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Slaves of Abraham Martin

Privacy Level: Open (White)
Date: 1764 to 1840
Location: Amherst, Virginiamap
Surnames/tags: Martin Slavery Black_Heritage
Profile manager: Gina Jarvi private message [send private message]
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Abraham Martin (abt.1764-bef.1840) was a slaveholder in Amherst, Virginia.

List of Slaves held by Abraham Martin in 1840

1 Negro Man Reuben at $ 300

1 Do ___________ Stephen 100

1 Negro Boy Cabell 225

1 Negro girl Scibba 225

1 Negro Boy Billy 650

1 Negro girl Harriet 275

1 Negro woman Caroline 350

1 Negro Boy Adam 550

1 Do ______ Charles 500

1 Negro woman Jenny 10

James Powell James Powell (1835-aft.1900)

Will of Abraham Martin (abt.1764-bef.1840)

Amherst Co., VA Will Book 10, pages 242-243:

In the name of God Amen. I Abraham Martin being afflicted in body, but of sound & disposing mind do hereby make & ordain this my last will & testament in manner & form following. That is to say,

1st It is my will and desire that all my just debts be paid.

2nd It is my will & desire that after my death my daughter Polly Clements wife of Jesse Clements shall have to her and her children forever, free from the right and control of her husband Jesse Clements my negro boys Reuben, Stephen & Cabell & my negro girl Scibba; also my tract of land I now live upon as I bought of my father with all my house hold & kitchen furniture except the bed I lye upon which I give to my grand daughter Frances Clements to them & their heirs forever free from the right tithe or contract of her husband Jesse Clements or any debts he may contract

3rd It is my will & desire to give my son Abraham my boy Billy to him & his heirs forever

4th It is my will & desire to give my grand daughter Elizabeth Martin daughter of my son Abraham my girl Harriet her & her heirs forever

5th It is my will & desire to give my two sons Bluford & Fendall my three Negroes Caroline, Adam & Charles to them & their heirs forever to be divided by them as they may think proper also the tract of land where Jesse Clements & my son Bluford now live to be divided by them as they think proper

6th It is my will & desire that my old woman Jenny shall remain with my daughter Polly Clements to be taken care of as long as she lives.

7th It is my will & desire to give to my grandson Dillard Martin one hundred dollars to be paid him twelve months after my death

8th It is my will & desire to give my son Lewis & four single daughters twenty dollars each.

9th It is my will & desire to give to my daughter Kezias two daughters twenty dollars each

9th [sic] It is my will & desire that my little boy James Powell be free at the age of eighteen years, that he remain with my son Abraham Martin untill he arrives at the age of eighteen & after that time if the law of the state wont permit him to remain, that he shall be at liberty to choose a master or friend to stand security for him.

10th It is my will & desire that my friend James Powell be exector of this my last will & testament - In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal this 13th day of July 1840

Signed sealed in Abraham [his mark] Martin (Seal) presence of John H. Christian Madison Black

Upon further & mature reflection, I have thought best to add this codicil to my last will and testament, viz: that instead of my boy James Powell being kept by my son Abraham, that he remain with the other two young twin children with my Daughter Polly Clements until he arrives to the age of eighteen years - witness my hand and seal this 14th day of July 1840

Witness Abraham [his mark] Martin (Seal) John H. Christian

Examd.: At a court held for Amherst County on the 17th day of August 1840 this paper purporting to be the last will and testament of Abraham Martin deceased was produced in open court and proved by the oath of John H. Christian & Madison Black subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded and the codicil thereto was proved by John H. Christian a subscribing witness thereto - and at a court held for the said county of Amherst on the 19th [this date appears to have been changed/corrected from 17th to 19th] day of August 1840 on the motion of James Powell the executor therein named who made oath thereto according to law and together with John W. Broadous Samuel M Garland and Joseph K Irving his securities entered into & acknowledge bond in the penalty of Eight Thousand Dollars conditioned according to law which is ordered to be recorded, certificate is granted him for obtaining a probat thereof in the form of law Teste Saml M Garland ck


Amherst Co., VA Will Book 10, page 244: Know all men by these presents that we James Powell, John W Broaddus, Samuel M. Garland & Joseph K Irving are held and openly[?] bound unto Nelson Crawford, Jonas Pierce, A. B. Davies & Zach Drumman Gentlemen Justices of the Court of Amherst County, now sitting in the sum of eight thousand dollars lawful money of Virginia... sealed with our seals and dated this 19th day of August 1840 and in the 65th year of the Commonwealth The condition of this obligation is that if the said James Powell executor of the last will and testament of Abraham Martin deceased do make a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the good chattels of the said deceased, which have or shall come to the hands possession or knowledge of him the said James Powell or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons for him and the same so made do exhibit to the county court of Amherst at such time as he shall be thereto required by the said court, and the same goods chattels and credits do well and truly administer according to law, and make a just and true account of his actings and doings therein, when therunto required by the said court. And further do well and truly pay and deliver all the legacies[?] contained and specified in the said will as far as the said goods, chattels and credits will extend according to the value thereof and as the law shall change, then this obligation to be void, or else to remain in full force James Powell (seal) Joseph K Irving (seal) J. W. Broadous (seal)

