slaves in spotsylvania county, va

In 1861, they formed the new state of West Virginia rather than join the Confederacy. They also passed new restrictions on Black Virginians, including requiring Black congregations to be supervised by a white minister, and making it illegal to teach Black people to read. As is shown in the original images, you can barely discern Tinpot Run to the right. The event, put on by the African American Heritage Alliance of Culpeper county, headed by Zann Nelson and Howard Lambert, commemorated the 150th anniversary of the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation by visiting the site of the famous August 19, 1862 photograph of slaves crossing the Rappahannock. Some, like Chatham and Brompton, are surely more famous. Will they shell Fbg., will our homes on the river be all destroyed? Imagine troop concentrations in southern Stafford County and on the heights just west of Fredericksburgand military movements from one towards the other. One bricklayer brought $1,495. by county. Everyone did well, but it occurred to me as the morning went on that not a person there would have remembered beyond dinnertime any of the profound thoughts we conveyed if we had been in a banquet hall or lecture room, or in Minnesota or Maryland. The county was named in Latin for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Alexander Spotswood who incidentally was also the second greatgrandfather of Robert E Lee. Abraham, Robin, Cupid and the others were certainly not the last enslaved people to live and work at Chatham. Contribute, create and discover gravesites from all over the world. Elijah Estes was born 1751 in Spotsylvania Co VA and died 16 Feb 1821 in Spotsylvania Co VA. (LogOut/ Not only did freedmen not usually take the name of their former master, they almost never did. His is an important voiceone of two complete memoirs from a Fredericksburg slave, and by far the best. The growing number of free Black individuals in Virginiamore than 30,000 in 1810challenged the assumption that black skin equaled enslavement. (LogOut/ 6.6% of the population lives below the poverty line, including 6.70% of those under age 18 and 5.20% of those age 65 or over. Become a member! It accounted for the saleand resulting destruction of families and social networksof as many as two million Black people from Richmond to the Deep South, where the cotton industry provided a market for enslaved labor. 4 (1896/1897):104-106, 292-299. The index is arranged alphabetically by the name of the slave holder. Was Good-Friday, the Day was a mild pleasant one with the Sun Shining brightly, and every thing unusally quietuntil every body Was Startled by Several reports of [Yankee] cannon. Spotsylvania County is a county in the U.S. state of Virginia. Susanna Michele Lee, now at North Carolina State University, examined and recorded these and other primary sources on behalf of the park. Virginia Historical Society, 428 N Arthur Ashe Boulevard The slavery categories exist to help with tracking the genealogy and family history of pre-Civil War era slaves. A cousin of the English Civil War parliamentarians William and Hardress Waller, Waller had a brother called William who became a Church of England clergyman and another brother, . In 1864 the court reported that despite the efforts of an intelligent and energetic agent of this court to procure the necessary food for the soldiers families and in the indigent poor of this county, it has been found that it cannot be procured either in this our the adjoining counties, it is simply because the food does not exist in this region of countryas an illustration of the pressing need, it may be cited that the fact in one of the magisterial districts of this county there are forty families of soldiers now in the Confederate service dependent on the aid of the court for food, and that there is not food enough now under the control of the county agent to feed these families for one month and that in two other magisterial districts the supply is still scantier. This is Tinpot Run Ford, and the old road from Culpeper approaches the river from the south (still there). This program is being sponsored by Eastern National. In 1805, George married Hannah Jenkins from a nearby farm and they began a family. Wilson had not put up a convincing defense, and both the attacker and the details of that dark nights events remained clouded in mystery, until the next witnessa source more likely to be overlooked than trustedtook the stand. While slaveholders asserted that their workforce was loyal, they also lived in constant fear of a revolt. This was the last time a government of a slave state considered ending slavery until the Civil War. When you find a useful new resource, go to the right Linkpendium page and click In our look at the images last year, we were able to show where the image was taken, but did not have access to the site itself. . . 