MADISON COUNTY, ALABAMA
LARGEST SLAVEHOLDERS FROM 1860 SLAVE CENSUS SCHEDULES
and
SURNAME MATCHES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS
Transcribed by Tom Blake, March 2003
PURPOSE. Published information giving names of slaveholders and numbers of slaves held is almost non-existent. It is possible to locate an ancestor on a U.S. census for 1860 or earlier and not realize that ancestor was also listed as a slaveholder on the slave schedules, because published indexes almost always do not include the slave census. The last U.S. census slave schedules were enumerated by County in 1860 and included 393,975 named persons holding 3,950,546 unnamed slaves, or an average of about ten slaves per holder. The actual number of slaveholders may be slightly lower because some large holders held slaves in more than one County and would have been counted in each County. Excluding slaves, the 1860 U.S. population was 27,167,529, with about 1 in 70 being a slaveholder. It is estimated by this transcriber that in 1860, slaveholders of 200 or more slaves, while constituting less than 1 % of the total number of U.S. slaveholders, or 1 out of 7,000 free persons, held 20-30% of the total number of slaves in the U.S. The process of publication of slaveholder names beginning with these largest holders will enable naming of the holders of the most slaves with the least amount of transcription work. Surname matching of slaveholders with 1870 African Americans is intended merely as suggesting another possibility for further research by those seeking to make connections between slaves and holders.
SOURCES. The 1860 U.S. Census Slave Schedules for Madison County, Alabama (NARA microfilm series M653, Roll 30) reportedly includes a total of 14,573 slaves. This transcription includes 114 slaveholders who held 30 or more slaves in Madison County, accounting for 5,836 slaves, or about 40% of the County total. The rest of the slaves in the County were held by a total of 1,003 slaveholders, and those slaveholders have not been included here. Due to variable film quality, handwriting interpretation questions and inconsistent counting and page numbering methods used by the census enumerators, interested researchers should view the source film personally to verify or modify the information in this transcription for their own purposes. This transcription was made from the Ancestry on line images of the microfilm. Census data for 1860 was obtained from the Historical United States Census Data Browser, which is a very detailed, searchable and highly recommended database found at http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/census/ . Census data on African Americans in the 1870 census was obtained using Heritage Quest’s CD “African-Americans in the 1870 U.S. Federal Census”, available through Heritage Quest at http://www.heritagequest.com/ .
FORMAT. This transcription lists the names of those largest slaveholders in the County, the number of slaves they held and the first census page on which they were listed. The page numbers used are the rubber stamped numbers in the upper right corner of every set of two pages, with the previous stamped number and a “B” being used to designate the pages without a stamped number. The slaveholders shown here were reported as in the following districts within the County: up to page 478, City of Huntsville; 482 to503, Northwestern Division; 506 to 516B, Southeastern Division; 518 to534B, Southwestern Division; 536 and above, District Number 1. Following the holder list is a separate list of the surnames of the holders with information on numbers of African Americans on the 1870 census who were enumerated with the same surname. The term “County” is used to describe the main subdivisions of the State by which the census was enumerated.
TERMINOLOGY. Though the census schedules speak in terms of “slave owners”, the transcriber has chosen to use the term “slaveholder” rather than “slave owner”, so that questions of justice and legality of claims of ownership need not be addressed in this transcription. Racially related terms such as African American, black, mulatto and colored are used as in the source or at the time of the source, with African American being used otherwise.
PLANTATION NAMES. Plantation names were not shown on the census. Using plantation names to locate ancestors can be difficult because the name of a plantation may have been changed through the years and because the sizeable number of large farms must have resulted in lots of duplication of plantation names. In Alabama in 1860 there were 482 farms of 1,000 acres or more, the largest size category enumerated in the census, and another 1,359 farms of 500-999 acres. Linking names of plantations in this County with the names of the large holders on this list should not be a difficult research task, but it is beyond the scope of this transcription.
