Slaves of Elias Wills Napier, Tennessee

Location: Dickson, Tennessee, United States
Surnames/tags: Slavery Black_Heritage Napier

This page's purpose is to record the people enslaved by Elias Wills Napier and attempt to connect them to their families.

Elias Wills Napier was born in 1783 and died in 1848. He 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 are named in his 1848 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]

Elias wrote his will on 22 July 1848 and it was probated on 22 August 1848, in Dickson County, Tennessee. His will emancipated 29 enslaved people and named 30 additional enslaved people who were given to other enslavers.^[4] His estate inventory was recorded on 16 October 1848 and named 62 enslaved people on a "List of Negroes to be Sold."^[5][6]

In the spring of 1849, Elias Napier's 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." ^[7]

Contents 1 People Emancipated in 1848 Will 2 Enslaved People in 1848 Will 3 Enslaved People in 1848 Estate Inventory 4 1851 Court Order 5 Sources

People Emancipated in 1848 Will

Name	Notes
Judy	"My Seamstress"
Fanny	Child of Judy
William Carroll	Child of Judy
James Monroe	Child of Judy
Thomas Benton	Child of Judy
Andrew Jackson	Child of Judy
Leroy Lott	Child of Fanny
Malissa Lott	Child of Fanny
Margaret Arabella Lott	Child of Fanny
Judy Adonia Lott	Child of Fanny
Mary Jane Lott	Child of Fanny
Elizabeth (Lizzy)	"My Cook (a Yellow Girl)"
Immanuel	"A Forgeman"
Creecy	Wife of Immanuel
Jack	"A Mulatto man"
Caroline	Wife of Jack
Judy	Child of Jack & Caroline
Emeline	Youngest child of Jack & Caroline
Tom Keys	"My Waggoner and Overlooker"
Eady	Wife of Tom Keys
Charity	"My old Female Cook"
Sam Dillahunt	"My good and faithful old Servant"
Simon	"My little House servant Boy, about nine years old"
Daniel	"An old man who has been a teamster for a number of years"
Jim Brown	Brother of Daniel
Perry	"A man of advanced age, a coaling ground hand"
Solomon	"a yellow Boy about six years old, the son of a mulatto Girl called Angeline"
Ephraigm	"who has one Eye out"
Smith	"My negro Boy"

Enslaved People in 1848 Will

Name	Enslaver who inherited	Notes
Peggy	James Thedford & his wife	Widow of Bob
Kitty	Four sons of Robert McNeilly: James H, Thomas L, Felix C, and Robert A McNeilly.	Infant child of Cloey, "now at the breast of its mother"
Louanna	P S Jones	Daughter of London & Jane, about 22 year old
Eliza	P S Jones	About 32 years old, bought from Orily (O'Reilly?) in Alabama
Kiah	Tarlton F Moore	Man about 22 years old
Burrell	James M Holt
Francis	James M Holt	Wife of Burrell - "A yellow woman"
Child of Burrell & Francis	James M Holt
Jarret	James M Holt	About 30 years old
Easther	James M Holt	Wife of Jarret
Cephus	James M Holt
Mima	James M Holt	Wife of Cephus
Sam	James M Holt	Child of Cephus & Mima
George	James M Holt	Child of Cephus & Mima
Lucy	John W Napier, brother	The only daughter of Charity
Billy	John W Napier, brother	Husband of Lucy
Patrick Shelton	John W Napier, brother	"My Collier"
Angaline	John W Napier, brother
Indiana	John W Napier, brother	Youngest daughter of Angaline
Judy	John W Napier, brother	"A colored Female child of Caroline's" - Emancipated instead
Cloey	William H Napier, nephew
Nancy	William H Napier, nephew	Oldest daughter of Cloey, about seven years old
Fed	William H Napier, nephew	Son of Cloey, about nine years old
Landon	William H Napier, nephew	"Teamster"
Albert	William H Napier, nephew	Son of Landon
Mark	William H Napier, nephew	"Teamster"
Edmund Lester	William H Napier, nephew	"A Wood Hauler"
Druinica (?)	Heirs of Mary (niece) & husband John B Carpenter
Jim Roundtree	William C Napier, nephew
Sam McCrey	William C Napier, nephew
Jane & her infant child	n/a	Written in will, then crossed out.
Frank my house carpenter	n/a	Written in will, then crossed out.

