From the Probate Files: Jeremiah Warren's Executors vs. Jesse T.S. Warren

If you've been following Great Great Great Uncle Jeremiah Warren's probate in the blog, you may recall that in his will's seventh bequest was to his nephew (and my great great grandfather) Jesse T. Warren. Let's let the Georgia Supreme Court explain the situation:

The next paragraphs (which I'm not including here) quote from Jeremiah's Item 10th, then we're given more information about the matter which we weren't aware of.

I assume Lott Harton, his uncle by marriage to Susan Warren, was named his guardian in 1833 because John P. Phillips had moved his family which included young Jesse T. to Troup County, Georgia, by then.

Returning to 1848:

Jesse T. won his original suit and this appeal was brought by Jesse G. Butts and John Graybill. What follows in the text are several pages of legal argument brought by the lawyers for both sides. Fortunately the index to the book clearly states the result although if you're really interested you can find the whole thing here.

I wonder how much my ancestor received as a result of this decision?

We do know more about what happened to Amy's son Mat* who may be one of these two men listed in the 1850 Slave Schedule.

[Township : District 21. Ancestry.com. 1850 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Seventh Census of the United States, 1850. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1850. M432, 1,009 rolls.]

All Supreme Court extracts in this post are taken from Georgia Reports, Volume 4, published in 1848 and available as a free e-book from Google.

That we know about this case is due to the generosity of our commenter Marco, who first directed my attention to it. Thanks again, Marco.

*We know this relationship from the inventory of Jeremiah's estate.



© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate Files: What We Learned from Jeremiah Warren's Probate Records

I was initially surprised to see that the "heirs of Jesse Warren" (e.g. my great great grandfather J.T.S. Warren, who was 11 in 1837) got an equal share with the other legatees but rereading Item 10th of Jeremiah's will it's clear that was his uncle's wish (as expressed in the second part of it).

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893G-8N1K?cc=1999178&wc=9SYB-7M3%3A267654601%2C267802801 : 20 May 2014), Hancock > image 78 of 376;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

All the residue of my property I will to be managed
by my executors for five years in a profitable manner having
regard to humanity in there treatment not hiring them to
any person who will abuse them if they cannot have
them freed by the Laws of our Country in that time are
to be equally divided by my brothers and sisters or
their heirs except Epps Warren and James Warren and Eliza-
beth Smith and Susan Johnson as I do not wish them
to have any part in said division.

Also from the above paragraph it seems that Jeremiah hoped that "the residue" of his slaves (those not specifically included in bequests to his relatives) could be freed but he set a five year time limit for the possibility. So that's why the appraisal and division of them took so long.

But regarding Coleman, Mary and her three children, Pat and John, there was no such limit.

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893G-8N1K?cc=1999178&wc=9SYB-7M3%3A267654601%2C267802801 : 20 May 2014), Hancock > image 78 of 376;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

Item 10th    I give to Jesse G Butts and John Graybill jointly negroes
Coleman Mary and her three children and Pat and John
one choice Horse four Cows and Calves two beds and furna-
ture and all my household furnature except my clock two
Spinning Wheels two pare of Cards and four thousand dollars
in money if the money is in hand if not the amount in
notes the above also the Track of land I purchased of Parker
which land is not to be subject to be sold for the debts of
they or either of them nor shall the negroes be sold by them
or subject to pay any debt of there contracting the money
to be loaned out at Interest for the support of the negroes
and if they can at any time be freed by the laws of the
Country it is my will it shall be done

The only time I have found mention of Coleman, Mary and the other five people outside of Jeremiah's will is in the inventory of his estate. Thereafter they disappear from probate records (at least those available online).

As Jeremiah thought possible, immediately after his death there wasn't enough cash in the estate to cover the $4000 he directed be set aside "for the support of the negroes" but we can see in the Account Current of August 1834, Graybill and Butts had "retained" the money by then.

   "      am't retained by J. Graybill & Jesse G. Butts under the}

                        will of Jeremiah Warren**                                             }  4000.00

I think there must be more probate records that are either lost or not online because there should be documents relating to court approval of the proposed division, receipts from the six legatees and court orders winding up Jeremiah's probate and giving Graybill and Butts dismission from their responsibilities as executors.

