fixed my seal this 24th day of May 1859.
Henry Honaker Sr. *Seal*
Witness
Robert D. Martin
William I. Martin
Margaret J. Vermillion

I Henry Honaker do make this codicil to my last will and testa=
ment namely. I give and bequeath to Henry Honaker Miller, (a son
of David Miller who married Margaret Honaker, daughter of Joseph
Honaker) the sum of two hundred dollars. Witness my hand and
seal this 12th day of February 1861.
Henry Honaker *Seal*
Signed, recorded, published and declared
in our presence who in the presence of
each other and of the testator and at
his request have hereunto subscribed and named
as witnesses
John B. Baskerville
James D. Calfee

I hereby revoke the above codicil and direct that the legacy given in
it to Henry Honaker Miller, be paid to his mother Margaret Miller
wife of David Miller, Given under my hand this 14th Nov 1861
Henry Honaker
Witness
Edmond P. Lyon
John Baskerville
Virginia At a Court held for the County of Pulaski the 5th day of Feb 1863
The last will and testament of Henry Honaker Decd was entered in
Court and the will was proven by Robert D. Martin and William I. Martin
two of the subscribing witnesses thereto and the first codicil was proven by Jno
B. Baskerville and James D. Calfee the two subscribing witnesses thereto and
ordered to be recorded. And the second codicil was proven by John B. Basker=
ville one of the subscribing witnesses thereto and continued for further
proof.                           A Copy             Teste
Lynch A. Cur? , C.
And at a Court held for the said County the 5th day of March 1863
The last will and testament of Henry Honaker Decd was again pre=

sented in Court and the last codicil was further proven by Edward
F. Lyon a subscribing witness thereto and ordered to be recorded.
A Copy
Teste
Copies                                           Lynch A. Cu? C.
Teste
Robt. D. Gardner, Clerk
Fees $2.50

[Transcribed by Cathy Meder-Dempsey, 12 August 2016 from images 145-151 found on the Library of Virginia site at link below]

Source:
Chancery Records Index
Locality: Pulaski County
Index Number: 1881-015
Plaintiff(s): Admr of William Hoge, Exrs of Henry Honaker
Defendant(s): Admr. of WIlliam Hoge Etc., Exrs of Henry Honaker Etc.
Surname(s) : Aaron~, Abby~, Allison, Breeding, Charles~, Comer, Draper, Fugate, Galbreath, Graham, Hannah~, Hoge, Honaker, James~, Jordan, Kirkner, Newman, Peggy~, Shaffer, Summers
Wills: 1863 Henry Honaker of Pulaski County, Virginia
Format: Scanned (228 images)
http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=155-1881-015

Following my three part series on the slaves of my 5th grand-father James Sims during Black History Month in February 2015 I made a commitment to write a post on a monthly basis until I’ve RELEASED all of the names of slaves owned by my ancestors or owned by persons I’ve researched who were relatives or neighbors of my ancestors. These posts are part of the Slave Name Roll Project which can be found on Schalene Jennings Dagutis’ blog Tangled Roots and Trees

© 2016, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

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