17 April 1802

Spragins, Mel, fl. 1802-1819

Document signed

Title: [Warrant to the jailer of Halifax County to receive Abram, a slave, into custody until 23 April]

Spragins and Dejurnatt order the Halifax County jail keeper to receive into custody "Abram a Negro Man Slave the property of William Smith...he being a Witness in behalf of the Commonwealth" against Sanc[h]o, Frank, Jim and Phebey. A note at bottom specifies that "It is necessary that the above Witness be kept Separate from the persons he is a witness against." A note on verso states: "Sank [Sancho?] said he wd kill Danl Dijarnatt & take his wife. / Frank said he would take Danl. Perkins wife / Jim - [unclear if the latter is a signature or an unfinished sentence]." Docket indicates this…

GLC06338.09

17 April 1802

Spragins, Mel, fl. 1802-1819

Document signed

Title: [Warrant to the Halifax County jailer to receive the slaves Sancho, Frank, Jim, and Phebey into custody]

Spragins orders the Halifax County jail keeper to receive into custody "the body of Sancho a man slave now in the possession of Richard Booker of the s[ai]d County and said to be the property of John Booker of Amelia County Frank a negro man slave the property of Archer Robertson, Jim a man slave the property of James Booker and Phebey a negroe woman slave the property of David Price....and them safely keep till they shall be thence discharged by due course of Law." Docket indicates this is a mittimus (a type of warrant). Spragins was a justice of the peace. Also signed by [James?]…

GLC06338.10

18 April 1802

Spragins, Mel, fl. 1802-1819

Document signed

Title: [Writ of summons for the sheriff to call county justices for a trial of the slaves Bob, Absalum, and Martin]

Writ of summons, signed by Spragins, Ordering the county sheriff to summon justices for a 26 April trial of "Bob a Negro Man Slave the property of Peter Barksdale, Absalum a Negro Man Slave belonging to the Esta. of John Hilyard, Martin a Negroe Man Slave the property of Henry Bass...." Notes that these three slaves were committed to county jail that day as per warrant. A docket lists three personal names, at least one of which, "Abny's Ned," appears to be that of a slave.

GLC06338.11

19 April 1802

Faulkner, William, 1774-1822

Document signed

Title: [Writ of summons for the county sheriff t to gather justices for an "examination of the fact" regarding the slave Samuel]

Writ of summons signed by Faulkner, a justice of the peace. Ordering the county sheriff to summon justices for a 26 April "Examination of the fact" regarding the slave Samuel, property of George Carrington. Notes that Samuel was committed to county jail that day as per warrant. Docket on verso lists several names, including Racheal Coats, Hiram Whitney, Samuel Patterson, Bob Jabell, James Vaughan, Wades Bob, Grishams Tom, and Beasleys Tom. Based on their names, it appears that the latter three individuals may have been slaves.

GLC06338.12

19 April 1802

Faulkner, William, 1774-1822

Document signed

Title: [Arrest warrant for the slave Samuel for his role in the Easter Plot]

Arrest warrant signed by Faulkner, a justice of the peace for Halifax County. George Carrington, having supplied information under oath that Samuel, one of his slaves, "ploted & conspired the murder" of Carrington and others persons, Faulkner orders the sheriff to bring Samuel before a justice of the peace "to answer the Premises and further to be dealt with according to Law." A docket lists several personal names.

GLC06338.13

26 April 1802

Thompson, William, fl. 1802

Document signed

Title: [Writ of summons for the Sheriff of Halifax County to gather justices for a trial of the slave Abram, for his role in the Easter Plot]

Writ of summons signed by Thompson, a justice of the peace. Ordering the county sheriff to summon justices for a 1 May trial of the slave Abram, property of William Smith. Notes that Abram was committed to county jail that day as per warrant.

