The Slaves of John Nelson Sr. of Fauquier County, Virginia

Schalene Dagutis of Tangled Roots and Trees has initiated a new genealogy project: The Slave Name Roll Project.  It provides a way for genealogists to trace their enslaved ancestors.  By digitizing and recording information about ancestors who owned slaves, others can piece together their ancestor's lost stories.

John Nelson Sr. was born around 1725 in Fauquier County, Virginia.  On December 7, 1745, he married Sarah Whitson at Overwharton Parish in Stafford County, Virginia.  John Nelson died at the age of 59 in Fauquier County.  A transcription of his will, dated August 9, 1784, follows.

1787 Map of Fauquier County, Virginia.  Elk Run is highlighted.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kell/mom/groves/1787_fauquier_co_va_map_.jpg

Will of John Nelson 
Fauquier County, Virginia, dated August 9 1784 [Abstract of record].
John Nelson, Sen'r of Elk Run in Fauquier County, being aged and infirm but of a sound mind and disposing memory. 
Sons: Jesse and John Nelson--my tract of land on Dry Run in Shanado [Shenandoah] County to be equally divided between the said Jesse and John. 
Wife: Sarah -- have the use of the plantation and tract of land whereon I now live together with the slaves and stock of all kinds and household furniture thereon during her natural life, provided that as any of my children, namely Jesse, William, Margaret, Jemima, Lettice and Sarah Nelson (who are now single) do marry that each of them shall have four head of neats cattle, a feather bed and furniture and two ewes -- if my daus. Margaret, Jemima, Lettice or Sarah Nelson or any of my said four daughters should remain single till the death of their mother, . . . that the hire or labor of my two slaves, George and Daphne, shall be appropriated to the support and use of all or any my aforementioned four daughters while they remain single after the death of their mother. 
Son: William -- set of Smith's tools, a young sorrel mare, now in his possession -- (after the death of his mother) the plantation whereon I now live --Negro boy named Lymas. . . . at the death of my wife, the whole of my personal or moveable estate (excepting my two slaves George and Daphne)-- shall be equally divided between my children Jesse, John and William Nelson, Lidia Morehead, Nanny Fishback, Mary Rector, Margaret Nelson, Jemima Nelson, Lettice Nelson and Sarah Nelson or the survivor of them. 

Signed: John (his X mark) Nelson, Sen'r. 
Wit. Jno. Matthews, James Gillison, James Blackwell, Thos. Helm, Joseph
 George, John Thomas

52 Ancestors 2015: #14 Little Napoleon

James Cyrus Green, c. 1898
H. S. Stephens, Rushville, Indiana

This is my great-grandfather when he was about four years old.  I wonder how he felt about wearing this outfit.  The enormous bow tie and the tall button boots must have been very uncomfortable for him, but perhaps it made him feel special to be all dressed up.  The riding crop and bicorne hat seem unusual to me -- maybe they are props from the photographer.  I think they make him look like a little Napoleon Bonaparte.

James Cyrus Green (called Cyrus) was born on September 12, 1894 in Arlington, Indiana.  His parents were John D. Green, M.D. and Lavanche Emarine Trees.  He had two younger siblings, a sister named Mary Catherine and a brother named Maurice Thomas.  As a young man, Cyrus attended Sewanee Military Academy in Tennessee.  On June 12, 1916, Cyrus married Mary Ida Sefton in Greensburg, Indiana.  He died June 25, 1964 in Rushville, Indiana.

52 Ancestors 2015: #12 and #13 The Twin Doctors Green

Left to right: William F. Green, Mr. Davis, Mr. Parrish, Thomas G. Green.
On the back of the picture is written "Davis and Parrish, from Illinois." 

This photograph of four young medical students was taken by Sally E. Garrity at her Louisville, Kentucky studio sometime between 1886 and 1889.  Miss Garrity was one of the first female photographers to achieve recognition and success. Often she photographed as many as 150 people a day, while also overseeing the development of every picture herself.  I've always been intrigued by this picture because of the strange way the men are positioned.  While researching Sally Garrity, I found that many of her pictures are charaterized by unusual poses. 

William Frame Green and Thomas Gary Green were identical twins, born on April 6, 1865 in Arlington, Rush County, Indiana.  Their father, James Wilkinson Green, was a doctor; four of their older brothers were doctors as well, including James C. Green and John D. Green.  William and Thomas graduated together from Louisville Medical College in Kentucky in 1889.  

For 10 years William and Thomas both practiced medicine in Shelbyville, Indiana, then William moved his practice to Indianapolis and eventually to Cambridge City, Indiana.  Thomas stayed in Shelbyville until he died in 1929 at the age of 63.  William died in 1931 in Cambridge City.

