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The Network
An Enslaving Virginia Publication
June 24, 1999
The seventh issue of" The Network" contains the deeds of emancipation from George
Wythe to two his enslaved men, Ben and James, in 1797.
This issue also has transcriptions of four nineteenth- century documents. The first is a
September 1833 letter from Thomas O. Cogbill, the Clerk of James City County Court, to
James E. Heath, Esquire, the Auditor of Public Accounts. Cogbill informed Heath that
none of the free people of color in James City County wanted to be transported to Africa.
The lists of Williamsburg' s free blacks and mulattos that James Lee recorded in 1833 and
1834 follow Cogbill' s letter. Lee' s records provide details about family relationships and
the occupations of free people of color in Williamsburg. A comparison of Lee' s 1834 list
with the 1834 Williamsburg Personal Property Tax List (the four nineteenth- century
document in
this
issue of" The Network")
indicates that the majority of the women who
headed the city' s free black households did not appear on the personal property tax list
because they did not have a slave twelve years of age or older, a horse, or a riding vehicle
in Williamsburg.
George Wythe emancipated two slave men, Ben and James, in January 1797. Both of the
emancipations were recorded in Henrico County in February of the same year. Ben was
Wythe' s coachman in the 1760s and 1770s when he received tips from Thomas Jefferson.
James, also known as Jimmy, was the son of Rachel. Wythe taught Jimmy to write in
1791. See the section on" The Wythe House," pp. 420- 429 in the Enslaving Virginia
Resource Book for additional information about Ben and James ( Jimmy).
Know all men by these presents, signed and sealed this twenty fifth day of January in the
year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and ninety seven, that I George Wythe of
the City of Richmond do set free my man Slave named Ben who is more than forty five
years old.
G:
Wythe
Witnesses
Wilson Allan
Peter P Blagrove
Reynolds Chapman
At a court held for Henrico County, at the Courthouse, the sixth of February 1797. This
Deed of Emancipation was proved by the Oaths of Peter P Blagrove and Reynolds
Chapman witnesses thereto and ordered to be Recorded
Examined
�2
Teste
Adam Craig C C
Source:
Henrico County Deeds ( 5) 201, dated 25 January 1797 and recorded 6 February
1797.
Know all men by these presents, signed and sealed this twenty fifth day of January in the
year of our Lord, One thousand seven hundred and ninety seven, that I George Wythe of
the City of Richmond do set free my man Slave named James who is more than twenty
one but not forty five years old.
G: Wythe
Witnesses
Wilson Allan
Peter P Blagrove
Reynolds Chapman
At a court held for Henrico county, at the Courthouse, the sixth of February 1797. This
Deed of Emancipation was proved by the Oaths of Peter P Blagrove and Reynolds
Chapman witnesses thereto and ordered to be Recorded
Examined
Teste
Adam Craig C C
Source:
Henrico County Deeds ( 5) 202, dated 25 January 1797 and recorded 6 February
1797.
September 18, 1833—
Letter from Thomas O. Cogbill, clerk of James City County Court,
to James E. Heath, Esquire Auditor of Public Accounts
After Nat Turner' s 1831 rebellion, several Virginia legislators, including Thomas J.
Randolph, Thomas Jefferson' s grandson, proposed plans for the emancipation of the
state' s slaves. The emancipationist legislators were able to force agreement from many
of their opponents that slavery was a dangerous institution that ideally should be
eliminated. Yet they shared with the defenders of slavery the conviction that Africans
could not coexist with Europeans in a state of equality, without society collapsing into
crime, anarchy, and race war. Overwhelmingly, therefore, Virginia' s emancipationists
returned to the plan of colonization, arguing that freed slaves should be returned to Africa
at state expense. In March 1833, the General Assembly passed a bill that appropriated
funds to transport free people of color to Africa. Six months later, in September 1833,
Thomas O. Cogbill informed the Auditor of Public Accounts that no free black man,
or child from James City County wanted to leave the county.
