Tom – Opening Doors in Brick Walls

Following my three part series on the slaves of my 5th grand-father James Sims I’ve 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. During October, Family History Month, I’m working through a large chancery file pulling as much information out of it as possible and posting weekly in hopes of helping the descendants of the slaves mentioned.

I RELEASED Delph, Ben, Sukey, Tom, Jacob, Peggy, Aime, and their children Sandy, Britton, Reuben, Betsey, Pleasant, Benjamin, Cynthia, Calvin, Sarah, Susan, Adeline, John, William, Mary, Alice, Jacob, Ellender, Giles, Edward, Serena, Lucy, Margaret, Sam, an [unnamed] infant, Martha, Charles, and Green (or Gwen). This is a continuation of information found on these slaves including the Bills of Sale found for the original 7 slaves, Delph, Ben, Sukey, Tom, Jacob, Peggy, and Aime.

Bill of Sale for Tom

The Bill of Sale for Tom, a slave sold by Mary Smith and her son Gideon to Samuel Saunders, was found in the Chancery Records Administrator of Mary Smith vs Samuel Saunders, Franklin County, Virginia, index number 1851-022.

These are screenshots of the Bill of Sale labelled as exhibit “DD” by Samuel Saunders the respondent in the case.

billofsaleback — Cover of Bill of Sale for Tom (Exhibit DD) found in Chancery Records for Admr of Mary Smith vs Samuel Saunders, Franklin County, Virginia, index number 1851-022; online http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=067-1851-022 (image 52 of 127) : accessed 12 October 2015

Mary Smith
&
Gideon Smith
Bill
Sale
Negro Boy
Tom
“DD”

billofsaletom — Bill of Sale for Tom (Exhibit DD) found in Chancery Records for Admr of Mary Smith vs Samuel Saunders, Franklin County, Virginia, index number 1851-022; online http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=067-1851-022 (image 51 of 127) : accessed 12 October 2015

Know All Men by these Presents that We Mary Smith
and Gideon Smith of the County of Franklin for and in
the consideration of the Sum of Two hundred Dollars to us
in hand paid by Saml Saunders of the County afersaid at
and before the Sealing and Delivery of these Presents
the Recpt [receipt] whereof We do hereby Acknowledge have Bargained
Sold Granted and Confirm and by these Presents Do Bargain
Sell Grant and Confirm to the said Saml Saunders one Negroe
Boy Slave named Tom to have & to Hold the Said
Negroe Boy to the only the only Proper use and Behoof of
the Said Saml Saunders his Executors Administrators and
Assigns for ever and We the Said Mary Smith & Gideon
Smith for my our Selves our Heirs Executors and Administrators
the Said Negroe Boy to the Said Saml Saunders his Executors
Administrators and Assigns against us the Said Mary
Smith & Gideon Smith our Executors Administrators and
Assigns and against all and Every Other Person and
Persons whatsoever Shall and Will Warrant and
for ever Defend by these Presents in Witness whereof
We have hereunto Set our hands and affixed our
Seals this 22 Day of March 1813
Sealed and Delivered and Possession Mary Smith (signature & seal)
Delivered in the Presents of us. Gideon Smith (signature & seal)

Signatures:
Braxton James
Joshua Knowles

[Transcribed 19 October 2015 from the images found in the chancery records.]

Note: Gideon Smith was the son of Mary (Hairston) Smith.

Posts related to the Mary Smith vs Samuel Saunders Chancery Records:

Slave Name Roll Project: RELEASING Will, Cintha, Delph, Cate, Darkis, Roas, Alesey, Chloe, Charlote, Feby, Jude, Peggy, Rick, Cuffey, Thomas, Sal, Easter, Jude, Lucy and Anthony

Slave Name Roll Project: RELEASING Delph, Ben, Sukey, Tom, Jacob, Peggy, Aime and the children

Slave Name Roll Project: Bill of Sale for Delph, Benjamin, and Sukey

Slave Name Roll Project: Bill of Sale for Tom

Slave Name Roll Project: Bills of Sale and Memorandum of Agreement for Jacob

Slave Name Roll Project: Bills of Sale for Peggy and Aime

Slave Name Roll Project: A Conclusion Concerning Delph’s Relationship in the Family
True's statement © 2015 Cathy Meder-Dempsey

Following my three part series on the slaves of my 5th grand-father James Sims I’ve 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. Today I’m RELEASING Delph, Ben, Sukey, Tom, Jacob, Peggy, Aime, and their children Sandy, Britton, Reuben, Betsey, Pleasant, Benjamin, Cynthia, Calvin, Sarah, Susan, Adeline, John, William, Mary, Alice, Jacob, Ellender, Giles, Edward, Serena, Lucy, Margaret, Sam, an [unnamed] infant, Martha, Charles, and Green (or Gwen).

While searching the Chancery Records of Virginia for records naming my ancestors I found this very large bundle with a bill of complaint by Joseph Peters, Admr of Mary Smith vs Samuel Saunders. Joseph Peters was the brother of my 3rd great-grandfather Jordan N. Peters and the son-in-law of Gideon Smith who in turn was the son of Mary (Hairston) Smith.

I only scratched the surface of this case with the transcription of the Last Will and Testament of Mary (Hairston) Smith’s father Robert Hairston who died in 1791 in Franklin County, Virginia in my last post. The slave woman named Delph given to Mary in the will had two children and they in turn had more offspring. The Chancery Records I found have 127 images which include Bills of Sale, many passages with names and ages, and this paragraph which includes the names and ages of the originally purchased slaves as well as their increase.

This is an abstract from the answer of Samuel Saunders to the bill of complaint exhibited against him by Joseph Peters, Administrator of Mary Smith deceased in the Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery for the County of Franklin.

saundersslaves — Abstract from the respondent Samuel Saunders, dated the 9th day of November 1849, online http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=067-1851-022 (image 12 of 127)

Delph decd about 7 years ago at an advanced age without having any more children after she came into respondents possession, Sukey decd about 10 years ago leaving an only child a boy now about 22 years of age, so that the negroes purchased originally and now in respondent’s possession are Jacob about 50, Ben about 48, Tom about 40, Peggy about 51 and Aime about 39 – and of the increase of the women them are in respondent’s possession, Sandy about 22 a son of Sukey, Britton about 33, Reuben about 32, Betsey about 30, Pleasant about 28, Benjamin about 26, Cynthia about 23, Calvin about 20, Sarah about 18, Susan about 16, Adeline about 14, John about 12, William about 10, Mary about 8, Alice about 5, and Jacob about 2, children of Peggy, Ellender about 12, Giles about 10, Edward about 8, Serena about 6, Lucy about 4, Margaret about 2, and Sam 1, children of Betsy a daughter of Peggy, – an [unnamed] infant child of Cynthia a daughter of Peggy, – Martha about 24 and Charles about 21 children of Aime, – and Green(? Gwen) about 2 a child of Martha a daughter of Aime, – the said Martha had another child which died about a year ago aged 2 or 3 years. Those are all of the said negroes whether them originally purchased or their increase, which are now or ever have been in the possession of respondent.

[Transcribed 5 October 2015 from the image of the chancery records.]

From the information given by the respondent Samuel Saunders (images 7 through 14) in his answer concerning his purchase ca. 34 years previously of the seven slaves I was able to draw up this mind map:

mindmap — A first attempt to use Scapple for mind-mapping.

I plan to transcribe and share abstracts of the Bills of Sale for the 7 slaves and follow-up with information found in the depositions given by witnesses.