However in the Georgia Property Tax Digest for Hancock County in 1840 I was able to find out a bit more.

[Militia District Number: 101; Year : 1840. Ancestry.com. Georgia, Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Georgia Tax Digests [1890]. 140 volumes. Morrow, Georgia: Georgia Archives.]

[Detail of above]

So in tax records John Graybill was still acting as Executor for Jeremiah's estate which at this point was comprised of 1 slave* and 40 acres, presumably the Parker property referred to in Jeremiah's will. John Graybill himself was listed as the owner of 34 enslaved persons. (Jesse Butts is in the same Tax Digest but wasn't recorded as acting as executor for anyone.)

Since we know that Mary (who adopted the Warren surname after emancipation) appeared in the 1870 U.S. Census living very near John Graybill, in Smith County, Texas, next week I plan to look at his life.


*Who?


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate files: Jeremiah Warren Part 16, Account Current, May 24, 1837

This time John Graybill and Jesse G. Butts, the executors of my fourth great uncle Jeremiah Warren's estate in Hancock County, Georgia. filed a report covering two years.

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93G-8KWM?cc=1999178&wc=9SYB-7M3%3A267654601%2C267802801 : 20 May 2014), Hancock > image 371 of 376;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

Account of the hire of the negroes belonging to the Estate 
of Jeremiah Warren dec'd. for the year 1836 and 1837, to wit,
1836    Hal                                                            Wm. Warren              120.00
            Meredith                                                    Robt. Warren            120.00
            Anderson                                                   Ingram Bass              120.00
            Dave                                                          Jas. Wilcoxen            120.00
            Edmund                                                     Jesse G. Butts            120.00
            Jack (11 months)                                       John Graybill             115.00
            Abram Amy & 3 children                         Dav'd Amos               150.00
            Lucy                                                          Wm. Warren                35.00
            Lethe                                                         Mary Warren               50.00
            Old man Tom victuals & clothes              Wm Warren
            " small girl             do                               Graybill & Butts _________950.00
1837    Hal                                                            Wm. Warren              175.00
            Meredith                                                           do                       175.00
            Anderson                                                   Robert Petigrew       175.00
            Dave                                                          Robert Warren           175.00
            Edmund                                                     Jas. Wilcoxen            175.00
            Jack                                                           John Graybill             175.00
            Abram                                                       Jesse M. Warren         120.00
            Amy & 2 child'n (1died)                           Robert Warren              87.50
            Lucy                                                          Wm. Warren                 35.00
            Lethe & child                                                    do                         50.00
            Old Tom     victuals & clothes                          do                          -- --
            a small girl             do                               Graybill & Butts _________1342.00

From this account we learn that one of Amy's children died sometime during the period covered and that Lethe had a child. Old (crazy) Tom was still hanging on. The best explanation I can think of for the "small girl" being maintained by John Graybill and Jesse G. Butts is that one of the enslaved women (either Mary or Pat) living on the plantation Jeremiah set aside for the seven persons he hoped to have legally freed had a baby and this was the means of accounting for it. I'm hoping we'll find out more in subsequent probate records.

As to the people hiring the slaves belonging to the estate, most are familiar names but there are several new ones: Ingram Bass and Robert Petigrew. These two men, both born about 1812, were also residents of Hancock County.

                                                    

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93G-8KWM?cc=1999178&wc=9SYB-7M3%3A267654601%2C267802801 : 20 May 2014), Hancock > image 371 of 376;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

Georgia Hancock County.
     John Graybill & Jesse G. Butts Ex'rs. of &c. of Jeremiah
Warren dec'd.being duly sworn say that the above acc't.
hiring of negroes is just & true.
     Sworn to & subscribed before                               John Graybill
     me this 24th day May 1837.                                  Jesse G. Butts           
     Henry Rogers C.C.O.          

