Document on distribution of six enslaved persons owned by Elizabeth Roberts
date: label: Date
content: 1802
name: label: Written by
content: John Neusville, American
label: Written by
content: William Eckells, American
label: Subject of
content: Unidentified Woman or Women
label: Subject of
content: Unidentified Man or Men
label: Subject of
content: Elizabeth Roberts, American, died 1802
label: Subject of
content: John Roberts, American, born 1780
label: Signed by
content: Isaac Perry, American, 1780 - 1873
label: Signed by
content: Benjamin Perry, American, born 1761
label: Signed by
content: Edward Tonge, American
notes: label: Description
content: A financial document (2018.43.8a) listing "Elizabeth Roberts Negroes," splitting them up by lot and divided between heirs by the executors of the estate of Elizabeth Roberts.
label: Description
content: The document consists of handwritten black ink on both sides of a single sheet of paper.
label: Description
content: The front of the large document notes the relationships people had with Elizabeth Roberts and their claims to her property, as well as the state and county officials involved. The back of the document names the enslaved persons with their ages, and notes how they or their equivalent monetary value should be distributed among the interested parties. The enslaved persons are listed as:
label: Description
content: Ben, 23
label: Description
content: Harry, 40
label: Description
content: Hannah, 45
label: Description
content: Philis 11,
label: Description
content: Franny 8,
label: Description
content: Lucy 6
label: Description
content: Harry, Hannah, and Philis went to James Spencer, brother of Elizabeth Roberts. Ben, Franny and Lucy went to William and Eleanor Spencer, nephew and niece of Elizabeth Roberts. The accounting of the estate is dated January 22, 1802 in Charleston. The division of property is entered as February 9, 1802 in St. Paul's Parish, Colleton District of South Carolina. The document is signed by Isaac Perry, Benjamin Perry, and Edward Tonge, executors of the estate.
label: Description
content: The document is accompanied by a smaller piece of folded paper (2018.43.8b), that served as an envelope for the document. It has handwritten text summarizing the contents of the document.
place: label: Place used
content: St. Paul's Parish, Colleton County, South Carolina, United States, North and Central America
label: Place made
content: Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: American South
label: Topic
content: Business
label: Topic
content: Children
label: Topic
content: Families
label: Topic
content: Finance
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Slavery
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1783-1815
label: Topic
content: Women
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: Liljenquist Family Collection
label: Classification
content: Slavery and Freedom Objects
label: Classification
content: Documents and Manuscripts
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Liljenquist Family
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2018.43.8ab
objectType: label: Type
content: documents
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: ink on paper
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (2018.43.8a): 15 15/16 × 13 in. (40.5 × 33 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (2018.43.8b (folded)): 8 1/16 × 3 3/8 in. (20.4 × 8.5 cm)