MECKLENBURG COUNTY, VIRGINIA
LARGEST SLAVEHOLDERS FROM 1860 SLAVE CENSUS SCHEDULES
and
SURNAME MATCHES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS
Transcribed by Tom Blake, August 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 the 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 Mecklenburg County, Virginia (NARA microfilm series M653, Roll 1394) reportedly includes a total of 12,420 slaves. This transcription includes 184 slaveholders who held 20 or more slaves in Mecklenburg County, accounting for 7,853 slaves, or about 63% of the County total. The rest of the slaves in the County were held by a total of 576 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. Census data for 1860 was obtained from the Historical United States Census Data Browser, which is a very detailed, searchable and highly recommended database that can 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 Mecklenburg County, the number of slaves they held in the County and the first page number on which they were listed. The page numbers used are the numbers rubber stamped in the upper right corner of every other page of the census, with the intervening pages being reported here with a B added to the number of the preceding page. Holders shown here on page24 and earlier were listed as in the 22nd Regiment, holders here reported on pages 25B through 40B had the local district left blank, and holders reported here on pages 41 and above were listed as in the 98th Regiment. 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.
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 Virginia in 1860 there were 641 farms of 1,000 acres or more, the largest size category enumerated in the census, and another 2,882 farms of 500-999 acres. Linking names of plantations in this County with the names of the large holders on this list 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, and the transcriber, though not specifically looking for such named slaves, did not notice any such information while doing this transcription. 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 Mecklenburg County population included 6,778 whites, 898 “free colored” and 12,420 slaves. By the 1870 census, the white population had increased just under 6% to 7,162, while the “colored” population had increased just over 6 % to 14,156. (As a side note, by 1960, 100 years later, the County was listed as having 16,717 whites, about a two and a half times increase, while the 1960 total of 14,703 “Negroes”was only about 10% more than what the colored population had been 100 years before.) In comparing census data for different years, the transcriber was not aware of any relevant changes to County boundaries.