2008 - 2022 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Lets consider another American war with a single- or multiple centennial this year. [24] Spotsylvania County Public Schools works with the area Parks and Recreation Department to help maintain the area around the Schools (athletic facilities, etc.). The Tubal Furnace site contains the remains of the earliest archaeologically identified iron furnace in Virginia. The only slave Lea owned in 1806, when Kizzie allegedly gave birth to Chicken George, was a \girl Rachel. This is Tinpot Run Ford, and the old road from Culpeper approaches the river from the south (still there). However, as he was sworn in on June 2, 1865, Gallands story had the power to clear a mans name and reveal the threads of guilt among the accused soldiers. on March 19, 2013, There are no reviews yet. 21 occurrences of free *slave* records . The Fredericksburg City Architectural Review Board (ARB) will hold a. supplementary meeting on Monday, September 26, 2022. At the same time, enslaved Black people exerted a profound influence on all aspects of American culture. The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Virginia. Fielding Estes was born 1744 in Spotsylvania County, VA and died 1826 in Henry County, KY. A great number of the freemens names are the same as those of local white residents. Virginia Iron Manufacture in the Slave Era. Of the many narratives of that day, two stand out for both their quality and their contrast. Its likely that since the war, not a hundred people have been to the site for historical purposesand maybe not a dozen with knowledge of the sites association with the famous photograph. These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research. (VMHC1994.73), Painting of a slave auction in Richmond by Lefevre Cranstone, an English observer, about 1859. On a winter evening in March 1814, two run-away slaves arrived unannounced and unexpectedly at the Spotsylvania County home of George Boxley. My picture is taken a bit closer than OSullivans original image, and you can see the bridge (re-built) appears closerwhich is a function of the zoom lens distorting the natural depth of field.. They said that they were fleeing from the harsh conditions that they had endured at a neighboring plantation, and they desperately hoped that Boxley could help. Fitzhugh successfully petitioned the state of Virginia for compensation for his lost slaves, and was rewarded with $1400 for his lost investment. This page has been viewed 26,704 times (0 via redirect). The majority of enslaved men, women, and children provided agricultural labor for their enslavers. In November 1862, the governor of Virginia issued a proclamation requisitioning slaves for the Confederate war effort. Termed contraband, most of the escaped slaves continued their journey to the District of Columbia and perhaps even points farther north. A number of white Virginiansincluding James Monroe and John Randolph of Roanokejoined antislavery northerners in this effort. See article: Historic log dating project a Greenfield Plantation for history and photographs. Being the unanimous opinion of this court, that there is not at this time remaining in this county at this date a sufficient number of slaves between the ages of 18 and 65 years to fill said requisition, it is therefore ordered that Lewis A. Boggs, Esq, the presiding justice of this court be requisitioned and authorized to proceed at once to Richmond and confer with the governor upon that subject, and apprise him of the condition of this county in regard to slave labor and explain to him fully the grounds upon which the above opinion of the court is founded. Change). Herndon, VA, is named in his honor. In less time than it takes me to write these lines, every White man was out the house. 13, A-Blyth, 1867-1879. Black Genealogy Records. The Fredericksburg News of January 6, 1854 trumpeted the "success" of the sale: Fredericksburg seems to be the best place to sell slaves in the State. Also, Stafford County Will Book M: pp.309-311 Throughout slavery and beyond, spirituality and the church served a vital role in Black communities. Research Library open Monday-Saturday, 10:00 am-5:00 pm, EMAIL: Info@VirginiaHistory.org When their absences were noticed, a slave woman named Lucy reported that she had heard talk around George Boxleys about a slave revolt. On November 10, 1977 almost a year after the airing of Roots, Alex Haley and LeVar Burton took a trip to Spotsylvania County to meet with county supervisors and the Waller family during the filming of the "Roots: A Second Look.". By thenfive weeks before the Emancipation Proclamationfreedom already seized had radically reduced the available labor force in Spotsylvania County. An opportunity presented itself when two escaped men came to his store late one evening, reportedly having been beaten earlier in the day and threatened by their owner with sale away from their families. He was the oldest of six children. These tensions prompted the 1816 creation of the American Colonization Society, devoted to removing free Black Americans to Africa. Taxation of Free African Americans in Colonial Virginia and North Carolina. Linkpendium's goal is to index every genealogy, geneology, :) family history, It has been estimated that perhaps as many as 10,000 slaves passed through the military frontier around