The deeds and wills during the period from 1833 to the Civil War made
increasingly large provisions for the removal and colonization of the
freedmen. It may be also noted that arraignments of slavery became
very rare during that period. The same influences which almost hushed
the voice of anti-slavery orators in Virginia, were effective in
banishing from the deeds and wills of emancipators expressions which
might give aid and comfort to the men who were daily denouncing the
civilization and morality of the state. Though these arraignments
might almost stop the discussion of slavery in Virginia, yet they
could not destroy the sentiment in favor of emancipation. The
liberation of slaves continued without diminution down to the outbreak
of the Civil War. It may be also noted that these instances of
emancipation go far to disprove the charge that the Virginia friends
of negro colonization were inspired simply by a desire to remove the
free negroes from the state in order to make more sure the tenure by
which they held their slaves. John Randolph of Roanoke, General
Blackburn, Bishop Meade, William Henry Fitzhugh and George Washington
Parke Custis were all leaders in the colonization movement, and all of
them emancipated their slaves.
Extract from the will of Samuel Blackburn of Bath County, dated the
30th of October, 1834:
"That all the slaves of which I may die seized and possessed,
without distinction of age or sex, be, and they are hereby, declared
free and forever emancipated, &c.... And as soon as the necessary
arrangements can be made by my executors they shall be transported
to the American Colony in Liberia and the expense of transportation
be charged upon my estate, real and personal. It is, however,
expressly and implicitly understood that if any of my slaves
aforesaid refuse to accept this boon it will be the duty of my
executors and they are hereby requested so to do, to sell to the
highest bidder in terms of the sale all who thus refuse and
persevere in refusal, as slaves for life. And here let me admonish
and warn these people how they let slip this golden moment of
emancipating themselves and their posterity forever from that state
of slavery and degradation in which I found them and in which many
of them have long served me."
By a codicil the testator provided that with respect to any slaves who
might refuse to accept their freedom upon condition that they be
transported to Liberia, his executors should not sell them separately
but in families and by private sale to considerate masters.[163]
Extract from the will of Carter H. Edlow of Prince George County,
dated the 20th of March, 1838, and admitted to probate the 13th of
August, 1844:
"I desire that my estate shall be kept together and cultivated to
the best advantage until a sufficient sum can be raised to pay my
debts, should there be any deficiency in the amount of money on hand
and debts due me, and to raise a sufficient sum to pay for the
transportation of my slaves to any free state or colony which they
may prefer and give to each slave fifty dollars on their
departure.... It is not my wish to force them away without their
consent; in the event of any of them preferring to remain in slavery
they must take the disposition hereinafter directed."
The testator then devises the residuum of his estate to his nieces,
along with such of his slaves as refuse to accept freedom.[164]
Extract from deed of William Meade, of Clarke County, dated the 29th
of April, 1843:
"Know all men by these presents that I, William Meade, of the County
of Clarke and State of Virginia, with a view of preparing a certain
female mulatto slave, named Lucy, for the enjoyment of the freedom
hereinafter bestowed upon her, have ... bound the said female, Lucy,
now about seventeen years of age, to a certain J. W. Stockton,
residing in the State of Pennsylvania, until the said Lucy arrives
at the age of twenty-one years, &c. ... do give and grant unto the
said Lucy her freedom forever and do hereby manumit her from my
service, forever, &c."[165]
Extract from the will of Thacker V. Webb, of Orange County, admitted
to probate August 28th, 1843:
"I will and direct that at and after my death, my slaves, James,
Joseph, Kendall, Judy and all the remainder of them both old and
young (not enumerated and specified by their respective names) and
all the future increase of all the females be, and they are hereby
fully and entirely liberated, and forever emancipated and set free
from the involuntary service of all and every person or persons
whatsoever; and that no operation of any law whatsoever shall be
allowed, or in any wise prevent the said slaves from receiving and
enjoying their full, entire and complete freedom and emancipation, I
will and direct that my executor or administrator hereinafter named,
shall procure a home for the slaves, or persons above liberated, in
some non-slaveholding state, and for this purpose I hereby
appropriate the sum of four thousand dollars, to be laid out in
land, farming utensils, and bearing their expenses, and if any
overplus shall remain, I direct it to be equally divided among them
all, and given to the fathers and mothers for their joint use and
benefit."[166]
Extract from will of Albert Early, of Madison County, dated the 25th
of May, 1839, admitted to probate 25th day of November, 1847:
"I give and bequeath unto my above named executors all the negro
slaves that I now own or may own ... I do most solemnly and
seriously request and exhort them to do with my said negro slaves as
I now prescribe, that it is my wish that they ... should be
liberated so that they may enjoy all the liberties and blessings of
a free and independent people, and not approving the custom of
liberating slaves to remain in the United States, I would recommend
to my said executors to select for their residence some section of
country which ... may supply them, the above named negro slaves,
with all the comforts and necessaries that may render their lives as
agreeable and easy as possible."