FORMER SLAVES. The 1860 U.S. Census was the last U.S. census showing slaves and slaveholders. Slaves were enumerated in 1860 without giving their names, only their sex and age and indication of any handicaps, such as deaf or blind Slaves 100 years of age or older were supposed to be named on the 1860 slave schedule, but there were only 1,570 slaves of such age enumerated, out of a total of 3,950,546 slaves nationwide. The transcriber noticed the following such slaves named in this county: 102 male black Charles Bradford, held by Daniel M. Bradford on page 473; 110 male black Oliver Moore (?), held by Harriet A. Barnard on page 475; 110 male black James B. Turner, held by Elisha Bell on age 531B; and 100 male black Nick, held by Wm. M. Otey on page 550. The enumerator also gave the names of three slaves under 100 who were handicapped: 18 year old male black John, listed as idiotic, held by Charles H. Patton on page 521; 60 female black Dorcas, blind and held by Charles H. Patton on 521B; and 20 female black Charlotte, listed as idiotic and held by A. H. Barkley on 522. On page 548B, the enumerator wrote, ”43 sent to Kansas by Darnell Townsend, right prior to June 1st”. Freed slaves, if listed in the next census, in 1870, would have been reported with their full name, including surname. Some of these former slaves may have been using the surname of their 1860 slaveholder at the time of the 1870 census and they may have still been living in the same State or County. Before presuming an African American was a slave on the 1860 census, the free census for 1860 should be checked, as almost 11% of African Americans were enumerated as free in 1860, with about half of those living in the southern States. Estimates of the number of former slaves who used the surname of a former owner in 1870, vary widely and from region to region. If an African American ancestor with one of these surnames is found on the 1870 census, then making the link to finding that ancestor as a slave requires advanced research techniques involving all obtainable records of the holder.
MIGRATION OF FORMER SLAVES: According to U.S. Census data, the 1860 Madison County population included 11,685 whites, 192 “free colored” and 14,573 slaves. By the 1870 census, the white population of Madison County had increased almost 33% to 15,527, while the “colored” population only increased just under 7% to 15,740. (As a side note, by 1960, 100 years later, the County was listed as having 95,283 whites, more than an eight fold increase, but the 1960 total of 10,309 “Negroes”was only about 50% more than what it had been 100 years before.) [These figures do not consider the affect of any County boundary changes that may have occurred.] Where did the freed slaves go who did not stay in this county? Dallas, Montgomery and Mobile counties in Alabama all saw increases in the colored population between 1860 and 1870, so that could be where some of these Alabama freed slaves went. Between 1860 and 1870, the Alabama colored population increased by 37,000, to 475,000, a 17% increase. Where did freed Alabama slaves go if they did not stay in Alabama? States that saw significant increases in colored population during that time, and were therefore more likely possible places of relocation for colored persons from Madison County, included the following: Georgia, up 80,000 to 545,000 (17%); Texas, up 70,000 (38%); North Carolina, up 31,000 (8%); Florida, up 27,000 (41%); Ohio, up 26,000 (70%); Indiana, up 25,000 (127%); and Kansas up from 265 to 17,000 (6,400%).
SLAVEHOLDER LIST:
ALLISON, Jno., 40 slaves, page 509B
BAKER, William, 30 slaves, page 542
BARKLEY, A. H., 53 slaves, page 522
BATTLE, Joseph D., 54V95
BEALEY, Jas. A., 80 slaves, page 482B
BEIRNE, Geo. P., 80 slaves, page 515B
BELL, Elisha, 37 slaves, page 531B
BETTS, Edward C., 34 slaves, page 485
BETTS, Elisha F., 46 slaves, page 520B
BLANKENSHIP, Willis, George McBride Agt., 30 slaves, page 556B
BONE, Rev. M. H., 39 slaves, page 538B
BRADFORD, Hamilton G., 42 slaves, page 483
BRICKLE, R. C., 33 slaves, page 514B
CARTER, John W., 33 slaves, page 497B
CARTER, T. W.? Agt, 71 slaves, page 539
CLEMENS, James, 85 slaves, page 520
COLLIER, Charles E., 53 slaves, page 522B
CORNELIUS, Wm. M., 41 slaves, page 496
DAVIS, Dewit C., 37 slaves, page 487
DAVIS, W. C., Agt., 36 slaves, page 544
DONALSON, L., 57 slaves, page 547B
DONEGAN (see Patton Donegan & Co.)
