Slave Name Roll Project: RELEASING: Jordan, Winny, and Thomas

While researching the children of my 5th great-grandfather James Sims (1754-1845) of Nicholas County, Virginia (now West Virginia) I found records documenting the slaves of Charles Hunter, father-in-law of James’ son John. Charles Hunter wrote his last will and testament on 3 July 1847; it was proved and recorded a year later on 10 July 1848 in Kanawha County, Virginia (now West Virginia).

The Last Will and Testament of Charles Hunter

1847 Last Will and Testament of Charles Hunter (part 1)

I Charles Hunter do make this my last Will and Testament as follows, to wit, Item. I will and desire that all my personal property of any kind whatsoever be sold by my executor hereafter to be named and equally divided among my six children or their heirs to wit: Polly Forqueran, the heirs of George Hunter, James Hunter, Mildred Sims, Patsy Childers, the heirs of Nancy Cook.¹

1847 Last Will and Testament of Charles Hunter (part 2)

Item. I give and bequeath to my son James a bed and bedding. I desire that my daughter Patsy may have my case of liquors at the valuation fixed by the Appraiser. I will and direct my Executor that in the sale of any personal property that the negro woman Winny and her son Thomas be sold together and that they shall not be seperated.
Item. I will and direct that all my real estate be sold and equally divided among my five children or their heirs. Argo.(?) Polly Forqueran, the heirs of George Hunter, James Hunter, Patsey Childers, and the heirs of Nancy Cook having already conveyed One hundred acres of Land to John Sims, which I consider as equal to his part.
Item. I will and direct that whatever property I have devised to my son James, or may devise, may be placed in to the hands of David Childers, who shall act as a Trustee, investing the money or property in some safe manner for his support.
I give to my son James a sorrell colt, two years old.
I do hereby declare this to be my last Will and Testament revoking all others and I hereby appoint John Sims and David Childers my executors. In Witness whereof I have hereonto set my hand and seal this 3rd day of July 1847.
………………………………………………………………………Charles Hunter (his mark)
Signed, sealed and acknowledged
in presence of Ph. R. Thompson
……………………….Lilburn Sims
……………………….Wm. H. Cunningham

At a court held for Kanawha County the 10th day of July 1848
This last Will and Testament of Charles Hunter dec’d was this day proved by the oath of Philip R. Thompson & William H. Cunningham subscribing witness thereto and ordered to be recorded.
Teste H. W. Quarrier Clk²

1848 Bills of Sale

The list of property sold at the estate sale of Charles Hunter decd on the 18th day of August 1848 does not include the enslaved Winny and her son Thomas mentioned in the will.³

On the 20th day of November 1848 another sale was held. David J. W. Clarkson bought 2 negros Tom & Winney for $562 and a Negro man Jordan for $440.50.⁴

The 1850 U.S. Federal Census – Slave Schedule

In 1850 D. J. W. Clarkson (David Josiah Wood Clarkson) was living in Kanawha County. He had five enslaved persons: 46 yo female black, 45 yo female black, 22 yo female mulatto, 10 yo female mulatto, and 12 yo male black. He had no adult male. Does this mean Jordan was deceased or sold before 1850? Could the young 12 years old boy be Thomas/Tom? If he is little Tom, which of the two older women may have been Winny as Charles Hunter stipulated Thomas was not to be separated from his mother?

By 1860 Clarkson was still in Kanawha but not found on the slave schedule. There was however a John N. Clarkson (seen in a family tree as David’s brother) on the 1860 Slave Schedule with many slaves. In 1870 David Clarkson was in Lafayette County, Missouri where he died in 1873. His widow Sarah Elizabeth Quarrier was back in Kanawha by 1880.

During the Civil War David J. W. Clarkson was engaged with his brothers in the manufacture of salt. Could knowing his occupation be helpful to anyone searching for Jordan, Winny, and Thomas?

Following my three-part series on the slaves of my 5th great grandfather 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 (About the Project) administered by Schalene Jennings Dagutis who also blogs at Tangled Roots and Trees.

© 2018, copyright Cathy Meder-Dempsey. All rights reserved.

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1.  “West Virginia Will Books, 1756-1971,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-4P95-4T?cc=1909099&wc=Q8B7-15W%3A179690301%2C179690302 : 21 June 2016), Kanawha > Will book, v. 001 1820-1858 > image 212 of 377; county courthouses, West Virginia. ↩
2.  “West Virginia Will Books, 1756-1971,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-4P95-DL?cc=1909099&wc=Q8B7-15W%3A179690301%2C179690302 : 22 June 2016), Kanawha > Will book, v. 001 1820-1858 > image 213 of 377; county courthouses, West Virginia. ↩
3.   “West Virginia Will Books, 1756-1971,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-4P95-P3?cc=1909099&wc=Q8B7-15W%3A179690301%2C179690302 : 22 June 2016), Kanawha > Will book, v. 001 1820-1858 > image 218+219 of 377; county courthouses, West Virginia. ↩
4.  “West Virginia Will Books, 1756-1971,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-4P95-8X?cc=1909099&wc=Q8B7-15W%3A179690301%2C179690302 : 22 June 2016), Kanawha > Will book, v. 001 1820-1858 > image 219 of 377; county courthouses, West Virginia. ↩