Mary Johnson Enslaved Part 1

 

The port city of New Orleans, Louisiana was a vibrant slave destination since the early 1700s. Slavery in Louisiana was first established by the French, followed by the Spanish and English.  The development of the Cotton Gin in 1793 and the Louisiana Purchase by the United States in 1803 stimulated the agricultural slave economy. The distance between Pike County, Mississippi to the city of New Orleans is slightly over a hundred miles.  Because of the close geographic proximity, my assumption was most of my enslaved ancestors from Africa arrived in New Orleans and then were transported to Mississippi. The assumption may only be partially true. 

The Act of Prohibiting Importation of Slaves a United States federal law and Abolition of The Slave Trade Act passed by the British Parliament banned the import of slaves in the British Empire in 1807. This stimulated the domestic slave trade. The enslaved were also illegally imported into the United States from geographic areas that were not part of the United States after 1807. 

 The ship Amistad is a famous example of illegal slave trade. The Portuguese ship Amistad in 1839 which held 53 African enslaved people initial route was Havana, Cuba. The Africans seized the ship and killed the captain and cook and tried to return to Africa. The ship was seized in New York and all on board were taken to Connecticut. The plantation owners were freed and the Africans were charged with murder. The murder charges were latter dismissed. The plantation owners, Spanish government and the captain of the ship Washington claimed the Africans people as property. The case was eventually adjudicated by the United States Supreme Court in 1841 with the Africans represented by former President John Q. Adams. The Supreme Court decided in favor of the Africans and they were released. Thirty-four Africans survived and with the financial help of abolitionists they returned to Africa. 

It is from this historic background, I have continued to look for my enslaved ancestors from the early transport prior to 1807 and the domestic slave trade. From the domestic slave trade, I have received from a cousin the documentation of the enslavement of Mary Johnson.

Walter L. Campbell  Sale  of Mary Johnson to  Delia E. Stovall  of Pike County, Mississippi December 6, 1852

Transcribed Bill of Sale

Walter L. Campbell a well established slave trader in New Orleans, Louisiana sold Mary Johnson age estimate 18 years old on December 6,1852 to Delia E. Stovall of Pike County, Mississippi for $925.00 the equivalent of $35,655.51 in 2022.

More information to come.

---The Tree Gardener

Robert Brumfield Part 2

 

Robert Brumfield homestead located in Pike County, Mississippi was near the homesteads of  Ervin (Irvin) Brumfield, Jack Gatlin and Calvin Caston.  Irvin Brumfield was a homestead witness for Robert Brumfield. The geographic  location of the other men's land suggest that knew each other.

Diagram of Land Patent Pike County T2-N, R9-E Section 15 and part of Section 22

I have been unable to locate Robert and Ann Brumfield in the 1900 Federal census. Many times adult children live near their parents. I used the names of their children  and their spouses to try to locate them.

 Using this method, I was still unable to locate them.   I was however able to locate two individuals who are probably  their children Senia Brumfield and James Brumfield  in the 1900 census enumerated on the same page as Jack Gatlin. 

"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9XT-14J : accessed 18 October 2022), Jack Gatlin, Beat 1 (part of), Pike, Mississippi, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 105, sheet 5A, family 65, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,825.

Senia Brumfield and James Brumfield 1900 Federal Census Pike County, Mississippi extracted

Jack Gatlin is listed on the marriage bond of Seany Brumfield and Richard Conerly on January 29, 1891. A marriage bond is different from a marriage license. A marriage bond requires that an individual give a monetary amount for the intent to marry.   If it is later found that there was a legal reason for the marriage not to take place the bond amount is forfeited. Jack Gatlin assisted in paying the bond.  

The search for more information concerning  Robert and Ann Brumfield will continue.

---The Tree Gardener

Robert Brumfield Part 1

 

Robert Brumfield was born enslaved in about 1834 in Mississippi. His parents nor enslaver have not been identified at this time.  On September 11, 1869, he filed application #3212 for 160 acres of land at the Pike County, Mississippi Land Office in Jackson, Hinds County. 

 He is enumerated as a 35-year-old farm hand in the 1870 Pike County, Mississippi census with inferred wife and children. His inferred wife was Ann 32, and the children were Anna Bell 10, Jennette 6 and Robert 1 years old.  On August 29, 1876, Robert submitted his final proof document for his homestead. Henry Conerly and Irvin Brumfield were his sworn witnesses. They were prevented from attending in person at the land office secondary to distance and means. The witnesses in a single document stated that he had a wife and six children. He had cultivated 35 acres of land, 2 cotton houses, a smokehouse, crib stables and other houses.  Irvin Brumfield was the son of Liddie Brumfield Caston. Henry Conerly was also a witness for Irvin Brumfield's homestead on August 21, 1877. Robert received his homestead patent on June 24, 1878.

Robert Brumfield is enumerated in the Pike County 1880 census.  He and his wife Ann had five additional children during the intervening years Frank 9, Harriet 6, Cina 5, Jimmy 2 and Jesse 2/12 months. Significantly, Jack Gatlin's family is enumerated on the same census page.

"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4G1-Y9G : 14 January 2022), Bob Brumfield, Beat 1, Pike, Mississippi, United States; citing enumeration district ED 37, sheet, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .

1880 Census

Brumfield,    Bob               Male                46 y

                         Ann           Female             41 y

                        Jenette         Female            15 y

                        Robert          Male                10 y

                        Frank            Male                 9 y

                        Harriet         Female             6 y

                        Cina              Female             5 y

                        Jimmie         Male                 2 y 

            

The Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children Data Base 1850-1892 and 1908-1957 has been instrumental in identifying families between the years of the United States federal census. The data in the records designate the sex, age and race of the children.  Robert's children attended school and worked on the farm. In the Holmesville, Pike County 1885 census Robert and his children are listed as Robert 16, Harriet 14, Frank 11, Cina 9, Jas (James) 7   and John 5.  On the school census, are familiar names of other parents and children from prior blog posts: Frank Brumfield, Edmond Downs, Gale Brumfield and Eli Brumfield.

Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children, 1850-1892; 1908-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939F-PV9F-WD?cc=1856425&wc=M6NC-7P8%3A167436801%2C167437202 : 18 September 2015), Pike > 1885 > image 6 of 178; Government Records, Jackson.

A list of established schools in the county with trustees and teachers was identified in the Magnolia Gazette in 1886. Numbers 11, 12 and 13 are African American men who were involved in the education of their children.  The Pink Hill trustees were Jack Gatlin, Robert Brumfield and Jerry Conerly 

The Magnolia Gazette 

Magnolia, Mississippi

 12 Feb 1886, Fri  •  Page 2

 In the Holmesville, Pike County 1890 school census Robert Brumfield's children Harriet 16, Sina 14, James 12, John 9 and Jesse 7 are listed. Other parents and children are listed on the page which includes Thomas Brumfield, Ely (Eli) Brumfield, Irvin Brumfield, Ellen Brumfield and Harry Barnes. 

Robert had one child enrolled in school seen in the Holmesville, Pike County 1896 census Jess (Jesse) 12. On the school census, are familiar names of other parents and children: Irvin Brumfield, Eli Brumfield, Leah Bridges, George and Harry Barnes. 

More information to come.

--- The Tree Gardener