Exd.: At a court held for Amherst County on the 19th day of August 1840, this bond was acknowledged in open court by the parties thereto and ordered to be recorded Teste Saml M Garland ck


Amherst Co., VA Will Book 10, pages 262-263: Pursuant to an order of the County Court of Amherst to us directed we the undersigned being duly sworn do appraise The Estate of Abraham Martin Decd. as follows. Viz:

1 Negro Man Reuben at $ 300

1 Do ___________ Stephen 100

1 Negro Boy Cabell 225

1 Negro girl Scibba 225

1 Negro Boy Billy 650

1 Negro girl Harriet 275

1 Negro woman Caroline 350

1 Negro Boy Adam 550

1 Do ______ Charles 500

1 Negro woman Jenny 10

1 Bed & furniture 8

1 Do _______ Do 10

2 Tables 1

3 Chairs 0.25

1 Loom 4.00

1 Wolf trap 2.00

1 Grass cut saw 1.00

1 hand ____ Do .75

1 whip ____ Do 2.00

1 set of coopers tools 2.50


Parcel of old tools 5.00 1 Wheat Fan .50

2 Wheels 2.00

3 Pots oven & Baker 3.00

amt as found

1 Mare 12.00

1 Steer Horse 15.00

1 Ox 20.00

1 yearling 2.50

6 head sheep 9.00

1 Black Cow 12.00

1 Bull 6.00

1 steer yearling 3.50

1 Black Bull 6.00

1 no horn cow 12.00

1 Black yearling 3.00

1 Brindle Do 4.00

1 no horn cow & calf 3.00

9 hogs 20.00

1 Still Barrell &c 25.00

1 ox cart 5.00

Parcel of Wool 2.00

Parcel of Rye 2.00 00:01, 27 December 2022 (UTC)~~ given under our hand this 12th day of Sept 1840 Richard Smith Charles Tucker Absalom Higginbotham Sept 21 1840 Personally appeared before me a justice of the peace for Amherst County the above named Richard Smith, Charles Tucker and Absalom Higginbotham and made oath that they appraised the within mentioned property to the best of the skill and judgment La Drummond

Examined: At a court held for Amherst County on the 12th day of September 1840 this Appraisement of the Estate of Abraham Martin deceased was returned in open court and ordered to be recorded Teste Saml M Garland ck[1].

  • Inventory; ibid. [2]

Sources

  1. Amherst, Virginia, Will Book 10, pp. 242-243
  2. pp. 262-263.




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Comments: 4

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This entire freespace page was copied from the appendix of my essay on James Powell Clements (1838-1912) by someone intent on discrediting my research for some reason. She found nothing to connect the other James Powell she found in Nelson County with this family. He was a contemporary in a neighboring county who happened to have the same name, but her attempted connection to Abraham Martin was made entirely without a paper trail. More research is certainly warranted and always welcome!
posted by David Martin
edited by David Martin
The will my sister found on Abraham is cited and either is his will, or isn't. It is found in several places online and in libraries, including his own profile on wikitree, which should be able to be cross referenced easily. She is not attempting to discredit, only add to the research. This page serves the purpose to be able to research all the enslaved persons of Abraham Martin, not limiting the research to Caroline, Jenny, and James Powell. Yes your research is very insightful, and we have been early on inspired by your website material, but in no way are trying to copy or discredit you. Yes, research is warranted and welcome; that is something we all can agree on. Something to mule over: There is no doubt a connection to James Powell living near the Powell family of Lovington, Nelson, Virginia, and since he was the adminstrator/executor of Abraham Martin's will, it might make sense to some researchers like my sister that this might have been the James Powell mentioned in Abraham Martin's will.
posted by [Living Martin]
Hi Stephanie. The James Powell who had a connection was James Powell M.D. (1782-1871), who was the executor of Abraham's estate. This Dr. Powell lived his entire live in Amherst County, with no known connection to Nelson county other than it being an adjacent county that was carved off from a different part of Amherst when he was about 16 years old...
posted by David Martin
Hi Stephanie,

I added the Sources and <references/> heading so your citations show up. FSPs do not automatically include those, so we have to add them. I did a little clean-up of the categories and initial heading.

posted by Gina (Pocock) Jarvi