The will further authorizes the executors to sell so much of the lands
and other property of the testator as may be necessary to pay his
debts and then to apply so much of the proceeds as the above named
"executors may think proper for the removal and settlement of my above
named negro slaves."
The will concludes:
"That it is owing to no malignity of feelings towards my relations
that I have thus disposed of my negro slaves, but because I think
they own enough of them without mine and I think that they are a
general evil and withal I deprecate the principle."[167]
Extract from the will of John Warwick, of Amherst County, admitted to
probate March 20th, 1848:
"I, John Warwick, of the County of Amherst, ... do make, publish and
declare this my last true will and testament....
"First: The future condition of my slaves has long been a subject of
anxious concern with me, and it is my deliberate intention, wish,
and desire that the whole of them be manumitted and set free as soon
after my demise as the growing crops shall be safe and the annual
hires terminated, not later than the end of the year of my death, to
be removed, or so many of them as I do not manumit and send to a
free state during my life, with the exception hereinafter named, and
settled in one or more of the free states of this Union under the
care and direction of my executors, hereinafter appointed. Indiana
is my choice.
"Second: To carry out the above bequest ... next to the payment of
any debts I may owe, my funeral expenses, and the charges of
administration of my estate, I hereby declare that it is my wish and
intention that my slaves shall on being emancipated have the whole
of my estate now in being, or hereafter to be acquired, ... for the
purpose of creating a suitable fund in the hands of my executors for
their comfortable clothing, outfit, travelling expenses and
settlement in their new homes".[168]
Extract from the will of Frances Eppes of Henrico County, admitted to
probate February 7th, 1848.
"It is my will and desire that all my slaves shall be emancipated
and set free—and I do hereby emancipate and set free the following
slaves, and the increase of the females among them, namely—" (Here
follow the names of the slaves, twenty-seven in number)—"And with a
view to accomplish this my intention in an effectual manner it is my
will and desire that at my decease all my slaves of every
description be committed to the special care and trust of my friends
Joseph J. Pleasants of the County of Hanover, in this state, and
Joseph Jones of the State of Ohio....
"It is my will and desire that after all my just debts are paid, all
the property of every description of which I may die seized, or the
proceeds arising therefrom as may seem best to my executors
hereinafter named, be divided among the said slaves so emancipated
in such manner as the executors may deem fair and proper."[169]
Extract from the will of Sampson Sanders, of Cabell County, admitted
to probate July 9th, 1849:
"It is my will and desire that all my slaves of every age and sex be
free at the time of my death from all involuntary servitude....
"I hereby direct my executors ... to collect so much of my estate as
may be necessary to buy land for my said slaves in the State of
Indiana or some one of the free states of the United States of
America as may be necessary for their comfortable support ...
assigning each head of a family their proper proportion of land ...
binding the heads of families and other young men for the
comfortable support of the old and decrepit or weakly slaves during
their natural lives. I hereby give and bequeath to my said slaves
$15,000.00 to be paid out of my estate by my executors
aforesaid."[170]
Extract of will of Joseph Early, of Madison County, dated 22nd of
December, 1852, and admitted to probate August 24th, 1854:
"My will is that my executors hereinafter named send my negroes that
I now have to Liberia—give each of the men,—three in number—fifty
dollars each and Verindy and all her children, one hundred dollars,
to take with them, besides getting them out, and bacon enough to
last them six months after they get to Liberia."[171]
Extract from the will of William D. Jennings, of Henrico County,
admitted to probate August 1st, 1853:
"I hereby manumit, emancipate and set free all the rest and residue
of my slaves, viz.:" (Here follow the names of the slaves,
thirty-four in number) "and request that they shall be sent to and
settled in Africa, in some good location, to be approved by my
executor, after conference with the agent of the American
Colonization Society, at Washington City."
