Archive and History Center Database

Items

• 1829--Bourbon Co., Manumission of Jarrard
  Bourbon County enslaver Reuben George directed in his 1814 will that Jarrard be manumitted at the discretion of the estate administrator, and be taught a trade of his choice. Jarrard's Free status was filed in the Bourbon County Court on April 6, 1829.
• 1824--Bourbon Co., Manumission of Mary
  Mary's manumission was filed with the Bourbon County Court exactly ten years after the death of enslaver Reuben George, who directed she be freed within that timeframe.
• 1822--Bourbon County, Manumission of Talbot
  Bourbon County enslaver, Reuben George, directed in his 1814 will that Talbot be manumitted no later than ten years after his death. A manumission was filed in the bourbon County Court by George's administrators in 1822.
• 1836--Boone Co., Freedom for Burrell
  In 1836, 24-yr-old Burrell was manumitted in Boone County by Joseph Kendrick, the administrator of the estate of Reuben George, of Bourbon County. George died in 1814, and his will directed that his slaves be manumitted either at the death of his wife or earlier. Reuben George's widow married Joseph Hawkins, Jr. and came to Boone County, bringing some of the enslaved people with her.
• 1834--Boone Co., George and Mary to be manumitted at adulthood
  In a deed of transfer from James H Mackey to Theodore G. Price, both of Boone County, George, 14, and Mary, 12 were sold with the agreement that each would be freed when they reached the ages of 28 and 23, respectively. For George, the date of manumission should take place on 2 Jun 1848. For Mary, the date of manumission should take place on 24 Feb 1850.
• 1840--Clark County, Stephen Bristow manumitted
  Within John Bristow's will, filed in Clark County (Ky.) court, April session, all of the people he enslaved were manumitted. Land was to be purchsed for Elijah and his family and Thirsey and her family in Todd County, unless they decieded to go to Liberia. Stephen Bristow was to be given the interest from $300 that was to be invested by the administrator, until he should need the principal.
• 1858--Rockcastle Co., Craig Langford Buys His Family
  Craig Langford was living free in Preble County, Ohio, though his wife and seven children were still enslaved in Rockcastle County, Kentucky. In 1858, a local abolitionist, Jesse Stubbs, both contributed his own money and took up a subscription in the community to help raise the funds needed to purchase Craig's wife Fannie and their children. The two men journeyed together to Rockcastle County, securing the family's freedom and taking them home to Ohio.
• 1825--Manumission of an extended family
  George Kite executed a deed of manumission for the people he enslaved, dated 22 Jan, 1825, filed with the clerk on 7 Feb, 1825.
• 1834--Manumission of Massey, Moses and Henry
  in 1817, shortly after moving to Indiana territory, John Watts entered into an agreement with Thomas Tousey to hire out to him three people Watts had enslaved while in Boone County. In his will, certified in Ripley County, Indiana in 1834, he directs that Massey, Henry and Moses be freed at the end of their obligation to Tousey.
• 1846--Mat Kersey frees his children and grandchildren
  Free African American Matt Kersey, AKA Mat Bates, manumitted eight individuals by deed on November 2nd, 1846, "for and in consideration of the natural love and affection" he had for them, his children and grandchildren. The individual names are listed, though it's not clear which of them are children and which are grandchildren.
• Alloway, John
  In 1807, John Alloway purchased a large amount of personal property and real estate from his father, Archelous Alloway, in Boone County, just before his father's 1808 death. Two separate deeds were executed, one for a large tract of land, the other for household goods, chattle, farm implements and fifteen enslaved people. John later lived in Cincinnati, Shelby Co., KY and settled in Nashville, TN.
• 1846--Manumission of Laton
  On 7 September, 1846, Ann Eliza Tousey's husband, Charles Chambers, filed a deed of manumission, declaring Laton free from "all obligations of involuntary servitude."
• 1847--Manumission of Ben
  Ben was manumitted by enslaver Rebecca Parker, one of the heirs of Tudor Parker, her brother. Tudor died intestate in 1843 and Rebecca had heard him express a desire to manumit Ben, whom he had enslaved after Ben was given to him by Richard Parker, Sr. Rebecca purchased the interest of the other heirs in Ben's value, then manumitted him by certificate on Jan. 11, 1847. No manumission records have been found in Boone County for Ben. A deed was filed in Dearborn County Deed Book Z, p. 400, officially granting Ben's freedom from enslavement.
