EDGEFIELD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA

LARGEST SLAVEHOLDERS FROM 1860 SLAVE CENSUS SCHEDULES

and

SURNAME MATCHES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS

Transcribed by Tom Blake, October 2001

PURPOSE. Published information giving names of slaveholders and numbers of slaves held in Edgefield County, South Carolina, in 1860, is either non-existent or not readily available. It is possible to locate a free person on the Edgefield County, South Carolina census for 1860 and not know whether that person was also listed as a slaveholder on the slave census, because published indexes almost always do not include the slave census.

Those who have found a free ancestor on the 1860 Edgefield County, South Carolina census can check this list to learn if their ancestor was one of the larger slaveholders in the County. If the ancestor is not on this list, the 1860 slave census microfilm can be viewed to find out whether the ancestor was a holder of a fewer number of slaves or not a slaveholder at all. Whether or not the ancestor is found to have been a slaveholder, a viewing of the slave census will provide an informed sense of the extent of slavery in the ancestral County, particularly for those who have never viewed a slave census. An ancestor not shown to hold slaves on the 1860 slave census could have held slaves on an earlier census, so those films can be checked also. In 1850, the slave census was also separate from the free census, but in earlier years it was a part of the free census.

African American descendants of persons who were enslaved in Edgefield County, South Carolina in 1860, if they have an idea of the surname of the slaveholder, can check this list for the surname. If the surname is found, they can then view the microfilm for the details listed regarding the sex, age and color of the slaves. If the surname is not on this list, the microfilm can be viewed to see if there were smaller slaveholders with that surname. To check a master surname list for other States and Counties, return to Home and Links Page.

The information on surname matches of 1870 African Americans and 1860 slaveholders is intended merely to provide data for consideration by those seeking to make connections between slaveholders and former slaves. Particularly in the case of these larger slaveholders, the data seems to show in general not many freed slaves in 1870 were using the surname of their 1860 slaveholder. However, the data should be checked for the particular surname to see the extent of the matching.

The last U.S. census slave schedules were enumerated by County in 1860 and included 393,975 named persons holding 3,950,546 unnamed slaves, or an average of about ten slaves per holder. The actual number of slaveholders may be slightly lower because some large holders held slaves in more than one County and they would have been counted as a separate slaveholder in each County. Excluding slaves, the 1860 U.S. population was 27,167,529, with about 1 in 70 being a slaveholder. It is estimated by this transcriber that in 1860, slaveholders of 200 or more slaves, while constituting less than 1 % of the total number of U.S. slaveholders, or 1 out of 7,000 free persons, held 20-30% of the total number of slaves in the U.S. The process of publication of slaveholder names beginning with larger slaveholders will enable naming of the holders of the most slaves with the least amount of transcription work.

SOURCES. The 1860 U.S. Census Slave Schedules for Edgefield County, South Carolina (NARA microfilm series M653, Roll 1230) reportedly includes a total of 24,060 slaves, which ranks as the fourth highest total in the State and the sixth highest in the U.S. in 1860. This transcription includes 138 slaveholders who held 40 or more slaves in Edgefield County, accounting for 8,445 slaves, or just over 35% of the County total. The rest of the slaves in the County were held by a total of 1,543 slaveholders, and those slaveholders have not been included here. Due to variable film quality, handwriting interpretation questions and inconsistent counting and page numbering methods used by the census enumerators, interested researchers should view the source film personally to verify or modify the information in this transcription for their own purposes. Census data for 1860 was obtained from the Historical United States Census Data Browser, which is a very detailed, searchable and highly recommended database that can found at http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/census/ . Census data on African Americans in the 1870 census was obtained using Heritage Quest's CD "African-Americans in the 1870 U.S. Federal Census", available through Heritage Quest at http://www.heritagequest.com/ .

FORMAT. This transcription lists the names of those largest slaveholders in the County (actually shown as "District" on the census page), the number of slaves they held in the County where the slaves were enumerated and the first census page of that County on which they were listed. The holders on pages 375B through 427, were shown as in the Saluda Regiment, but no locality was shown for the holders on the other pages. The page numbers used are the rubber stamped numbers in the upper right corner of every set of two pages, with the previous stamped number and a "B" being used to designate the pages without a stamped number. The census shows no subdivisions within the County. Following the holder list is a separate list of the surnames of the holders with information on numbers of African Americans on the 1870 census who were enumerated with the same surname. The term "County" is used to describe the main subdivisions of the State by which the census was enumerated.