John Graybill & Jesse G. Butts Ex'rs. of &c.
1836      In acct. with the Estate of Jere'h Warren dec'd.                 Dr
May 2   To balance due Estate pr. acc't. rend'd.                            4950.55
Jan'y 1    " cash rec'd. F. Scotts note $348  In't. $145.42-1/2         493.62-1/2
1837
May 24   " R. Wilcoxen note $271.81  In't. $29.50                        301.31
               " cash rec'd. Wm. Choice's note 8.76  In't. 280                 11.56
               " Hire of negroes for 1836                                950.00
               "    do   "     do       "   1837                             1342.50  2292.50
                                                                                                    $8049.54-1/2
                                                 Cr
               By cash paid Dr William S. Lightfoot                    #1       13.50
                "     "       "    Tax 1834, 1835 & 1836                   2&3     11.06
                " amt of Macon money found in the house of }
                  dec'd & charged in our first acc't. current      }             260.00
               " commiis. on receipts above $3098.99-1/2  2-1/2 pr'cent  77.47
1837       "      do     " payment  "     $24.56     "   "   "          .61        78.08
May 24   " Balance due estate                                                     7686.90-1/2
                                                                                                    $8049.54-1/2                                          Georgia Hancock County.
     John Graybill & Jesse G. Butts Ex'rs. of &c. of Jeremiah
Warren dec'd.being duly sworn say that the above account
current is just & true.
Sworn to & subscribed before                               John Graybill
me this 24th day May 1837.                                  Jesse G. Butts           
Henry Rogers C.C.O.                                                                      





© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate files: Jeremiah Warren Part 15, Account Current - May 2, 1836

Another year, another probate court filing by John Graybill and Jesse G. Butts, the executors of my fourth great uncle Jeremiah Warren's estate in Hancock County, Georgia.

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93G-8KHV?cc=1999178&wc=9SYB-7M3%3A267654601%2C267802801 : 20 May 2014), Hancock > image 300 of 376;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

Account hiring of the negroes belonging to the Estate of Jeremiah
     Warren dec'd. for 1835, to wit,
     Jack                                                                      to John Graybill                        125.00
     Dave                                                                     " Ja's. & R. Wilcoxen               120.00
     Anderson & Hal 120 ea Lucy 35                          " Wm. Warren                          275.00
     Meredith                                                               " Rob't. Warren                         120.00
     Edm? *                                                                  " Peter Equals                           120.00
     Lethe                                                                    " Mary Warren                            50.00
     Abram, Amy & e children                                   " Dav'd. Amos                           130.00
     Tom hired during the years 1833. '4 & '5 being an idiot Wm. Warren victuals & clothes
                                                                                                                                   $940.00
     Hancock County. Jno. Graybill & Jesse G. Butts being duly sworn say
     the above acc't. hiring is true & correct.
     Sworn to & subscribed before
     me this 2nd. May 1836.                                         John Graybill
     Henry Rogers C.C.O.                                            Jesse G. Butts 

Jack, Anderson, Hal, Meredith, Edmund, Lethe and Amy and her children remained with the same people who had hired them the previous year. Lucy was transferred from Robert to Mary Warren, Abram to David Amos, and Dave was hired jointly by the Wilcoxens. I had considered the possibility that Tom's non-appearance on last year's list meant that he had died, but William Warren is credited with providing his food and clothing for the past three years.

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93G-8KXB?cc=1999178&wc=9SYB-7M3%3A267654601%2C267802801 : 20 May 2014), Hancock > image 301 of 376;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

John Graybill & Jesse G. Butts Ex'rs. of Jeremiah Warren dec'd.
1835         In acct. with the Estate of said dec'd.
Jan'y 1   To bal due Estate pr. acc't. rend'd.                                            2763.93-1/4
               " Hire of negroes for 1835. pr. acc't. rend'd.                              940.00
               " cash rec'd bal Prestley Harpers note due dec'd.   }
                              $1026.62   In't. $161.81-3/4                    }               1188.43-3/4
               "     "     " Note on Edm'd. Butts 40.41  In't. 17.77                      58.18  
                                                                                                              $4950.55
                                                                      CR
               By cash p'd. Clk. c.o. for recording this return & acc't. hiring      1.75
               " com on am't. rec'd. 2186, 61                                                     54.66
               " Bal due Est 1 Jan'ry 1836                                                      4894.14
                                                                                                              $4950.55    
              Hancock County. John Graybill & Jesse G. Butts Ex'rs. 
              of &c. of Jeremiah Warren dec'd. being duly sworn say
              that the above acc't. current is just & true
              Sworn to & subscribed before
              me this 2nd. May 1836.                                         John Graybill
              H Rogers C.C.O.                                                   Jesse G. Butts                                                                                                        

