May 2023 – My Maryland-Louisiana Roots

Palfrey Slaves Identified

Palfrey Slaves Identified
I stumbled across a treasure trove of information while searching for information on my paternal 2nd great greatgrandfather. What I found was information on my maternal family tree that was contained in Palfrey family letters, journals and probate records. I have been working to unpack that treasure trove and am including what I’ve been able to piece together, so far by comparing the names on the probate, to slave births records and marriage records for St. Mary Parish and census records. I am including that information below arranged by family groups. Included below are snippets from letters, diaries, journals and a purchase of slaves in 1811. I hope that you find someone from your family tree listed below.

I stumbled across a treasure trove of information while searching for information on my paternal 2nd great great-grandfather. What I found was information on my maternal family tree that was contained in Palfrey family letters, journals and probate records. I have been working to unpack that treasure trove and am including what I’ve been able to piece together, so far by comparing the names on the probate, to slave births records and marriage records for St. Mary Parish and census records. I am including that information below arranged by family groups. Included below are snippets from letters, diaries, journals and a purchase of slaves in 1811. In some instances the information will be repeated as in the case of my Gibson female members who married, Morgan, Pratt and Green men. I hope that you find someone from your family tree listed below. TOP

Marshall Family

3/9/1811 Relf & Chew New Orleans Slave Purchase
Amos 25
Clara 20

John Palfrey’s 1843 St Martin Parish Probate
Amos 61
Clara 55 and child Amos 9
“Billy” William 29 b1814
Edmond 27 b1816
Jerry 26 b1817
Patsy b23 1820
Jacob 20 b1823
Henry 18 b1825
Neuman 13 b1830
Richard 12 b1831

Polly 30 and 5 children
Perry 8
Clara 6
Edward
Ben Smith 2

Pamela a mulatto girl

Sept 10, 1844 Barque Bashaw – Departure New Orleans, Destination Boston
Amos 11

1850 St Martinville, St Martin Census Page 192A
Amos Marshal 60
Clara Marshal 50

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Diary 1842-1859
1/6/1853, Negress Clara (free) died also

Polly Marshall & Ben Smith family <top>

John Palfrey’s 1843 St Martin Probate
Polly 30 and 5 children
Perry 8
Clara 6
Edward
Ben Smith 2

Pamela a mulatto girl

April 16, 1833 John Palfrey letter
“Polly & Mary are now well but rather too weak to work as yet, so that the hoe lands are much reduced in number – 4 women & Edmond who is ploughing in the plant cane, which will be finished tomorrow or the next day early;”

Aug 6, 1834 John Palfrey letter to son William
Polly was delivered of a girl the 25th. I have not yet seen it.

Sept 4, 1837 John Palfrey letter to son William
I had an addition to black family on the evening of the day your child was born, Polly being delivered of a son.

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Journal #2
3/8/1863, Negress Polly Marshall died at Cypremort

1870 St Mary Parish Ward 2 Page 475A
Perry Smith 25 BM, Laura 22 Smith BF, Rhoda Smith (Marshall) 20 BF, Timothy Gates 22, John Smith 4, Polly 2, Heartless Jenkins (son of Rhoda and Dan Jenkins)

1870 St Mary Parish Ward 2 Page 477A
Edward Smith 37 BM, Susan 32, Thomas 14, Edward 5/12, Jerry Gains 22

1870 St Mary Ward 3 Page 502A
Ben Smith 40, Julia Smith 26, Ben Smith 25, Nancy Smith 15, Mary Smith 6

William Marshall Family <top>

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
10/15/1851 Pamela 9/20/1853 Peggy or Amelia 11/17/1857 Phoebe 10/8/1858 Frederick 6/14/1859 Polly 9/27/1861 William 6/12/1864 Edmond	Fanny Fanny Fanny Fanny Fanny Fanny Fanny

1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 4 Census page 579A
William Marshall 50 BM born LA, Fanny 40 BF born LA, Hety 25, Peggy 15, Frederick 14, Polly 10, William 6, Edmond 4, Louisa 2, Jake 1

Samuel Ellis 25 BM, Amelia 18 BF, 1 BM

Permilla Green married Armstead Johnson 4/28/1866 St Mary Parish

1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 2
Armstead Johnson 26 BM, Parmilla 26 BF, Dick Johnson 3

Edmond Marshall Family <top>

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
7/12/1848 Anderson 4/25/1850 Charlotte 7/8/1852 Lucretia died 10/11/1853 Rhody 10/10/1856 General died 10/15/1856 Patsy 6/6/1858 Newman 7/17/1859 Isiah died	Ruth Ruth Ruth Ruth Ruth Ruth Ruth Ruth

April 16, 1833 John Palfrey letter
“Polly & Mary are now well but rather too weak to work as yet, so that the hoe hands are much reduced in number – 4 women & Edmond who is ploughing in the plant cane, which will be finished tomorrow or the next day early;”

1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 2 Page 474A
Louisa Sigur 38 WF, Joseph Sigur 16 WM
Edmond Marshall 59 BM overseeing, Ruth 40 BF born MD, Patsy 13, Joseph 8, Alfred Nelson 17 MuM

Edmond Wiggleton 59 MuM Blacksmith, Patsy 39 BF

Jacob Marshall FamilY

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
5/18/1852 Jacob 8/15/1856 Richard 4/21/1858 John	Jane #1 Jane #1 Jane #1

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Diary 1842-1859
2/14/1846, Negro man Jacob (Jacob Marshall) was caught in the cane carrier of the mill…as far his shoulder and escaped with no other injury than having his upper collar bone dislocated with some bruising about the head

12/11/1855, My Negro man Richard had his left hand lacerated by the engine on the 5^th inst, he lost his forefinger

1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 2 Page 476A
Jacob Marshall 39 BM born LA, Jane 30 BF born LA, Jacob 17, Richard 13, John 12

Jerry Marshall Family <top>

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
9/8/1852 Amos 3/21/1854 Moses 9/5/1855 Clara 1/20/1857 Isaac 9/9/1858 Sarah died 3/27/1863 Addison died 11/22/1864 Ellen	Jane #2 Jane #2 Jane #2 Jane #2 Jane #2 Jane #2 Jerry’s wife Mulatress Jane (Jerry’s wife)

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Diary #2
2/13/1863, Four carts came from Cypremort-drivers- Jerry, Ambrose, Perry & Willis

1866 St Mary Parish Freedmen Contract with W.T, Palfrey

1866 Freedmen’s Contract with W. T. Palfrey
Done at Cypremort in said Parish on this 20th day of May, 1867, in presence of Paul Corner & Gustave Callery, witnesses.
Henry x his mark Marshall
Elsie, widow of Abram Guy
Edmond x his mark Marshall
Dave his mark Gibson
Dan X his mark Jefferson
Elisa x her mark Jenkins
Melinda x her mark
Franky x her mark Marshall
Martha (Henry’s wife) by Henry x his mark Marshall her husband

1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 2 Page 479B
Thomas Gibson 34 BM, Jane Gibson 40 MuF, John Blackman, Amos Marshall 19, Moses 17, Clay 15, Isaac 12, Aaron 8, Elen 6, Jerry 4 Polly 3

Henry Marshall Family <top>

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
9/24/1858 Emily 7/21/1861 Dammose 5/19/1862 Danmose?? Died 3/2/1863 Mary died	Martha Marth Martha’s child Martha

1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 2 Page 476A
Henry Marshall 37 BM born LA, Martha 26 BF born LA, Henry 7, Martha 2

Newman Marshall Family

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865
8/13/1862 Thomas Susan

Newman Marshall married Susan Hills 9/21/1867 St Mary Parish

1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 3 Census page 524B
Newman Marshall 35 BM, Susan 23 BF, Thomas 7 BM, Newman 2 BM