TERMINOLOGY. Though the census schedules speak in terms of "slave owners", the transcriber has chosen to use the term "slaveholder" rather than "slave owner", so that questions of justice and legality of claims of ownership need not be addressed in this transcription. Racially related terms such as African American, black, mulatto and colored are used as in the source or at the time of the source, with African American being used otherwise.

PLANTATION NAMES. Plantation names were not shown on the census. Using plantation names to locate ancestors can be difficult because the name of a plantation may have been changed through the years and because the sizeable number of large farms must have resulted in lots of duplication of plantation names. In South Carolina in 1860 there were 482 farms of 1,000 acres or more, the largest size category enumerated in the census, and another 1,359 farms of 500-999 acres. Linking names of plantations in this County with the names of the large holders on this list should not be a difficult research task, but it is beyond the scope of this transcription.

FORMER SLAVES. The 1860 U.S. Census was the last U.S. census showing slaves and slaveholders. Slaves were enumerated in 1860 without giving their names, only their sex and age and indication of any handicaps, such as deaf or blind Slaves 100 years of age or older were supposed to be named on the 1860 slave schedule, but there were only 1,570 slaves of such age enumerated, out of a total of 3,950,546 slaves. The transcriber did not notice any such slaves in the course of making this transcription, except for 100 year old female Betty, held by Dam(?) on page 473B and 103 year old male Lewis, held by Rambo on 481B. Freed slaves, if listed in the next census, in 1870, would have been reported with their full name, including surname. Some of these former slaves may have been using the surname of their 1860 slaveholder at the time of the 1870 census and they may have still been living in the same State or County. Before presuming an African American was a slave on the 1860 census, the free census for 1860 should be checked, as almost 11% of African Americans were enumerated as free in 1860, with about half of those living in the southern States. Estimates of the number of former slaves who used the surname of a former owner in 1870, vary widely and from region to region. If an African American ancestor with one of these surnames is found on the 1870 census, then making the link to finding that ancestor as a slave requires advanced research techniques involving all obtainable records of the holder.

MIGRATION OF FORMER SLAVES: According to U.S. Census data, the 1860 Edgefield County population included 15,653 whites, 173 "free colored" and 24,060 slaves. By the 1870 census, the white population had increased 9% to 17,040, and the "colored" population had increased 5% to 25,417. (As a side note, by 1960, 100 years later, the County was listed as having 6,581 whites, only about 42% of the 1860 figure, and the 1960 total of 9,153 "Negroes" was only about 38% of what the colored population had been 100 years before.) It should be noted however, that in comparing census data for 1870 and 1960, the transcriber did not take into consideration any relevant changes in county boundaries.

Where did the freed slaves go? Charleston County saw an increase in colored population of almost two thirds between 1860 and 1870, so likely that is where many went. No other South Carolina County showed a significant increase. Between 1860 and 1870, the South Carolina colored population only increased by 4,000, to 416,000, a 1% increase. States that saw significant increases in colored population during that time, and were therefore more likely possible places of relocation for colored persons from Edgefield County, included the following: Georgia, up 80,000 (17%); Texas, up 70,000 (38%); Alabama, up 37,000 (8%); North Carolina, up 31,000 (8%); Florida, up 27,000 (41%); Ohio, up 26,000 (70%); Indiana, up 25,000 (127%); and Kansas up from 265 to 17,000 (6,400%).