GLC06338.14

26 April 1802

Thompson, William, fl. 1802

Document signed

Title: [Warrant to the Sheriff of Halifax County to hold Robin, a slave, until 1 May trial, and to summon two witnesses]

Warrant signed by Thompson, a justice of the peace, ordering the sheriff to safely keep Robin until the trial of Abram; both men are the property of William Smith. Abram is to be tried at the County Court of Halifax of Oyer and Terminer for his role in the Easter Plot. Thompson signs an additional two orders on verso; one directing the sheriff to summon Daniel Perkins as a witness on behalf of "the within named prisoner"; the other directing him to summon Samuel Hubboards as a witness for the "within named Abraham." An additional note, signed by [illegible]Edwards, deputy of W. Bennett (…

GLC06338.15

26 April 1802

Thompson, William, fl. 1802

Document signed

Title: [Warrant for the Sheriff of Halifax County to hold Abram, convicted of participating in the Easter Plot]

Thompson, a justice of the peace, orders the Halifax County jailer to receive into custody Abram, a slave belonging to William Smith, who has been convicted of "advising, consulting & conpsiring to rebel and make insurrection." Docket indicates this is a mittimus (a type of warrant).

GLC06338.16

December 2, 1865

Heyward, William H., 1817-1889

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William A. Williams

One letter from William Henry Heyward, enslaver and proprietor of Clay Hall plantation in Reconstruction-era South Carolina, to William A. Williams dated December 2, 1865. Discusses going to Charleston to receive a pardon and to attain ownership of Clay Hall by the Bureau of Freedmen, Refugees and Abandoned Lands. He would be contracting freedmen he had formerly enslaved into a labor contract for cash rather than offering them crops. He remarks: "It only remains for me to enter into contract with the Freedmen (formerly my own Negroes) for the ensuing year-- and although it is difficult to…

GLC00496.254.06

November 9, 1789

Mallet, Philip, fl. 1763-1791

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Catherine Macaulay

Mallet is sending a book to Macaulay, mentioning a sermon by Dr. Price on the anniversary of the American Revolution, and mentioning the French Revolution in a positive light.

GLC01794.42

12 August 1844

Hibler, J.A., fl. 1844

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Bill of sale for Isaam]

A bill of sale for Isaam, an enslaved man purchased by Tobias Gibson from T. A. Hibler for $550.

GLC04501.042

25 September 1848

Gibson, Sarah, fl. 1848

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Randall Gibson

A house slave has become less of a favorite and was sent down to the fields. She discusses plans to dig a ditch to provide drainage near the house.

GLC04501.058

February 13, 1854

Rowlands, Alfred, fl. 1854

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Receipt for purchase of Frank, an enslaved man]

One receipt belonging to Alfred A. Rowlands for the amount of $1,250 to purchase an enslaved man, Frank from Rowlands. Docket indicates Frank was sold as property by Tobias Gibson on behalf of his daughter, Sarah [Gibson] Humphreys.

GLC04501.073

8 December 1854

Gibson, Tobias, fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Randall Lee Gibson

Writes about plantation business. He hopes Randall and Preston will write to him from New Orleans.

GLC04501.074

30 December 1855

Gibson, Hart, fl. 1855

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister Sarah Gibson

The first letter is written by Hart Gibson. He informs his sister of his progress in school. He writes about the family and his displeasure with President elect Polk. He also reports that Miss Webster, Toby and Claude's old teacher, has been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for helping enslaved people seek refuge. Writes, "You recollect the young lady Claudy and Toby went to school to last sumer and (Miss Webster) she has been tried by the Court for carrying off negroes to the free States found guilty and sentenced to the Penitentiary for two years Some of the people tried to get the…

GLC04501.075

18 May 1857

Gibson, Alfred, fl. 1857

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Tobias Gibson

Hailstorms ruined some of the cotton crop. The cotton gin processes about 12 bales a day. Sickness on the plantation has taken the lives of five slaves, all under the age of four. Albert lost two slaves, one 17 years old and the other 20. A monument was erected at the grave site of Tobias Gibson, the first Methodist Preacher in Mississippi, who has been dead for 50 years. The citizens of Vicksburg are having a reception for Colonel Jeff Davis.

GLC04501.082

7 October 1858

Gibson, Tobias, fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah [Gibson] Humphreys

Writes that he has just arrived and that both the cash crop and the provision crops are doing well. He wishes he could bring surplus hands from Sumners Forest to Live Oak to help with the sugar grinding. He feels guilty about leaving Loula and Hart with her since she has children of her own. The letter is continued on October 8th.