Where did the freed slaves go if they did not stay in the same County? Between 1860 and 1870, the Virginia colored population declined by about 36,000, to approximately 513,000, a 6.5% decrease. Two Virginia Counties that showed a significant increase in colored population between 1860 and 1870 were Henrico, with an increase of over 7,000, and Norfolk, with an increase of over 10,000. States that saw significant increases in colored population during that time, and were therefore possible places of relocation for colored persons from Mecklenburg County, included the following: Georgia, up 80,000 (17%); Texas, up 70,000 (38%); Alabama, up 37,000 (8%); Florida, up 29,000 (46%); North Carolina, up 38,000 (8%); Ohio, up 26,000 (70%); Indiana, up 25,000 (127%); and Kansas up from 265 to 17,000 (6,400%).
SLAVEHOLDER LIST:
ALEXANDER, James T., 37 slaves, page 67
ALEXANDER, Mark Sr., 163 slaves, page 66
ALEXANDER, Mark Jr., 60 slaves, page 51
ALEXANDER, Nathaniel, 54 slaves, page 75B
AVERETT, , G. P.?, 24 slaves, page 9
BACON, Col. Wm., 78 slaves, page 16
BASKERVILLE, Lucy, 53 slaves, page 52B
BASKERVILLE, Robert D., 57 slaves, page 53
BASKERVILLE, Wm. Jr., 119 slaves, page 53
BASKERVILLE, Wm. R., 136 slaves, page 50B
BENNETT, Joseph, 26 slaves, page 49B
BOBBITT?, R. B., 27 slaves, page 1
BOOKER, S. D., 44 slaves, page 23B
BOSWELL, Jos. Sr., 27 slaves, page 27B
BOSWELL, T. T., 32 slaves, page 2
BOWERS, James, 36 slaves, page 13B
BOYD, A. G., 62 slaves, page 46B
BOYD, Alfred, 28 slaves, page 60B
BOYD, Richard, 70 slaves, page 1B
BRUCE, Paschal, 48 slaves, page 48
BUGG, Richard D., 22 slaves, page 68B
BURTON (see also Finch & Burton)
BURTON, John, 23 slaves, page 31
BURWELL, George W., 20 slaves, page 62
BURWELL, John J. S. R., 51 slaves, page 16B
BURWELL, P. R., 41 slaves, page 26
BURWELL, T. G., Exr., 34 slaves, page 23
CANNON, Willis, 22 slaves, page 47
CARRINGTON, Ann E., 60 slaves, page 47B
CARRINGTON, T., 58 slaves, page 8B
CHAPPEL, Robert B., 42 slaves, page 64B
CLANTON, Frances, 22 slaves, page 48B
COCKREN?, O. H. P., 33 slaves, page 29B
COLEMAN, Henry E., 33 slaves, page 76B
COLEMAN, Wm. G> 20 slaves, page 57
COUCH, John S., 21 slaves, page 15
CRENSHAW, Elizabeth, 30 slaves, page 57
CRUTE?, Venable, 20 slaves, page 70
CUNNINGHAM, Mrs. Jane, 38 slaves, page 26
DALEY, James J., 40 slaves, page 60
DANIEL, J. J., 26 slaves, page 4
DAVIS, Martha E., 35 slaves, page 59
DAVIS, Mary A., 44 slaves, page 75
DAVIS?, J. J., 22 slaves, page 30
DEDMAN, Saml., 21 slaves, page 18
DUGGER?, James B., 22 slaves, page 60
EPPS, Victor M., 77 slaves, page 78
EZELL, Elizabeth, 20 slaves, page 52
FARMER, Pettus, 45 slaves, page 70B
FIELD, Dr. Tho., 35 slaves, page 18B
FIELD, John S. Sr., 112 slaves, page 19
FIELDS, J. S. Jr., 34 slaves, page 23B
FINCH & BURTON, tobacconists, these hands are all employed, 29 slaves, page 40
FINCH, Adam, 29 slaves, page 15 [probably held more slaves, as next page was missing]
FINLEY, A. E. Admx., 21 slaves, page 40
FITTS, James H., 21 slaves, page 72
FITTS, James M. Est., 22 slaves, page 71B
GALE, Chs., 31 slaves, page 65
GALE, John T., 41 slaves, page 69
GAYLE, Mrs. Ezt., 23 slaves, page 26B
GREGORY, James C., 24 slaves, page 28B
GREGORY, Richard C., 26 slaves, page 43
GREGORY, Silas M., 21 slaves, page 15B
HAMMATT, Geo. B., employer [for various], 25 slaves, page 37B
HARDY, Cephar, 26 slaves, page 10B