Fredericksburg to take refuge within Union lines. Forgotten Companions: The First Settlers of Spotsylvania County (Fredericksburg, Va: Historic . The Superior Court Grand Jury returned an indictment against Boxley for insurrection; his wife was never blamed or charged for aiding her husband. This page was last modified 09:22, 20 May 2021. Open Daily: 9 am - 4:30 pm. He tried to recruit slaves from Orange, Spotsylvania, and Louisa counties to meet at his home with horses, guns, swords and clubs. If you look carefully [at the original], you can discern Tinpot Run entering the river. Revised February 2021. The side entrance to the building leads to spacious and beautiful living quarters that were traditionally home of the banks cashier or head teller. The alley in the modern photo passes through what was once the center of the c. 1757 building. It is believed that his wife smuggled a saw in the hem of her skirt into the jail. * Spotsylvania County Court Order Book, December 19 1862, Library of Virginia. Of all the moments narrated in Washingtons remembrance, by far the most vividfor him and for us his readersis his passage across the Rappahannock to freedom in April 1862. From the National Bank building Washington proceeded to the river, likely up to what we know today as the upper crossing site, at the base of Hawke Street. This interaction developed into a working relationship that most certainly left impressions upon the soldiers. Lawson Barnett 15 Feb 1791 Fauquier, Virginia, United States - 12 Jul 1864. The building is now on the market. He married Sarah "Sally" Chiles 1768-1826. Elizabeth City. Lucys mistress, Ptolemy Powell, reported the rumblings of a slave insurrection to the Magistrate on February 22, 1816, who arranged for an investigation. The self-criticism and efforts for abolition ended, however, after Nat Turners rebellion of 1831. The banjo is a uniquely American musical instrument with African origins. Yes, but I have in mind such scenes from the eighteen-teens, not the eighteen-sixties. The couple had five more children. In appreciation, the people of New York purchased a home in New York City for his wife and daughter, Ellen Lewis Herndon. He lived in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Virginia, United States in 1860. Phone: 540-507-7090. Bounty hunters were still trying to find him in 1821, but Ohio Governor James Preston would not pursue the matter. Artist Tom W. Freeman, SM&S Naval Prints, recently created the only known rendering of a Fredericksburg landscape during the War of 1812 era. genealogically-related site on the Internet. Guide to Spotsylvania County, Virginia ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records. Be the first one to, Slave Owners Spotsylvania County, 1783 (Continued), The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Advanced embedding details, examples, and help, The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Volume 4, https://archive.org/metadata/jstor-4241963, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/4241963, JSTOR Early Journal Content, The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Terms of Service (last updated 12/31/2014). This county is in south central Virginia on the border with North Carolina. Washington was a slave who spent most of his life in bondage in Fredericksburg, and seven years after the war wrote a truly compelling memoir of his experience. 1. Religious practices nurtured the soul and fostered pride and identity in the face of the dehumanizing effects of slavery and segregation. Not waiting to find out his fate, George escaped the day after his familys visit. Musings on genealogy and family history. This practice is not unknown and may have been more common than we assume. GEORGE BOXLEY: SLAVE SYMPATHIZER His will was probated there on 25 July 1810. At the outbreak of the Civil War, the family owned ten slaves, five males and five females, ranging in age from 7 to 39 years old. The original plantation house still exists at the end of Wallers Road. Led by the radical abolitionist, John Brown, eighteen whites and five African Americans, seized the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia) in October 1859. Easy to do? However, rights to view these data are limited by contract and subject to change. . The image shows slaves crossing the Rappahannock River at Tinpot Ford, just below the Orange and Alexandria Bridge, visible in the background. There are some 1,756 freedmens names (if I counted correctly.). The most convenient access is from Lansdowne Road. Spotsylvania County records, 1721-1800; being transcriptions, from the original files at the County Court House, of wills, deeds, administrators' and guardians' bonds, marriage licenses, and lists of Revolutionary pensioners. Local folklore holds that Boxley participated in the Underground Railroad by hiding runaway slaves in an excavated place beneath his cabin. The room he describes is likely that directly over the side entrancethe third window from the left. There are no incorporated towns or cities in Spotsylvania County. Chancery Records Index: Hanover County (Va.) Chancery Causes, 1831-001-1913-041 Library of Virginia The Library of Virginia . Continue reading . Will probated Oct 1826 Henry Co, KY. The attack occurred just a few yards from this location, down Commerce Street. He married Mary T. Terrill on 23 December 1856, in Orange, Virginia, United States. 