Both William and Thomas were interested in their family history. William wrote a history of his family that was used for SAR and DAR applications.  I have a letter that Thomas wrote to his fifteen-year-old nephew, James Cyrus Green (my great-grandfather), containing stories about the early Greens in America.  The following is a quote from the letter: "I have looked up the family history for you and will write you a brief copy, which if you will keep may be useful and valuable to you sometime."

52 Ancestors: #11 Henry Sefton of County Antrim

Giant's Causeway, County Antrim, 2011.
Photo taken by my brother.

Four years ago, my brother spent a whole semester in Ireland.  He even celebrated St. Patrick's Day in Dublin!  I am still jealous.

At the time, I didn't know about my Irish 5th great grandfather, Henry Sefton.  If I had known, I would have asked my brother to do some research for me.  He was probably too busy anyway ... climbing hills and bodhran-drumming and step-dancing and eating at pubs (and maybe studying).

Although I didn't get to travel to Ireland, I was lucky enough to inherit some notes about the Sefton family that were handwritten by Henry Sefton's 2nd great grandaughter, Nettie Ryan Hamilton.

According to Nettie, Henry Sefton was born in Ireland on November 10, 1767.  His father, John Sefton, a Protestant, had fled England due to religious persecution and afterwards became an officer in the Army of Ireland.  Henry married Elizabeth Boyes in 1799 in County Antrim, now part of Northern Ireland.  In 1803, Henry, along with his wife and two children and his brother William, left Ireland to come to America, settling in Butler County, Ohio.  Over the next decade, the Sefton clan grew to include eight more children, including my 4th great grandfather William O. Sefton.

In the early 1830s, a cholera epidemic swept across the midwest.  Henry's young daughter, Charlotte French, and her husband Jeremiah died in June 1834, leaving their infant son an orphan.  Then, on July 27, 1834, Henry Sefton fell victim to the dreaded disease.  He was buried at New Haven Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio.

52 Ancestors 2015: #10 A Tragic Accident at the Indiana Republican Convention

Dr. James C. Green, son Hugh, and wife Azzie, c. 1892

James C. Green was born March 10, 1860, in Arlington, Rush County, Indiana.  The son of Dr. James Wilkinson Green and Mary Jane Gowdy, he was the seventh of 13 siblings.  Six of those siblings became doctors, including James and his brother, John D. Green (my great great grandfather.)  James attended courses at the newly-formed Medical College of Indiana, which was a department of Butler University. Following his graduation in 1880, James began his practice as a physician alongside his father in Arlington.

On October 23, 1883, James was married to Azzie E. Winship, a young woman from Rushville, Indiana. The couple had two children -- an infant daughter who died in 1885 and a son, Hugh Clifford Green, born on December 31, 1886.

In 1892, James C. Green was chosen to be a delegate to the Indiana Republican convention.  The convention, which was held on June 28 at the Princess Rink in Fort Wayne, lasted for only one day. The event drew such a large crowd that officials threatened to clear the hall to make room for all the delegates waiting to get inside.  In the chaos, James was pushed against a door knob and critically wounded.  Sadly, he died from his injuries a few weeks later.

The Indianapolis Journal, July 17, 1892

The Slaves of Barnaby Worland of Monroe County, Missouri

In the 1840's Barnaby owned land near an area called Old Clinton and Jonesburg.
The town was renamed North Fork and is shown at the top of this 1904 map.
http://www.mygenealogyhound.com/maps/missouri-maps/mo-monroe-county-missouri-1904-map.html

Schalene Dagutis of Tangled Roots and Trees has initiated a new genealogy project: The Slave Name Roll Project.  It provides a way for genealogists to trace their enslaved ancestors during a time when very little documentation of these people existed.  By digitzing and recording information about ancestors who owned slaves, others can help piece together their ancestor's lost stories.

Barnabas Worland (also called Barnaby) was born on January 5, 1777 in Maryland.  From there he migrated with his brother Thomas to Kentucky, settling in the Lexington area.  Sometime after 1828, Barnaby and his family relocated to Monroe County, Missouri.  Barnaby Worland married three times and was the father of 15 children.  His first wife was Theresa Hardy, and they had seven children: Matilda, Stephen, Theodore Sebastian, Vincent, Mary Theresa, Verlinda C., and George.  After Theresa died in 1816, Barnaby married Cecelia Gough and they had three children: John Henry, James Guy, and Mary C.  This second wife lived only ten years after their marriage.  Barnaby's third wife was Catherine Theresa Deerling.  Their children were Cecelia Agnes, Anna Gabriella, Sarah Catherine, Elizabeth Lewellen, and Barniellen (who was born after his death.)

The following is an excerpt from Barnaby's will, dated May 26, 1842, which I found in One Man's Family by Olive Lewis Kolb.

