MORGAN COUNTY, GEORGIA
LARGEST SLAVEHOLDERS FROM 1860 SLAVE CENSUS SCHEDULES
and
SURNAME MATCHES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS
Transcribed by Tom Blake, March 2003
PURPOSE. Published information giving names of slaveholders and numbers of slaves held in Morgan County, Georgia, in 1860, is either non-existent or not readily available. It is possible to locate a free person on the Morgan County, Georgia census for 1860 and not know whether that person was also listed as a slaveholder on the slave census, because published indexes almost always do not include the slave census.
Those who have found a free ancestor on the 1860 Morgan County, Georgia census can check this list to learn if their ancestor was one of the larger slaveholders in the County. If the ancestor is not on this list, the 1860 slave census microfilm can be viewed to find out whether the ancestor was a holder of a fewer number of slaves or not a slaveholder at all. Whether or not the ancestor is found to have been a slaveholder, a viewing of the slave census will provide an informed sense of the extent of slavery in the ancestral County, particularly for those who have never viewed a slave census. An ancestor not shown to hold slaves on the 1860 slave census could have held slaves on an earlier census, so those films can be checked also. In 1850, the slave census was also separate from the free census, but in earlier years it was a part of the free census.
African American descendants of persons who were enslaved in Morgan County, Georgia in 1860, if they have an idea of the surname of the slaveholder, can check this list for the surname. If the surname is found, they can then view the microfilm for the details listed regarding the sex, age and color of the slaves. If the surname is not on this list, the microfilm can be viewed to see if there were smaller slaveholders with that surname. To check a master surname list for other States and Counties, return to Home and Links Page.
The information on surname matches of 1870 African Americans and 1860 slaveholders is intended merely to provide data for consideration by those seeking to make connections between slaveholders and former slaves. Particularly in the case of these larger slaveholders, the data seems to show in general not many freed slaves in 1870 were using the surname of their 1860 slaveholder. However, the data should be checked for the particular surname to see the extent of the matching.
The last U.S. census slave schedules were enumerated by County in 1860 and included 393,975 named persons holding 3,950,546 unnamed slaves, or an average of about ten slaves per holder. The actual number of slaveholders may be slightly lower because some large holders held slaves in more than one County and they would have been counted as a separate slaveholder in each County. Excluding slaves, the 1860 U.S. population was 27,167,529, with about 1 in 70 being a slaveholder. It is estimated by this transcriber that in 1860, slaveholders of 200 or more slaves, while constituting less than 1 % of the total number of U.S. slaveholders, or 1 out of 7,000 free persons, held 20-30% of the total number of slaves in the U.S. The process of publication of slaveholder names beginning with larger slaveholders will enable naming of the holders of the most slaves with the least amount of transcription work.
SOURCES. The 1860 U.S. Census Slave Schedules for Morgan County, Georgia (NARA microfilm series M653, Roll 149) reportedly includes a total of 7,006 slaves. This transcription includes 101 slaveholders who held 20 or more slaves in Morgan County, accounting for 3.068 slaves, or about 44% of the County total. The rest of the slaves in the County were held by a total of 323 slaveholders, and those slaveholders have not been included here. Due to variable film quality, handwriting interpretation questions and inconsistent counting and page numbering methods used by the census enumerators, interested researchers should view the source film personally to verify or modify the information in this transcription for their own purposes. Census data for 1860 was obtained from the Historical United States Census Data Browser, which is a very detailed, searchable and highly recommended database that can found at http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/census/ . Census data on African Americans in the 1870 census was obtained using Heritage Quest’s CD “African-Americans in the 1870 U.S. Federal Census”, available through Heritage Quest at http://www.heritagequest.com/ .