The will further provides that after paying the debts of the estate
the balance shall be applied:
"To the expenses of removal to, and settling in Africa, of all the
slaves hereby emancipated. After defraying the expenses of their
said removal to Africa, it is my will and desire that the whole
surplus of my estate then remaining (after paying debts and
legacies) shall be divided among my said emancipated slaves as
follows, viz.:—" (Here follow the names of the slaves).[172]
Extract from the will of Traverse D. Herndon, of Fauquier County,
dated the 2nd of December, 1854, and admitted to probate 25th of
December, 1854:
"Third: I desire that the servants formerly the property of Col.
George Love, whose names and number have been sent on to the
Colonization Society (The number thus designated were forty-eight,
two have since been born) shall be sent to Liberia, so as to carry
out the arrangements made with that society for their liberation,
and I further wish that their expenses shall be paid to Baltimore,
Md., and that my wife shall give them such an amount of money as she
may think advisable."[173]
Extract from the will of Arthur B. Davies, of Amherst County, admitted
to probate March 21st, 1853:
"It is my will and desire that all my slaves, fifteen in number and
named as follows,—" (Here follow their names) "together with their
future increase, shall be liberated and become invested with their
freedom at my death, and for the purpose of removing them to some
free state if that be lawful, or to Liberia if that shall become
necessary, it is my will and desire that the debt now due to me by
Charles S. Brown be collected and be used as a fund to effect that
object. It is my further wish that in case any of my said slaves
shall of their own free will and accord prefer remaining in slavery
rather than accepting freedom under the provisions of this clause,
then it is my desire that they shall be permitted to choose masters
amongst any of my legatees hereinafter mentioned, and thereafter to
become their slaves for life—the parents in such case to choose
also for such of their infant children as may not be capable of
making their own election."[174]
Extract from the will of Philip Lightfoot, of Culpeper County,
admitted to probate May 21st, 1855:
"I hereby emancipate and set free all the slaves I may possess or be
entitled to at the time of my decease, who are to enjoy their
freedom as fully as if they had been born free. I give to each of my
said slaves, without distinction of age or sex, the sum of one
hundred dollars, to be paid to them respectively when my executor
shall deliver to them their discharge from service. Moreover my
executor is required to clothe each of them well, furnishing to each
the necessary quantity of blankets and cause them to be moved to
some place, or site, where they can enjoy their freedom, and I
desire the clothing and expenses attending their removal to be paid
out of my estate with the money on hand or money that can be first
collected.
"My old and infirm negroes (if any) are to be supported in a
suitable manner by my estate."[175]
Extract from the will of William Smith, of Orange County, admitted to
probate September 28th, 1857:
"It is my will and desire that my house servant, Maria, my man,
Paul, and my woman, Celia, be allowed to choose their masters or
mistresses or either, and when they have made such selection, I
hereby give and bequeath them to such person or persons as they may
respectively select, provided the person or persons, so selected by
them, will take them as their property, but if they cannot be thus
disposed of, then my executors are to select suitable places for
them where they will be well clothed and taken care of upon the most
reasonable and best terms they can, paying out of my estate such
sums of money as may be necessary for this purpose."[176]
Extract from the will of George Washington Parke Custis, of Fairfax
County, admitted to probate December 7th, 1857:
"And upon the legacies of my four granddaughters being paid, and my
estates that are required to pay the said legacies being free of
debt, I give freedom to my slaves, the said slaves to be emancipated
by my executors in such manner as to my executors may seem most
expedient and proper, the said emancipation to be accomplished in
not exceeding five years from the time of my decease.
"I do constitute and appoint as my executors, Lieut.-Col. Robert
Edward Lee, Robert Lee Randolph, of 'Eastern View', Right Rev.