EASON, Alcuen?, 34 slaves, page 494
EPLINGER, A. J., 30 slaves, page 515
FARISS, Jno. L., 31 slaves, page 559
FENNELL, Isham J., 74 slaves, page 519
FLETCHER, John J., 46 slaves, page 528B
FORD, Mrs. M. & 1 other, 69 slaves, page 556
FORD, Z., Agt., 40 slaves, page 548
GRIFFITH, Benj., Hal? Kenney Agt., 36 slaves, page 546
GURLEY, Jno., 33 slaves, page 511
HALL, Adam, Estate of, 35 slaves, page 475
HAMBRECK, J. L.?, 42 slaves, page 540B
HAMMOND, Ferdinand, 124 slaves, page 490
HARRIS, Jas. N., 30 slaves, page 550
HARRIS, S. W., 56 slaves, page 514B
HIGGINBOTHAM, Jas., Agt., 35 slaves, page 547
HOBBS, J. H., 43 slaves, page 516B
HOLDING, Richard, 107 slaves, page 524
HOLDING, William, 89 slaves, page 528B
HORTON, Geo. Estate of, 30 slaves, page 530B
HUMPHREY, W. D., 43 slaves, page 557
HUMPHREYS, D. C., 57 slaves, page 507
JAMES, Richard, 44 slaves, page 518
JONES, Alex. P., 106 slaves, page 483
JONES, G. F., 46 slaves, page 543B
JONES, G. W., 49 slaves, page 555B
JORDAN, Dr. F., 133 slaves, page 536B
KELLEY, J.? H., Agt., 30 slaves, page 546B
KELLEY, R, J., 76 slaves, page 551
KING, John D., 34 slaves, page 492B
LANIER, J. A. & Bros., 74 slaves, page 528
LANMAN, James, 42 slaves, page 530
LARKIN & SULLIVAN, 33 slaves, page 499B
LEACY?, Alex. H., 49 slaves, page 531
LIGHTFOOT, Clary, 35 slaves, page 484B
LOVE, Joel B., 30 slaves, page 506
MARTIN, J. H. & G. L., 43 slaves, page 554
MASTEN, Frank, 77 slaves, page 555
MASTEN, Frank T., 74 slaves, page 503
MATKIN, William, 44 slaves, page 534
MAYHEW, Mrs. E. & 1 other, 32 slaves, page 554B
MCCALLEY, Thos., 98 slaves, page 552B
MCCALLY, Thomas S., 47 slaves, page 533
MCCLUNG, Margaret, 30 slaves, page 509B
MCDONALD, Archibald, 54 slaves, page 534
MILLER, Jas., 38 slaves, page 541
MOORE, Benj. T., 95 slaves, page 487B
MOORE, D. L.?, 56 slaves, page 512B
NUCKOLS, S. O., 31 slaves, page 551B
PATTON, Charles H., W. T. Clark overseer, 31 slaves, page 521
PATTON, Charles H., Calvin Hunt overseer, 40 slaves, page 532
PATTON, Charles H., for others, 88 slaves, page 521B
PATTON DONEGAN & Co., 147 slaves, page 558
PATTON, Martha L., H. Sandefer overseer, 70 slaves, page 521
POPE, Eliza E., 39 slaves, page 502B
POWER, Wm., 46 slaves, page 513
PRUIT, Valentine G., 47 slaves, page 495
RAGLAND, G. O., J. W. Scruggs Exr? Of, 63 slaves, page 525
ROBINSON, C. P.?, 49 slaves, page 509
ROBINSON, John, 64 slaves, page 493
ROPER, Wm. M., 32 slaves, page 554
RUSSELL, Martha J., 52 slaves, page 531B