Grandison Sims 35 BM born MO, Maria 45 BF, Betty 13, Charley 8, Becky 4

1860 Brooklyn Ward 10 District 3, Kings, New York
Amos Marshall 25 BM coachman, born Louisiana
Sarah Marshall 22 Albertina Marshall 2 Annabella 2

Morgan Family

3/9/1811 Relf & Chew New Orleans Slave Purchase <top>
Jim

John Palfrey’s 1843 St Martin Probate
Jim 36 male, b1807
Sally 37, b1806 and 3 children
Mimy 6, b1837
Haley 3, b1840
Phoebe 1, b1842

Jake 13, b 1828
George 13, b1831
Ambrose 11, b1833

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Diary 1842-1859
8/17/1850, Negro man George died
9/21/1850, Negress Sally absconded
9/22/1850, Negress Sally returned of her own accord
4/2/1864 Negress Sally died last night at Cypremort
4/17/1864, Negress Mahaley daughter of Sally died at Franklin
5/27/1864, Negress Phoebe died at Cypremort

Jesse Hurst Family <top>

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
8/18/1855 Infant died 4/25/1856 Leah	Mimy (Mima Morgan) Mimy (Mina Morgan)

James Morgan Family

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Diary #2
2/10/1868, I have engaged sundry freedmen on I have to work in the crop of my Home Plantation for the year 1868…namely: Jesse Hurst Jan 2, Willis Pratt Jan 1, Harry Bonham Jan. 1, Charley Bonham Jan 1, Jim Morgan Jan. 24…

Ambrose Morgan family

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
1/21/1855 Charity died 3/24/1857 Carey 5/14/1859 Eveline died 12/6/1860 Sally	Elsey #2 (Gibson) Elsey #2 (Gibson) Elsey #2 (Gibson) Elsey #2 (Gibson)

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Diary #2
2/13/1863, Four carts came from Cypremort-drivers- Jerry, Ambrose, Perry & Willis

Bob Gibson Family <top>

3/9/1811 Relf & Chew New Orleans Slave Purchase
Aime 35 and 5 children
Tom
Bob
Joe
Ben
Fanny

William T & GD Palfrey Account books 13 vols Vol. 1 (1832-1837)

Parish of St Martin 1832

Inventory of my slaves
John $600
Jim $850
Peter $850
Anderson $850
Sarah $600
Roy $500
Amy $300
Charity $300
David $300
Nancy $250
Kizzy & her child Elisa $650
Sinah $500
Jesse $500
Harriet (maybe Joe’s wife) & her child Anthony $650

Ages of William T Palfrey’s young Negroes
Amy born Oct 3, 1821
Charity born August 2, 1824
David born Sept 16, 1826
Nancy born Oct 10, 1827
Elisa born Nov 23, 1830
Anthony born Sep 6, 1831
Cyrus born May 11, 1833
Fanny

4/26/1833 June 4, 1833 Letter from John Palfrey
“Bob desires me to inform you that Joe has sent no money to Harriet since she was here”

June 4, 1833 Letter from John Palfrey to son, William T Palfrey
“Fanny died on a Sunday, “a little before noon, …about twelve hours from her first attack.” “Aimy is the picture of woe & a damp appears to be come on the spirits of all.””

April 27, 1838 Folio 178, Entry 4400 WT Palfrey & Wife Land & Slaves
Be it remembered that on this twenty-eight day of April, the year of eight hundred thirty-eight. Before one John Moore, parish judge and ex-officio Notary Public ?? for parish of St Mary. Personally appeared William T Palfrey for the said Parish of St Mary. Sidney A Conrad wife of the said William T Palfrey being of age of majority by this duly attained … release their solicitor and write their obligation in favor of the President’s Directors Corporation of the New Orleans Gas and Light Banking Co for the sum of five thousand five hundred dollars payable on the eight twenty of April 1839 being for a loan of money granted by said Corporation to those appraisers which sum they did acknowledged to have received and by which obligation is identified by these present.

The undivided half of sugar plantation and tract of land situated in the west side of the Bayou Teche having twenty-five arpents…said William T Palfrey and the other with all the buildings and improvements therein also the following named and described slaves belonging to the said appraisers to wit: Bob age 35, Peter aged 30, Anderson age 26, Isaac age 26, Squire age 22, Henry 15, Roy age 18, Jesse age 18, Sarah age 35, Dave age 12, Aimy age 16, Nancy age 9, Big Ann 22 with her daughter Caroline age 2, Malinda age 22, Kizzy age 30, Eliza age 7 and Cyrus age 4.

April, 4, 1839 Letter from John Palfrey
“Poor good old Aimy died on the 5th inst (March 5)…”

John Palfrey’s 1843 St Martin Probate
Joe 40
Ben 38
Tom 14
Rose
Elsey 19 and 2 children: Joseph 2, Fanny 6 months

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Diary 1842-1859
5/12/1848 Negress Sarah ^ Weeks having run away a few days ago, returned on her own accord

10/30/1848 Nancy (Bob’s daughter) delivered a boy

12/11/1851 Negress Sarah died – age about 55 years

3/24/1861 Negress Caroline (Bob’s wife) delivered a girl

6/12/1859 Negro Man Ben died–a good fellow

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Journal #2
10/10/1861 Negress Sinah died, aged about 87-88 years- bought by me in 1818, blind & bed ridden for a long time

4/6/1863, Sent Negress Charity & daughter Sidney to Cypremort in a cart driven by Bob

5/1/1864 Caroline (Bob’s wife) delivered a boy at Cypremort

Robert ‘Bob’ Gibson Family

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
10/5/1853 infant died 6/27/1855 Letty 1/18/1858 male infant 2/10/1860 female died 3/24/1861 Anna died 5/1/1864 Lewis	Little Caroline Caroline #2 Caroline #2 Bob’s wife Caroline Bob’s wife Caroline Bob’s wife Caroline

1870 St Mary Parish Ward 2 Page 480A
Bob Gibson 80 BM VA
Caroline 35
Lettie Gibson 16
Louis Gibson 5
Bob Gibson 4

William Green Family <top>

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
2/25/1844 Sarah 10/25/1845 Sidney a girl 9/17/1849 Washington 8/29/1851 Alice 10/8/1853 Elizabeth 7/26/1855 infant died 12/30/1856 Mary 2/2/1861 Elliott 8/26/1863 Netty Ann 4/7/1863 Harriet Sarah 4/26/1863 Major Sidney	Charity (Gibson) Charity (Gibson) Charity (Gibson) Charity (Gibson) Charity (Gibson) Charity (Gibson) Charity (Gibson) Charity (Gibson) Charity (Gibson) Charity (Gibson) Charity (Gibson)

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Diary 1842-1859
12/1/1849, Negro man Bill Green absconded yesterday
12/4/1849 Negro man Bill Green returned of his own accord
12/2/1853, William Green sent with cooper Henry Lloyd to make sugar

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Journal #2
4/6/1863, Sent Negress Charity & daughter Sidney to Cypremort in a cart driven by Bob

11/9/1863, A squad of federal soldiers this day rushed suddenly into my cane field at Cypremort where the hands were gathering corn & forced off without the opportunity of taking leave of their families, thirteen of the Negro men, vis: Wright, Jacob, Bill Green, Paul, Charley, George, Sam, Richard, Perry, Henry Harner, Ambrose, Tom Granvil?, Tom Gibson & Newman. They afterwards released the three first name as too old for conscription

1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 4 Census page 580A
William Green 60 BM born SC, Charity Green 50 BM born SC, Sarah 30, Sidney 28 BM, Ellen 24, Washington 25, Alice 23, Mary 15, Cornelius 12, Elliot 11, Netty A 9, Henry 3, Emma Schisel 3 BM, Sidney Green 10 BM

1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 3, Page 527A
Abraham Kinchen 35 BM, Sarah 24 BF, Henrietta, Washington 12, Stanton 8, Hamilton 5/12 Walter Kinchen 23, Alice 22