Bishop Meade and George Washington Peter."[177]
Extract from deed of Eliza W. Cocke, of Smithfield, dated January 5th,
1857:
"Know all men by these presents that I, Eliza W. Cocke, of the Town
of Smithfield, in the County of Isle of Wight, in the State of
Virginia, from motives of benevolence have manumitted and set free
from slavery, &c."[178]
Extract from the will of Louisa Muschett, of Prince William County,
dated 19th March, 1856, and admitted to probate on the 12th February,
1858:
"I will and desire all my servants to be hired out for three years,
and at the end of that time, to be free, each grown servant to have
fifty dollars, and each child to have twenty-five dollars."[179]
Extract from the will of Robert Tinsley, of Amherst County, dated
March 12, 1859, and admitted to probate January 20, 1862:
"It is my will and desire that the residue of my slaves and future
increase be emancipated and removed at the expense of my estate to
one of the free states of this Union. Although there are some legal
impediments, I suppose with the provisions I intend for them they
can be settled in Ohio, or some other of the Western States. I wish
them settled in families upon tracts of land to be purchased and
secured to them to the amount of one hundred dollars a head, and
furnished with a substantial suit of clothes suitable to the season
and plain provisions sufficient for a year's supply, and this is to
be done as soon as sufficient funds can be raised from collection of
debts in aid of any money I may leave on hand....
"If the slaves cannot be settled in Ohio, or some other free state
of this Union, I wish them properly equipped and sent to Liberia at
the expense of my estate."[180]
No attempt has been made to present extracts from all the great number
of deeds and wills which are to be found of record in the various
clerks' offices throughout Virginia but the foregoing have been
selected as fairly representative, both with respect to the time of
their execution, the different sections of the state in which they are
to be found, and the social position of the emancipators. They are
also illustrative of the great number of emancipations and of the
difficulties and expenses incurred by Virginia slaveholders in
effectuating that result.
-----
Footnote 163:
_Will Book No. 14_, p. 263, Clerk's Office, Bath County, Virginia.
Footnote 164:
_Will Book No. 1_, p. 90, New Records, Clerk's Office, Prince George
County, Virginia.
Footnote 165:
_Deed Book B._, p. 467, Clerk's Office, Clarke County, Virginia.
Note: William Meade was the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of
Virginia from 1829 to 1862.
Footnote 166:
_Will Book No. 10_, p. 17, Clerk's Office, Orange County, Virginia.
Footnote 167:
See _Will Book No. 8_, p. 202, Clerk's Office, Madison County,
Virginia.
Footnote 168:
See _Will Book No. 11_, p. 577, Clerk's Office, Amherst County,
Virginia.
Note: The appraisement of Mr. Warwick's estate showed that he owned
seventy-four slaves at the time of his death, and his executor, Dr.
David Patteson, removed them to the State of Ohio.
Footnote 169:
_Will Book No. 12_, p. 495, Clerk's Office, Henrico County,
Virginia.
Footnote 170:
_Will Book A._, p. 391, Clerk's Office, Cabell County, West
Virginia.
Footnote 171:
_Will Book No. 9_, p. 421, Clerk's Office, Madison County, Virginia.
Footnote 172:
_Will Book No. 14_, p. 188, Clerk's Office, Henrico County,
Virginia.
Footnote 173:
_Will Book No. 25_, p. 274, Clerk's Office, Fauquier County,
Virginia.
Footnote 174:
_Will Book No. 13_, p. 51, Clerk's Office, Amherst County, Virginia.
Footnote 175:
_Will Book F._, p. 222, Clerk's Office, Culpeper County, Virginia.
Footnote 176:
_Will Book No. 12_, p. 267, Clerk's Office, Orange County, Virginia.
Footnote 177:
_Will Book No. 7_, p. 267, Clerk's Office, Fairfax County, Virginia.
Note: Robert E. Lee qualified as executor under this will and
executed in 1862 the necessary papers emancipating the testator's
slaves of whom there were one hundred and ninety-six.
Footnote 178:
_Deed Book No. 39_, p. 344, Clerk's Office, Isle of Wight County,
Virginia.
Footnote 179:
See _Will Book Q._, p. 433, Clerk's Office, Prince William County,
Virginia.
Footnote 180:
_Will Book No. 16_, p. 106, Clerk's Office, Amherst County,
Virginia.