Slaves of Sidney Algernon Smith, Henry County, Alabama

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Henry County, Alabama
Surnames/tags: Smith Slavery Black_Heritage

Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 1850 Census Slave Schedule 1.2 1857 Estate and Inventory 1.3 Putting it together 2 Sources

Introduction

The purpose of this page is to record, research and identify the slaves of Sidney Algernon Smith (1815-1857) of Henry County, Alabama.

1850 Census Slave Schedule

In 1850 Sidney A. Smith was the holder of 23 enslaved persons.^[1]. The enslaved persons were not identified by name, but by age and sex:

Adults - 10

Age 55 - Female (1)

Age 50 - Male (2)

Age 44 - Male (2)

Age 40 - Male (1), Female (1)

Age 20 - Male (1)

Age 18 - Male (1) Female (1)

Children - 13

Age 16 - Female (1)

Age 15 - Male (1), Female (2)

Age 12 - Male (1) Female (1) The Male is listed as fugitive from the state.

Age 10 - Male (1)

Age 9 - Male (1)

Age 8 - Male (1) Female (1)

Age 4 - Male (1)

Age 2 - Male (1)

Age 1 - Male (1)

Age of these same persons in 1857

Adults - 16

Age 62 - Female (1), b. 1795

Age 55 - Male (2), b. 1800

Age 51 - Male (2), b. 1806

Age 47 - Male (1), Female (1), b. 1810

Age 27 - Male (1), b. 1830

Age 25 - Male (1) Female (1), b. 1832

Age 23 - Female (1), b. 1834

Age 22 - Male (1), Female (2), b. 1835

Age 19 - Male (1) Female (1) , b. 1838 Listed as fugitive from the state in 1850.

Children - 7

Age 17 - Male (1), b.1840

Age 16 - Male (1), b. 1841

Age 15 - Male (1) Female (1), b. 1842

Age 11 - Male (1), b. 1846

Age 9 - Male (1), b. 1848

Age 8 - Male (1), b. 1849

1857 Estate and Inventory

Sidney A. Smith died 20 January 1857 in Gordon, Henry County, Alabama. ^[2]

Estate

Following Smith's death, his estate was subjected to a complete inventory. ^[3]

• In addition to many other items is a list of Negroes, who are named (see below). The values assigned reveal that Smith's enslaved persons were the most valuable "asset" of his estate. ^[4]There were more than 23:

1. Ann
2. John (Annis)
3. Moses (Annis)
4. Zella
5. Mike ( Zella)
6. Georgian
7. Mary (Georgian)
8. Eliza
9. Lacke (Eliza)
10. Bryan (Eliza)
11. Morning
12. Isaac (Morning)
13. George
14. Tulley
15. Mason
16. Dick
17. Jerry
18. John
19. Bill
20. Jim (James)
21. Dennis
22. Prince
23. Nero
24. Antony
25. Jane
26. Harriot
27. Henretta
28. Caroline

Inventory

Later, Included in the inventory of Smith's estate were the following Negroes with their estimated sale value. ^[3]

• Annes 2 children John & Moses $1500
• Zella & Child Mike $700
• Georgian & Child Mike $1400
• Eliza & 2 children Jack & Bryan $1800
• Morning & child Isaac $1400
• George $250
• Tully $250
• Mason $1000
• Dick $1000
• Jerry $1300
• John $1000
• Bill $1000
• James $1200
• Dennis $1000
• Prince $800
• Nero $800
• Antony $700
• Jane $1050
• Harriett $1050
• Henrietta $1000
• Caroline $1000

Putting it together

The existence of one list containing ages and another containing names, especially names of mothers and children, creates a temptation to match the two lists together. Unfortunately the census list is from 1850 and the estate inventory from 1857; during the interval, some enslaved persons were added, and some possibly, died or were sold. Therefore it must be said that the lists, while substantially overlapping, do not match.

In creating profiles for this group of enslaved persons, therefore, the following simple guidelines are employed: 1) All single named adults are born "before 1840", making them 17 or older in 1857. 2) All mothers of children are born "before 1825", making them 32 or older in 1857. 3) All children are born "after 1840", making them 17 or younger in 1857.

As profiles are created, links are placed to their names in the inventory list above.

Sources

1. ↑ 1850 United States Census Slave Schedule. Ancestry.com (Paid site) Entry for Sidney A. Smith Accessed 7 March 2023
2. ↑ Blackmon-Gillam Family Tree. Ancestry.com (Paid site). Entry for Sidney Algernon Smith This is an Ancestry.com Personal Family Tree. It is not considered a reliable source, but is useful as an aid to research. Accessed 7 March 2023
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Family Search. Alabama Orphans Court Records 1839-19xx. A List of Property of the Estate of S. A. Smith deceased appraised by S. W. A Asskew Joseph B. Everitt & E. E. Pierre March 6th 1857. Images 288-289. Accessed 7 March 2023
4. ↑ Alabama Estate Files, 1830-1976; Family Search. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RRT-R48 Probate of Sidney A. Smith] Accessed 7 March 2023