woman,
�3
t
Williamsburg Septemr. 18th 1833
Sir:
Agreeably to a request made some time since, the County Court of James City
made an order appointing several gentlemen to enquire among the free persons of colour
in said County, and, to ascertain if any of them were willing to accept of the provisions of
the act of assembly passed on the 4th: of March 1833 making appropriations for the
removal of free persons of
color&
Those Gentlemen
c....
have made no report to the
Court, but from what I have been able to learn from a majority of them, there is not one
free person of colour in the County of James City that is willing to accept of the
provisions of the said act of Assembly. I should have attended to this matter sooner, but
have been prevented by the negligence of those persons appointed by the Court to make
the necessary enquiries among the free persons of colour.
Your obedient
servant
Th: O. Cogbill Clerk
of James City County Court
Source: Auditor of Public Accounts, Miscellaneous Microfilm 1320- 1322, Library of
Virginia.
1833—"
A list of free negroes and mulattoes, within the city of Williamsburg"
This list contains the names of seventy- nine free blacks and mulattoes who lived in
Williamsburg in 1833.
A list of free negroes and mulattoes, within the city of Williamsburg, their names, sexes,
places of abode, and their particular trades, occupations or callings, taken by James Lee
commissioner of the revenue, in said City, for the year 1833.
Henry
Cook, farmer,
children,
Richard, James, Caroline &
Robert,
Lucy
2
Robert Jordan, m, carpenter, Beverley Rowsey, m, sh oemaker
Ann Rolison,
m, midwife,
child Rocktilda&
grand
children
6
Berryann and
5
Robert G. Jacquelin Lightfoot, m, plasterer
Hannah Banks,
Nancy
washer,
child
Jasper, old and infirm.
Henry.
3
George Mason, painter
Judy Reigensburg,
washer,
children
Sally
5
and William. William Yates, m, Barber
George Webb, old and infirm.
William
Bassett,
m,
shoemaker
2
�4
t
John Minor, farmer,
wife
Mary.
Renderson N. Scott,
John
Cassady, m, shoemaker, wife Jane, children
Anderson and Augustine. Tener, day labourer
William Debress,
Patsey
Fordice,
Peggy
Smith,
Zizi, baker of
Page,
cakes &
m,
Page,
Nancy,
Christiana,
m, washer,
m, seamstress,
Benjamin
White,
Lucy,
Patsey
m,
washer.
White,
m,
child,
William, John, James,
8
Henry &
children,
Adelade
labour with Mrs. Carr
at
3
2
washer
child Richard
Nelly,
child
Sally,
Mary. Suckey
m,
3
Judy. Mary
Isabella
Rolison,
children,
Peter and Martha
Alexander,
shoemaker.
washer,
Nanton,
3
m
John,
Sally Murray,
resides
3
Lightfoot,
3
m, washer
3
m, seamstress
Elizabeth, at Mrs. Murdaughs
Caroline &
children,
3
child Simeon
Charlotte.
4
2
and Sarah
Margaretta
children,
Ashy,
3
William and Sarah
m, washer,
seamstress,
m,
wife
children
wife,
Sophia,
Preston
Bates,
Sally
oysterman,
m, washer,
wife
children
m, seamstress,
Philea Magnorton,
Free
c.
Barrett, Ditcher,
Jeffery
Sally,
Patsey
m, seamstress,
m, washer,
Nelly Bolling,
Sally
shoemaker,
washer.
Daniel Roberts,
Judy
m,
m, shoemaker
3
Ann
Mary,
3
Elizabeth, & Jas
m, washer
at the Lodge
Henry
5
2
2
1
seamstress
Jas. Lee C C C W
79
Note. In the above list, the mulattoes are distinguished from the free negroes, by
the former having m subjoined to their names.
Source: Auditor of Public Accounts, Miscellaneous Microfilm 1320- 1322, Library of
Virginia.
�5
G
A list of free negroes and mulattoes, within the city of Williamsburg"
1834-"
This list contains the names of eighty free blacks and mulattos who lived in Williamsburg
in 1834. The brackets indicate parts of words that are torn on the original document.