HARDY, James W., 39 slaves, page 27B
HARRIS, Giles, 43 slaves, page 68B
HATCHER, Boyd D., 32 slaves, page 64
HAWTHORN, John, 20 slaves, page 42B
HAYES, James, 33 slaves, page 30B
HAYSE, James Jr., 25 slaves, page 63
HAYSE?, George L., 45 slaves, page 64
HENDRICK, Mary A., 115 slaves, page 73
HENDRICK, Thos. R., 67 slaves, page 47B
HINTON, Presley G.?, 24 slaves, page 71B
HITE, Edmund M., 34 slaves, page 41B
HUISERD?, Archer W., 42 slaves, page 51B
HUNT, Wm. NC, 35 slaves, page 72
HUTCHERSON, Charles S., 36 slaves, page 62
HUTCHERSON, Jos. C., 29 slaves, page 70B
ISBELL, R. H., employer [for various], 23 slaves, page 29B
JACKSON, Archer, 22 slaves, page 49B
JACKSON, Martha G., 30 slaves, page 71B
JEFFERSON, George, 51 slaves, page 74B
JEFFRESS, James H., 43 slaves, page 20B
JEFFRIES, Dr. H. L., 53 slaves, page 39B
JIGGETS, David E., 121 slaves, page 72
JOHNSON, J. W., 21 slaves, page 30B
JONES, Dr. W. H., [individually and as Gdn. For Morton’s children, Boydton,VA], 70 slaves, page 21B
JONES, Helen, 93 slaves, page 76
JONES, Isaac H., 22 slaves, page 65B
JONES, Joseph H., 47 slaves, page 54
JONES, Mary W., 24 slaves, page 63
KEEN, Edwd., 34 slaves, page 25B
KING, Wright, 27 slaves, page 46
LAMBERT, John E., 41 slaves, page 54B
LEIGH, B. W., 34 slaves, page 2B
LEWELLIN, Chas. K., 22 slaves, page 9B
LEWIS, Col. John, 71 slaves, page 12B
LOCKETT, R., 23 slaves, page 7
LOVE, James W., 50 slaves, page 20
MASON, Jas. Owner Richmond VA, R. Brock manager for, 85 slaves, page 23C
MASON, Jordan H., 22 slaves, page 21
MCADEN?, James, 21 slaves, page 43
MCADEN?, Wm. B., 22 slaves, page 55
MOORE, Samuel T., 25 slaves, page 49B
MORTON, B. D., 37 slaves, page 4B
MORTON, W. H. Sr., 20 slaves, page 40
MOSS, James S., 66 slaves, page 65B
MOSS, R. H. & Bros., [hirelings, tobacco factory hands], 165 slaves, page 7B
NEWTON, James H., 50 slaves, page 40B
OGBORN?, Charles H., 72 slaves, page 63B
OLIVER, Dr. W. W., 71 slaves, page 31
OLIVER, James, 58 slaves, page 35
OLIVER, John G., 50 slaves, page 35
OVERBEY, Andrew, 22 slaves, page 9B
OVERBEY, Harry, 23 slaves, page 10B
OVERBEY, R. M., 116 slaves, page 24
PETTUS, C. H., 34 slaves, page 36B
PETTUS, Mary F., 22 slaves, page 28
PETTUS, Thomas Taylor, 23 slaves, page 28
PHILLIPS, John C., 32 slaves, page 58
PHILLIPS, Thos. D., 22 slaves, page 66
POOL, Wm. P., 21 slaves, page 33
PULLIAM, B. R., 96 slaves, page 33
PURYEAR, R. C., 66 slaves, page 36
PURYEAR, R. A., 42 slaves, page 3
RAINEY, Mrs. Ann L., 30 slaves, page 22B
RAPELL, Richd., 38 slaves, page 6B
RAPELL, Wm., 28 slaves, page 6B
RAWLINS, Edward A., 68 slaves, page 78B
REEKES?, Tho. C., 24 slaves, page 14B
RICHARDS, C. M., 60 slaves, page 17
ROBERTS, Benj. A., 29 slaves, page 35B
ROFFE?, Jessee, 25 slaves, page 61
SCOTT, R. M., 34 slaves, page 4B
SHANKS, Wm., 21 slaves, page 23
SHAW, A. W., 26 slaves, page 46
SHELTON, D., 21 slaves, page 7
SIMMONS, John W., 32 slaves, page 64B
SIMMONS, Wm. H., 23 slaves, page 52
SIMMONS?, Wiltsher, 29 slaves, page 62
SKIPWITH, H., 247 slaves, page 5
SKIPWORTH, Teuloe?, 63 slaves, page 68