In the name of God, Amen:  I, Barnaby Worland of Monroe County and state of Missouri, being of sound mind and perfect memory have made this my last will and testament in manner and form viz:

After my just debts and funeral expenses shall have been paid, I give and bequeath to my beloved wife, Catherine Worland, the whole of the land I purchased of James and George Gough and the land I afterward purchased of James Gough, containing three hundred and thirty acres during her life time with an exception herein contained.  This farm shall be for her home and a residence for my unmarried daughters free of charge as long as they may live with her.  I also give to my beloved wife all my slaves viz -- Britt, Granville, Maria and her three children, Henry, George and William, together with every species of my personal property consisting of stock, agricultural implements, house hold and kitchen furniture together with all money in hands and all bonds not collected out of the uncollected funds as above appropriated.  I will and direct that my executrix shall invest the sum of two thousand five hundred dollars in Lands for the use and benefit of my two daughters Cecelia and Gabrilla, the title of which land shall be made to them and their children forever.  Furthermore it is my will and desire that my executrix or executor shall as soon as practicale purchase a Negro girl between the age of ten and thirteen years, the title of which girl shall be invested in my wife forever.

My further will is that at the death of my wife and youngest child being of full age my executor shall then proceed to sell all my personal estate; my slaves, and household and kitchen furniture excepted, of every description and divid the proceeds between my daughters Therese Combs, Verlinda Smith and Mary Worland.  As to my slaves at that time I give to my four daughters by my present wife viz - Cecelia - Gabrilla, Sarah Catharine and Lieu Ellen my negro woman Maria, together with her three children and any increase she (Maria) may in future have -- which slave are to be equally divided between my four daughters as before mentioned.  The remainder of the slaves viz -- Britt and Granville shall be equally disposed of as practicable without public sale between John H. Worland, Therese Combs, Verlinda Smith and Mary Worland, to them and their heirs forever.

On June 19, 1842, the day before he died, Barnaby Worland wrote an addition to his will:

Whereas, I, Barnaby Worland, upon reflection deem it proper to make some alterations in my will hereunto annex in manner and form as hereinafter mentioned viz . . . My further will and desire is that in the event of any of my heirs or legatees making any effort to prevent my will taking effect different from my intention every provision to them in my will shall be withdrawn and they shall be cut off with six and one fourth cents each, their interest or portion in this will to be divided among the other legatees. 

The Slaves of Abraham Inloes of Fell's Point, Baltimore, Maryland

Fell's Point, Balitmore, Maryland, as it appeared in 1800.
According to his will, Abraham's property faced
Ann Street and reached back halfway to Argyle Alley

Schalene Dagutis of Tangled Roots and Trees has initiated a new genealogy project: The Slave Name Roll Project.  It provides a way for genealogists to trace their enslaved ancestors during a time when very little documentation of these people existed.  By digitizing and recording information about ancestors who owned slaves, others can help piece together their ancestor's lost stories.

For my first contribution to the project, I chose to write about Abraham Inloes, a collateral relative.  I found a transcription of his will in a three-volume family history book about the Inlow/Inloes family, entitled In Old Kentucky, A History of My Forbears.

Born about 1736, Abraham Inloes was the grandson of a Dutch immigrant.  He lived in Fell's Point, Baltimore, Maryland and was one of the first in his family (if not the first) to own slaves.  Fell's Point is the oldest neighborhood in the city of Baltimore.  During and after the Revolutionary War, it became one of the leading harbors in the country. Between 1774 and 1821, over 800 ships were constructed at the Fell's Point shipyards.  In 1835, Frederick Douglass, while still enslaved, worked for a ship builder in Fell's Point.  It was here that he taught himself how to read and write, by copying and memorizing the letters with which the shipyard men labeled boards.

On December 28, 1790, Abraham Inloes died.  He was about 54 years old.  The following is a portion of Abraham's will, dated November 18, 1790.

I give and bequeath unto my Loving Wife [Elizabeth] all my negroes to wit Negro Joshua, Sarah, Thomas, and Ann with their increase to her, her heirs and assigns forever, as it was my Intention to have Manumitted my negroes aforesaid, but by my present Indisposition hinders the same. I have given them to wife to do with them as she pleases, Yet having confidence in her that she will by a sufficient deed of Manumission make them free after my decease, and I look upon them as making no part of my Estate. My Will and desire is that if any of my children hereafter named should or shall hereafter lay any claim to them or any part of their appraisement or by suit or other ways disturb my wife or my Executor or the Slaves themselves in claiming them or any of them or any part of them, then it is my will that such child or children shall take no part in my Estate hereinafter bequeathed unto them and that their part, his or her part so offending shall be divided amongst my other children who obey, and keep my Will.

Further on, Abraham lists his ten children by name: Anthony, Abraham, Elizabeth, Joshua, James, John, Eleanor, Temperance, William, and Margaret.  It seems that in his later years he firmly believed that owning slaves was wrong, since he threatened to disinherit his children if they tried to contest his will.  I don't know what actually happened to Joshua, Sarah, Thomas, and Ann after Abraham Inloes died, but I hope they were given their freedom.