*This is Edmund, hired out to P[eter] Equals again this year. Peter was a relatively rare given name and when I decided to try to figure out who the Wilcoxens were, using census records from 1840 for Hancock County I think I figured out what his "real" name was: Peter Echols. Here's the page from the census--note how many of the people on it are familiar to us from these probate records. (Polley Warren is Jeremiah's deaf sister Mary Warren)

[Year: 1840; Census Place: District 101, Hancock, Georgia; Roll: 43; Page: 208; Image: 426; Family History Library Film: 0007044. Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Sixth Census of the United States, 1840. (NARA microfilm publication M704, 580 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.]

© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate files: Jeremiah Warren Part 14, Account Current - January 26, 1835

Once again the executors of Great Uncle Jeremiah Warren's estate filed a report with the Probate Court which included a list of enslaved persons and who hired them for the year.

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893G-8V9M?cc=1999178&wc=9SYB-7M3%3A267654601%2C267802801 : 20 May 2014), Hancock > image 250 of 376;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

Acc't. hiring of the Negroes belonging to the Estate of Jeremiah
     Warren dec'd. for 1833, to wit,
     Jack            to    Jno. Graybill                            105.00
     Hal              "     Wm. Warren                            100.00
     Anderson    "             do                                     100.00
     Meredith     "     R. Warren                                100.00
     Lucy           "             do                                       40.00
     Lethe          "     Mary Warren                              35.00
     Edmund     "     P. Equals                                    100.00
     Dave          "     Geo. W. Butts                            100.00
     Abram       "      Jno. Graybill & J.G. Butts          65.00
     Amy & 3 children " Jno. Arnold Jr.                     45.00
                                                                              $790.00

Hancock County
     Jno. Graybill & Jesse G. Butts Executors &c. being duly
sworn says that the above acc't. hiring &c. is just & true
Sworn to & subscriber before
this 26th day of Jan'y 1835                    John Graybill
     Henry Rogers C.C.O.                         Jesse G. Butts             

Compared with the hiring list for 1833 we can see that Jack and Hal are the only ones to be hired by the same people. Two of Jeremiah's siblings, Mary and Robert, were among the hirers this time. Abram was hired by Graybill and Butts jointly, perhaps to work on the plantation Jeremiah set aside in his will for the benefit of the seven slaves he hoped to see freed within five years? There's no mention of Tom, described as "insane" on the 1833 list but it could be that the $10 coffin bought from John H. Breedlove in the previous year's accounting was for him. John Arnold was also a resident of Hancock County but I've not been able to find any mention of P. Equals in census records.

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893G-8V9M?cc=1999178&wc=9SYB-7M3%3A267654601%2C267802801 : 20 May 2014), Hancock > image 250 of 376;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

John Graybill & Jesse G. Butts Exor's 
1834        In acc't. current with the Est of Jere'h. Warren dec'd
Aug't. 26 To balance pr. acc't rend'd.                                         $ 1974.02-3/4
                " am't. rec''d. upon a final distribution of the assets of }
                  A. Slaughter & C. Labuzan                                        }  75.94
                " " rec'd. J. choice note $24. In't. on do 6.27                    30.27
               " Hire of Negroes for 1834 per acc't rend'd.                    790.00
                                                                                                   $2870.23-3/4
                                                        Cr
               By Cash paid Epps W. Warren                              1          20.34
               "    Eliz'th. Warren                                                 2          21.62-1/2
               "     do  paid   William Warren                               3          31.26
               "      do   "      George Amoss                                 4            3.14
               "      do   " Cha's. Jenkins Atty Com'n collecting   5            3.75
               "      do  " for recording this acc't, & acc't. hiring negroes  1.75
               "  Com'n. on 896.21 am't. rec'd.                           22.40
               "      "        "  81.86-1/2 " paid acct                         2.04     24.44
               " am't. Bal'ce' due                                                           2763.93-1/4
                                                                                                     $2870.23-3/4
Georgia Hancock County
      John Graybill & Jesse G. Butts Exoc's of &c. of Jerem-
iah Warren dec'd being duly sworn says the above acct
current is just & true                                                        
Sworn to & subscribed before               John Graybill
this 26th day of Jan'y 1835                   Jesse G. Butts       
     Henry Rogers C.C.O.    