SALE, Dudley, 39 slaves, page 489B
SANFORD, Wm., 66 slaves, page 482
SCRUGGS, James H., in trust for three minors, 32 slaves, page 478
SEAY, John, 40 slaves, page 489
SLEDGE, O. D., 85 slaves, page 552
SMITHER, Daniel, 35 slaves, page 488B
STEELE, Eliza (and others), 43 slaves, page 513
STEGER, Benj., 31 slaves, page 537B
STRONG, Lucy J., 30 slaves, page 499
STUDDART, Wm. J., 43 slaves, page 485B
SULLIVAN (see Larkin & Sullivan)
THOMAS, Charles, 57 slaves, page 556B
THOMAS, John, Agent, 60V49
THOMPSON, Wiley, 45 slaves, page 499B
TIMMONS, Estate, D. C. Humphreys for, 93 slaves, page 527
TIMS, , William, 30 slaves, page 546B
TONEY, Calif. Heirs of, 30 slaves, page 530
TONEY, Edmund, S. Bondurant overseer, 37 slaves, page 525
TONEY, Margaret, 33 slaves, page 529B
TOWNSEND, Exeline, 44 slaves, page 548
TOWNSEND, Mary S., 56 slaves, page 501B
TOWNSEND, Saml. Estate, Saml. C. Townsend Admr., 60 slaves, page 501
TOWNSEND, Saml. C., 39 slaves, page 500B
TURNER, Harry B., 30 slaves, page 527B
TURNER, Henry P.?, 45V98B
TURNER, Jas. B., 40 slaves, page 484
VINCENT, C. ?., 37 slaves, page 511
WARD, Samuel, 102 slaves, page 518
WHITAKER, Alex & 1 other, 33 slaves, page 549
WHITE, Thomas, 34 slaves, page 516B
WHORTON, George R., 38 slaves, page 494
WIGGINS, Richard., 79 slaves, page 534B
WINSTON, Isaac W., 35 slaves, page 492
SURNAME MATCHES AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS:
(exact surname spellings only are reported, no spelling variations or soundex)
(SURNAME, # in US, in State, in County, born in State, born and living in State, born in State and living in County)
ALLISON, 476, 64, 20, 45, 40, 18
BAKER, 3314, 241, 12, 214, 140, 12
BARKLEY, 91, 8, 0, 6, 5, 0
BATTLE, 900, 196, 39, 129, 112, 29
BEALEY, 4, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
BEIRNE, 30, 30, 29, 20, 20, 19
BELL, 4784, 485, 18, 388, 280, 13
BETTS, 197, 41, 14, 47, 33, 11
BLANKENSHIP, 34, 7, 4, 8, 5, 4
BONE, , 92, 14, 10, 15, 12, 9
BRADFORD, 911, 153, 38, 132, 94, 25
BRICKLE, 6, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2
CARTER, 7164, 478, 15, 397, 263, 9
CLEMENS, 230, 20, 7, 24, 15, 6
COLLIER, 632, 91, 19, 87, 60, 17
CORNELIUS, 145, 22, 12, 23, 17, 9
DAVIS, 13725, 1122, 36, 1004, 698, 25
DONALSON, 71, 5, 1, 5, 3, 1
DONEGAN, 33, 24, 23, 20, 20, 19
EASON, 203, 30, 8, 30, 20, 6
EPLINGER, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
FARISS, 9, 5, 2, 3, 3, 2
FENNELL, 80, 16, 2, 15, 8, 0
FLETCHER, 896, 95, 20, 82, 67, 14
