Slaves of Lemuel Banks, Mississippi

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: slavery Mississippi

This page enumerates the slavery history for Lemuel Banks (1806-bef.1854)

Contents 1 1823 Inheritance, Elbert County, GA 2 1840 Census DeSoto County, MS 3 1850 Slave Schedule DeSoto County, MS 4 Mississippi Land Records 5 Will of 1854 6 Sources

1823 Inheritance, Elbert County, GA

In 1823, Henry's father Ralph Banks (1757-1823) through his Will left to him and his brother Lemuel Banks equally "all that tract of land lying on Savannah River bought of Joseph W. Bibb & all the negroes that I work at my Bever Dam Plantation including everything thereto belonging, except the crop and one negro man named Solomon and one negro girl named Winney and her child, Item."

Of the three named enslaves whom Henry and Lemuel were not to inherit from their father, only the name Solomon Banks (bef.1805-) appears anywhere on Ralph's probate records. The names Winney and Item do not, and it is not known what happened to them, nor is it known why these three people were excluded from the inheritance of land and other enslaved people.

• Solomon Banks (bef.1805-)
• Winney Banks (bef.1805-)
• Item Banks (bef.1823-)

1840 Census DeSoto County, MS

• Free Colored Persons - Males - 24 thru 35 1

Total: 1

• Slaves - Males - Under 10 (5)
• Slaves - Males - 10 thru 23 (2)
• Slaves - Males - 24 thru 35 (1)
• Slaves - Males - 36 thru 54 (3)
• Slaves - Females - Under 10 (3)
• Slaves - Females - 10 thru 23 (4)
• Slaves - Females - 24 thru 35 (2)

Total: 20

1850 Slave Schedule DeSoto County, MS

Gender Race Age Birthdate

1. Male Black 50 1800
2. Male Black 50 1800
3. Male Black 50 1800
4. Male Black 35 1815
5. Male Black 28 1822
6. Male Black 24 1826
7. Male Black 22 1828
8. Male Black 21 1829
9. Male Black 20 1830
10. Male Black 20 1830
11. Male Black 18 1832
12. Male Black 17 1833
13. Male Black 17 1833
14. Male Black 17 1833
15. Male Black 10 1840
16. Male Black 13 1837
17. Male Black 6 1844
18. Male Black 6 1844
19. Male Black 7 1843
20. Male Black 4 1846
21. Male Black 2 1848
22. Female Black 50 1800
23. Female Mulatto 39 1811
24. Female Black 33 1817
25. Female Black 25 1825
26. Female Black 23 1827
27. Female Black 22 1828
28. Female Mulatto 18 1832
29. Female Black 16 1834
30. Female Black 11 1839
31. Female Black 9 1841
32. Female Black 7 1843
33. Female Black 5 1845
34. Female Black 5 1845
35. Female Black 3 1847
36. Female Black 3 1847
37. Female Black 3/12 1850
38. Female Black 2/12 1850
39. Female Black 1 1849

Mississippi Land Records

Lemuel Banks land grants in Desoto and Tunica Counties, Mississippi^[1]

Will of 1854

At Lemuel's death, he will his entire property to his wife Louisa America (Tait) Meriwether (1811-1896). However, it stated if she were to remarry, the entire estate was to be divided between her and all his children. She was to decide who got what portion as each child came of age. Louisa remarried in 1857. The surviving children at that time were:

• James Ralph Banks
• George Thomas Banks
• Charles Hardy Banks
• Richard Mcpherson Banks
• Henry Banks
• Mary Baker Banks

In 1860, Richard, Henry, and Mary had not yet come of age. Therefore, it is assumed all the slaves listed on the 1860 slave schedule under Louisa's name were a combination of what she and the three children owned. However, in 1860, those three children were living with their older brother George. It is possible trusteeship was passed to him. More research is needed.

Sources

1. ↑ https://glorecords.blm.gov/results/default.aspx?searchCriteria=type=patent|st=MS|cty=|ln=Banks|fn=Lemuel|sp=true|sw=true|sadv=false

• 1840 Census: "1840 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1840; Census Place: De Soto, Mississippi; Roll: 215; Page: 114; Family History Library Film: 0014841
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8057 #1448388 (accessed 22 January 2023)
  Lemuel Banks in De Soto, Mississippi.
• 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 #91006396 (accessed 22 January 2023)
  Lemuel Banks in Northern Division, DeSoto, Mississippi, USA.
• Will: "Mississippi, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1780-1982"
  Will Record (Desoto County, Mississippi); Index to Wills, 1851-1990; Author: Desoto County (Mississippi). Chancery Clerk; Probate Place: DeSoto, Mississippi
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8995 #1320449 (accessed 22 January 2023) FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-99Q8-F9QX
  Lemuel Banks probate on 21 Nov 1853.