How to read a slave schedule

Question

Telitha Vannoy Thatcher is listed as a slave owner of 3, if I am reading this correctly.  Her brother Peter, right above her, owns 1.  Am I reading it correctly because it lists her color as B(lack)
and the slaves under her are also B.  Also, some of the slaves are listed as a letter that looks like a w.  Any suggestions as what it is?  w(hite)????

Answer 1

For others who want to look at this, the record is at https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6W39-7WY?i=3

These slave schedules do not enumerate the owners - so the first line with Telitha's name refers not to Telitha herself, but the first of her four (not three) slaves.

The B stands for "black", the other letter is an "M" that stands for "mulatto" (i.e., mixed race).

Comments

The line for Peter Vannoy, Talitha's brother, lists a 14 year old female slave.  How do I interpret that entrance?

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That entry merely states that, as of 1850, Peter Vannoy owned a 14-year old black female as his only slave. Meanwhile Telitha owned a 30-year old black female, a 17-year old black female, a 2-year old black male, and a 1-year old mulatto female.

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Thank you.  I finally got it straight.  The Vannoy family must
have been quite involved in using slaves.  I found a Jane
Tinsley, who probably is the one who married into the family,
and two Tinsley men who lived in the same immediate area,
owned many more slaves.  But we have to remember it was an accepted way of life in the 1850s.

Answer 2

C-H Geshwind is correct. While it looks like a 'w' it is actually an 'm' for mulatto. Mulattos were still considered Black and enslaved in these schedules. Their fathers were likely owners, sons, male relatives, or overseers of the owners.

Comments

I had considered the letter being an M for mulatto but I didn't know if that term was used in slave designations.  I assumed
they were all listed as black given the restrictions on persons
who later were still considered black when they were as far as octroons or more.

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I never heard the word octroon.

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I think it is Octoroon (1/8th black).

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Melanie is correct Octoroon is 1/8th black; quadroon is 1/4 black; and hexadecaroon is 1/16th black.  I see these terms used more in records from Louisianna.

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Thank you Melanie.

Answer 3

Hello All,

I provided a number of links in an Answer here last night for anyone interested in doing genealogical research with slave schedules, etc. Much of the information was drawn from a genealogy course I took with Boston University. I do not see it here now. There were a number of very useful URLs.

Does anyone know what occurred with the Answer I posted last night? Let me know if anyone is interested (or not) and I will repost the links. Thank you!

Comments

Carol - it seems you posted it to the other thread.  Here it is.

https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/976741/how-to-incorporate-slavery-history-into-wikitree?show=1095882#a1095882