Deed of sale for an enslaved man named Cato
date: label: Date
content: April 28, 1859
name: label: Written by
content: J. P. Lapier
label: Subject of
content: C. E. Girardy & Co., American
label: Subject of
content: James Roberts
notes: label: Description
content: This deed of sale has pre-printed and handwritten text that records the purchase of an enslaved man named Cato (born 1819) sold by J. P. Lapier of Pointe Coupee, Louisiana, an agent for C. E. Girardy & Co. to James Roberts of Jefferson City, Louisiana, for $800.00 on April 28, 1859. Cato is described as being around forty years of age and was "sold as having run away." The paper is folded in half along the left side with the reverse of the open sheet (interior pages when folded) blank. On the back of the folded page is handwritten text in ink identifying the date, seller, buyer, and enslaved person.
label: Transcription Center Status
content: Transcribed by digital volunteers
place: label: Place used
content: Jefferson, Louisiana, United States, North and Central America
label: Place used
content: Pointe Coupee, Louisiana, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Business
label: Topic
content: Domestic slave trade
label: Topic
content: Law
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Slavery
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 from the Liljenquist Family Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2015.222.4
objectType: label: Type
content: bills of sale
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: 9 3/4 × 8 7/8 in. (24.8 × 22.5 cm)