FORMAT. This transcription lists the names of those largest slaveholders in the County, the number of slaves they held in the County, the local district where they were counted and the first census page on which they were listed. The page numbers used are the rubber stamped numbers in the upper right corner of every set of two pages, with the previous stamped number and a “B” being used to designate the pages without a stamped number. Following the holder list is a separate list of the surnames of the holders with information on numbers of African Americans on the 1870 census who were enumerated with the same surname. The term “County” is used to describe the main subdivisions of the State by which the census was enumerated.
TERMINOLOGY. Though the census schedules speak in terms of “slave owners”, the transcriber has chosen to use the term “slaveholder” rather than “slave owner”, so that questions of justice and legality of claims of ownership need not be addressed in this transcription. Racially related terms such as African American, black, mulatto and colored are used as in the source or at the time of the source, with African American being used otherwise.
PLANTATION NAMES. Plantation names were not shown on the census. Using plantation names to locate ancestors can be difficult because the name of a plantation may have been changed through the years and because the sizeable number of large farms must have resulted in lots of duplication of plantation names. In Georgia in 1860 there were 482 farms of 1,000 acres or more, the largest size category enumerated in the census, and another 1,359 farms of 500-999 acres. Linking names of plantations in this County with the names of the large holders on this list should not be a difficult research task, but it is beyond the scope of this transcription.
FORMER SLAVES. The 1860 U.S. Census was the last U.S. census showing slaves and slaveholders. Slaves were enumerated in 1860 without giving their names, only their sex and age and indication of any handicaps, such as deaf or blind Slaves 100 years of age or older were supposed to be named on the 1860 slave schedule, but there were only 1,570 slaves of such age enumerated, and the transcriber found the following in this County: 115 year old female black Sylva, held by John B. Walker on page 397; 100 female black Clovar held by C. R. Zachary on page 416; 100 female black Rhoda Fears held by Elizabeth Fears on page 421; and 102 male black Hamilton and 100 male black Jack, both held by A. F. Bird on page 426B. Freed slaves, if listed in the next census, in 1870, would have been reported with their full name, including surname. Some of these former slaves may have been using the surname of their 1860 slaveholder at the time of the 1870 census and they may have still been living in the same State or County. Before presuming an African American was a slave on the 1860 census, the free census for 1860 should be checked, as almost 11% of African Americans were enumerated as free in 1860, with about half of those living in the southern States. Estimates of the number of former slaves who used the surname of a former owner in 1870, vary widely and from region to region. If an African American ancestor with one of these surnames is found on the 1870 census, then making the link to finding that ancestor as a slave requires advanced research techniques involving all obtainable records of the holder.
MIGRATION OF FORMER SLAVES: According to U.S. Census data, the 1860 Morgan County population included 2,983 whites, 7 “free colored” and 7,006 slaves. By the 1870 census, the white population had increased about 22% to 3,637, while the “colored” population stayed about the same at 7,058. (As a side note, by 1960, 100 years later, the County was listed as having 5,360 whites, an increase of about 80% over 1860, but the 1960 total of “Negroes”was about 30% less than what the colored population had been 100 years before.) It should be noted however, that in comparing census data for 1870 and 1960, the transcriber did not take into consideration any relevant changes in county boundaries. Chatham County saw an increase in colored population of almost two thirds between 1860 and 1870, so obviously that is where many freed slaves went. Other Georgia Counties showing significant increases include Fulton, Houston and Richmond. Between 1860 and 1870, the Georgia colored population increased by 80,000, to 545,000, a 17% increase. Where did freed Georgia slaves go if they did not stay in Georgia? States that saw significant increases in colored population during that time, and were therefore more likely possible places of relocation for colored persons from Morgan County, included the following: Texas, up 70,000 (38%); Alabama, up 37,000 (8%); North Carolina, up 31,000 (8%); Florida, up 27,000 (41%); Ohio, up 26,000 (70%); Indiana, up 25,000 (127%); and Kansas up from 265 to 17,000 (6,400%).