Census records show that George Amos and Charles Jenkins were residents of Hancock County too.



© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate files: Jeremiah Warren Part 13, Account Current - August 26, 1834

As required, Great Uncle Jeremiah Warren's executors John Graybill and Jesse G. Butts filed an accounting with the Probate Court for 1833 and part of 1834.

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93G-8FC5?cc=1999178&wc=9SYB-7M3%3A267654601%2C267802801 : 20 May 2014), Hancock > image 208 of 376;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

Dr. John Graybill & Jesse G. Butts
     1833     In acct. current with the Estate of J. Warren dec'd.
May 29 To bal[an]ce. due Est for acct. rendered                                  5582.44
       1834
Feb 12   "  amt. collected on a note due by A. Slaughter & C       }
                  Labuzan* in part -- bal[an]ce.not considered desperate}       573.75
Jan 31   "  cash rec'd. Fred'k. Scotts note $27 In't. $3 due dec'd.             30.00
              "    do      "    John I Berrys note 76.50 do 6.81 due dec'd           83.31
Aug't 12 "   do      "   John Ropers note 20,00    do 3.86 due to dec'd.      23.86
               "  Gross sale  3 Bales Cotton in Augusta                                 142.44
                                                                                                            $6435.80
                                            Cr

              By Cash paid Henry Rogers C.C. O.                                   #1      4.56-1/4

               "      do    "  Prince & Ragland 2/Bills $6.75 & &               2&3   13.75

                                                                Forwarded                             $    18.31-1/4

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93G-8FC5?cc=1999178&wc=9SYB-7M3%3A267654601%2C267802801 : 20 May 2014), Hancock > image 209 of 376;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

404                                                          

                                                               Am't. bro't. over                    $       18.31-1/4

            By Cash paid John H. Breedlove making Coffin                    #4     10.--

               "      do    "  Wm Warren services as overseer                        5     27.--   

               "      do    "   A.G. Breedlove                do                              6     75.29

               "      do    "  Jas. H. Burnet acc't proved                                 7     10.79

               "      do    "  Taxes 1832 & 1833  $14.34 & 4.41                 8&9   18.75          

               "      do    "  Chas. J. Jenkins prof'n services                          10    28.65

               "      do    "  Wyatt Harper proved acc't.                                 11    17.86

               "      do    "  Francis H. Cone prof'n services                          12  100.--

               "      do    "  A.C. Layre               do 2 receipts                       13  100.--

               "      do    "  postage, travelling expenses to sell Land etc.    14    10.92

               "      am't paid to Jho. Graybill for ginning 3 Bales Cotton            10.00

               "      am't retained by J. Graybill & Jesse G. Butts under the}

                        will of Jeremiah Warren**                                             }  4000.00

               "      am't paid H. Rogers C.C.O.                                           #15     2.12-1/2

               "      Com p. on $823.36 rec?                                 (21.33) 21.33 }

               "   do " 429.70-1/4 am't. paid out exclusive of the $4000(10.74) 10.74}  32.07

1834

26 Aug's " Balance on hand carried down                                                1974.02-3/4

                                                                                                                 $6435.80                                     Georgia Hancock County

      John Graybill & Jesse G. Butts Exer's of etc. of Jeremiah

Warren dec'd. being duly sworn says that the within acc't. current

is just & true.

Sworn to & subscribed before}                         John Graybill

me this 26th August 1834      }                          Jesse G. Butts

     Henry Rogers C.C.O.