Edward Smith 31 BM, Therese 25 BF, Elizabeth 11

Willis Pratt Family <top>

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
7/10/1844 Bob 7/2/1846 Fairfax 10/20/1848 Alfred, died 12/20/1850 Lewis 1/9/1853 Ellen 1/5/1855 infant died 2/10/1856 Maria 7.27/1860 Givvin 1/9/1858 Missouri 7/8/1862 Willis 5/23/1859 Willis died 3//13/1864 Ben	Nancy (Gibson) Nancy (Gibson) Nancy (Gibson) Nancy (Gibson) Nancy (Gibson) Nancy (Gibson) Nancy (Gibson) Nancy (Gibson) Nancy (Gibson) Nancy (Gibson) Fairfax (Pratt) Fairfax (Pratt)

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Diary 1842-1859
10/30/1848, Nancy (Bob’s daughter) was delivered of a boy

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Diary #2
2/13/1863, Four carts came from Cypremort-drivers- Jerry, Ambrose, Perry & Willis

1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 4 Census page 565A
Willis Pratt 55 BM born DC, Nancy 50 BF born LA, Ellen 18, Maria 15, Missiouri 13, GIvins 10, Willis 9, Ben Smith 6, Buel Pratt 3, Kitty Strawdy, Charles Pratt 1, Margaret 9/12

Lewis Pratt 21, Lizzie 1

Ellen Pratt married John Lovely
Maria Pratt married Joseph Strawder

William Marshall Family

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
10/15/1851 Pamela 9/20/1853 Peggy or Amelia 11/17/1857 Phoebe 10/8/1858 Frederick 6/14/1859 Polly 9/27/1861 William 6/12/1864 Edmond	Fanny (Gibson) Fanny (Gibson) Fanny (Gibson) Fanny (Gibson) Fanny (Gibson) Fanny (Gibson) Fanny (Gibson)

Ambrose Morgan family <top>

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
1/21/1855 Charity died 3/24/1857 Carey 5/14/1859 Eveline 12/6/1860 Sally	Elsey #2 (Gibson) Elsey #2 (Gibson) Elsey #2 (Gibson) Elsey #2 (Gibson)

Hurst Family <top>

William T & GD Palfrey Account books 13 vols Vol. 1 (1832-1837)

Parish of St Martin 1832

Inventory of my slaves
Manuel about 2 years old when he came here
Jesse, born August 19, 1819

MANUEL HURST FAMILY

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Name	Mother
1/27/1855 George 1859-Zachary 1861 Elsy 12/26/1864 Sinah 12/2/1856 Peter & Nicy twins 1862 Jesse 1867 Marie 1865 Amanda	Maria #2 aka Maria Phillips Maria #2 aka Maria Phillips Maria #2 aka Maria Phillips Maria #2 aka Maria Phillips Maria #2 aka Maria Phillips Maria #2 aka MariaPhillips Maria #2 aka MariaPhillips Maria #2 aka MariaPhillips

April 16, 1833 John Palfrey letter to William T Palfrey
“I shall leave Robert (John’s nephew, Robert Palfrey) behind to take care of the house & shall take Jesse with me; if you can make it convenient to let me have Manuel instead of Jesse for the trip you will much oblige me as he would be much more useful & for less trouble that Jesse.”

1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 4 Census page 580A
Manuel Hurse (Hurst_ 49 BM born VA, Maria 36 born VA, George 14, Niecy 13, Zack 11, Elsy 9, Jessy 7, Syner 5, Amanda 1

Jesse Hurst Family

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Name	Mother
8/18/1855 Infant died 4/25/1856 Leah	Mimy (Mima Morgan) Mimy (Mina Morgan)

1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 4 Page 481B
Jessy Hurse 49 BM born LA, Mima 31 BF, Leah 13, Mary 1

Riggs Family <top>

3/9/1811 Relf & Chew New Orleans Slave Purchase
Sam, 31 and wife
Mima 25 and children
Anna
Sally

John Palfrey’s 1843 St Martin Parish Probate
Sam 65
Little Sam 27
Sally 37 and 3 children: Mimy 6, Haley 3 and Phoebe 1

Anna 36 and 4 children: Moses 9, Charly 6, Caroline 4 and William 2

Sarah 11
Betsy 31 and child Ralph5
Franky 11

Mary 24 with 2 children: Martha 3, Simon 1

Maria 22 and child Emily 2

Margery 20 and child

1850 Fausse Point, St Martin Parish Census
Sam Riggs 70 BM

1850 Farmington, Ontario, NY
Margaret Hathaway 90
Isaac Hathaway 65
Lorenzo Hathaway 41
Phebe Hathaway 30
Caroline McOmber 28
James Brooks 23
John Durkin 22
Moses Woodlin 15 BM born LA

1850 Ridgeway, Orleans County, NY
E Hedley 34 WM Lumber man
Hannah Hedley 29 WF
David Hedley 3 WM
James Hedley 0 WM
Caroline Woodland 10 BF born LA

1855 Mendon, Monroe, New York, USA
Daniel Sherwood 25 bprn Ulster
Harriet Ann Sherwood25
Charles P Woodline 18 BM born LA hired Man
Willifred Mulligan 17 WM Ireland hired

1865 Union Springs, Cayuga, New York, USA
Ednah D Thomas 71 WF born MASS
Charlotte Poulton 34 WF born England adopted
Wm P Woodlin 29 BM born LA adopted son
Catharine Fedijun WF born Ireland servant

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Journal #2
4/8/1862, Negro man Sam (free) died
4/2/1864, Negress Sally died last night at Cypremort
4/17/1864, Negress Mahaley daughter of Sally died at Franklin

Jesse Hurst Family <top>

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
8/18/1855 Infant died 4/25/1856 Leah	Mimy (Mima Morgan) Mimy (Mima Morgan)

1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 4 Page 481B
Jessy Hurse 49 BM born LA, Mima 31 BF, Leah 13, Mary 1

Franky Riggs? Family

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
10/10/1862 infant died 3/14/1864 Man	Franky Franky

Abram Guy – Elsey Gibson-Wilson Family

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865 <top>

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
9/1/1845 Rose 10/28/1849 Elizabeth 1/30/1852 Amanda died 4/17/1853 Rebecca 8/27/1854 Abram 2/10/1856 Minerva 7/11/1858 Melisa 7/31/1860 Ben 5/29/1863 John	Elsey Elsey Elsey #1 Elsey #1 Elsey #1 Elsey #1 Elsey #1 Elsey #1 Big Elsey #1

Henry Wilson married Elsy Guy Aug. 14, 1867, St Mary Parish

1870 St Mary Parish Ward 2 Page 475A
John Jenkins 23 BM
Henry Wilson 42 BM, Elsey 44 MuF, Abram 15, Manerva 13, Ben 8, Mayer Green Wilson 12, Christiana Wilson 11, Arena 4 , Kearner 1

1880 St Mary Parish ED 166 Page 210
Abram Guy 26 MuM
Francis 22 Wife
Ben Guy 19 MuM Brother
John Guy 17 MuM Brother

1880 St Mary ED 166 Page 210
Abram Guy 26 MuM
Francis 22 Wife BF
Ben Guy 19 Brother MuM
John Guy 17 Brother MuM

1880 St Mary ED 164 Page 177A
Irena Wilson 17 BF
Christina Wilson sister 20 BF

1880 St Mary ED 164 Page 177B
Henry Wilson 53 BM
Elsey 51 wife BF
Arnold 8 BM son

Braxton Bowlin (Bolden) 28 BM minister
Minerva wife 21 BF, Braxton son 5 BM

Melissa Hardy 23 BF
Jane 4 dau BF

Elisa’s Family <top>

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
Freddy 12/10/1845 newborn died 10/3/1848	Elisa Elisa

Ben Smith & Polly Marshall Family

John Palfrey’s 1843 St Martin Probate
Polly 30 and 5 children
Perry 8
Clara 6
Edward
Ben Smith 2