SLAVEHOLDER LIST:

ADAMS, Dr. J. F., 83 slaves, page 463

ADAMS, Hiram, 44 slaves, page 456B

ADAMS, John, 69 slaves, page 487B

ADAMS, R. W., 48 slaves, page 448B

ADDISON, G. A., 68 slaves, page 384

ANDREWS, J.?, 110 slaves, page 379

BANHAM, Hon. M. L., 60 slaves, page 443B

BANSKETT?, Col. J., 68 slaves, page 518B

BEASELEY, T. P. Agent, 65 slaves, page 381B

BETTIS, Benj., 74 slaves, page 439

BLALOCK, B. R., 43 slaves, page 442B

BLAND?, J. A., 60 slaves, page 437B

BOATWRIGHT, B. T., 79 slaves, page 429B

BOLES, Maj. Isaac, 41 slaves, page 458

BONES, Jno. Ga. Owner, J. H. Hughes employer, 57 slaves, page 452B

BONKNIGHT, W., 62 slaves, page 405B

BRIGGS, George, 41 slaves, page 506B

BROOKS, J. Hamden, 42 slaves, page 388

BROOKS, M. P.?, 112 slaves, page 387

BROOKS, Q.? L., 62 slaves, page 477B

BROWNING, T. B. Agt., 40 slaves, page 402B

BUCKHALTER, Tandy, 61 slaves, page 466B

BUTLER, R. J., 41 slaves, page 481

BUTLER, Seth, 54 slaves, page 482B

CALHOUN, P. L., 47 slaves, page 508

CLARK, Samuel, 86 slaves, page 480

CLARY, W. M., 40 slaves, page 402B

COLES, J. S.?, 58 slaves, page 392B

CRAFT, Dr. T. G., 104 slaves, page 431B

CRAFTON?, Jas., 55 slaves, page 511B

CRAFTON?, M. A., 50 slaves, page 512B

CURRY, Joel, 58 slaves, page 505

DAM?, M. B., 181 slaves, page 473B

DANIEL, William, 68 slaves, page 398B

DEARRING, A. L., 85 slaves, page 408B

DEVORE, Dr. J. A., 46 slaves, page 483

DEVORE, Elbert, 50 slaves, page 458B

DEVORE?, Mrs. C., 41 slaves, page 469B

DOZIER, A. S. Senr., 58 slaves, page 421B

DUNOVANT, R. G. M., 47 slaves, page 484B

DYSON, T. J., 68 slaves, page 392

FRAZIER, Col. H.?, 41 slaves, page 520B

FRAZIER, M., 64 slaves, page 390B

FREEMAN, C. M., 79 slaves, page 500

FREEMAN, S. S., 41 slaves, page 498B

GAUTT?, Thos., 76 slaves, page 489B

GLOVER, Wiley, 64 slaves, page 487

GRIFFIN, J. B., 61 slaves, page 461B

HALLER, R. M., 45 slaves, page 470

HAMMOND, Chas., 76 slaves, page 486

HAMMOND, Mrs. S., 62 slaves, page 485

HARRISON, Jas., 46 slaves, page 469

HAWKINSON, B. J., 47 slaves, page 447

HENDERSON, Nat, 42 slaves, page 383

HERIOT?, Col. John, 53 slaves, page 442B

HILL, Lad?, 53 slaves, page 391

HOLLAND, Daniel, 70 slaves, page 447B

HOLLINGSWORTH, J. H., 59 slaves, page 453

HOLLINGSWORTH, Mrs. B., 91 slaves, page 460

HOLMES, Col. Wyatt, 80 slaves, page 493

HOLOWAY, J. W., 74 slaves, page 389

HOLSTEIN, Moses, 76 slaves, page 417

HOLSTEIN, Wade, 63 slaves, page 418

HUGHES, A. J., 54 slaves, page 441

HUGHES, Maj. J. H., 40 slaves, page 452B

JENNINGS, Dr. J. H., 42 slaves, page 473

JENNINGS, Dr. W. D., 48 slaves, page 510B

JENNINGS, Robert, 69 slaves, page 510

JOHNSON, L. S., 42 slaves, page 443

JONES, Mrs. M., 46 slaves, page 507B

LAMAR, Thos. G., 58 slaves, page 517B

LAMHORN, J. M., 40 slaves, page 484

LAMHORN, Josiah, 61 slaves, page 491B

LANIER, Silas, 44 slaves, page 506