A list of free negroes and mulattoes, within the city of Williamsburg, their names, sexes,
places of abode, and their particular trades, occupations or callings; taken by James Lee
commission[
o] f the revenue, in the said city, for the year 1834
er] [
William Debress,
wife,
shoemaker,
Sophia,
5
Adelaid &
Henry,
children
Catharine
Jeffery
Barrett, Ditcher,
Magnorton,
Aphilea
Henry,
with Mrs.
Hannah Banks,
Benjamin
Ann Rolison,
wife
washer,
Sally,
son
3
Clara
3
Simeon
2
Jacquelin Lightfoot,
Henry,
children,
Maria and
John Staves,
shoemaker.
Rocktilda Rolison,
midwife.
wife
carpenter,
child Charlotte
Reigensburg.
washer,
White,
Jordan,
Robert
Barber.
Yates,
William
2
plasterer.
4
Nelly
carpenter,
children
washer,
3
child William
Berry
Ann&
4
Ro. G.
Mary
Rolison,
Mary
Gayles,
Judy
seamstress.
washer,
William and
children,
Charles, Anna, William
children,
washer,
Carter,
Henry &
Sally
Thomas
4
5
Edward
Sa] lly
Murray,
Sa]
Page,
lly
washer,
washer,
child
child
Mary. Sucky
Lucy.
washer,
B] everley
shoemaker.
Rowsey,
Pa] tsy White,
washer.
William Bassett,
child William.
Isa] bella Lightfoot,
Nanton
Patsy
Nelly Bolling,
Thomas Lyons,
washer
3
shoemaker
3
Preston,
seamstress,
oysterman, wife
with Mrs. Carr
child
Polly
3
Mary
children
3
Polly
5
Kitty
Dandridge
Macon,
oysterman.
John Minor, farmer,
wife
Polly
3
�6
John
Cassady,
shoemaker,
wife
Jane,
William, John, James, Andrew,
children,
8
Augustine and Joseph
Smith,
Peggy
seamstress,
Renderson Scott,
children,
shoemaker.
Sarah and Margaretta
James Wallace,
3
2
shoemaker
George Webb, old and infirm. George Mason, painter
2
Zizi,
3
maker.
cake
B[ rid]
Ashy,
at service
get,
Christiana,
washer.
Free
Lucy,
with Mr. G. Jackson,
seamstress,
children,
washer
children,
James, Peter, & Sarah Ann
Martha Ann and Robert
4
3
Total
80
Jas. Lee C. R. C. W.
Source:
Auditor of Public Accounts, Miscellaneous Microfilm 1320- 1322, Library of
Virginia.
1834—
Williamsburg Personal Property Tax List
This list of 167 households includes just one household headed by a free black woman
named Zizi and
nineteen
free persons of
color.