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Journal #2
2/13/1863, Four carts came from Cypremort-drivers- Jerry,Ambrose, Perry & Willis

3/8/1863, Negress Polly Marshall died at Cypremort

1870 St Mary Parish Ward 2 Page 475A
Perry Smith 25 BM, Laura 22 Smith BF, Rhoda Smith (Marshall) 20 BF, Timothy Gates 22, John Smith 4, Polly 2, Heartless Jenkins (son of Rhoda and Dan Jenkins)

1870 St Mary Parish Ward 2 Page 477A
Edward Smith 37 BM, Susan 32, Thomas 14, Edward 5/12, Jerry Gains 22

1870 St Mary Ward 3 Page 502A
Ben Smith 40, Julia Smith 26, Ben Smith 25, Nancy Smith 15, Mary Smith 6

Grandison Sims Family <top>

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
1/14/1854 Alfred 12/15/1855 John 3/19/1857 Wilson died 10/17/1858 H Clay 7/7/1861 Elizabeth 11/22/1862 Mary 12/23/1864 Charles	Maria #1 Maria #1 Maria #1 Maria #1 Maria #1 Maria #1 Maria #1

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Diary 1842-1859
1/20/1854, Negro men; John Taylor, Henry Cole, Grandison Lewis, Henry Mahany?? & a boy Tom, new purchases arrived per Steamer Delta from New Orleans

3/29/1857, Negro men Henry Cole, Grandison and boy Tom Gibson absconded yesterday

5/18/1857, WLP returned, brought home runaway Negro man Grandison, taken from the jail of Parish of St Charles

5/19/1857, Negro man Grandison absconded again last night

4/12/1859, Negro man Grandison ran away

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Diary #2
11/9/1863, A squad of federal soldiers this day rushed suddenly into my cane field at Cypremort where the hands were gathering corn & forced off without the opportunity of taking leave of their families, thirteen of the Negro men, vis: Wright, Jacob, Bill Green, Paul, Charley, George, Sam, Richard, Perry, Henry Harner, Ambrose, Tom Granvil?, Tom Gibson & Newman. They afterwards released the three first name as too old for conscription

11/11/1863, Another squad came today & took away in the same manner three more vis: Grandison, Little Edward & Ben. The first name is said to have his escape. (Perhaps Grandison ray away from the Army he was taken away without being able to see to his family and because his wife, Maria, was due very soon? He did in fact join the enlist, serve and applied for his military pension.)

12/3/1863, Maria No 1 delivered a girl

3/22/1864, A very great number of Negroes not connected with the army went with them from this town & the surrounding county. My man Grandison & three men belonging to Capt Gates among the number.

1870 St Mary Parish Page 524A-542B
Elize Morgan 40 born SC, Eliza Morgan 10, Chas Morgan 5
Grandison Sims 35 born MD, Maria Sims 45 born VA, Betty Sims 13, Charley Sims 8, Becky Sims 4

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Journal#2
5/25/1867 Freed boy Alfred Smith, son of Maria, having been extremely indolent to my little sons, I sent him off to …

Warren Family

William T Palfrey Slave Birth Registry 1843-1865 <top>

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
8/151843 Paul 6/27/1846 Robert 7/5/1849 Fanny 8/14/1851 Sinah 5/29/1859 Lot	Betsey (Barrow) Betsey (Barrow) Betsey (Barrow) Betsey (Barrow) Betsey (Barrow)

Father was Robert Warren who was a slave of the Harriet Weeks Meade Plantation

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Diary 1842-1859
11/16/1856, Mr. Meade’s Robert Warren made brick kiln

1870 St Mary Parish Ward 2 Page 476B
Robt Warren 50, Betsy Warren 40. Robt Warren 25, Lott Warren 12

Fanny Warren married Oliver Kinchen

Squire & Caroline Honest Family

William T Palfrey’s Plantation Journal#2 <top>
7/1844, Squire & Caroline Honest, given mosquito net
7/30/1859, Squire kicked by a mule, died instantly

DOB Child’s Name	Mother
8/7/1845 Henrietta 7/18/1848 female infant died 2/23/1851 Martha died 3/16/1853 Harry died 6/18/1855 Hanson 11/11/1858 Matilda	Caroline Honest Caroline Honest Caroline Honest Caroline Honest Caroline Honest Caroline Honest

1870 St Mary Parish Ward 2 Page 475A
Edward Wiggleton 59 , Patsy 39,
Caroline Payton 40, Hanson Payton 17, Matilda 12, Victoria 6

William T & GD Palfrey Account books 13 vols Vol. 1 (1832-1837)

Ages of Wm T Palfrey’s young Negroes

Manuel about 2 years old when he came here
LeRoy about 3 months
Jesse, born August 19, 1819
Emily born October 3, 1821
Charity born August 2, 1824
David born Sept 16, 1826
Elsie born November 23, 1830
Anthony born September 6, 1831
Cyrus born May 11, 1833
Fanny

Parish of St Martin 1832

Inventory of my Property vis Slaves:

John $600
Jim $850
Peter $850
Anderson $850
Sarah $600
Roy $500
Amy $300
Charity $300
David $300
Nancy $250
Kizzy & her child Elisa $650
Manuel $500
Harriet & her child Anthony $65

Men on My Family Tree

Robert ‘Bob’ Gibson

Robert ‘Bob’ Gibson was my 3rd great grandfather. His name appeared often in the letters and journal entries of John and his son William Taylor Palfrey. Below are some of the things written about him.

John Palfrey wrote to his son on Jan 23, 1833 about problems he was experiencing with overseers for his Forlorn Hope Plantation. He wrote, “Mr Deroin has not yet made his appearance I suppose he must have engaged himself somewhere else. Mr Rdeman is gone & I am let alone, perhaps we shall be able to make out with Sam & Bob until a good overseer can be procured. I believe they are as good as the most of them.” The Sam mentioned was Sam Riggs, my 4th great grandfather.

John next mentioned Bob in his April 13, 1833 letter to his son William. Palfrey wrote, “Bob desires me to inform you that Joe has sent no money to Harriet since she was here.” Bob’s brothers Tom, Joe and Ben lived on William’s plantation. It appears that Bob was both telling his brother Joe that he needed to send money to Harriet and alerting William Palfrey that perhaps he should see to it that Joe complied with the request. I guess that Harriet was Joe’s wife.

Bob was not explicitly mentioned in Palfrey June 4, 1833 letter that mentioned the death of Fanny to cholera. Fanny was Bob’s sister and Aimy’s only daughter. But I get a sense that Bob’s grief was included in Palfrey’s statement regarding Aimy’s reaction to Fanny’s death. He wrote, “Poor old Aimy is the picture of woe & a damp appears to be come on the spirits of all.” Four days later Palfrey wrote that though his slaves were experiencing moderately good health, they were gloomy and moving about more despondently. He said that Bob complained of being sick and that he “adopted the cholera process with him, he is now wake but weak. “I believe his was his old complaint, – these however as they are deemed by the Negroes have tended is some degree to alleviate their depression & spirits.”

Bob is next mentioned in Palfrey’s Oct. 12, 1833 letter in which he wrote about not being able to plant his crops for another 9 days because, “Amos & Bob have been employed with the cooper & carpenter has prevented them doing a number of small jobs, which none of the rest could or will do.” He then added, “Mr. Connally left here on Thursday so that I now have Bob.” He continued in the letter to speak about another slave who lost his horses and then got lost himself. Palfrey seemed to have found Bob quite indispensable.

Palfrey’s wrote in his Jan 18, 1834 letter about the severely cold weather and its affect on him and slaves, Sam, Mima and Bob. He summed Sam and Mima’s symptoms to be rheumatic and added that “Bob appears to be of such a lingering nature that I am as a loss what to do for him.”