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L93G-8FC5?cc=1999178&wc=9SYB-7M3%3A267654601%2C267802801 : 20 May 2014), Hancock > image 210 of 376;

county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

Georgia Hancock County
     Know all men by these presents that we the undersigned
legatees of Jeremiah Warren later of said County dec'd. in conseque-
ence of the recent failure of Messrs. A Slaughter & C Labuzan who
were indebted to said dec'd. at the time of his death to the amount
of seventeen hundred dollars and upwards, the claim upon them
due the estate of said Warren being in jeopardy we authorise
and consent that the Executors shall adapt such measures as
they may deem expedient to secure said debt or any part of it
by compromise or otherwise other than a suit at Law for the
recovery of the money and we do hereby acquit & forever bare harmless
the said Exrs. from any liability on account of the above nam-
ed debt this 5th March 1834                          Lott Harton
                                                                       William Warren
                                                                       Robert Warren


*Augustine Slaughter and Charles Labuzan were businessmen active in Augusta for many years. Here's a listing for them in an 1823 Commercial Directory:

**In Item 10th in Jeremiah's will.

© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

From the Probate files: Jeremiah Warren Part 11, Hire of Negroes Belonging to the Estate, 1833

As executors of Great Uncle Jeremiah's will, John Graybill and Jesse G. Butts were required to report to the probate court annually. The excerpt from probate records shown below accounts for 14 of Jeremiah's enslaved persons who were hired out for the year 1833.

["Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-30371-14244-60?cc=1999178 : 20 May 2014), Hancock > Wills and administration records 1831-1840 vol N >

image 153 of 376; county probate courthouses, Georgia.]

Hire of Negroes belonging to the estate of Jeremiah Warren dec'd
     for 1833 to wit,
     John Graybill            Man Jack                         $80.00
     Benjamin Harper          do Edmund                    70.00
     William Warren            do Hal                            75.00
     Eppes Warren               do Meredith                   75.00
     Prestley Harper            do Anderson                   70.00
     Wyatt Harper               do Dave                          70.00
     William Warren    Women Lucy & Lethe           60.00
     Chloe Roe                     do Amey & 3 children  20.00
     William Stembridge  Man Abram                      50.00
     William Warren             do Tom (insane) for food & clothing -----
                                                                              $570.00
Georgia Hancock County
     John Graybill & Jesse G. Butts Exec. of E. of Jerem-
iah Warren dec'd. being duly sworn says that the within
acct. of the hiring of the negroes belonging to the estate
of said de'cd for the year 1833 is just & true.
Sworn to & subscribed before
me this 29th. May 1833   }             John Graybill
    Henry Rogers C.C.O.  }             Jesse G. Butts


Below are the appraised values of these enslaved persons taken from the inventory of Jeremiah's estate which had been filed with the probate court on September 25, 1832.

Amy    [a woman & her]  four  [children]  Matt Caroline Joby & Mason*    1000.00
Abram a man                                                            400.00
Tom a man                                                                  50.00
Lucy " woman                                                          250.00
Letha  "  girl                                                             400.00
Dave a man                                                              575.00
Meredith a man                                                         600.00
Hal a man                                                                  575.00
Edmund a man                                                          600.00
Jack     "      "                                                             600.00

Jeremiah's brother William Warren agreed to provide food and clothing Tom who's described as "insane" which would explain why the man's appraised value was the lowest on the list.

Most of the people named as hirers are familiar ones--family** and neighbors who we've seen buying items from Jeremiahs' estate but there's a new one: Chloe Roe as her name is written here.***

Chloe Roe (1763-1845) was the widow of Revolutionary War veteran John Roe (although her application for a widow's pension was denied). The couple were early settlers in Hancock County and their farmhouse, built in 1804, still survives and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was moved from its original location to Milledgeville in Baldwin County in the early 1980s.

[The John Roe House-Specht Farm. Photos from its Facebook page]

So this is a house that Amey and her children would have seen, at least from the outside, during the year they were hired by Mrs. Roe.




*There's no indication which of Amey's four children wasn't included here and why not. You may recall that Jeremiah's codicil stated, "also it is my wish that my negroe woman Amey shall have fifty dollars to be paid when the final division takes place" so although she wasn't one of the seven people he hoped to see freed he did single her out for a bequest.
**I can't help wondering how Jeremiah, who didn't want his nephew Eppes Warren to benefit from the sale of any of his human property, would have responded to Eppes being allowed to hire Meredith for 1833.
***Alternate spellings include Row or Rowe.

© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.