Slaves of Levi Ketchum, Fayette County, Tennessee

Location: Fayette, Tennessee, United States
Surnames/tags: Slaves Black_History Ketchum

This page's purpose is to record the people enslaved by Levi Ketchum and attempt to connect them to their families.

Levi Ketchum began enslaving people in Columbia, Maury County, Tennessee, where he worked as a brickmason and builder. In the mid-1830s Levi and his first wife Barsina Black relocated to Warren, Fayette County, about five miles west of Somerville, where they built a log house and began amassing land for a plantation that eventually covered more than 1,000 acres.

Barsina died in 1842 and Levi married his second wife Georgiana Walker in 1844. By the mid-1850s Levi and Georgiana built a large brick mansion, which they named "Tranquil Hall," about a mile northeast of the plantation's original log house, facing what is now Highway 64. This plantation house was demolished at some point in the 1950s.

Unfortunately, Levi died after Emancipation, so his 1867 will and estate records do not include any references to the people he enslaved.

1830 Census in Maury County, Tennessee

In 1830 Levi was enslaving nine people.^[1]

• Males - 10 thru 23 = 3
• Males - 24 thru 35 = 4
• Females 10 thru 23 = 1
• Females - 24 thru 35 = 1

1840 Census, Fayette County, Tennessee

In 1840 Levi was enslaving 15 people.^[2]

• Males - 10 thru 23 = 2
• Males - 24 thru 35 = 3
• Males - 36 thru 54 = 1
• Females - Under 10 = 3
• Females - 10 thru 23 = 3
• Females - 24 thru 35 = 2
• Females - 36 thru 54 = 1

1843 Deed of Trust, Maury County, Tennessee

On 5 September 1843, Levi's former father-in-law James Black gave him three enslaved people to hold in trust for Black's daughter Mary Ann (Black) Matthews:^[3]

• Rachael (age 30)
• Martin (age 20)
• Hall (age 11)

1844 Bill of Sale, Fayette County, Tennessee

On 31 December 1844, Levi sold an enslaved girl named Ellen (age 14) to E Whitney for $400.^[4]

1846 Bill of Sale, Fayette County, Tennessee

On 8 June 1846, Levi purchased an enslaved girl named Hagar (age 14) from her former enslaver Ruben Bartlett, for $441.^[5]

1850 Census Slave Schedule, Fayette County, Tennessee

In 1850 Levi was enslaving 31 people.^[6]

• 1 Male - age 50 - Black
• 1 Male - age 36 - Black
• 1 Male - age 35 - Black
• 1 Male - age 34 - Black
• 1 Male - age 25 - Black
• 1 Male - age 27 - Black
• 1 Male - age 23 - Black
• 1 Male - age 20 - Mulatto
• 1 Male - age 15 - Mulatto
• 1 Male - age 15 - Black
• 1 Male - age 16 - Black
• 1 Male - age 11 - Black
• 1 Male - age 7 - Black
• 1 Male - age 6 - Black
• 1 Male - age 6 - Mulatto
• 1 Male - age 6 months - Black
• 1 Female - age 60 - Black
• 1 Female - age 34 - Black
• 1 Female - age 45 - Mulatto
• 1 Female - age 33 - Black
• 1 Female - age 18 - Black
• 1 Female - age 15 - Mulatto
• 1 Female - age 14 - Black
• 1 Female - age 13 - Black
• 1 Female - age 12 - Black
• 1 Female - age 9 - Black
• 1 Female - age 8 - Mulatto
• 1 Female - age 5 - Black
• 1 Female - age 1 - Black
• 1 Female - age 2 - Black
• 1 Female - age 3 - Black

1860 Census Slave Schedule, Fayette County, Tennessee

In 1860 Levi was enslaving 32 people in eight slave houses.^[7]

• 1 Male - age 65 - Black
• 1 Male - age 35 - Black
• 1 Male - age 37 - Black
• 1 Male - age 30 - Black
• 1 Male - age 25 - Mulatto
• 1 Male - age 25 - Black
• 1 Male - age 30 - Black
• 1 Male - age 30 - Black
• 1 Male - age 14 - Black
• 1 Male - age 14 - Mulatto
• 1 Male - age 16 - Black
• 1 Male - age 18 - Black
• 1 Male - age 3 - Black
• 1 Male - age 7 - Black
• 1 Male - age 9 - Black
• 1 Male - age 10 - Black
• 1 Male - age 2 - Mulatto
• 1 Male - age 1 month - Black
• 1 Female - age 70 - Black
• 1 Female - age 45 - Black
• 1 Female - age 36 - Mulatto
• 1 Female - age 25 - Black
• 1 Female - age 25 - Black
• 1 Female - age 20 - Mulatto
• 1 Female - age 25 - Black
• 1 Female - age 18 - Black
• 1 Female - age 14 - Black
• 1 Female - age 13 - Black
• 1 Female - age 11 - Black
• 1 Female - age 6 - Black
• 1 Female - age 5 - Black
• 1 Female - age 1 - Black
• 8 Slave Houses

Sources

1. ↑ 1830 Census: "United States Census, 1830", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHG2-K8N : Thu Jul 20 14:02:04 UTC 2023), Entry for Lecy Ketchum, 1830.
2. ↑ 1840 Census: "United States Census, 1840", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYD-2PL : Thu Jul 20 18:10:06 UTC 2023), Entry for Levi Kitchum, 1840.
3. ↑ 1843 Deed of Trust - Tennessee > Maury County. Deed books, vols. Z-1, 1842-1843. Deed #12596. Page 614. Recorded 5 Sep 1843. FamilySearch Link. Holding three enslaved people in trust for Mary Ann Matthews, daughter of James Black.
4. ↑ 1844 Bill of Sale - Fayette County, Tennessee. Deeds, v. K-L 1842-1845. Page 415. Image 578 of 706. FamilySearch Link.
5. ↑ 1846 Bill of Sale - Fayette County, Tennessee. Deeds, v. M-N 1845-1849. Page 247. Image 159 of 640. FamilySearch Link.
6. ↑ 1850 Census - Slave Schedule: "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850 ", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVHH-L71 : Sun Jun 25 04:47:20 UTC 2023), Entry for <Unknown> and Levi Ketchum, 1850.
7. ↑ 1860 Census - Slave Schedule: "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WKTL-6V6Z : Tue Jul 11 17:35:09 UTC 2023), Entry for L Ketchum and <Unknown>, 1860.