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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]
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Elias is 25 degrees from Herbert Adair, 19 degrees from Richard Adams, 18 degrees from Mel Blanc, 24 degrees from Dick Bruna, 14 degrees from Bunny DeBarge, 32 degrees from Peter Dinklage, 18 degrees from Sam Edwards, 14 degrees from Ginnifer Goodwin, 17 degrees from Marty Krofft, 14 degrees from Junius Matthews, 10 degrees from Rachel Mellon and 18 degrees from Harold Warstler on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
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Categories: Dickson County, Tennessee | Franklin County, Alabama, Slave Owners | Dickson County, Tennessee, Slave Owners | Davidson County, Tennessee, Slave Owners | Hickman County, Tennessee, Slave Owners