Inventoried Slaves For those of us descended from enslaved ancestors, we are taught to research probate records early in the process. They can be used to verify slaveownership. If the slaveowner died before 1865, we may find our ancestors named in their will or listed in their inventories. As we advance in our skills, however, […]
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Category: Slaveowner Research
Records of Antebellum Southern Plantatio...
One of the best sources on enslaved families are in the records from antebellum plantations. Often stored in research libraries, historical societies, and state archives, they can be difficult to access. Slaveholding families donated personal papers, letters, account books, and many other records and ephemera. Historians have long relied on these sources to understand “the […]
Ex-Slave Pension Records
Recently, Ancestry somewhat quietly rolled out the Ex-Slave Pension database which contains Correspondence and Case Files from the National Archives. I always wanted to take a look at these records but hadn’t gotten around to it yet. I first heard about these records when Mary Frances Berry wrote “My Face is Black Is True: Callie House […]
Maps Lead the Way To Better Understandin...
I’ve always known that maps are an underused but vital part of genealogy research. I think the difficulty in finding them contributes to this for most people. Recently, maps helped me to better understand connections between my enslaved ancestors. I thought I’d share it with you in the hopes that it will inspire you to […]
Slave Research: Search the Slaveowner’s
Slave and slaveowner research is not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure. You need to have intermediate/advanced genealogy skills to do it well. Additionally, there’s the emotional impact of even looking at the documents. After all these years of research, my heart still bleeds every time I see: a will that includes “negro […]
Historic Trust Inventories: Search the L...
The image above is from the Inventory of Historic Properties, which is a part of the Maryland Historical Trust. (UPDATE, 9/21/2018: the website has changed in appearance) My cousin Jahrod shared this website with me and it is a goldmine: it contains digitized original applications from historic places in Maryland. Maryland Historic Inventories At the site, […]
Researching the Slaveowner in Online Boo...
The period of slavery remains the one of the most difficult to research. Maybe this is why that period is a particular point of interest to me, and why it is a subject I devote alot of space to. Recently Family Tree Magazine did a good article on a research tool I use often: online […]
Records About the Enslaved in D.C.
I have been thinking about how many states have unique records that can assist those doing slave research. This is what I call records that are not nationwide, but specific to a particular state or locale. For example, slave births in Virginia are recorded from the year 1853. In Maryland, slave statistics (for a […]
Southern Claims Commission
I’ve been perusing the Southern Claims Commission records and rediscovering how incredible they are. The files includes many stories of the experiences of civilians during the Civil War.The website Fold3 has digitized many of these claims. Background Congress established the Southern Claims Commission in 1871. The Commission adjudicated claims by loyal Southerners for reimbursement of […]
Giles Holt, the Slaveowner
I have been researching Giles Holt for 13 years now. He enslaved my ancestor, Malinda Holt. I concluded about a year ago that I may never find out where and how Giles acquired her. That saddens me. There’s simply a limit to the written records. At some point, accepting this and being happy about what […]