Slaves of Mechum Fearn, Virginia

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Isle of Wight County, Virginia
Surnames/tags: slavery black_heritage

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

Slaves

Mechum's will, naming 21 adult slaves, ^[1] was executed on 7 December 1832, with the addition of a codicil on 7 March 1833, probate on 7 May 1833 and inventory ^[2] presented to probate on 10 May 1833. In the inventory each slave is assigned a dollar value by the assessors. In the inventory, 25 adult (i.e. over age 12) slaves were listed.

His will states that upon his death:

• 2 servants on his Fearn Plantation (somewhere near Smithfield in Isle of Wight County, Virginia) be given immediate manumission, and let them stay on the plantation until they are ready to leave, as long as the law allows them, with a stipend of $100 upon leaving.
  • Oscar ($600)
  • Joe ($600)

• 22 slaves (18 adult, 4 children) on the Fearn plantation be given to John B Young, resident of Isle of Wight, of which those 8 with a Manumit note following their name are to be manumitted upon the death of John B. Young:
  • old Sam ($10)
  • old Simon ($10) Manumit
  • old Sally ($10)
  • old Randol ($200)
  • young Randall ($300)
  • Everett ($350)
  • Richard (Dick) ($300)
  • Ned Parker ($350) (surname noted in inventory)
  • Christian ($30) Manumit
  • Eliza (Lizza) ($320) Manumit
  • Julia ($320) Manumit
  • Albert ($600) Manumit
  • Thadeus ($300) Manumit
  • Otawy (Otway) ? (this might mean Octavia) ($300) Manumit
  • Amandy (Amanda) ($250) Manumit
  • Fanny ($200)
  • Rachel and her 3 children ($300)
  • Mariah and 1 child ($200)

• 4 more slaves were listed in the inventory but omitted in the will
  • Everet (alias Docter) ($250)
  • Mary ($200)
  • Sam ($150)
  • Bob ($200)

• 1 negro man on the Blackwater plantation be given to Mary Louise Thomas, daughter of John P. Thomas, of Isle of Wight County.
  • Prince ($450)

Sources

1. ↑ Common Law Will Book, Isle of Wight County, Virginia: Film number: 007645169 > image 514-515 of 573
   FamilySearch Image: QS7-89P6-RDN2 3, QS7-89P6-RDN2 (accessed 25 November 2023) . Mixed probate records, 1833-1902. Circuit Court, Isle of Wight County. Database online. FamilySearch.org. Salt Lake City, Utah. Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1949;
2. ↑ Mixed probate records, 1643-1866 ; indexes to wills, 1850-1985: "Mixed probate records, 1643-1866 ; indexes to wills, 1850-1985"
   Catalog: Mixed probate records, 1643-1866 ; indexes to wills, 1850-1985 Mixed records, Vols. 19-21 1831-1841
   Film number: 007676153 > image 169 of 675
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9TC-F6R1 (accessed 27 November 2023)