no image
Privacy Level: Open (White)

Elias Wills Napier (1783 - 1848)

Elias Wills Napier
Born in Fluvanna, Virginia, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
[spouse(s) unknown]
Descendants descendants
Died at age 65 in Dickson, Tennessee, United Statesmap
Problems/Questions
Profile last modified | Created 15 Apr 2021
This page has been accessed 104 times.

Contents

Biography

Elias Wills Napier was born in 1783, the son of Richard Claiborne Napier and Mary Wills.

Elias owned a plantation on Richland Creek in Davidson County and operated a number of iron forges and furnaces in and around Dickson County, Tennessee, which relied on slave labor. Four of these industrial sites were named in his will: the White Bluff Forge, the Old Turnbull Forge, Piney Furnace, and Mount Etna Furnace.

In the 1820 census, he was living in Dickson County, Tennessee, and enslaving eight people.[1]

In the 1830 census, he was living in Franklin County, Alabama, and enslaving 32 people.[2]

In the 1840 census, he was living in Dickson County and enslaving 71 people.[3]

In December 1842, Elias placed a newspaper advertisement offering to sell or rent the Buffalo Iron Works in Lawrence County, Tennessee.[4]

He fathered at least one child of one of his slaves whose name was Judy. She had five children. Judy and all five of her children were emancipated upon his death, according to provisions in his will.[5]

Elias Wills Napier died in August 1848. In the spring of 1849, his executors placed a newspaper advertisement as required by the terms of his will, offering his forges, furnaces, and their attached lands at public auction. The industrial sites named were: White Bluff Forge in Dickson County, Turnbull Forge in Davidson County, Laurell Furnace in Dickson County, Piney Furnace in Dickson County, and Mt. Aetna Furnace in Hickman County. The sale notice also listed "SIXTY OR SIXTY-FIVE NEGROES, most of whom are men, and among whom are many Mechanics, to wit: Forge-men, Blacksmiths, Furnace-men, Coliers, Wagon-makers, Carpenters, and in fact they are all well trained in the art of manufacturing Iron." [6]

Will

Elias wrote his will on 22 July 1848 and it was probated on 22 August 1848, in Dickson County, Tennessee.[7] His estate inventory was recorded on 16 October 1848.[8]

Slaves

Sources

  1. 1820 Census - "United States Census, 1820", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLJ-QZY : Fri Oct 06 18:50:55 UTC 2023), Entry for Elias W Napier, 1820.
  2. 1830 Census - "United States Census, 1830", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHPY-96W : Tue Oct 03 04:39:37 UTC 2023), Entry for Elias Napier, 1830.
  3. 1840 Census - "United States Census, 1840", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHTK-SCH : Thu Oct 05 01:10:20 UTC 2023), Entry for Elias W Napier, 1840.
  4. Buffalo Iron Works, FOR SALE OR RENT. - Republican Banner (Nashville, Tennessee), 12 Dec 1842. Page 3. Newspapers.com Sharing Link
  5. Find a Grave - database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/139120434/elias-wills-napier: accessed 9 January 2024), memorial page for Dr Elias Wills Napier (5 Mar 1783–7 Aug 1848), Find a Grave Memorial ID 139120434, citing Richard Napier Family Cemetery, Dickson, Dickson County, Tennessee, USA; Maintained by Kay (contributor 47019646).
  6. Extensive Sale of Valuable Iron Property. - Daily Nashville Union (Nashville, Tennessee), 8 Mar 1849, Page 3. Newspapers.com Sharing Link.
  7. Will of Elias W Napier - Tennessee, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008. Dickson > Wills, 1800-1899. Ancestry.com. Ancestry Sharing Link. Image 911 of 1419. Recorded 22 August 1848. Will Transcription
  8. Estate Inventory of E W Napier - Tennessee, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008. Dickson > Administrator Settlements, 1823-1860. Ancestry.com. Ancestry Sharing Link. Image 523 of 805. Recorded 16 Oct 1848.




Is Elias your ancestor? Please don't go away!
 star icon Login to collaborate or comment, or
 star icon ask our community of genealogists a question.
Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Elias by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. Y-chromosome DNA test-takers in his direct paternal line on WikiTree: It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Elias:

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.



Comments: 1

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.
As a member of the US Black Heritage Project, I have added a list of the people enslaved by Elias W Napier on this profile with categories using the standards of the US Black Heritage Exchange Program. This helps us connect enslaved ancestors to their descendants. Please see the Heritage Exchange Portal for more information.
posted by Naomi Van Tol