Enslaved of Nathaniel Jones Alston

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Chatham, North Carolina, United States
Surnames/tags: Alston Johnson

Nathaniel Jones Alston (1810-1885) was the son of John Joseph Alston (1771-1816), grandson of Joseph John Alston I (abt.1702-abt.1781).

Enslaved

Many, if not all of those enslaved at the Nathaniel J. Alston Plantation can be identified by name, as Nathaniel himself kept records, at least of the births, which are detailed below.^[1] We also know, from census records, that over half of the children born to enslaved mothers were not fathered by enslaved men.

One of the mothers, Rhody, came from a neighboring estate officially in 1843, and the name of the child she brought with her at that time was not recorded. 1850 Census Slave Schedule records 17 enslaved:

1. Female, 65, b. 1785
2. Male, 65, b. 1785
3. Female, 35, b. 1815 (Sylvia)
4. Female, 28, b. 1822 (Mima)
5. Female, 28, b. 1822 (Rhody)
6. Male, 19, b. 1831 (Oran<Sylvia)
7. Male, 19, b. 1831 (Isaac?)
8. Male, 16, b. 1834 (William<Sylvia)
9. Female, Age 12 Race Mulatto b. 1838 (Delia<Mariah)
10. Male Age 8 Race Mulatto b.1842 (Gloster<Mima)
11. Female Age 7 Race Mulatto b. 1843 (Silvia<Mariah)
12. Female Age 5 Race Mulatto b. 1845 (Nancy<Mima)
13. Female Age 5 Race Mulatto b. 1845 (Catherine<Mary)
14. Female Age 4 Race Black b. 1846 (Winny?<Rhody)
15. Male Age 3 Race Black b. 1847 (Wesley?<Rhody)
16. Male Age 2 Race Black b. 1848 (George<Mima)
17. Female Age 1 Race Black b. 1849

^[2] SLAVE POPULATION: Nathaniel J. Alston had 8 Slaves in 1840, he had 17 Slaves in 1850, and the same again in 1860. "He was very prosperous, since in 1860 his real estate was valued at $70,000, and his personal estate was $16,000." A listing of his Slaves from NATHANIEL J. ALSTON'S BOOK, 1833:

1. SIMON son of DILLA born August 25th 1855
2. Oran son of Silvia born October 21st 1831
3. William son of Silvia born July 25th 1833
4. SIMON son of MARSAH born the 25th of May 1845
5. Mustopher son of Mima born Sept the 8th 1853
6. Adaline girl of Mima 25th Feb'y 1855
7. Betsy daughter of Mima born April 3rd 1857
8. MILEY's child 25 Feby/55
9. Susan daughter of Mariah born 16th March 1836
10. Martelia Alston daughter of Mariah born July 3rd 1837
11. Delia daughter of Mariah born May 4th 1839
12. Gloster son of Mariah born Feb'y 20th 1841
13. Silvia daughter of Mariah born February 25th 1843
14. Hester daughter of Mima September 18th 1842
15. Nancy daughter of Mima born April 24th 1845
16. George son of Mima born Feb'y 17th 1848
17. Hannor daughter of Mima born Oct 20th 1851
18. CATHARINE daughter of "MARY" born Oct the 10th 1844
19. Winny daughter of Rhody born December 1st 1845
20. Wesley son of Rhody born November the 5th 1847^[3]

1867 Freedman's Bureau Releasing "named colored children: Amu/er, Fanny, Edmond, Eldridge, Rufus, Catherine, Torlolz *(?), Julia. ^[4]

Enslaved from Johnson Estate

Recorded in the estate of Michael Johnson, probated 11 Nov 1843: "Negroes Jim, Nelly, Lilah, Bh(?)osa, Jenny, Abner, Venus, Mary, Oran, Henry, Isaac, Martha, boy child of (?) Bh(?)osa.(Rhody)"

Sale March 15, 1844:

• Rhody & child to Nathaniel Alston
• Isaac. "