Slaves of Lewis Cross, Virginia

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Cross Slavery

The purpose of this page is to connect enslaved ancestors to their descendants.

Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 1840 Census 1.2 Inventory of Slaves 1.3 Emancipated to Liberia 2 Sources 3 Acknowledgement

Introduction

Lewis Cross was a small time planter in King George County, Virginia. He was born around 1776 and died around 1852. He held about 20 slaves which he apparently emancipated in his will. Fourteen of the seventeen listed in the inventory made their way to Liberia on the Ship Banshee which arrived Monrovia January 1854. According to a record on the roll of passengers, they were emancipated according to his will. His will has not been found, but an Inventory of his estate is transcribed below. Some of the emancipated slaves on the roll match those on the inventory. One person, Margaret Cross, was emancipated by Lewis' wife, Elizabeth Cross and is on the roll of passengers.

1840 Census

In 1840 Lewis Cross held 20 enslaved people in King George, Virginia.^[1]

Inventory of Slaves

Lewis Cross died before March 1852. The following is a transcription of the Inventory.^[2]

In King George County Court March 4th 1852

• James G. Taliaferro (?), Stephen P(?) Bowen, Alexander Bowie, Ferdinand S.P. Bowen + William Cottons, or any three are appointed Commissioners, to Inventory + appraise the estate of Lewis Cross decd; + make (repost?) to Court ~ Teste

An Inventory and appraisement of the property belonging to the estate of Lewis Cross dec'd was made this 15th day of March 1852.

King George County to wit

• In pursuance of the order of the County Court of King George, hereto annexed: we, three of the Comm's: therein named proceeded on the 13th day of March 1852 to Inventory + appraise, the estate of Lewis Cross decd: according to this best of our knowledge + ability

Given under our hands this 1st day of July 1852.

N. Cotton, Ferdinand S.P. Bowen, Alex Bowie

This Clerks Office of King Geroge County Court Nov 4th 1852

• The Foregoing Inventory + appraisement of the estate of Lewis Cross decd; was this day returned + admitted to record. ~Teste

An Inventory + appraisement of the Slaves belonging to the Slaves of Lewis Cross dec'd, as made this 13th day of March 1852.

Name	Age	Value
1 Thornton	50	$400.00 - Thornton Yates, Liberia
2 Gustavus	45	$500.00 - (Emancipation?)
3 William	25	$850.00 - William Stepner, Liberia
4 Henry	18	$800.00 - Henry Stepner, Liberia
5 Alfred	10	$400.00 - Alfred Stepner, Liberia
6 James	12	$350.00 - James Bayley, Liberia
7 Cornelius	12	$500.00 - Cornelius Bayley, Liberia
8 Addison	3	$200.00 - Addison Bayley, Liberia
9 Leonard	2	$150.00 (Emancipation?)
10 Kitty	45	$350.00 - Kitty Stepner, Liberia
11 Marian	31	$500.00 (Emancipation?)
12 Hannah	24	$600.00 (Emancipation?)
13 Mary	19	$650.00 - Mary Stepner, Liberia
14 Tulip	17	$600.00 - Tulip Stepner, Liberia
15 Barbara	14	$500.00 - Barbara Stepner, Liberia
16 Elisann	6	$300.00 - Ellis Stepner, Liberia
17 Sidney	4	$250.00 - Sidney Bayley, Liberia
		$7,900.00

An Inventory and appraisement of the property belonging to the estate of Lewis Cross decd as made this 15th day of March 1853

King George County to wit

• In pursuance of the order of the County Court of King George, hereto annexed: we, three of the Comm's: therein named proceeded on the 13th day of March 1852 to Inventory + appraise, the estate of Lewis Cross decd: according to this best of our knowledge + ability
• Given under our hands this 1st day of July 1853.

N. Cotton

Emancipated to Liberia

Those who were emancipated and named on the Roll of Passengers on the Ship Banshee are listed below.

No. on Roll	Name	Age	Slave	Owner
25	Henry Stepner	22	Slave	Em. by will of Lewis Cross
26	Alfred Stepner	13	"	"
27	William Stepner	25	"	"
28	Thornton Yates	40	"	"
29	James Bayley	13	"	"
30	Cornelius Bayley	11	"	"
31	Sydney Bayley	9	"	"
32	Addison Bayley	7	"	"
33	Tulip Stepner	18	"	"
34	Kitty Stepner	46	"	"
35	Ellis Stepner	11	"	"
36	Maria Bayley	33	"	"
37	Mary Stepner	20	"	"
38	Barbara Stepner	16	"	"
39	Margaret Cross	30	"	Emancipated by Elizabeth Cross

Sources

1. ↑ 1840 Census:"1840 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1840; Census Place: King George, Virginia; Roll: 564; Page: 43; Family History Library Film: 0029688
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8057 #3510234 (accessed 21 March 2023)
   Lewis Cross in King George, Virginia.
2. ↑ Probate: "Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900"
   Inventories and Fiduciary Accounts, 1721-1898 ; General Index to Fiduciary Accounts, 1721-1921; Author: Virginia. County Court (King George County)
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 62347 #2757441 (accessed 23 March 2023)
   Lewis Cross probate in 1874.

Acknowledgement

Thank you to Sarah Bliss for this transcription.