Slaves of John Alexander Binford, Mississippi

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Carroll, Mississippi, United States
Surnames/tags: Black_Heritage Slavery

Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 History 1.2 Slaves 2 Sources

Introduction

This page's purpose is to record the people enslaved by John Alexander Binford (1800-1876) and attempt to connect them to their families.

History

John A. Binford, aka Benford, was born in 1800, the son of James and Nancy Jane Walker of Halifax Co., North Carolina. He was one of the first white colonizers in the Duck Hill, Mississippi area after the Indian Removal Act of 1830. There he developed and built the Binford Plantation. He had acquired land sometime around 1834 and moved from North Carolina to Mississippi between Bouge Creek and Duck Hill in Carroll County, Mississippi (eventually in Montgomery Co.). He oversaw the construction of a house and established a large cotton plantation that eventually included 640 acres (according to his 1871 Will) and additional land in Sunflower Co., MS (township 22, range 4).^[1]

John’s father James Binford died ca. 1804. John’s widowed mother Nancy Jane then married Benjamin Campbell. They had three children (John’s half-siblings) Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Campbell, Martha Louisa Campbell, and Frances Campbell. In 1830 in Halifax Co., NC, John A. Binford (age 30) established his own estate where he was the only free person enumerated in his household with 15 enslaved people near his step-father Benjamin Campbell’s place, where he and his family enslaved 18 people.

Slaves

In 1830 in Halifax Co., NC, John A. Binford was enumerated in his household with 15 enslaved people.

1 boy under age 10 (b.1821-1830);

5 males, age 10 – 23 (b.1807-1820);

1 man, age 55 – 99 (b.1731-1775);

3 girls under age 10 (b.1821-1830);

2 females, age 10 – 23 (b.1807-1820);

2 women, age 24 – 35 (b.1795-1806);

1 woman, age 55 – 99 (b.1731-1775)

In the 1840 Census John A. Binford owned 39 slaves. ^[2]

In the 1850 Slave Schedule he is recorded as owning 83 slaves. ^[3]

Also the 1860 Census records him as John A Benford (49), Planter, in Police District 1, Carroll, Mississippi. Born in North Carolina: ^[4]

In the 1860 Slave Schedule for Carroll, Mississippi where the Binford Plantation was located, John A. Bentford is recorded as owning 93 slaves on 6 Oct 1860^[5], and on the next day is recorded with 19 enslaved children. ^[6]

From the 1870 Census - one family living with John A. Binford, p.3, line 24.

Dinah Binford 60 (Likely the mother of Clara and enslaved on Binford Plantation)

Clara Binford 42 (Likely the daughter and enslaved with Andrew, Mag, Eliza and Mack)

Andrew Binford 16 (likely enslaved on Binford Plantation with Clara)

Mag Binford 11

Eliza Binford 7

Mack Binford 7

Ellen Binford 5 (might be free-born)

Living next door is:

Copeland Binford, 55, Mulatto - Farmer

Sallie Binford 40 - Black "Works on farm - Cook"

Gabrilla 16 - Mulatto

Phil 13 - Mulatto "Works on Farm

Silvia 7 - Mulatto

George 6 - Mulatto

Louis 4 - Mulatto

Mary 7/12 - Mulatto

On the next page, line 6:

Andrew Binford 60 - Black - Farmer

Matilda Binford 50 - Black - Works on Farm

Andrew Binford 11- Black - Works on Farm

Chatham Binford 10 - Black - Works on Farm

On Line 19, James R. Binford (son of John A), his family and a house servant, Mary and her child with Binford last name:

Mary Binford 30 - Black - House servant

Jeanette Binford 3 -Mulatto

Sources

1. ↑ U.S., Freedmen's Bureau Records, 1865-1878
   The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Records of the Field Offices For the State of Mississippi, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872; NARA Series Number: M1907; NARA Reel Number: 19; NARA Record Group Number: 105; NARA Record Group Name: Records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1861 - 1880; Collection Title: United States Freedmen's Bureau Miscellaneous Records 1865-1872
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 62309 #2383439 (accessed 16 January 2024)
   Residence Place: Carroll, Mississippi, USA; Name: John Binford; Record Type: Residence; Residence Date: 30 Apr 1867.
2. ↑ 1840 Census: "1840 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1840; Census Place: Carroll, Mississippi; Roll: 215; Page: 31; Family History Library Film: 0014841
   Ancestry Sharing LinkAncestry Record 8057 #1446230 (accessed 10 December 2021)
   John A Binford.
3. ↑ 1850 Census:"1850 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules"
   The National Archive in Washington DC; Washington, DC; NARA Microform Publication: M432; Title: Seventh Census Of The United States, 1850; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29
   Ancestry Sharing Link Ancestry Record 8055 #90966421 (accessed 10 December 2021)
   John A Binford in Northern Division, Carroll, Mississippi, USA.
4. ↑ 1860 Census:"1860 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1860; Census Place: Police District 1, Carroll, Mississippi; Roll: M653_578; Page: 832; Family History Library Film: 803578
   Ancestry Sharing LinkAncestry Record 7667 #38614031 (accessed 10 December 2021)
   John A Benford (49), Planter, in Police District 1, Carroll, Mississippi. Born in North Carolina.
5. ↑ Slave Schedule: "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860"
   citing Page: 14; Line: 27; Digital film/folder number: 005170176_001_M9CJ-K8V; FHL microfilm: 000803596; Image number: 18
   FamilySearch Record: WKLG-TBT2 (accessed 16 January 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9BS4-R39
   John A Bentford, slave owner, in 1860 in Beat 1, Carroll, Mississippi, United States.
6. ↑ Slave Schedule: "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860"
   citing Page: 17; Line: 11; Digital film/folder number: 005170176_001_M9CJ-K8V; FHL microfilm: 000803596; Image number: 21
   FamilySearch Record: WKLG-TBMM (accessed 16 January 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9BS4-R7H
   John A Bentford, slave owner, in 1860 in Beat 1, Carroll, Mississippi, United States.