�1834
Williamsburg Personal Property Tax List
4
Name
Black
White
Free
Males
Males
Over
16
Over
Slaves
Over
16
Slaves
Between 12
and
16
16
Horses,
Riding
Mules, Mares
Carriages
Colts
0
0
2
0
0
0
Anderson Leroy
1
0
1
1
0
0
Anderson Robert
1
0
7
1
3
2
Andrews John
1
0
1
0
0
0
Angel Thomas
1
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0,
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
4
0
1
0
3
3
1
0
L
Allen Elizabeth
Armstead Robert
H
Alexander
Bailey
Ball Farley
H
John
Barlow
Barrett
Jeffery
Bassett
Richard
1
Bassett
William
0
George
Bingley
2
W
1
Benjamin
Bishop
0
1
0
0
1
0
1
2
0
4
0
0
0
Edward
1
0
0
0
0
0
Bowden Mildred
1
0
4
0
1
0
Moreau
1
0
0
0
0
0
T
1
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
4
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
S
Bolt Elizabeth
Booker Richard T
Boulton
Bowers
Bowry
Bowry
James
Thomas
Bright Samuel F
1
Brooks Archer
Brooks
1
Richardson
1
Brooks William
0
1
0
3
0
0
1
0
1
0
1
1
Bucktrout Richard M
2
0
3
0
1
0
Byrd Addison L
1
0
6
0
1
0
Byrd Sally W
0
0
4
0
1
0
1
0
4
1
2
0
B
0
0
2
0
0
0
Lucious
1
0
0
0
0
0
Cassady John
0
1
0
0
0
0
Cheminant
Frances
0
0
5
0
0
0
G
3
0
7
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
5
1
2
1
4
2
Browne Dabney
Bucktrout
Benjamin
James
Cabaniss
Cary
Cary
Jane
Albert
Chewning
Christian
John A
Cogbill Thomas 0
1
Coke Richard Jur
Cole Jesse
Cole Matthew
E
W
Cole Roscow
0
1
0
10
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
8
0
2
2
1
0
6
2
3
0
Craig Nancy
0
0
1
0
0
0
Davis James
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
Delk William H
1
0
2
1
0
0
Deneufville
1
0
1
1
1
0
Coleman
Debress
Thomas
William
John
A
�1834
Personal
Williamsburg
Name
White
Free Black
Males
Males Over
Over
Deneufville John A Jur
Deneufville
Robert J
Dew Thomas R
Dodd William
E
Eleanor
Donnelly
Durfey &
Edloe
16
Property
Slaves
Over
16
16
Tax List
i
Horses,
Slaves
Between
and
16
12
Mules, Mares
Riding
Carriages
Colts _
2
0
1
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
_
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
1
0
8
3
4
1
Edloe
Henry
1
Edloe
William
1
0
7
3
12
3
Mary
Fitzhugh
est
Foster Frances
Galt Alexander
D
Galt Dickie
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
8
1
3
1
0
2
0
u
1
_
0
0
0
1
0
0
Garrett
Richard R
1
0
0
0
0
Garrett
Robert M
1
0
3
1
4
2
Graves
Joseph
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
3
0
4
1
2
1
0
3
0
1
Hansford Charles
1
0
1
0
0
Hatton Washington
1
0
0
0
0
Henley Harriet T
1
0
7
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
Hubbard Augustine C
1
0
1
0
1
0
Hubbard Richardson
1
0
4
1
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
Galt
Mary
A
A
Gregory John M
Griffin Samuel S
James
Guthrie
Hermonson
Matthew T
0
_
0
0
_
3
_
1
_
_
0
_
0
_
1
0
J
Hubbard
Walker
Hutchings John W
Jackson
George
Jackson
William
W
0
_
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
Johnson William D
1
0
0
1
0
0
Jones
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Lee Higginson W
2
0
1
0
0
Lee James
2
0
3
1
0
0
Lee William H
2
0
1
1
0
0
0
Jenkins
Elias
Scervant
Robert
Jordan
Lark Robert
Lawson
James
S
0
_
0
0
_
0
Lightfoot
Jacquelin
0
1
1
0
0
Lindsey
Edward B
1
0
0
0
0
Lindsey
Thomas
1
0
0
1
0
Charles
1
0
1
0
1
Lucas Thomas C est
0
0
1
0
0
Lyons Thomas
0
1
0
0
0
_
0
0
1
0
0
0
_
0
1
0
1
1
0
_
0
Martin John D
2
0
0
1
1
Mason David
4
0
4
2
3
Lively
Macon
Dandridge
Mahone James
M
0
_
0
0
0
_
0
0
_
�1834
Williamsburg Personal Property Tax List
i
Name
Mason
George
Maupin John
M
W
McCandlish George
Riding
Carriages
Males
Males Over
Over 16
16
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
1
1
0
10
0
3
0
1
1
Robert
McCandlish
Horses,
Mules, Mares
Free Black
1
Mccalester Alexander
Slaves
White
0
0
Slaves
Over 16
Between
and
16
12
Colts
McGill Martha
0
0
5
2
0.
