Slaves of Francis Simmons 1814, South Carolina

Date: [unknown] to 1814
Location: Johns Island, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
Surnames/tags: Simmons Slavery Black_Heritage

Contents 1 Background 1.1 Slaves 1.1.1 the Will 1.1.2 Probate Inventory 2 Sources

Background

Francis Simmons lived on Johns Island, South Carolina. At that time it was called Simmons Island, after his family. He had a plantation on Johns Island, South Carolina. This page is to record the known enslaved that he owned during his lifetime.

Slaves

the Will

Francis Simmons died in 1814. The following enslaved persons were named in his will:^[1]

to cousin John E. Farr

• Isabella with her son Charles and her daughter Harriet, and two grandchildren Sibley and Sancho (children of her daughter Hannah deceased)

to cousin Mary Simmons

• Charlotte and William, the children of my aforesaid slave Isabella. It is my will and direction that my Executors do maumit & release from Slavery the said Slaves Charlotte & William and the future issue of the said Charlotte from the making of this my Will in such a manner as the Laws of the State shall Permit, and I hereby request of the said Mary Simmons and John Basnet Legare to treat my said Slaves Kindly and to Clothe them well; and in order that they may be property clothed, I give and bequeath unto such of my Executors as shall qualify on this my last will and Testament and the Survivors & Survivor of them, his Executors, Administrators and Assigns the sum of Two thousand Dollars, In trust to be put by them or him at Interest in such Funds or Bank Stock, as they or he may think Proper, and the Interest thereof, to be annually Paid to the said Mary Simmons, and John Basnett Legare, as they may severally be in Possession of the said Slaves, for the Purpose of clothing the said slaves, and upon the manumission of the said Charlotte and William and the issue of the said Charlotte, then, that the said Sum of Two thousand Dollars be divided equally between the said Charlotte and her children, and the said William.

to my friend Thomas Hanscome, and then at his death to my friend James Legare:

• Mulatto Boy Tom

Probate Inventory

Francis Simmons 1814 probate inventory named and valued the enslaved after his death.^[2]

The following seem to be listed in families:

• Isabella & her children, Tom, Charles, William, Charlotte, Harriott, Sibby & Sancho, $2430 (see the will information)
• Daniel & Claudia $400, Nanny & Smart $600
• Prince & Sarah $230, Isaac, Aleck, Fanny & Jupiter $1200
• Cato (Junr), Hagar, Renty & Prince (Junr), $860
• Quash, Amy & their childs Romeo & Calia, $1000, Cain (Senr) $400
• Phillis, Esther, Barbary, Phillis (Junr) Daphne, Lydia, & Sophia, $1200
• Diana (Senr), & Diana (Junr), Satira, Caesar & Flora, $950
• Stepney, Cupid, Juliet, & Hannah, $900
• Cato Senr, Kate, Bella, & Sam $850, Porteous, Rachael & Merrian $460
• March $400, Syphax & Sue $800, York & Cyrus $400
• Mary & Dick $750, Jenny, Abram Junr, & Robin $650
• Tom $200 (this may be the same person mentioned in the will above), Billy, Dolly & Cuffy $1000
• Hansell, Sambo, Judy & Jenny $1380
• Cain, Minda, Kit & Harry $700, Abram Senr & Minah $650
• Affy, Caty, Mary & Nelly $700, Manser, Sue & Isaac $500
• Rose & Sandy $600, Joe, Jane, & Lizzy, $780
• Paul, Beck, Stephney Jr, Rose Junr, Scipio & Paulidore, $1000
• Milia, Nanny, Moses & Ishmel, $950
• Pope, Tenah, Jacob, Judy, August, & Hagar, $950
• Delia & Alfred $450, September, Juba, Monday, & Elisa, $780
• Hannah, Hector, London, Titus, Bob, & Charles $1050
• Peggy, Harriot & Simon $780, Primus, Sarah & Sharper $1000
• Linder, January & Tony, $960, Sam Jr, Sarah, Ben, Silvia & Mary $980
• Ben, Bess, Will & Jenny, $1050, George & Phoebe $680
• Strephon, Daphne, & Aaron $1100, Chloe Martha, Whalley & Leare $1100
• Arrah.....$300, Peter, Suky & Molly $850
• John & Manny $850, Abel & Venus $750, Pompey $300

For more information please see

• Johns Island Plantation page

Sources

1. ↑ Wills and miscellaneous probate records, 1671-1868: "South Carolina Probate Re... Bound Volumes, 1671-1977"
   Catalog: Wills and miscellaneous probate records, 1671-1868 Wills v. 32-33 1807-1818
   Image path: South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977 > Charleston > Wills, 1807-1818, Vol. 032 > image 317 of 500; citing Department of Archives and History, Columbia.
   FamilySearch Image: 939L-N475-C (accessed 1 June 2023)
   • 1814 will of Francis Simmons, bk 32 p.776, 11 pages
2. ↑ South Carolina Probate Re...d Loose Papers, 1732-1964: "South Carolina Probate Re...d Loose Papers, 1732-1964"
   Catalog: Charleston District, South Carolina estate inventories, 1732-1844 1810-1818 1819-1824 1819-1824 (indexed with last item) 1824-1844
   Image path: South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964 > Charleston > Probate Court, Estate inventories > 1810-1818 > No File Description Available > image 143 of 288
   FamilySearch Image: 939L-JJ97-ND (accessed 1 June 2023)
   • 1814 probate inventory of Francis Simmons, slaves on p.263