MAYS, H. H., 47 slaves, page 385

MCKIE, Dr. T. J., 45 slaves, page 496B

MCKIE, G. A., 131 slaves, page 488

MCKIE, Mary E. and one other, 47 slaves, page 495

MCKIE, Thos., 129 slaves, page 496B

MERAWEATHER, Jas., 48 slaves, page 497B

MEREWETHER, Dr. S. G., 50 slaves, page 496

MERIWETHER, Robt., 55 slaves, page 504

MERRIWEATHER, Dr. N., 49 slaves, page 495B

MIDDLETON, J. W., 54 slaves, page 494B

MILLER, B. H., 40 slaves, page 440

MIMS, Dr. R. J., C. M. Gray agent for, 48 slaves, page 513B

MIMS, Dr. E. J., Mathis agent for, 56 slaves, page 515

MOBLEY, Eldred S., 49 slaves, page 420B

MOBLEY, W. S., 51 slaves, page 399B

MOBLEY, William, 45 slaves, page 398

MOSS, Col. W. H., 41 slaves, page 517B

NICHOLSON, S. W., 68 slaves, page 515B

NIEHLEMAN?, Mrs. E. J., 57 slaves, page 449

PADGETT, William, 50 slaves, page 425

PAYNE, David, 56 slaves, page 401B

PAYNE, Thomas, 87 slaves, page 386B

PERRY, Bennett, 42 slaves, page 405

PERRY, E. W., 42 slaves, page 418B

PICKENS, F. W., W. B. Martin agent for, 84 slaves, page 513

PRESCOT?, W.? F., 40 slaves, page 492B

PRESCOTT, Danl., 60 slaves, page 463B

PROCTOR, Daniel, 44 slaves, page 392B

RAINSFORD, John, 87 slaves, page 502

RAINSFORD?, Jas., 69 slaves, page 453B

RAMBO, A. J., 87 slaves, page 481B

RICHARDSON, J. M., 41 slaves, page 395B

RIGES?, Wm., 43 slaves, page 431

ROPER, Mrs. S. A., 45 slaves, page 504

ROUNDTREE, D., 42 slaves, page 498

SEARING, A. L., M. A. Selack for, 96 slaves, page 391B

SEARLS, E., 42 slaves, page 499

SEARLS, T. Decd., E. Searls Admr. of, 69 slaves, page 499B

SHARPTON, A. Senr., 63 slaves, page 507

SHEPHERD, S. L., 69 slaves, page 378B

SMITH, Whitfield Agt., 72 slaves, page 403

SMYLY, J. S., 54 slaves, page 375B

SMYLY, J. C., 45 slaves, page 397

STROTHER, G. J., 43 slaves, page 395

STROTHER, W. R., 113 slaves, page 449

STROTHER, W. A., 45 slaves, page 400B

TALBERT, B. M., 55 slaves, page 470B

TALBERT, J., 70 slaves, page 472

TALBERT, Miss. S. H., 56 slaves, page 472B

THURMOND, Ellenor, 44 slaves, page 512

TICKEM?, Col. F. W., 193 slaves, page 516

TILLMAN, Mrs. S. A., 86 slaves, page 484

TOMPKINS, James, 113 slaves, page 509

TUCKER, Landon, 43 slaves, page 501B

WALKER, D. J., 78 slaves, page 444B

WATSON, Chloe, 63 slaves, page 427

WATSON, Elijah, 95 slaves, page 419

WATSON, Estate of S.? Deceased, 72 slaves, page 426B

WATSON, Hon.? T., 105 slaves, page 429

WATSON, Mrs. L., 55 slaves, page 428B

WELLS, Chesley, 42 slaves, page 501

WILLIAMS, I.? J., 71 slaves, page 471B

WILSON, Steven, 42 slaves, page 445B

WISE, W., 59 slaves, page 476B

SURNAME MATCHES AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS:

(exact surname spellings only are reported, no spelling variations or soundex)

(SURNAME, # in US, in State, in County, born in State, born and living in State, born in State and living in County)