Bob was mentioned in 1837 in the sale or swap of Bob for Jim between father and son. Both of my 3rd great grandfathers, Bob Gibson and Jim Morgan, were slaves on Palfrey plantations. Palfrey was in fact swapping one of my 3rd grandfathers for the other. See the sale below:

April 25, 1837 – Page 80 of 126
State of Louisiana
Parish of St Martin
Be it remembered that on this twenty fifth day of April anno domini one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven, John Palfrey, of the Parish of St Martin, of the one part, and William T Palfrey of the Parish of St Mary, of the other Part, have covenanted and agreed as follows: the said John Palfrey hereby sells, assigns, transfers and sets over to the said William T Palfrey, who accepts the same, a certain Negro man slave named Bob, now in the possession of the said Vendee, to the said William T Palfrey sole use and behoof, with full guarantee against the claim or claims of any person whatsoever, for the following consideration: to wit: the said William T Palfrey in consideration of the promises hereby sells, assigns, transfers and sets over to the said John Palfrey, who accepts the same in full right of property a Negro man slave named Jim, now in the possession the said John Palfrey, to this the said John Palfrey’s sole use and behoof, with a full guarantee against the claim or claims of any person whatsoever;

John Palfrey died in 1843 and both Jim and Bob were slaves on his son William’s plantation. William Palfrey kept a detailed plantation journal, including the birth of every slave. In almost every instance, he wrote the date of birth, the mother’s name and the name of the child. When there were several women with the same name, he wrote #1 0r #2 or ‘Big’ or ‘Little’ next to the first name. In a few instances, he wrote the mother’s first and last name: Caroline Honest and Maria Phillips. He always uniquely identified Bob as the father when his wife Caroline gave birth. I first thought that he named Bob as the father because Bob did not live on his plantation. I am not sure of the true reason as I believe that Bob did live on one of Palfrey’s plantations.

Bob was written about in a footnote to Palfrey plantation journal that spanned 1843-1859. The note listed slave couples that mosquito netting had been given to for their cabins. Bob was grouped with Sinah. Bob had 5 children before Palfrey began keeping his journal. Those children were: Charity, born 1824; David, born 1825; Nancy, born 1826; Fannie, born 1835; and Elsie (my 2nd great grandmother), born 1840. Does the grouping of Bob & Sinah make her the mother of Bob’s 5 children and my 3rd great grandmother? Sinah was mentioned in John Palfrey’s letter dated April 16, 1832. She’d cut her foot and was unable to work. The next mention of Sinah was the footnote in the journal and she is last mentioned on Oct. 10, 1861 when she died. William Palfrey wrote, “Negress Sinah died, aged about 87-88 years- bought by me in 1818, blind &
bed ridden for a long time.”

I have not found a single record of any kind that provided the mother’s name to any of the children Bob had before 1843. But in 2024 I found a St Mary Parish deed record dated April 27, 1838 for WT Palfry & Wife, Folio 178, Entry 4400 in which Bob, age 35 is listed with a number of slaves including Sarah 35 and children: Dave 12, Aimy 16, Nancy 9.

I also found William T Palfrey’s 1832, 5 page account book. One page was entitled Ages of Wm T Palfrey’s Young Negroes. In that list were the names Jim, Aimy, Charity, David, Nancy and Fanny. The following page included a list of slaves on the plantation. Among those names were Sarah, Roy, Amy, Charity, David, Nancy, Kizzy & her child Elisa, Sinah, Manuel, Jessee, Harriet and her child Anthony.

The similarities between the 1832 account book list of slaves and the 1838 deed list of slaves suggests to me that Sarah is perhaps the mother of Bob’s children Charity, Amy, Dave and Nancy. Bob was not listed on William T Palfrey’s 1832 account book because at that time, Bob was still enslaved on William’s father John Palfrey’s plantation. Jim (James Morgan) and Bob would be exchanged by William and his father in 1835. Bob’s daughters Charity and Nancy were missing from the 1838 deed. I don’t know the significance of the omission of their names. Bob’s daughter Elsie Gibson, my 3rd great grandmother was not born until 1839 or later and so her name would not have been listed on either document.

I found a St Mary Parish marriage record for Robert Gibson and Caroline Watson dated March 21, 1868. The children listed in Palfrey’s journal that were born to Caroline were: Letty born Nov. 27. 1854 and Lewis born May 1, 1864. According to Palfrey’s journal, Caroline gave birth to 2 stillborn children and lost 1 infant child.

Bob was last written about in the journal after Civil War skirmishes began in St Mary Parish. Bob and other men were used to carry items as well as people to and from Palfrey’s various plantations to the Cypremort plantation.

Robert ‘Bob’ Gibson & Caroline Watson Descendants

Bob and Caroline were recorded on the 1870 St. Mary Parish census. Bob was listed as eighty years old and Caroline as thirty-five. They both worked as field hands. In their household were Lettie, 16; Louis, 5; and Bob, 4. The birthplace for everyone was Louisiana. No one in the household could read or write.

Bob was listed as Robert, a seventy-year-0ld widower on the 1880 St Mary Parish census. I think Bob’s was most likely born about 1803 because he had 3 siblings younger than him when his family was purchased by John Palfrey in 1811. Bob and his sons: Louis, 16 and Bob, 12 were all listed as laborers. Bob’s recorded birthplace was Virginia as was the birthplace for his parents.

Bob was last listed on the 1880 census. His daughter Lettie was listed on the 1880 census with husband Alfred Watson and their 2 children, Libby or Likie, 4 and Henry, 2. Lettie died in 1896.

I found a death record for Rosa Miller. Rosa’s parents were listed as Lethe Gibson and Alfred Watson. Rosa was born 1896 in Calumet, St Mary Parish and died at the age of 33 on Dec. 19, 1929. Her husband was Isaiah Miller. Rosa, husband Isaiah and Harry were last listed together of the 1920 St Mary Parish census living in Patterson. Rosa’s son Harry was born June 15, 1909 and died Nov. 30, 2004

I found Lettie’s son Henry on the 1900 St Mary Parish census as a single man boarding with George Davis and family. I have not been able to find Henry on the 1910 census. For the 1920 census, Henry was thirty-seven years and lived in Patterson on Cherry Street with his wife Eva (nee Lewis), 25 and sons, Herbert, 17 and Joseph, 3. It is obvious that Eva at 25 could not be Herbert’s mother. I found information that Henry’s first wife and mother of Herbert was Lottie Green but I have not been able to trace her.

Henry was listed on the 1930 census with wife Eva and son Joseph still living in the town of Patterson. Their next-door neighbor was his widowed brother-in-law Isiah Miller and nephew Harry. Henry and Isiah both worked at a sawmill. Henry died Feb. 6, 1938. His son Willie J Watson died Sept. 14, 1938.

I found Henry’s son Herbert and wife Esther May last on the 1940 Calcasieu Parish census living in Lake Charles.

Bob’s son Louis Gibson was born May 1, 1864. He was a single man on the 1900 census. For the 1910 census, he was living in Patterson with his twenty-two-year-old wife Dollie (nee Rylander), daughter Caroline, 18; and sons Lewis (Louis),5; and Harris, 3. I found his daughter Caroline on the 1900 census in her grandmother Betty Railey.

Louis was a widower in 1920 and was listed on the census with his children: Louis, 15; Victoria 9; George, 4; and Bobbie 3. Louis Sr. worked as a cane and corn farmer laborer. He could read, but not write. Louis died Jan. 10, 1925.