FORD, 2562, 234, 32, 209, 140, 19
GRIFFITH, 377, 36, 1, 21, 16, 0
GURLEY, 64, 14, 10, 13, 12, 9
HALL, 5875, 578, 25, 510, 383, 19
HAMBRECK, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
HAMMOND, 632, 71, 31, 50, 41, 23
HARRIS, 11315, 1052, 60, 910, 648, 43
HIGGINBOTHAM, 71, 10, 0, 11, 7, 0
HOBBS, 355, 47, 16, 46, 38, 14
HOLDING, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
HORTON, 745, 173, 25, 140, 121, 21
HUMPHREY, 261, 54, 3 7, 42, 38, 25
HUMPHREYS, 134, 8, 2, 5, 5, 1
JAMES, 3993, 344, 12, 321, 210, 8
JONES, 27193, 2497, 159, 2125, 1451, 120
JORDAN, 2359, 248, 46, 225, 149, 40
KELLEY, 499, 50, 15, 50, 36, 13
KING, 4979, 681, 13, 545, 406, 8
LANIER, 260, 79, 17, 57, 52, 13
LANMAN, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
LARKIN, 129. 29, 0, 27, 22, 0
LEACY?, 4, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
LIGHTFOOT, 257, 48, 16, 38, 31, 11
LOVE, 1109, 93, 13, 97, 56, 5
MARTIN, 5318, 457, 20, 377, 270, 15
MASTEN, 29, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1
MATKIN, 11, 11, 11, 9, 9, 9
MAYHEW, 57, 7, 1, 5, 5, 0
MCCALLEY, 32, 26, 25, 21, 21, 21
MCCALLY, 15, 3, 1, 2, 2, 1
MCCLUNG, 24, 4, 2, 4, 3, 1
MCDONALD, 899, 137, 7, 108, 78, 6
MILLER, 6577, 346, 36, 292, 190, 23
MOORE, 8698, 1016, 126, 917, 635, 82
NUCKOLS, 27, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0
PATTON, 675, 144, 50, 145, 100, 36
POPE, 989, 165, 29, 121, 97, 23
POWER, 81, 3, 2, 5, 1, 1
PRUIT, 85, 22, 6, 25, 15, 6
RAGLAND, 213, 41, 19, 30, 30, 17
ROBINSON, 8046, 459, 51, 430, 270, 42
ROPER, 217, 42, 12, 33, 31, 10
RUSSELL, 1487, 143, 13, 145, 102, 11
SALE, 78, 6, 0, 7, 5, 0
SANFORD, 378, 65, 6, 44, 33, 5
SCRUGGS, 338, 63, 36, 69, 52, 30
SEAY, 107, 14, 4, 8, 8, 3
SLEDGE, 240, 76, 26, 61, 53, 24
SMITHER, 28, 10, 9, 8, 8, 7
STEELE, 610, 223, 23, 167, 152, 14
STEGER, 40, 7, 7, 7, 5, 5
STRONG, 573, 93, 47, 66, 47, 32
STUDDART, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
SULLIVAN, 482, 46, 15, 38, 28, 10
THOMAS, 11418, 1092, 14, 888, 631, 10
THOMPSON, 8826, 783, 30, 757, 494, 23
TIMMONS, 127, 24, 22, 21, 18, 18
TIMS, 39, 3, 0, 8, 2, 0
TONEY, 259, 87, 41, 62, 57, 29
TOWNSEND, 656, 92, 38, 86, 54, 21
TURNER, 5742, 620, 59, 479, 352, 40
VINCENT, 450, 42, 10, 32, 25, 7
WARD, 2525, 271, 32, 230, 166, 22
WHITAKER, 513, 32, 1, 22, 15, 0
WHITE, 9657, 693, 32, 622, 406, 21
WHORTON, 112, 46, 13, 33, 32, 9
WIGGINS, 753, 93, 33, 82, 63, 27
WINSTON, 853, 141, 5, 111, 85, 2
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