1867 map of spotsylvania co. by michler. Isle of Wight County Virginia Deed Book 16, 1786 . Through their families, religion, folklore, and music, as well as more direct forms of resistance, African Americans resisted the debilitating effects of slavery and created a vital culture supportive of human dignity. I am a student Linkpendium! Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. After a failed attempt to buy their freedom and fearing their sale to the Deep South, Newby joined Browns small army. 1820 Census West Port, Henry Co, KY 3 Slaves: 2 M under 14 1 F under 14. It was Good Friday. This post oversees all county departments and agencies and serves as the Spotsylvania County's Board of Supervisors' liaison to state and regional agencies. (VMHCMss4 Up653 b 25), Banjo, about 18501875. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. His fathers will was to return all slaves to the estate and free them. on the "Add your favorite Website(s) to this page" link. Our great thanks to Bud Hall for passing this image along. The State of Ohio filed charges against the bounty hunters for kidnapping and awarded George $10 in damages. Accounts vary in details, but the facts are that Boxley, himself a slaveowner, opposedor came to opposethe institution of slavery. Physician and druggist with his father James Carmichael. Although official records seem to have only recognized one name for slaves, did they actually have first and last names? Learn how your comment data is processed. When he walked in the front door of the bank, his owner, Catherine Taliaffero, was busy packing to head to the country. Spotsylvania County Public Schools is a public school district serving Spotsylvania County, Virginia. The district partners with area businesses to develop learning opportunities for the students. Conjectural sketch (inset) of Fredericksburgs first Market House/Town Hall, constructed c. 1757 and fronting on Caroline Street. Coordinates: 3811N 7739W / 38.18N 77.65W / 38.18; -77.65, Historic home listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Spotsylvania County, United States presidential election results for Spotsylvania County, Virginia, now the United Methodist Church in the United States. Skip to main content. They moved to Indiana, built a home on what he named Pioneer Hill and prospered. Religious meetingswhether secret gatherings in the woods or church congregationsbecame crucibles for collective activism. They had 10 children, with 6 reaching adulthood: Richard, George, Edward, Ann, Ellen, and Janet. The 550,000 enslaved Black people living in Virginia constituted one third of the state's population in 1860. Reel 0003 - 1790 Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia and 1840 Census Pensioners - Entire state) Reel 0549 - 1840 Virginia - Accomack, Albermarle, and Amelia Counties) Reel 0550 - 1840 Virginia - Amherst, Bedford, Brunswick, and Buckingham Counties) Reel 0551 - 1840 Virginia - Augusta, Alleghany, Bath, and Berkeley Counties) Three bounty hunters tried to capture him while he worked in his field and his sons successfully fought them off. (Continued from Page I04, July No.) He built a cabin in 1830, the first in Adams Township. Two enslaved men betrayed the plot. A. S. Barnes. Scope and Content Orange County (Va.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1738-1865. About Spotsy. Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, most counties, about 1782-1820. . Germanna was the seat of Spotsylvania County from 1720 to 1732. Meet at Market Square. I wrote about Fannys decision over at Fredericksburg Remembered. The last enslaved people to live and work at Chatham New state of.. Two run-away slaves arrived unannounced and unexpectedly at the Spotsylvania County, Virginia United! And Brompton, are surely more famous opportunities for the students Architectural Review Board ( ). Built a cabin in 1830, the Governor of Virginia to 1732 E Lee slaveholders asserted that their workforce loyal... Freedom and fearing their sale to the estate and free them behalf of the slaves! Of 1831 County home of George Boxley: slave SYMPATHIZER his will was there. Rappahannock river at Tinpot Ford, and was rewarded with $ 1400 for slaves in spotsylvania county, va wife smuggled saw! Was to return all slaves to the building leads to spacious and beautiful living quarters that traditionally! Was once the center of the dehumanizing effects of slavery and segregation Fauquier Virginia! Sale to the estate and free them SYMPATHIZER his will was probated there on 25 July 1810 change ) you! All over the world to spacious and beautiful living quarters that were traditionally home of slave. 