SLAVEHOLDER LIST:
ALISON, Elias, 39 slaves, Kingston, page 418B
ALLEN, Caswell, 26 slaves, Buckhead, page 425
ANDERSON, Lewis G., 35 slaves, Askins, page 401
BANKS, Francis A., 35 slaves, Town District, page 386
BERRY, E. J., 43 slaves, Adsborough, , page 407
BILLUPS, Joel A., 61 slaves, Town District, page 391B
BIRD, A. F., 82 slaves, Buckhead, page 426B
BONNER, Thomas S., 25 slaves, Shepherds, page 413
BOSWELL, Elizah, 29 slaves, Kingston, page 418
BROUGHTON, John A., 39 slaves, Town District, page 398B
BROUGHTON, William C., 21 slaves, Durdins, page 408B
BROWN, Amos, 32 slaves, Hellow, page 410
BROWN, Semion N., 64 slaves, Seats, page 412B
BURNEY, John W., 67 slaves, Town District, page 388B
BURNEY, Thos. J., 42 slaves, Town District, page 393B
BUTTER, David E., 37 slaves, Manns, page 411B
BUTTS, Jacob C., 23 slaves, Harris, page 404B
CAMPBELL, Lucinda, 34 slaves, Town District, page 398
CLARK, Lucy, W. H. Moss agt for, 37 slaves, Hellow, page 409B
COUSINS, William, 50 slaves, Buckhead, page 425
DAVENPORT, William, 60 slaves, Shepherds, page 414B
DAVIS, Nancy T., 20 slaves, Hellow, page 409B
DAVIS, Thomas J., 20 slaves, Manns, page 412B
DICKERSON, Calvin, 24 slaves, Shepherds, page 413
DOUGLAS, Robert, 73 slaves, Town District, page 392
DURDIN, John, 40 slaves, Durdins, page 408
FEARS, Elizabeth & 3 minors, 58 slaves, Goss, page 421
FEARS, John P., 24 slaves, Manns, page 412
FITZPATRICK, Zeno, 92 slaves, Shepherds, page 415
FOSTER, N. G., 57 slaves, Town District, page 383B
GUNN, Daniel G., 57 slaves, Buckhead, page 424
HAMMOND, Thomas, 20 slaves, Buckhead, page 426
HANSON, James F., 36 slaves, Hellow, page 410
HANSON, James F. [presumed], Gdn for 3 minors, 69 slaves, Hellow, page 410B
HANSON, John W., 28 slaves, Hellow, page 409B
HARDEN, Benjamin, 43 slaves, Adsborough, , page 407B
HARRIS, Benjamin, 93 slaves, Buckhead, page 424B
HARRIS, Robert, 28 slaves, Goss, page 420
HARRIS, Thomas, 38 slaves, Shepherds, page 414
HARWELL, L. T. P., 63 slaves, Shepherds, page 413B
HEAD, Nancy E., 37 slaves, Goss, page 419B
HEAD, Thomas W., 22 slaves, Goss, page 419B
HILL, Joshua, 59 slaves, Town District, page 393
JERKS?, James B., 66 slaves, Kingston, page 416
JESSUP, George R., 55 slaves, Town District, page 392
JOHNSON, John F., for 3 minors, 47 slaves, Kingston, page 416B
JOHNSON, John F., 34 slaves, Town District, page 395
JOHNSTON, Lancelot, 91 slaves, Town District, page 385
JOHNSTON, Susan E., 103 slaves, Town District, page 393B
JONES, Elijah E., 101 slaves, Town District, page 386B
JONES, Stephen, 22 slaves, Wellington, page 402
KOLB, Wilds, 199 slaves, Town District, page 396
LANE, Dawson B., 27 slaves, Whitfield, page 406