SMITH, Sterling, 21 slaves, page 41
SMITH, W. N., 27 slaves, page 17
SMITH, Wm., 24 slaves, page 25B
SNEED, J. G., 38 slaves, page 37
SONT, Jas. W. M. Co., tobacconists, these hands are all employed, 78 slaves, page 39
SPENCER, J. J. R., 30 slaves, page 1B
TALLEY, Levy, 20 slaves, page 75B
TANNER, Robert, 23 slaves, page 48
TARRY, Edwd., 113 slaves, page 22
TAYLOR, J. H., 30 slaves, page 23
TAYLOR, Wm. H., 20 slaves, page 48B
TERRY, George Jr., 24 slaves, page 79
TERRY?, George, 114 slaves, page 77
THROWER, Sterling P., 24 slaves, page 60
TISDALE, W. R., 25 slaves, page 32
TOWNES, Wm., 187 slaves, page 37B
TOWNES?, Wm. Jr., 40 slaves, page 68B
TUCKER, Henry, 32 slaves, page 27
TUCKER, Wm., 30 slaves, page 27
TURPIN, E. H., 23 slaves, page 69B
VENABLE, Dr. G. C., 30 slaves, page 2B
VENABLE, Dr. P. C., 68 slaves, page 3B
WALKER, James T., 34 slaves, page 58B
WALKER, John H., 27 slaves, page 52B
WALKER, R. E., 24 slaves, page 40
WALL, Thos. B., 30 slaves, page 13B
WARREN, Saml. H., 26 slaves, page 55B
WASHINGTON, J. B., 36 slaves, page 41
WATKINS, Mrs. Nancy, 28 slaves, page 11B
WATSON, Littleby, 24 slaves, page 67B
WHITTLE, Conway D., 24 slaves, page 55B
WILLIAMS, E. A. Sr., 40 slaves, page 4
WILLIAMS, Jon B., 24 slaves, page 18
WILLIAMS, Leroy M., 27 slaves, page 21
WILLIAMS, Mary, 28 slaves, page 61B
WILLIAMSON, James A., 44 slaves, page 10B
WINCKLER, John H., 25 slaves, page 59B
WOOD, C., 24 slaves, page 34
WRIGHT, A. P. Est., 28 slaves, page 74
WRIGHT, John M., 32 slaves, page 74
YOUNG, Deauetice? M., 43 slaves, page 67B
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)
ALEXANDER, 3460, 309, 73, 606, 302, 72
AVERETT, 88, 17, 5, 25, 17, 5
BACON, 518, 57, 19, 79, 57, 19
BASKERVILLE, 47, 14, 13, 24, 14, 13
BENNETT, 1319, 50 3, 137, 45, 3
BOBBITT?, 37, 2, 0, 4, 2, 0
BOOKER, 1338, 545, 2, 698, 541, 2
BOSWELL, 273, 48, 13, 64, 47, 13
BOWERS, 406, 36, 19, 62, 35, 19
BOYD, 1905, 213, 59, 387, 203, 56
BRUCE, 514, 89, 3, 160, 88, 3
BUGG, 202, 30, 11, 39, 30, 11
BURTON, 1530, 196, 12, 323, 189, 12
BURWELL, 238, 135, 40, 147, 129, 35
CANNON, 784, 15, 6, 53, 14, 5
CARRINGTON, 289, 182, 30, 216, 181, 29
CHAPPEL, 95, 14, 2, 23, 14, 2
CLANTON, 152, 13, 0, 19, 13, 0
COCKREN?, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
COLEMAN, 4329, 932, 33, 1515, 922, 32
COUCH, 142, 31, 21, 43, 31, 21
CRENSHAW, 366, 42, 8, 69, 41, 8
CRUTE?, 12, 7, 5, 9, 7, 5
CUNNINGHAM, 1016, 92, 3, 171, 89, 3
DALEY, 57, 2, 1, 9, 2, 1
DANIEL, 1765, 153, 11, 258, 149, 11
DAVIS, 13725, 1281, 48, 2438, 1242, 42
DEDMAN, 23, 7, 3, 9, 7, 3
DUGGER?, 60, 23, 9, 34, 23, 9
EPPS, 568, 226, 3, 324, 219, 3
EZELL, 126, 0, 0, 13, 0, 0
FARMER, 569, 85, 1, 138, 83, 1
FIELD, 471, 133, 24, 194, 130, 24
FIELDS, 1794, 322, 21, 513, 313, 20
FINCH, 231, 19, 14, 30, 19, 14
FINLEY, 325, 18, 1, 50, 18, 1
FITTS, 64, 20, 1, 23, 20, 1
GALE, 268, 34, 15, 50, 33, 14
GAYLE, 75, 16, 7, 18, 16, 7
GREGORY, 726, 178, 46, 226, 163, 46
HAMMATT, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
HARDY, 1078, 132, 22, 208, 130, 22
HARRIS, 11315, 1877, 54, 2995, 1847, 52