Descendants of Robert ‘Bob’ Gibson & Sarah Weeks (updated , previously named as Sinah

Charity Gibson & William ‘Bill’ Green
David Gibson & Louise Shelton
->Josephine born 1859
->Charley born 1860
->O.B born 1865
->Aime born 1868
->Harriet born 1870
->James born 1873
->John born 1880
Nancy Gibson & Willis Pratt
->Bob Pratt born 1843
->Fairfax Pratt born 1846
->Louis Pratt 1850-1925 & Lizzie Brown
->Maria Pratt 1855-1917 & George Strawder
->Ellen Pratt born 1856 & John Lovely
->Missouri Pratt born 1857 & Reuben Smith
->Givins 1859-1936 & Fannie Braden
->Willis Pratt 1862-1929 & Melinda
->Buel Pratt 1864-1933 & Ella
->Charles Pratt born 1868 & Matilda
Fannie Gibson & William Marshall
->Amelia Marshall born 1853 & Samuel Ellis
->Frederick Marshall born 1855
->Polly Marshall 1859-1926 & John Johnson 1860-1904
->William Marshall born 1861 & Virginia Burrell
->Edmond Marshall born 1864 & Odile George
->Louisa Marshall born 1867
->Jacob Marshall born 1869
->Alice Marshall 1878-1925
->Sheppard Marshall
Elsie Gibson & Ambrose Morgan (my ancestors)
->Cary Morgan & Ceasar Harris
->Sally Morgan born 1858 & Jules Ben
->Phoebe Morgan 1864-1952 & John Diggs
->Charles Morgan 1874-1950 &
->Josephine Mahaly Morgan 1875-1969 & James Breaux & Jim Crowder
->Abrahan Morgan 1877-1938 & Ida
->Martha Morgan 1878-1971 & Henry Hill 1872-1939 (my ancestors)
->David Morgan born 1892

James ‘Jim’ Morgan

James ‘Jim’ Morgan was my 3rd great grandfather. I found a 1811 purchase of a single boy named Jim by John Palfrey. The purchase was recorded in the Afro Louisiana Genealogy & History database (search on Relf and look for Jim). The database information suggested that Jim was sold along with his thirty-five-year-old mother. But the Palfrey 1811 slave purchase included in the family papers did not include a child named Jim. The 1811 purchase of slaves from Relf & Chew included my Gibson family: Aimy and her children: Tom, Bob, Joe, Ben & Fanny as well as Amos and Clara Marshall and Sam and Mima Riggs and their daughters: Anna and Sally.

Jim originally lived on John Palfrey’s Forlorn Hope Plantation but was swapped for Robert ‘Bob’ Gibson by John and William Palfrey in 1837. James’ wife was Sally Riggs. James and Sally’s children were:

Jack Morgan born 1828
Mima Morgan born 1839 & Jesse Hurst
Haley Morgan 1840-1864
Ambrose Morgan born 1840 & Elsie Gibson
Phoebe Morgan 1834-1864
Hortense Mary Fortune Morgan 1847-1927 & Cato King & Nelson Dangerfield

James Morgan was listed on the 1870 census in the household with his son Ambrose, 30 and his wife Elsie, 28 and their children: Carey, 13; Sally, 12; Phoebe, 6. James’ daughter Fortune was also in the household.

James was living with his daughter Mima and her husband Jesse Hurst for the 1880 St Mary Parish census. In their household were Mary, 12; Jimmy, 8; and Manuel 8.

I was able to determine the name of James Morgan’s wife because it was included on the death certificate of his daughter, Fortune Morgan. Mary Hortense Fortune Dangerfield died Nov. 30, 1927 in Calumet, St Mary Parish, LA. Her death certificate was the only one that I’ve found that had a name for James’ wife. In addition to the name Sally, was another clue. Sally was supposedly born in North Carolina!!

And so I am off on another genealogy ramble to see if I can find Sam, Mima, Anna, Sally and niece Maria arriving in New Orleans from the Carolinas or if there is a probate listing those names!!

Best,

P.S. The definition for ‘ramble‘ is: a walk for pleasure, typically without a definite route.

Ellen Green

Ellen Betts
Ellen Betts was interviewed in the 1930s as part of the WPA (Work Progess Administration) Federal Writers’ Project. Her story is one of the ‘Slave Narratives’. Per her narrative, she lived at 118 N. Live Oak Street in Houston, TX. I recently discovered that Ellen Betts was my 4th cousin, once removed. How about that!

Ellen Betts was interviewed in the 1930s as part of the WPA (Work Progess Administration) Federal Writers’ Project. Her story is one of the ‘Slave Narratives’. Per her narrative, she lived at 118 N. Live Oak Street at the time of her interview. Some of the narratives included photos, but Ellen’s sadly did not.

I read Ellen’s narrative in 2003 when I began my research on former Texas slaves while documenting my husband’s Texas roots. Her story was included among the Texas Slave Narratives. I took special note of it and added it to my collection of interesting, but not immediately pertinent, stories because it mentioned St. Mary Parish, Louisiana.

I began to research my Louisiana family in 2015, but it wasn’t until 2022 while pouring over Palfrey’s journal and adding leaves to my Gibson and Morgan family tree that I saw the names Charity and William Green and their daughter Ellen that something clicked in my memory. I pulled out Ellen’s story and reread it. She said that she was born on Bayou Teche, Tolas Parson’s place. Ellen said that she was sold to Tolas’s brother William Tolas after Tolas Parson’s death. She mentioned Patterson and Centerville, Louisiana and Marse William and his wife Sidney. Ellen also spoke about Miss Sidney’s death and about William’s marriage to Miss Cornelia. All of these events and first names seemed very familiar to me, because I’d read John Palfrey’s letter to his son William. I knew that William Palfrey’s first wife was Sidney Conrad and that he later married Cornelia Gates. I don’t know why she referred to each by the last name of Tolas instead of Palfrey. But it became clear to me that Ellen Betts was indeed relating stories about John Palfrey and his son William T Palfrey and life on their plantations. Ellen talked about her mother being a good seamstress and how her ‘pa’ was a fiddler “and we’d cut de pigeon wing and cut de buck and every other kind of dance. Sometime pa git tired and say he ain’t gwineter play no more and us gals git busy and pop him corn and make candy, so to ‘tice him to play more.” Read More of Ellen’s ‘Slave Narrative’.

Ellen Green was born May 15, 1847 to Charity Gibson and William Green. Her mother Charity Gibson, was the daughter of Robert ‘Bob’ Gibson and Sinah. Charity was born about 1824 in St Mary Parish. Robert and Sinah are my 3rd great grandparents. Ellen’s father William Green was born 1810 in South Carolina. Palfrey wrote that ‘Bill Green‘ ran away on Dec. 1, 1849 and returned three days later. I think it is significant that Ellen’s father was referenced by 2 names as early as 1849 as it indicates that enslaved persons were often known to have family names. Palfrey wrote in April 1863 of Charity and her daughter Sidney being taken in a cart by ‘Bob’ to Cypremort from one of his other plantations. The Bob mentioned was my 4th great grandfather, Robert Gibson.

Ellen’s birth was recorded in William Taylor Palfrey’s plantation journal. She was the third child of 11. Her siblings were: Sidney, born 1842; Sarah, 1844-1934; Washington, born 1849; Alice, born 1851; Mary, born 1855; Cornelius, born 1859; Elliot, born 1861; Nettie, born 1864; and Henry, born 1868. Henry was born after Palfrey’s death and was not recorded in the journal. Per Palfrey’s journal Charity gave birth to a child in 1855 that died.

Ellen was recorded on the 1870 St Mary Parish, Ward 4 census in the home with her parents Charity and William Green and her 10 siblings. A seventy-five-year-old woman named Rachel Gibson lived in the household immediately before Ellen’s. Ellen was also listed on the 1870 census in Ward 3 with her first husband Vincent Wallace and their son William. The next household on the page included Sidney Green, 25 and Major, 3. Two households away was Spencer Betts, who was later to be Ellen’s second husband.

Ellen and Vincent were still living in St. Mary Parish for he 1880 census. Their household had grown to include children: Felice (Phyllis), Listen and Elliot.