MALCOM, John G., 25 slaves, Fairplay, page 403
MANN, James N., 53 slaves, Manns, page 411
MARTIN, Felix B., 35 slaves, Town District, page 383B
MARTIN, George, 48 slaves, Goss, page 420
MAS,SEY, Nathan, 33 slaves, Manns, page 411
NEIL, William, 26 slaves, Seats, page 423
NOLAN, Martha B., 41 slaves, Askins, page 400B
OGILBY, Hugh S., 49 slaves, Town District, page 389B
PALMER, James agt, 71 slaves, Kingston, page 417B
PARTEE, Arthur, 25 slaves, Fairplay, page 403
PARY?, Jesse W.?, 32 slaves, Manns, page 411B
PASCHAL, John, 42 slaves, Kingston, page 417
PENNINGTON, Samuel, 46 slaves, Town District, page 386
PONDER, George F., 54 slaves, Fairplay, page 403B
PORTER, John W., 36 slaves, Town District, page 390
PRIOR, Robt. A., 25 slaves, Town District, page 384
REESE, Augustus, 49 slaves, Town District, page 390B
REID, James S., 74 slaves, Buckhead, page 425B
ROWLAND, James, 34 slaves, Kingston, page 419
RUARK, Samuel, 24 slaves, Askins, page 400B
SAFFOLD, Thomas P., 73 slaves, Buckhead, page 428
SASH?, J. B., Thomas _? Stark agt for, 56 slaves, Durdins, page 408B
SHEPHERD, Mary, 27 slaves, Hellow, page 409
SHEPHERD, Nancy & 6 minors, 114 slaves, Buckhead, page 427
SHOEMAKER, Charles J.?, 34 slaves, Seats, page 421B
SPEED, Terrell, 34 slaves, Town District, page 384B
STALLINGS, Thomas, 26 slaves, Whitfield, page 406
STOVALL, John, 30 slaves, Askins, page 400
STOVALL, Marshal K., 35 slaves, Goss, page 420B
TAYLOR, [presumed Thomas J.], R. Harris agt for, 53 slaves, Manns, page 412B
TERRELL, E. L., 52 slaves, Kingston, page 418
THOMASON, P. R., 27 slaves, Town District, page 382
THRASHER, Early W., 53 slaves, Town District, page 390B
WADE, Mary & 2 minors, 46 slaves, Town District, page 392B
WALKER, Edmond, 57 slaves, Town District, page 399
WALKER, John B., 143 slaves, Town District, page 397
WALKER, S. J.?, 32 slaves, Shepherds, page 413B
WALTON, Isaac L., 92 slaves, Town District, page 394B
WALTON, Mary P., 57 slaves, Town District, page 387B
WALTON, P. W. Est. of, 123 slaves, Town District, page 388
WELLBORN, Nancy, 22 slaves, Adsborough, , page 406B
WILSON, Leroy M., 32 slaves, Town District, page 384
WOOD, John C., 61 slaves, Kingston, page 418B
WOOD, Richard, 26 slaves, Kingston, page 418B
WYATT, G. W., 40 slaves, Seats, page 421B
WYATT?, G. W. [presumed] for 4 minors, 55 slaves, Seats, page 422
ZACHARY, C. R., 24 slaves, Kingston, page 416
ZACHARY, James, 20 slaves, Kingston, page 416
SURNAME MATCHES AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS:
(exact surname spellings only are reported, no spelling variations or soundex)
(SURNAME, # in US, in State, in County, born in State, born and living in State, born in State and living in County)