• 1878--Henrietta Woods Lawsuit
  Born in Boone Co. and owned by the Tousey family. She was sold several times, then freed. She was kidnapped and sold south in 1853, having obtained her freedom only five years prior. She was held as a slave until the end of the Civil War, then served her former slaveholder for another four years before returning to Cincinnati in 1869. In 1870 she began the lawsuit against her captors that she ultimately won in 1878. She was awarded $2500.
• n.d.--Boone Co., Freedom for Charles
  Charles was emancipated by deed and was described as: "about 45 years, six feet high, very black complexion."
• 1847--Boone Co., Arthur Parker Manumits Enslaved Family and Others
  The will of Arthur Parker, brother of Richard Parker, states that Jim, his wife and four children may be freed when Jim earns enough from hire. His heirs, two daughters Hannah and Mary Parker, were shown to own 10-11 slaves according to the 1839-1843 tax lists in Boone County. Numbers drop to 2 slaves, then 1 slave by 1853. Jim, Jennie and their children (Morgan, Erastus, Joseph, Jim, Arthur, Robert, Doctor and Silas) along with another man, Jack, were manumitted at Boone County Court, May term, 1847.
• 1851--Boone Co., Freedom for Zimmerman's Thirteen Enslaved
  In the 1851 Will of Joshua Zimmerman, all slaves to be set free upon his death (13 total). Only 3 were named, others were listed in the 1850 U. S. Federal Census Slave Schedule. Allen to received $50 upon settlement of the estate and third choice of horses (first and second choices went to heirs). Andrew Jackson's mother thinks he may be have moved to Canada. Family or families(s) of William and Sarah were to get a tract of land in Clermont County, Ohio, to be equally divided.
• 1849--Boone Co., Freedom for Wyatt
  Wyatt was emancipated by bond, upon the death of Clarkson, by his heirs. In a physical description, he is described as follows: "high yellow or mulatto complexion, hair nearly straight." He was the husband of Judy, and in an 1848 Inventory he is valued at $500.
• 1848--Boone Co., Freedom for Winnie and Child
  Winnie (a.k.a. Winna) was emancipated by bond, upon the death of slaveholder Clarkson, by his heirs. She was the sister of Samuel. In an 1848 Inventory she is described as follows, "Winna $400, "5 ft. 2 in high. Colour: dark mulatto, 28 yrs of age and child two months old same colours." Her child was manumitted with her, Winnie or Winna, at age 2 months, per will of Reuben Clarkson, deceased.
• before 1850--Boone Co., Freedom for Almeda Philips
  She was born in Boone County and was the daughter of "Pigeon," also known as Lahomena. She was the mother of Evalina, Silvey, John, and Lynny. Almeda was free before 1850 and lived on a property owned by John Cleves Short. Associated slaveholders included Cave Johnson and William or Milton Kirtley. She was married twice, Noah Philips and Roger Bush.
• 1848--Boone Co., Freedom for Lucy
  From the May, 1848 court record of Lucy's manumission she was described as "about 37 years old, about five feet eight or nine inches high, copper colored."
• 1849--Boone Co., Freedom for Letty
  In the November 5, 1849 deed of Manumission by John T. Alexander to Letty, the included description states the following: "aged about thirty seven years of age about a commonsize (sic) woman and common black complexion (sic) for negroes.'
• 1856--Boone Co., Freedom for Charlotte and Her Children
  On November 5, 1856, Fanny Parker manumitted a woman and her three children: “Charlotte, about 25, copper colour, Mary Ann, aged about 7 years, bright mulatto, Nancy, near three years old, copper colour, and Wade, about fourteen months, copper colour.” Witnessed by Richard Parker and Thomas A. Cornelius.
• 1843--Boone Co., Freedom for Esther
  Esther is manumitted by slaveholder Hiram Stephens, at County Court, Feb term, 1843. She was described as "five feet four or five inches high, dark complexion."
• 1844--Boone Co., Freedom and Property
  Aggy, also referred to as Agnes, deed of manumission from Edmund F. Vauter, and Burlington lots 108, 123 and the eastern half of lot 72. Ownership of Aggy had gone to Edmund upon the death of his sister, Virginia Vauter. Virginia left instruction that Aggy be freed upon Edmund’s death or whenever he saw fit, with the town lots transferred to her upon her emancipation.