Her parents were also still living in St. Mary Parish. Their household included sons: Washington 29, who was listed as a widow; Cornelius 22, who was listed as married; Henry 12; and 2 daughters: Nettie 16 and Mary Crump 25. Mary was recorded to have pleurisy. Mary’s daughter Rosa also was recorded in the household. Interestingly, there is a record of William Green’s death in 1870, St Mary Parish, Ward 4, at the age of sixty from chronic rheumatism. He was recorded as haven been born in South Carolina and been a widower. I don’t know the explanation of how William could be widower and deceased in 1870 and yet he and wife Charity still be listed on the 1880 census!

By 1900, Ellen was no longer living in Louisiana. She and second husband Spencer Betts were listed on the 1900 Harris County census living in Ward 8. They lived in Harris County, but not in Houston. Spencer worked as a farm laborer. Many of their neighbors were German immigrants. Living with them were her children: Gorum and Harry Wallace (they were listed with the last name of Bets).

Ellen and Spencer were counted on the 1910 Harris County census, still in Ward 8. Gorum Wallace and wife Martha (nee Martin) lived with Ellen. Also, in the home was Ellen’s grandson Charley Carlisle, 15. Charlie was the son of Ellen’s daughter Phillis and Charles Carlisle Sr.

Ellen’s grandson Charley was counted twice on the 1910 census, once in Houston with his grandmother and again in Fort Bend County, Texas in the household with his mother Phillis 32, father, Charles 34 and siblings: Lillie, 13; Ernest, 8; Celena, 6; Henry, 5; Ed, 1. The family lived on Pryor Plantation in Hodges Bend.

Ellen was widowed and living in Fort Bend County, TX for the 1920 census. She lived with her daughter Phillis and her husband Charles Callos (Carlisle) and their children: Charlie, Elena, Henry, Ed and Salena. Charles Sr. worked on a cotton farm which he owned. Neither he or Phillis could read or write but all of their children were literate.

Ellen was last listed on the 1930 Harris County census living on Addicks-Howell Road, which is near the Fort Bend and Harris County, border. She lived with her widowed daughter-in-law Martha and grandchildren: Henry, Gorum Jr., Mary and Willie.

Ellen’s son Willie Wallace and wife Clara Como were recorded on the 1900 St. Mary Parish census. Willie worked as a farm laborer and could read, but not write–his wife could do both. Willie and family were again listed on the 1910 St. Mary Parish census. In their household were Willie, 21 and James Wallace, 19.

Ellen’s son Harry Wallace and wife Nora (Elnora Redicks) were living in Houston for the 1920 census. They lived 1100 Dennis Street in Third Ward. Harry worked as laborer for a contractor and Nora as a laundress. Living with them was Ellen’s son forty-year-old son Elliot whose marital status was recorded as married. He also worked as a laborer for a contractor.

The last recorded sentence in Ellen’s narrative was, “Law, times ain’t like dey was in slave days. All my ten chillen is dead and my old man gone, and now I reckon my time ’bout ‘rive. All I got to do now am pray de Lawd to keep me straight, den when de great day come, I can march de road to glory.” Ellen died in 1939 and was buried in Paradise North Cemetery.

Best,

Martin Guy

Martin Guy was a man on my family tree for whom I have found many descendants, but a man who I have not been able to find on any census record. Martin was the son of George and Jenny Guy. Most of what I know Martin Guy is through marriage records of his son Ezekiel George Guy and by way of Ezekiel’s civil suits for recovery of property owned by his deceased siblings, Abram and Maria Guy.

The beginning of what I know about Martin’s story is that his father George was a slave on the plantation of William Weeks sometime before 1817. On Oct. 2, 1817 William Weeks sold George and at least 48 other slaves to his son David Weeks. The sale was recorded in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, Parish Book A, Folio 491-492. In a separate recording of that same sale (Afro-Louisiana History and Geneaology), George was listed as George Elivin. This was a transcription error–George was valued at eleven hundred dollars. Two females named Jenny were sold in 1819 by someone by the last name of Weeks, most likely William Weeks who died Oct. 22, 1819 in St Francisville, LA. The sale is recorded in Estate Number: 26-A-088-033-1819.

George was recorded as a fifty-five-year-old Mulatto driver on David Weeks’ 1835 probate. Jenny, age thirty-four, is listed as his wife. Listed with Jenny are children Amanda, 9; George, 7; Abraham, 5; Lewis, 4; and Martin 1. Listed on successive lines beneath Jenny are Isaac, 17; Nancy, 15; and Bridget, 12.

Martin, 12 next appears in the 1846 final partition of David Weeks’ estate. He along with brothers, Lewis and ‘Little Abram’ as well as parents George and Jinny (Jenny) were among the slaves in the allotment given to Harriet Weeks Meade.

Charles C Weeks and his siblings took large numbers of slaves to Texas in 1862 or 1863. They each took slaves to different counties in Texas and hired them out to work; in fields, for the railroad and to haul products as far away as Brownsville and Mexico. Martin was mentioned in Charles Weeks’ April 28, 1864 letter. Weeks wrote that he had secured a contract to haul bacon to Shreveport when one night, Martin, Milton and Ben left him near Homer in Angelina County, Texas. Apparently, they ran away. Martin, Milton and Ben must have been drivers, because Weeks next wrote that he “hired two white drivers & drove the third wagon myself.” Weeks also wrote that he’d learned that “one of his Negroes were in jail” but that he did not know where. He did not seem to know which of the 3 men was jailed. I have looked for Martin in Texas and Louisiana in 1870 and onward but have not yet found him.

I have found his children: Abram, Ezekiel, Maria and Milry Guy on the 1870 Iberia Parish census. Abram Guy, 15 was listed in the household with his grandparents Sommerset and Peggy Furnice. Sommerset and Peggy had several daughters: Eliza, Minerva, Minty, Amy and Leah. I have not been able to determine which of these was Abram’s mother.

Abram Guy married Mary Johnson or Asbury. They lived in Rosetown and were included in the 1880 Iberia Parish census with children: Patsy, 6; Henry Handy, 4; and Martin, 1 month. Abram and wife were recorded on the 1900 census. Census data noted that they had been married for twenty-seven years. Included in the home were children: Virginia, 17; Hester, 12; and Martin, 18. Also in their home was granddaughter Stella, 5. Neither Abram or Mary could read or write but all of their children were able to do so. Abram worked as a ditcher and owned his home.

Abram had mostly likely died by 1910 as his son Martin Guy and wife Gertrude were listed on the 1910 census living in the residence where Abram previously had owned between Polite Joseph and Raymond Antoine. Included in Martin’s home in 1920 were children: Bertha, Louisa and Robert.

Ezekiel George Guy, 11 was recorded in the home of his aunt Amanda Guy and her husband Jacob Williamson for the 1870 census. Ezekiel’s 1895 New Orleans marriage license listed his parents as Martin Guy and Patsy Ly?? He married Mintie Young, daughter of Henry and Celeste Young. He and wife Mintie were included in the 1900 US census in New Orleans with daughters, Celeste, Mary and Katy. Ezekiel worked as a day laborer and lived at 414 Burgundy Street. He and Mintie were able to read and write.

Ezekiel married Estella Haywood in 1907. His name on the license was recorded as George Guy and his age as forty-one. His parents’ names were recorded as Martin and Patsy Guy. Ezekiel and Stella and appeared on the 1910 LaFourche Parish census with their son George. Ezekiel was listed as George Guy and worked as a bricklayer. He and Stella were still in LaFourche Parish at the time of the 1920 census. Included in their home were George, 11; Octavia, 9; Samuel, 7; Armour, 4; Clarence, 2; and Hazel, 1.

By 1930, Ezekiel was back in Iberia Parish. He was recorded as a seventy-year-old married man. Estella and children were counted on the 1930 Orleans Parish census. Estella was listed as a widow.

Estella and family moved to Pasadena, California and were listed on the 1940 census. She worked as a cook and lived 544 W. Pepper Street. Ezekiel and wife Katie Rose were listed on the 1940 Iberia Parish census.

