Slaves of Mary (Webb) Smith (1740-1827), North Carolina

Location: Granville, North Carolina, United States
Surnames/tags: Slavery Black_Heritage Smith

This page's purpose is to record the people enslaved by Mary (Webb) Smith and attempt to connect them to their families.

Mary Webb was the daughter of Mary Edmondson (1713-1794) and James Webb (1705-1771).

She married Samuel Granville Smith in Essex County, Virginia, in 1761. About five years later, they relocated to Granville County, North Carolina, and started a plantation called Abram's Plains.

On 20 May 1771, her father's will was probated in Essex County, Virginia. He named 21 enslaved people, who were distributed among his wife and children. After the death of her mother, Mary was to inherit an enslaved woman named Hannah who was valued at £55. It appears that her mother went ahead and gave Mary ownership of Hannah rather than waiting.

Mary's husband died in 1800 and she inherited six enslaved people:

• Phillis and her five children: Martha, Rachel, Ben, Thom, and Mentor

On 10 January 1825, Mary wrote her will. She died on 20 November 1827 and her will was probated in February 1828.

Mary named 18 enslaved people in her will. Her estate inventory listed names and ages for the enslaved people, and named one additional enslaved child who was born after the will was written.

NAME	Enslaver who inherited in 1828:	“Supposed age” in 1828
Sam	Anne Smith, daughter	26
Phillis	Anne Smith, daughter	55
Lewis	Anne Smith, daughter	11
Martha	James Webb Smith, son	36
Reuben	James Webb Smith, son	18
Peggy	James Webb Smith, son	12
Rose	James Webb Smith, son	10
Tom	John Granville Smith, son	30
Edmund	John Granville Smith, son	19
Abednego	John Granville Smith, son	17
Ben	Maurice Smith, son	32
Rachel	Maurice Smith, son	34
Leashy	Maurice Smith, son	14
Mentor	Alexander Smith, son	28
Happy	Alexander Smith, son	“Died since will was made”
Violet	Jane Smith Downey, granddaughter	“Died since will was made”
Eliza	Sally Pomfret Smith, granddaughter	14
Phioba (Phebe)	Anne Alexander Smith, granddaughter	15
Emmely (Emily)	Alexander Smith, son	2

Sources

• Will of father James Webb - United States, Virginia, Essex - Probate records. Will books, v. 11-12, 1757-1775. Page 411. Image 461 of 572. Probated 20 May 1771. FamilySearch Link.

• Will of husband Samuel Smith - North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998. Granville County, Wills, Vol 4-5, 1796-1803. Page 101. Image 502 of 768. Written Sep 1800, Probated Dec 1800. Ancestry.com. Ancestry Sharing Link.

• Estate Inventory of husband Samuel Smith - North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998. Granville County, Wills, Vol 4-5, 1796-1803. Page 129. Image 530 of 768. Recorded February 1801. Ancestry.com. Ancestry Sharing Link.

• Will of Mary (Webb) Smith - North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998. Granville County, Wills, Vol 10, 1824-1828. Page 407. Image 429 of 573. Written 10 Jan 1825. Probated Feb 1828. Ancestry Sharing Link

• Estate Inventory of Mary (Webb) Smith - North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998. Granville County, Wills, Vol 10, 1824-1828. Page 409. Image 431 of 573. Recorded Feb 1828. Ancestry Sharing Link

• For more information about the people enslaved by Mary's father, please see: Slaves of James Webb (1705-1771), Virginia.

• For more information about the people enslaved by Mary's husband, please see: Slaves of Samuel Smith, Granville County, North Carolina.