Mary Lee Brady, Ph.D.

Our speculation is that Fannie Adkins born abt. 1815 was likely the daughter of an unknown mother who was daughter of Fannie Adkins born abt.1780; and chose to name her newborn daughter after her 35 year old grand-mother.  At the time of the 1880 census, she was still essentially a domestic servant to the family of a young clerk in Richmond with whom she lived and was dependent upon as her master in post-reconstruction Virginia. 

Black men in the Union forces helped liberate the tens of thousands of Black women in Richmond and vicinity but minds of most still belonged to their former masters able and willing to own land and all that entered upon it.  Many women like Fannie below had skills that were bartered for a family and place to call home, ... household servants.  Whether or not the below Fannie had any children, the fact remains that she was not dependent upon a Black man for her daily bread and directed her prayers for deliverance to an earthly lord named C.P. Walford.

Household:  Name  Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace  C. P. WALFORD   Self   M   Male   W   26   VA   Clerk   VA   VA   Estell WALFORD   Wife   M   Female   W   26   VA      VA   VA   Ella B. WALFORD   Other   S   Female   W   8M   VA      VA   VA   James B. BAGLY   Other   M   Male   B   40   VA   Tobacco Factory   VA   VA   Milly BAGLY   Other   M   Female   B   60   VA   House Servant   VA   VA   Fannie ADKINS   Other   W   Female   B   65   VA   Cook   VA   VA  Source Information:     Census Place Richmond, Henrico, Virginia   Family History Library Film   1255372   NA Film Number   T9-1372   Page Number   312B       It is doubtful that this Fannie Adkins, born in 1815 was active in the community of youth being molded into the body and spirit of Christ during post-reconstruction era.  The Freedmen's Bureau had essentially spent most of its money during the ten years 1866-1876 issuing rations, blankets, etc. to women and children, ... as had existed during chattel slavery. If anything, her life was likely devoted to nurturing the offspring of descendents of ante-bellum Virginia to be as their ancestors were accustomed to living with slave women serving their personal needs. If she had any grand-children of her own, she would not have been available to nurture them, and the impact of such a condition would be felt for the next hundred years.

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