Enslaved People in 1848 Estate Inventory

Name	Age (about)
Hardy	30
Tom Martin	60
Hafford	30
Tom West	60
Randal	50
Patrick Furgison	35
Price	35
Zaney (?)	35
Two Children	n/a
Frank Hunt	35
David	50
John Founder	40
Ned	60
Adison	35
Aggy	60
Dandy Jack	14
Jane	24
"her Child" (Jane's)	8 months
Holbert	21
Watt	60
Mary	6
John Henry	55
Theney	60
Elijah	45
Reas (?)	55
Sanford	40
Big Abe	45
Peggy	45
May	12
Sam	45
Emily	35
"Emily's 2 Children"	"One about 3 years old"
"Emily's 2 Children"	"One about 1 year old"
Silas	35
Susan	35
"4 Children from 7 to one years old"
Ely	30
Jacob Brown	30
Peter Jackson	35
Peter Roundtree	35
John Bozly	30
Abe Bozly	30
Dean	50
Isaac	50
Sam'l Hooks	50
Bill Conway	45
Charles Hooks	45
Johnson	50
Daniel Morehead	80
Dance (?)	22
Manuel	15
Jim Richardson	20
Caleb	60
Violet	60
Polly Ryburn	55
Betty	60
Jim Hamilton	25
Henry Butts	45

1851 Court Order

In May 1851, the executors of Elias W Napier's estate petitioned the court to free 10 of the enslaved people who had been emancipated in his will, but apparently had not yet been freed. It appears the court granted this petition and the formerly enslaved people were required to leave the state of Tennessee in order to stay free.^[8]

Freedom Ordered

Slaves to Leave

Charlotte, May 5th 1851

To the Worshipful County Court of Dickson County in the State of Tennessee, your petitioners Robert McNeilly, B C Robertson, W H Napier & W C Napier Exrs of the Last Will and testament of Elias W Napier dec'd Would most respectfully represent to your Worships that E W Napier departed this Life in this County in the year 1848, first having made his last Will and testament, by which your petitioners were appointed his Executors, Which Will has been set up or established by the Supreme Court of the State of Tennessee, all of which is of Record in your Worshipful Court & By which (Will) the following named Slaves (among Others) were Emancipated, to Wit, Emanual and his Wife Creecy, Tom Keys & his Wife Edy, Jack and his Wife Caroline & their two children Judy & Emeline, Ephraigm, and Smith. Wherefore your petitoners would respectfully ask your worshipful Court to Order & Decree that the above named persons of Color Shall be free according to the Laws of the State of Tennessee, in Order that your petitioners may be enabled to carry out the provisions of s'd Will and we further pray for all other and further relief that the nature of their case may require and the Laws of this State may Justify, and your petitioners will ever pray &c.

R McNeilly

B C Robertson

W H Napier

Wm C Napier

Note: Another version of this document was also recorded, which lists approximate ages and personal details.^[9]

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. ↑ 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. Transcription of Will
5. ↑ 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.
6. ↑ "List of Negroes to be Sold," Estate Inventory of Elias W Napier (Cleaner Copy) - Tennessee, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008. Dickson > Estate Settlements, 1800-1885, Jordan, John P—Northam, Samual. Ancestry.com.Ancestry Sharing Link Image 2568 of 2989. Recorded 16 Oct 1848.
7. ↑ Extensive Sale of Valuable Iron Property. - Daily Nashville Union (Nashville, Tennessee), 8 Mar 1849, Page 3. Newspapers.com Sharing Link.
8. ↑ Estate Settlement of Elias W Napier - Tennessee, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008. Dickson > Estate Settlements, 1800-1885, Jordan, John P—Northam, Samual. Ancestry.com. Ancestry Sharing Link. Image 2521 of 2989. Recorded 5 May 1851.
9. ↑ Petition for Emancipation - Tennessee, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008. Dickson > Estate Settlements, 1800-1885, Jordan, John P—Northam, Samual. Ancestry.com. Ancestry Sharing Link Image 2574 of 2989. Recorded 5 May 1851.