The type of black master represented by Reuben West or Anthony Johnson must
be distinguished from the colored slaveowner who kept his slaves in
bondage, not for their service, but wholly in consideration of the slaves.
A very considerable majority of black masters, unlike the examples above
cited, were easily the most benevolent known to history. It was owing to a
drastic state policy toward freedmen that this unusually benevolent type of
slavery arose.
During the last quarter of the eighteenth century slaveowners in Virginia
possessed unrestricted powers to bestow freedom upon their slaves. Under
such circumstances free blacks became instrumental in procuring freedom for
many of their less fortunate kinsmen. They frequently advanced for a slave
friend the price at which his white master held him for sale and, having
liberated him, trusted him to refund the price of his freedom. A free
member of a colored family would purchase whenever able his slave
relatives. The following deed of sale is a striking example of such a
purchase:
Know all men of these presents that I David A. Jones of Amelia County
of the one part have for and in consideration of the sum of five
hundred dollars granted unto Frank Gromes a black man of the other
part a negro woman named Patience and two children by name Phil and
Betsy to have and to hold the above named negroes to the only proper
use, behalf and benefit of him and his heirs forever.