0
Miller Ann
0
0
2
0
0
0
Minor
0
1
0
0
1
0
M
1
0
2
1
0
0
Moore Summersett
1
0
0
0
0
0
Moore Susan
0
0
0
1
0
0
Morrison
0
0
3
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
1
1
John
William
Moody
est
George
George F
Morrison
Mounfortt
Sally
Murdaugh
0
B
Lucy
1
Page John
Delilah
Palmer
Pamplin William
Peachy Mary M
Peachy Thomas
G
Madison
Pettis
Pierce Edward J
0
0
3
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
15
1
3
1
1
0
5
1
1
1
1
0
2
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
Provoo Clara
0
0
2
1
0
0
Provoo Diana
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
10
0
2
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
1
0
2
Henry
Pierce
W
Mary
Reiginsburg
0
Repiton Eliza
Richardson Robert
G
2
0
Roper Nancy
0
Rowsey Beverley
0
0
0
1
Sands
Johnson
3
0
Sands
Thomas
3
1
0
1
0
0
Saunders
Robert
1
0
5
0
2
1
Saunders
Robert Jr
1
0
2
0
1
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
N
0
1
0
0
0
0
Snr
1
0
6
3
4
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
1
1
4
1
1
1
0
0
Margaret
Scellen
Scott
Renderson
Semple
James
Robert
Shelbum
Sheldon &
Smith
1
Jacob C
Sheldon
Shield
Maupin
0
Mary
Peggy
Southall Albert
Spencer
Staves
Stewart
Stores
W
George
Southall
Hannah M
Ferdinand S
William
0
0
1
0
1
0
6
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
John
H
0
0
0
2
0
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
2
0
1
�1834
Personal
Williamsburg
Name
Black
White
Free
Males
Males Over
Over
16
Property
Slaves
Over 16
16
t
Tax List
Slaves
Between
and
16
Horses,
12
Mules, Mares
Colts
0
0
1
0
0
Tabb Robert
3
0
2
1
2
Taylor
1
0
7
2
4
E
Sweeney Mary
Henley
Taylor Robert
Riding
Carriages
0
_
_
1
0
1
0
1
0
0
2
0
2
1
1
1
0
0
6
0
2
2
1
0
0
0
0
_
0
1
0
0
0
0
_
0
1
0
4
0
0
Wallace James
0
1
0
0
0
Waller Benjamin
1
0
3
1
2
1
Waller Littleton T
1
0
4
1
1
0
Waller Robert P
1
0
8
0
7
Waller William
1
0
7
1
3
Ware
1
0
0
1
1
R
——
0
J
Travis John
D
Tucker
Lelia
Turner
Lawrance
Vaiden Robert
Vest
William
J
W
Leigh
0
_
0
2
_
_
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
—
0
Wicker William
1
0
1
0
0
—
0
Williamson John G
1
0
0
0
0
_
0
Wilmer William P
1
0
0
0
0
Wilson
0
0
1
0
0
_
0
0
1
1
1
2
—
0
0
2
0
56
127
44
Yates
George
Elizabeth
William
Zizi ( a free woman of
0
0
138
19
—
0
0
White Benjamin
Webb
0
colour)
TOTAL
350
_
_
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Network : An Enslaving Virginia Publication
Description
An account of the resource
<em>The Network: An Enslaving Virginia Publication</em> was a series of newsletters published in 1999 to supplement the Becoming Americans master interpretive plan storyline also published in 1999 titled <em>Enslaving Virginia</em>. <em>Enslaving Virginia</em> accounts for the development and growth of a racially based slave system that profoundly affected the lives, fortunes, and values of blacks and whites in colonial Virginia. The information contained in <em>The Network</em> resulted from requests from interpreters for clarifications or additional research about the background information contained in the <em>Enslaving Virginia</em> resource book. One of the great strengths of <em>The Network</em> is the additional details provided about named enslaved and free blacks in the Williamsburg area.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1999
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Network : an Enslaving Virginia Publication. June 24, 1999
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1999-06-24