HATCHER, 397, 106, 15, 129, 104, 15
HAWTHORN, 108, 21, 0, 26, 21, 0
HAYES, 561, 96, 39, 127, 95, 39
HAYSE, 33, 7, 0, 10, 7, 0
HENDRICK, 241, 61, 22, 80, 55, 17
HINTON, 615, 44, 0, 65, 28, 0
HITE, 120, 58, 20, 68, 58, 20
HUISERD?, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
HUNT, 1517, 183, 10, 313, 175, 10
HUTCHERSON, 87, 17, 7, 29, 17, 7
ISBELL, 88, 21, 0, 30, 21, 0
JACKSON, 19100, 2897, 23, 4977, 2858, 23
JEFFERSON, 1786, 409, 4, 643, 402, 4
JEFFRESS, 98, 94, 45, 96, 94, 45
JEFFRIES, 032, 39, 2, 73, 36, 1
JIGGETS, 3, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0
JOHNSON, 33402, 4458, 30, 7797, 4373, 26
JONES, 27193, 3894, 117, 6648, 3807, 114
KEEN, 155, 80, 5, 87, 78, 4
KING, 4979, 484, 25, 923, 469, 24
LAMBERT, 360, 52, 21, 78, 51, 21
LEIGH, 145, 60, 11, 69, 58, 11
LEWELLIN, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0
LEWIS, 8707, 1513, 33, 2588, 1483, 25
LOCKETT, 241, 68, 14, 95, 67, 14
LOVE, 1109, 85, 11, 153, 82, 11
MASON, 2858, 547, 12, 917, 536, 12
MCADEN?, 10, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
MOORE, 8698, 722, 9, 1434, 697, 9
MORTON, 1174, 350, 20, 465, 349, 20
MOSS, 935, 139, 29, 243, 136, 28
NEWTON, 594, 93, 20, 150, 92, 20
OGBORN?, 5, 0, 0, 2, 0, 0
OLIVER, 1482, 200, 53, 314, 194, 53
OVERBEY, 18, 13, 9, 13, 13, 9
PETTUS, 99, 37, 16, 43, 37, 16
PHILLIPS, 1974, 135, 15, 268, 129, 15
POOL, 572, 62, 4, 94, 53, 4
PULLIAM, 116, 5, 4, 9, 5, 4
PURYEAR, 144, 71, 64, 83, 71, 64
RAINEY, 190, 29, 17, 38, 29, 17
RAPELL, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
RAWLINS, 67, 9, 4, 23, 9, 4
REEKES?, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
RICHARDS, 892, 91, 11, 169, 89, 11
ROBERTS, 3309, 304, 20, 543, 294, 20
ROFFE?, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2
SCOTT, 8407, 1609, 33, 2560, 1588, 32
SHANKS, 89, 8, 4, 13, 8, 4
SHAW, 1163, 24, 4, 97, 22, 4
SHELTON, 875, 246, 7, 362, 243, 7
SIMMONS, 2845, 187, 39, 343, 178, 39
SKIPWITH, 58, 48, 44, 56, 48, 44
SKIPWORTH, 9, 3, 2, 3, 3, 2
SMITH, 29087, 3499, 98, 6339, 3398, 92
SNEED, 315, 45, 1, 72, 45, 1
SONT, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
SPENCER, 1560, 227, 9, 359, 223, 9
TALLEY, 128, 24, 10, 35, 22, 8
TANNER, 300, 55, 14, 84, 52, 14
TARRY, 64, 33, 29, 43, 33, 29
TAYLOR, 11696, 1887, 31, 3149, 1849, 30
TERRY, 855, 187, 18, 300, 184, 17
THROWER, 53, 14, 6, 27, 13, 6
TISDALE, 142, 37, 11, 47, 37, 11
TOWNES, 122, 89, 53, 98, 89, 53
TUCKER, 2023, 429, 13, 669, 422, 13
TURPIN, 143, 41, 3, 51, 41, 3
VENABLE, 236, 129, 11, 145, 128, 10
WALKER, 8492, 1161, 70, 2024, 1142, 70
WALL, 535, 27, 3, 58, 27, 3
WARREN, 1697, 148, 10, 285, 134, 10
WASHINGTON, 9075, 1263, 0, 2593, 1231, 0
WATKINS, 2226, 509, 31, 764, 504, 30
WATSON, 3567, 415, 10, 759, 405, 10
WHITTLE, 58, 19, 9, 22, 19, 9
WILLIAMS, 28865, 2184, 20, 4695, 2087, 20
WILLIAMSON, 12289, 82, 4, 185, 77, 4
WINCKLER, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7
WOOD, 2672, 434, 13, 658, 418, 13
WRIGHT, 5428, 621, 3, 1010, 603, 10
YOUNG, 6185, 536, 28, 986, 520 28
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