Susan Childress (abt. 1835)

Born about 1835 in Tennessee, United States

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Biography

Susan Childress is a part of US Black heritage.

Susan Childress was born about 1835 in Tennessee and was enslaved by the Bosley and Scales families, likely in Davidson County.^[1][2]

According to her son Wiley, while Susan was enslaved by the Bosley family, Wiley's father was enslaved by the Scales family. He also stated that Susan, Wiley, and a son and daughter were given to Miss Jane Bosley upon her marriage to Mr. Jerry Scales.

Jeremiah Scales married first Delilah Bosley on 13 Jun 1833^[3] and second Rachel Bosley in 1842.^[4]

Records of Jeremiah Scales (married to Rachel Bosley) include five enslaved people in 1850, including two black males ages 17 and 23 and three black females ages 12, 19 and 21.^[5] Susan could be the female age 12.

By 1860 the Scales family had relocated to Rutherford County, Tennessee where the family enslaved 16 people, including males ages 3 months, 4 months, 10 months, 3, two age 6, 8, 9, 10 and 25 and females ages 4, 6, 8, 26, 27, and 30.^[6] Susan may be the 26 year old female and Wiley one of the 6 year olds.

According to Wiley, during the war, Susan and her children hid in the mountains with Mrs. Scales. After the war and the end of slavery^[7], Susan lived with Mrs. Scales for 5 more years.^[2]

Susan, a widow, lived in Nashville with Wiley in 1880 and worked as a servant.^[8]

Slave Owners

1. John Bosley
2. Rachel (Bosley) Scales
3. Jeremiah Scales

Sources

1. ↑ 1880 U.S. Census, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, Nashville, ED 35, page 17 (penned), sheet 30 (stamped), dwelling 107, family 207, Susan Childress household; database with images, FamilySearch (FamilySearch : accessed 24 Apr 2021), citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 1239.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Wylie Childress, 808 Gay Street, Nashville, Tennessee, interview by Della Yoe, 1936; digital image of transcript, Library of Congress, (transcribed interview : accessed 21 Apr 2021).
3. ↑ Davidson County, Tennessee, Marriage Records, Book 1, Scales-Bosley 1833, County Court Clerk, Nashville; image, "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," FamilySearch (FamilySearch : accessed 12 Jun 2021); citing Tennessee State Library and Archives.
4. ↑ Davidson County, Tennessee, Marriage Records, Book 2, Scales-Bosley 1842, County Court Clerk, Nashville; image, "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," FamilySearch (FamilySearch : accessed 12 Jun 2021); citing Tennessee State Library and Archives.
5. ↑ 1850 U.S. Census, Davidson County, Tennessee, slave schedule, page 769-771 (penned), Jeremiah Scales owner; digital image, Family Search (FamilySearch : accessed 12 Jun 2021); citing NARA microfilm publication M432 roll 902.
6. ↑ 1860 U.S. Census, Rutherford County, Tennessee, slave schedule, page 9 (penned), J Scales owner; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 Jun 2021); citing NARA microfilm publication M653.
7. ↑ End of Slavery
8. ↑ 1880 U.S. Census, Davidson County, Tennessee, population schedule, Nashville, ED 35, page 17 (penned), sheet 30 (stamped), dwelling 107, family 207, Susan Childress household; database with images, FamilySearch (FamilySearch link : accessed 24 Apr 2021), citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 1239.