Slaves of Louis Alexander Dufour, Georgia

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Camden, Georgia, United States
Surnames/tags: slavery black_heritage Dufour

This page's purpose is to record the enslaved people owned by Louis Alexander Dufour, and attempt to connect them to their families.

Contents 1 Guardian to Free People of Color 2 Import of Slaves from Outside Georgia 3 Other Transactions 4 1840 Census 5 Probate Inventory 6 Research Notes 7 Sources

Guardian to Free People of Color

Once in 1829 and then again in 1835 a man named John Chevalier (later of Nassau County, Florida) deeds a slave to a family of free persons of color. This transaction is done "via Louis DeFour, guardian".^[1]

In 1829 the family is listed as "Georgiana Broward, Alonzo Broward and Edwin Broward" and the slave is named Phillis.^[1]

In 1835 the family is listed as "Elizabeth Brewer and her children Georgianna Brewer, Alonzo Brewer, Edwin Brewer, Julia Ann Brewer and John Chevalier Brewer" and the slave is named Clifford (20 years old). ^[1] This same Clifford who is described as "a mulatto man" was sold in 1839 by "Betsey Broward via her guardian Louis Dufour" to Jacque Vocelle. ^[2]

Import of Slaves from Outside Georgia

• Alexander - about 19 years old, 5' 5" - brought in from East Florida 1821^[3]
• Cumbo (age 23) and her child Pussey (age 7), Helen (age 30) - brought in from East Florida 1822^[4]
• King (age 40), Dolly (age 35), Sam (age 12), Manuel (age 20) - brought from territory of East Florida 1835^[5]

Other Transactions

Ben (about 13 years old) - purchased from Sheriff of Camden County, slave had been seized from owner Abraham Pratt as part of judgement against him (basically to pay his owner's debt)^[6] Found no further mention of Ben on sales or inventories.

Isaac (16 years old) and Bella (10 years old) - purchased from Charles R. Floyd in April 1842. ^[7] No further mention of Isaac but Bella is likely the same Bella that appears on the inventory. Her age would make her 14 at the birth of her first child.

In 1843 Louis purchases a group of slaves from Charles M. Cooper. None of these slave appear on his later probate nor are there sales listed for them in Camden County. We would infer that he sold them in another county prior to his death. Slaves: Prince, Zachariah, Judy, Phebe, George, May, Charlotte, Nelly, Romeo, Paty, Casey, Jack, Richard, Jane, Silla/Lella, Hannah, Essea, Matilda, Anne, Chance, Harriet, Jim, David, Mary, Dianah, Maria and Moses. ^[8]

1840 Census

There are 13 slaves listed to Louis Defour of Camden County on the 1840 census.

Males - Under 10: 1

Males - 10 thru 23: 2

Males - 36 thru 54: 2

Females - Under 10: 1

Females - 10 thru 23: 2

Females - 36 thru 54: 5

Also one free person of color - male over 55

Probate Inventory

Louis' inventory was filed several times and there seems to have been a change in the executor for the estate from John J and Alonzo B Dufour to C.M. Pratt. Below is a table complied from information for the various inventories and recorded deeds.

Slave Name	description	value (1853)	Transaction
King	brought from East Florida in 1835, was grouped with Dolly on 1848 inventory, doesn't appear again		unknown
Dolly	brought from East Florida in 1835, originally grouped with King, sale in 1853 says about 50 years old	$400	sold to William H Clarke in July 1853[9]
Sam	Carpenter, brought from East Florida in 1835, likely the son of King and Dolly. He is sold with Pussy and her 2 children one of whom is also named Sam so potentially he is the father	$900	sold to Julius A Baratte along with Pussy & children in July 1853[10]
Pussy	probably the same Pussy as the child brought from Florida in 1822, has two children who are unnamed on the inventory but are probably Sam and Newport per deed	$1,100	sold to Julius A Baratte along with Sam & children in July 1853[10]
Bella	has 2-year-old child who is unnamed on the 1848 inventory, on deed she is sold with her 2 children: Charles and Mary, presumably one was born in the meantime	$1,000	sold to Henry Bacon in August 1855[11]
Thomas	about 23 years old in 1853	$600	sold to William H Clarke guardian for Olympia Stella Clark in May 1853[12]
Lucy	value drops to $5 on the 1855 inventory	$100

• In 1856 there is further entry from a Thomas Hoskins, now administrator of Estate of Louis Dufour for the 3 year hire of slave Bella. Believe this was the income being recorded for a previous hiring of Bella as she had already been sold.

Research Notes

There does appear to be a second Louis Dufour living in Camden county for a portion of this time period. He witnesses one of this Louis' sales where is is listed as Louis R Defour to distinguish him, believe this is Louis A's son who died in 1845. It is possible that some of the transactions belong to him instead of Louis A Dufour.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Camden County Deed Book M page 405, book L page 382-383 Human Bondage: The Buying and Selling of Africans in Camden County, Georgia. 1787-1865. A collection of slave deed abstracts Compiled by TARA D. FIELDS, pp 78, 94
2. ↑ Camden County Deed Book N page 135-136 Human Bondage: The Buying and Selling of Africans in Camden County, Georgia. 1787-1865. A collection of slave deed abstracts Compiled by TARA D. FIELDS, pp 98
3. ↑ Camden County, Affidavits made by owners bringing slaves into the state, 1818-1847, page 18-19 FamilySearch.org link
4. ↑ Camden County, Affidavits made by owners bringing slaves into the state, 1818-1847, page 35 FamilySearch.org link
5. ↑ Camden County, Affidavits made by owners bringing slaves into the state, 1818-1847, page 129 FamilySearch.org link
6. ↑ Camden County Deed Book L page 57 Human Bondage: The Buying and Selling of Africans in Camden County, Georgia. 1787-1865. A collection of slave deed abstracts Compiled by TARA D. FIELDS, pp 71
7. ↑ Camden County Deed Book N page 374-375 Human Bondage: The Buying and Selling of Africans in Camden County, Georgia. 1787-1865. A collection of slave deed abstracts Compiled by TARA D. FIELDS, pp 106
8. ↑ Camden County Deed Book N page 486 Human Bondage: The Buying and Selling of Africans in Camden County, Georgia. 1787-1865. A collection of slave deed abstracts Compiled by TARA D. FIELDS, pp 111
9. ↑ Camden County Deed Book P page 230, Human Bondage: The Buying and Selling of Africans in Camden County, Georgia. 1787-1865. A collection of slave deed abstracts Compiled by TARA D. FIELDS
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Camden County Deed Book P page 229, Human Bondage: The Buying and Selling of Africans in Camden County, Georgia. 1787-1865. A collection of slave deed abstracts Compiled by TARA D. FIELDS
11. ↑ Camden County Deed Book P page 356-357, Human Bondage: The Buying and Selling of Africans in Camden County, Georgia. 1787-1865. A collection of slave deed abstracts Compiled by TARA D. FIELDS
12. ↑ Camden County Deed Book P page 223, Human Bondage: The Buying and Selling of Africans in Camden County, Georgia. 1787-1865. A collection of slave deed abstracts Compiled by TARA D. FIELDS

• Camden County, Georgia, Wills and Probate Records, Inventories and Appraisements, 1832-1860, page. 138, 181, 215 Ancestry Link 1848 inventory - Ancestry public link 1848 inventory and Ancestry link 1853 inventory - Ancestry public link 1853 inventory and Ancestry link 1855 inventory - Ancestry public link 1855 inventory and Ancestry public link 1855 inventory