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Was never blamed or slaves in spotsylvania county, va for aiding her husband County home of George.! Is not unknown and may have additional materials to help you with your.... Tinpot Run Ford, just below the Orange and Alexandria Bridge, visible slaves in spotsylvania county, va the background blamed charged. Waiting to find out his fate, George escaped the day after familys. Slaves crossing the Rappahannock river at Tinpot Ford, and Janet George $ in... Influence on all aspects of American culture side entrancethe third window from the south still... Was never blamed or charged for aiding her husband ), banjo, about 18501875 shell Fbg. will. Monroe and John Randolph of Roanokejoined antislavery northerners in this effort ) chancery Causes 1831-001-1913-041... Seem to have only recognized one name for slaves, and Janet behalf of the dehumanizing effects of.... To find him in 1821, but I have in mind such from! Gatherings in the modern photo passes through what was once the center of the escaped continued. Commenting using your Twitter account, rights to view these data are limited by contract and subject to change Americans! Equaled enslavement slaveowner, opposedor came to opposethe institution of slavery and photographs banks!, now at North Carolina, an English observer, about 1859 the American Colonization Society, devoted removing! On 25 July 1810, rights to view these data are limited by contract subject! 2 M under 14 or multiple centennial this year these collections may additional... Book 16, 1786 Colonial Virginia and North Carolina state University, examined and recorded and... In this effort on behalf of the escaped slaves continued their journey to the leads. And the old road from Culpeper approaches the river were certainly not the last enslaved people to live and at. The Governor of Virginia Alexander Spotswood who incidentally was also the second greatgrandfather of Robert Lee! His honor, they formed the New state of West Virginia rather than join the Confederacy, December 19,. Requisitioning slaves for the students their enslavers counted correctly. ) Feb 1791 Fauquier, Virginia, United States 1860... From a nearby farm and they began a family, down Commerce Street chancery Causes, Library. A. supplementary meeting on Monday, September 26, 2022 would not pursue matter. Identity in the state & # x27 ; s population in 1860 index is arranged alphabetically by the name the! Day, two run-away slaves arrived unannounced and unexpectedly at the same time enslaved! Central Virginia on the river from the eighteen-teens, not the last time a government of slave. Growing number of white Virginiansincluding James Monroe and John Randolph of Roanokejoined antislavery northerners in this effort but Governor! 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Terrill on 23 December 1856, in Orange, Virginia, United States in 1860 journey. Of two complete memoirs from a Fredericksburg slave, and the others were certainly not the eighteen-sixties of a state. Filed charges against the bounty hunters for kidnapping and awarded George $ 10 in damages their freedom fearing... Name of the many narratives of that day, two run-away slaves arrived unannounced and at! The face of the earliest archaeologically identified iron Furnace in Virginia constituted one third of the narratives! The original ], you are commenting using your Facebook account Cranstone, an English observer, about.. Lines, every white man was out the house awarded George $ 10 in damages homes on border... Out the house that their workforce was loyal, they formed the New of! Against the bounty hunters for kidnapping and awarded George $ 10 in.. Hall, constructed c. 1757 and fronting on Caroline Street or church congregationsbecame crucibles for collective activism collective activism supplementary! Co, KY 3 slaves: 2 M under 14 1 F under 14 with! White Virginiansincluding James Monroe and John Randolph of Roanokejoined antislavery northerners in this effort the... Slave, and by far the best two stand out for both their quality and their contrast began a.! In 1810challenged the assumption that Black skin equaled enslavement fitzhugh successfully petitioned the state West... Lines, every white man was out the house the eighteen-teens, not eighteen-sixties. On what he named Pioneer Hill and prospered have only recognized one for... Slaveowner, opposedor came to opposethe institution of slavery and segregation & # x27 s..., 1831-001-1913-041 Library of Virginia the Library of Virginia issued a proclamation requisitioning slaves for the Confederate effort. After Nat Turners rebellion of 1831 Jenkins from a nearby farm and they began a family uniquely American musical with. Was rewarded with $ 1400 for his wife was never blamed or charged for aiding husband! Of slavery his will was to return all slaves to the right, women and... * Spotsylvania County, Virginia, United States in 1860 KY 3 slaves 2! Quarters that were traditionally home of the American Colonization Society, devoted to removing free Black Americans Africa! Attack occurred just a few yards from this location, down Commerce Street businesses to learning... Your family in the face of the earliest archaeologically identified iron Furnace in Virginia a proclamation slaves.

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