Ezekiel filed in civil court to obtain the property rights of his deceased siblings Abram and Maria Guy. In one of his filings, he included the name of former wife Estella Haywood. Ezekiel died June 19, 1944 in a Lafayette hospital. Ezekiel’s granddaughter Octavia Estelle Butler was a highly regarded science fiction writer of works such as Kindred, Bloodchild and Fledgling. She also received the MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant.

Maria Guy was born about 1858 to Martin Guy and Charity. She was listed on the 1870 Iberia Parish census in the household of Emus and Charity Spahe along with Anna and Josephine Gatewood. I know that Maria Guy purchased land from Mrs. Emma Henkle April 1900, Book 38, Folio 138, but I have been unable to find Maria on any census after 1870.

Best,

Henry Jenkins

Henry Jenkins was my 4th great grandfather. He was born about 1860 and was the youngest child born to Bridget Guy and Robert ‘Bob’ Jenkins. As I’ve written in previous blog posts, it has been difficult to research Henry because I have not been able to find him in the 1880 US census and I have only found 1 marriage record for Henry–his 1898 marriage to Mary Mathieu.

Henry was recorded as the father of several children: Simon Felix, Oliver, Victoria, Louisa, Henry Jr., Matthew, Lloyd, Profit, Clarence, Agnes, Mary and Maviola. He was recorded on the 1900 US census, living in St Mary Parish, Ward 7, with Mary to whom he’d been married 2 years. He was listed as John Jenkins, instead of Henry. Included in their household were: Victoria, 7; Louisa, 5; and Henry, 3.

The 1900 census added the question regarding how many children a woman had given birth to and how many of those children were still living. Unfortunately, there is no way to determine how many children Henry or any man may have fathered. I obtained social security card applications for 2 of Henry’s sons; Simon Felix Jenkins and Henry Jenkins Jr. This provided me with the names of Henry’s 2 wives: Elsie Edwards and Madeline Charles. As mentioned in an earlier post, I believe that Henry’s earlier wives may have died shortly after giving birth. I could only find Elsie (Alcee) Edwards on the 1870 Iberia Parish census. I found a Madeline Charles on the 1870 St Mary Parish census, but have not been able to determine if this person was the mother of Henry Jenkins Jr. and presumably Victoria and Louisa as well, since both were older than Henry Jr.

According to the 1900 census, Henry worked as a day laborer who owned his own home and could neither read or write. Information was provided to the census taker that Henry’s parents were both born in Maryland, despite the fact that his mother, Bridget, was most likely born in St Mary Parish. Bridget’s parents’ place of birth was recorded as Maryland on 1880 census and as Louisiana and Virginia on 1900 census. That Maryland was listed as Henry’s mother, Bridget’s birthplace may indicate that he was aware of a connection to a Maryland ancestor.

Census data for 1910 Census data recorded Henry’s answer that he had been married 3 times. Henry, Mary, Louisa, Henry Jr as well as 3 children born since the previous census: Matthew, Lloyd, Crawford (Profit), were living together in St Mary Parish, Ward 7. Henry’s employment status was recorded as ‘working out‘ and he was described as a ‘renter’ and not as owner as he was per the 1900 census. I will see if I can find out if the term ‘working out’ meant that Henry was paying off a debt and that is the reason for the change in his home ownership status.

Missing from Henry’s 1910 household was daughter Victoria. I have not found Victoria on the 1910 census, but I know that she married Matthew Schaffer. I found a death record for a child born in 1915 to Victoria Jenkins and Mat Schaffer. I did find Mat Chaffer (Schaffer) listed on the 1910 St Mary Parish census as a twenty-seven-year-old man who had been married for five years but there was no listing for a wife in his household. Mat worked as a railroad laborer. All branches of my family tree originated from enslaved people that lived in Iberia and St Mary Parish. Because of this, I think it is inevitable that marriages would occur between the 2 branches. I have not been able to say definitively, but I theorized that Mat Schaffer was the eighteen-year-old Matthew Smith who was recorded in the home of Joseph and Charlotte Smith (my maternal 3rd great grandparents on my Smith tree) on the 1900 Iberia Parish census.

Henry and Mary were still living in Ward 7 at the time of the 1920 census. Four more children were recorded in their household: Clarence, Agnes, Maviola and Mary. The family lived on Pepper Road in a home that per the census was rented. No person in the household was recorded as being able to read or write. Henry, Mary, Matthew, Lloyd and Profit all worked as farm laborers.

Henry’s daughter Victoria , 25 and husband Matthew Chaffer, 31 (Schaffer) were recorded on the 1920 St Mary Parish census living on Jefferson Highway. Living with them were children: Beatrice, 8; Liza, 6; and Cigas, 1. The household listed next on the census included Matthew’s aunt Cora Smith. That household included Jack Elware, his wife Cora, his nineteen-year-old stepdaughter Agnes Robertson and his sixteen-year-old daughter Alma.

Henry’s son Felix and wife were living in Beaumont at the time of the 1920 census. Felix worked as a shipyard laborer and his wife Mary as a cook for a private family.

As I mentioned previously, Henry’s son Oliver Jenkins, wife Amelia Smith and family were missing from the 1910 and the 1920 census.

I have not yet found Henry’s daughter Louisa on the 1920 census, but I did find her on the 1930 St Mary Parish census living in the household with her in-laws, Thomas and Lucy Volter. Also living there were Louisa’s children Jacob, Thomas and Moses.

Henry died October 21, 1925. His age was recorded as seventy, suggesting that he was born in 1855. The information regarding his parents was recorded as unknown. The informant for the death certificate information was Henry’s son-in-law Nathan Volter. Henry’s burial place was ‘near Jeanerette’.

Henry’s daughter Victoria Jenkins Schaffer died Aug. 1, 1921 of breast cancer. Her place of death was listed as Albania. For the 1930 census, Victoria’s children Eliza Schoffer (Schaffer), 15; and Cedgis Schoffer (Schaffer), 11; were recorded in the household with their aunt, Cora Henry. Also in the home was Cora’s husband Jack Henry and her 6-year-old grandson LeRoy Thomas.

Henry’s widow Mary, son Clarence and daughter Maviola were living together on 1930 St Mary Parish census in Ward 7 in a home that they owned per census records. Both Clarence, 18; and Maviola 11; could read and write. Fifty-two-year-old Mary and Clarence worked as farm laborers. Living with Mary was daughter Agnes, her husband Charles Wesley and their son Henry.

Henry’s sons Matthew and Lloyd were married and living in Texas by 1930. Matthew Jenkins and wife Viola LaFleur were living in Jefferson County. Lloyd Jenkins and Ida Griffin were married 1929 in Harris County, Texas.

Henry’s son Oliver Jenkins and wife Amelia Smith who had were missing from the 1910 and 1920 US Census, miraculously were recorded on the 1930 Iberia Parish census. Their household included Oliver, 52; Media, 42; Livingston, 17; Olie (Oliver), 12; Solomon, 6; Charlotte, 15; and Cora, 10. Solomon was not Oliver’s son, but his grandson. Solomon’s mother was Elsie Jenkins. Olie (Oliver Jr.), Charlotte and Cora were recorded as being able to read and write. Oliver and Amelia’s children: Elzenia, Florence, Elsie, Gladys and Austin had all married and were living in their respective households in Iberia Parish and in California.

Henry’s Descendants

Felix Jenkins
Oliver Jenkins
Victoria Jenkins
Louisa Jenkins
Henry Jenkins Jr
Matthew Jenkins
Lloyd Jenkins
Profit Jenkins
Clarence Jenkins
Agnes Jenkins Wesley
Malviola Jenkins Franklin
Mary

Oliver’s Descendants

Elzenia Jenkins Newchurch
Florence Jenkins
Gladys Jenkins
Elsie Jenkins Hills
Austin Jenkins
Livingston Jenkins
Octavia Jenkins 1915-1915
Charlotte Jenkins
Oliver Jenkins
Cora Jenkins

Best,