GLC04501.087

May 6, 1857

Manuscript document signed

Title: Extract of a dispatch from Mr. Crawford to Lord Clarendon

A manuscript extract from a May 6, 1857 dispatch from British consul at Havana, Joseph T. Crawford, to Lord Clarendon, giving names and tonnage of five American vessels sent to Havana, presumably for the slave trade. The ships are the schooner "Abbot Devereaux," brig "R.B. Lawton," schooner "J.H. Record," barque "Clara B. Williams" and barque "Minetonka." This is followed by a one paragraph update, written in the same hand as the extract, and signed "G.G.," noting the August 1, 1857 capture of the "Abbot Devereaux," with 266 slaves on board, by the HMS "Frazer" and the September 2, 1857…

GLC05832.01

12 October 1857

Davidson, Hunter, 1827-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William McBlair

Lt. Davidson of the USS "Dale" reports on his official interview with Commodore Wise, commander of the H.M.S. "Vesuvius," regarding Wise's capture of the slaveship "Bremen" on October 10, 1857. Davidson interviewed Wise by order of the captain of the "Dale," William McBlair. Written on board the U.S.S. "Dale" off the West Coast of Africa. Davidson relays Wise's statement that he boarded the "Bremen" and told her captain that he knew she was a slaver flying an American flag without proper papers. The slaver's captain then threw the flag and papers overboard, stating that he would rather be…

GLC05832.02

October 19. 1857

Conover, Thomas A., 1794-1864

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to William McBlair

Directing McBlair to proceed to the Congo River area to suppress the illegal traffic in slaves and ordering him to cooperate with British naval forces already in the area. Sends "private instructions" (possibly related to GLC00722.04) on how to deal with foreign vessels. Tells McBlair "The slave trade appears to be centered chiefly at and near the mouth of the Congo River" and that he should patrol mostly around this area while searching for illegal slave trading ships. Written on board the U.S.S. "Cumberland" at St. Paul de Loando, now called Luanda, the capital of Angola. These orders…

GLC05832.03

13 November 1857

Burgess, George F., 1827-1860

Manuscript document

Title: [Statement regarding slave ship capture]

Clerical copy of a statement by British commander George F. Burgess recording the capture of the slave ship "Joseph H Record" by HMS "Antelope" on September 3, 1857. The vessel had "191 Slaves on board - and had a crew of Spaniards & Italians - or other foreigners - no papers or colours." The statement also excerpts the boarding book of the HMS "Hecate" regarding information received about the "Windward," a ship flying American colors, but with a Portugese crew. The original statement was written on board the HMS "Hecate" at Sharks Point, R. Congo. The schooner "Joseph H. Record" was…

GLC05832.04

1 April 1817

McCarthy, Charles, ?-1824

Printed document signed

Title: [Bill of exchange related to captured slaves in Sierra Leone]

McCarthy, Colonial Governor of Sierra Leone, instructs commissioners of the British Treasury to pay Major Donald McKenzie four hundred pounds, for "the expences of the Captured Negroes of this Colony." Partially printed, and housed within GLC 8059.01.

GLC08059.02

1 December 1839

Gerry, James T., 1797-1854

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Emily L. Gerry

Slave trade to Cuba and the evils of the slave traders. Details the methods used by traders who bring slaves to Cuba, and the horrible acts they have committed. Also discusses personal and family affairs, events in his daily life, and happenings in the Navy. "The Slave Trade is carried on openly from the port to a very great extent and that altogether in American built vessels and thru the agency of Americans...vessels arrive and depart daily, that are known to be Slavers...The horid barbarities committed by these fiends of darkness upon the poor Africans after they are taken on board…

GLC09099.04

December 1839

Gerry, James T., 1797-1854

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ann T. Gerry

Desires to be a captain, and believes he may soon attain the role, though the Commodore, whom he dislikes, is making matters difficult for him. Describes Havana, Key West and the local flora, discusses slave traders and their evil ways. Believes he already does much of the work of a captain, and believes he should be promoted to the roll soon, though the Commodore may prevent this. Written on board the U.S.S. "Warren."

GLC09099.05

10 November 1861

Smith, William Wallace, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Asa Smith

Written by William Wallace Smith to his brother Asa Smith. References Smith's letter to him. Says everyone dives for the Washington papers when they arrive, but that Boston papers have more news on the war in them. Asks him " Do you think an attack is going to be made on Richmond or what are you cutting that road for[?]" Wallace says not much has happened recently except a divisional review by General George McClellan and his staff. Says it rained during the review he got soaked. Reports that "Our pickets brought in a contraband last week. Who was going to be killed by his master for giving…

GLC03742.04