ALISON, 48, 1, 0, 2, 1, 0
ALLEN, 6198, 615, 15, 729, 513, 14
ANDERSON, 8123, 722, 11, 807, 591, 10
BANKS, 3019, 248, 4, 292, 204, 3
BERRY, 1958, 166, 5, 198, 127, 5
BILLUPS, 238, 59, 1, 70,52, 1
BIRD, 1401, 252, 11, 281, 220, 11
BONNER, 658, 106, 2, 111, 88, 2
BOSWELL, 273, 32, 2, 45, 30, 2
BROUGHTON, 152, 67, 16, 69, 61, 16
BROWN, 27013, 2419, 18, 2547, 1930, 15
BURNEY, 178, 47, 3, 57, 40, 3
BUTTER, 140, 8, 0, 8, 5, 0
BUTTS, 294, 135, 7, 135, 119, 6
CAMPBELL, 2897, 261, 10, 243, 203, 7
CLARK, 5807, 647, 13
COUSINS, 214, 12, 2, 10, 9, 1
DAVENPORT, 510, 97, 7, 97, 81, 6
DAVIS, 13725, 1329, 19, 1532, 1081, 18
DICKERSON, 890, 56, 2, 64, 46, 1
DOUGLAS, 906, 34, 2, 46, 25, 2
DURDIN, 3, 3, 1, 3, 3, 1
FEARS, 83, 37, 8, 45, 29, 6
FITZPATRICK, 212, 39, 6, 49, 36, 5
FOSTER, 2611, 274, 7, 328, 217, 7
GUNN, 367, 62, 3, 73, 54, 3
HAMMOND, 632, 89, 0, 85, 64, 0
HANSON, 309, 28, 1, 40, 26, 0
HARDEN, 577, 138, 3, 148, 124, 2
HARRIS, 11315, 1232, 30, 1401, 1029, 27
HARWELL, 162, 34, 8, 37, 29, 7
HEAD, 258, 86, 3, 96, 81, 3
HILL, 6675, 825, 7, 951, 671, 6
JERKS?, 3, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
JESSUP, 37, 5, 0, 7, 5, 0
JOHNSON, 33402, 2648, 33, 2972, 2089, 29
JOHNSTON, 2186, 123, 0, 158, 100, 0
JONES, 27193, 2842, 29, 3155, 2331, 24
KOLB, 24, 8, 6, 7, 5, 5
LANE, 1402, 178, 9, 193, 148, 8
MALCOM, 35, 27, 0, 29, 26, 0
MANN, 558, 96, 2, 101, 86, 2
MARTIN, 5318, 560, 12, 616, 462, 11
MASSEY, 509, 57, 2, 55, 47, 2
NEIL, 205, 17, 0, 26, 15, 0
NOLAN, 101, 21, 7, 20, 18, 6
OGILBY, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
PALMER, 1211, 111, 2, 118, 89, 1
PARTEE, 86, 4, 1, 4, 4, 1
PARY?, 4, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
PASCHAL, 99, 65, 6, 60, 59, 5
PENNINGTON, 196, 19, 6, 22, 13, 3
PONDER, 142, 97, 10, 93, 83, 10
PORTER, 2334, 229, 9, 241, 176, 8
PRIOR, 261, 62, 11, 73, 55, 11
REESE, 824, 162, 6, 201, 145, 6
REID, 1023, 248, 12, 241, 209, 12
ROWLAND, 182, 43, 1, 46, 39, 1
RUARK, 6, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2
SAFFOLD, 100, 17, 6, 44, 17, 6
SASH?, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
SHEPHERD, 591, 85, 15, 103, 72, 13
SHOEMAKER, 65, 4, 4, 6, 3, 3
SPEED, 133, 12, 6, 14, 11, 5
STALLINGS, 137, 41, 4, 43, 37, 3
STOVALL, 217, 43, 4, 46, 38, 4
TAYLOR, 11696, 715, 17, 846, 552, 16
TERRELL, 401, 72, 3, 87, 61, 3
THOMASON, 113, 8, 0, 10, 5, 0
THRASHER, 93, 64, 5, 63, 59, 5
WADE, 1372, 127, 11, 156, 96, 8
WALKER, 8492, 1199, 33, 1317, 997, 28
WALTON, 1110, 248, 17, 267, 211, 14
WELLBORN, 38, 22, 7, 21, 20, 6
WILSON, 10819, 832, 4, 919, 672, 4
WOOD, 2672, 265, 2, 315, 227, 1
WYATT, 548, 70, 10, 83, 64, 9
ZACHARY, 19, 7, 0, 9, 6, 0
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