ADAMS, 4295, 322, 49, 495, 303, 45

ADDISON, 312, 54, 13, 63, 54, 13

ANDREWS, 1160, 69, 30, 98, 68, 29

BANHAM, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1

BANSKETT?, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1

BEASELEY, 8, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0

BETTIS, 67, 9, 8, 10, 8, 7

BLALOCK, 114, 12, 11, 14, 9, 9

BLAND?, 594, 27, 19, 38, 27, 19

BOATWRIGHT, 41, 17, 7, 20, 17, 7

BOLES, 135, 40, 0, 42, 40, 0

BONES, 36, 6, 4, 8, 6, 4

BONKNIGHT, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 14

BRIGGS, 600, 45, 11, 55, 43, 10

BROOKS, 4486, 164, 45, 274, 157, 44

BROWNING, 252, 17, 1, 22, 14, 1

BUCKHALTER, 32, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0

BUTLER, 4225, 320, 76, 451, 307, 73

CALHOUN, 560, 117, 5, 185, 117, 5

CLARK, 5807, 222, 27, 379, 203, 24

CLARY, 67, 20, 9, 22, 20, 9

COLES, 387, 13, 1, 17, 13, 1

CRAFT, 159, 5, 0, 9, 5, 0

CRAFTON?, 43, 10, 10, 12, 10, 10

CURRY, 936, 75, 0, 37, 24, 0

DAM?, 3, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

DANIEL, 1765, 88, 23, 116, 87, 23

DEARRING, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1

DEVORE, 20, 16, `12, 15, 14, 11

DOZIER, 327, 65, 29, 69, 62, 28

DUNOVANT, 5, 5, 0, 5, 5, 0

DYSON, 256, 12, 1, 13, 11, 1

FRAZIER, 967, 159, 29, 220, 157, 28

FREEMAN, 2493, 109, 33, 174, 105, 30

GAUTT?, 16, 1, 0, 2, 1, 0

GLOVER, 1147, 320, 40, 394, 307, 38

GRIFFIN, 2464, 151, 33, 235, 143, 30

HALLER, 19, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0

HAMMOND, 632, 101, 31, 121, 91, 30

HARRISON, 3639, 299, 57, 446, 286, 57

HAWKINSON, 8, 0, 0, 2, 0, 0

HENDERSON, 3706, 174, 19, 302, 160, 18

HERIOT?, 11, 10, 0, 10, 10, 0

HILL, 6675, 272, 53, 489, 256, 49

HOLLAND, 1301, 57, 7, 80, 50, 6

HOLLINGSWORTH, 120, 12, 12, 15, 12, 12

HOLMES, 2804, 430, 68, 541, 419, 66

HOLOWAY, 50, 8, 8, 10, 8, 8

HOLSTEIN, 9, 4, 4, 5, 4, 4

HUGHES, 1641, 80, 4, 149, 78, 4

JENNINGS, 848, 97, 31, 135, 94, 29

JOHNSON, 33402, 1870, 133, 2773, 1789, 122

JONES, 27193, 1346, 119, 1922, 1261, 107

LAMAR, 285, 5, 3, 19, 5, 3

LAMHORN, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

LANIER, 260, 4, 2, 17, 4, 2

MAYS, 433, 41, 27, 62, 38, 25

MCKIE, 39, 5, 5, 7, 5, 5

MERAWEATHER, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

MEREWETHER, 3, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

MERIWETHER, 80, 4, 4, 12, 3, 3

MERRIWEATHER, 109, 4, 3, 5, 4, 3

MIDDLETON, 916, 373, 9, 431, 369, 8

MILLER, 6577, 530, 33, 769, 503, 31

MIMS, 267, 66, 34, 77, 65, 33

MOBLEY, 378, 168, 43, 185, 164, 43

MOSS, 935, 44, 20, 56, 40, 19

NICHOLSON, 453, 12, 10, 27, 11, 10

NIEHLEMAN?, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

PADGETT, 28, 12, 9, 10, 9, 7

PAYNE, 1603, 21, 10, 49, 21, 10

PERRY, 2432, 235, 31, 335, 227, 30

PICKENS, 251, 48, 6, 72, 47, 6

PRESCOT?, 13, 7, 4, 7, 7, 4

PRESCOTT, 69, 16, 15, 19, 15, 15

PROCTOR, 435, 42, 0, 49, 41, 0

RAINSFORD, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9, 9

RAMBO, 52, 1, 1, 7, 1, 1

RICHARDSON, 3741, 492, 22, 620, 478, 20

RIGES?, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

ROPER, 217, 57, 13, 60, 53, 12

ROUNDTREE, 155, 22, 1, 41, 21, 1

SEARING, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

SEARLS, 13, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1

SHARPTON, 5, 4, 4, 5, 4, 4

SHEPHERD, 591, 25, 0, 39, 24, 0

SMITH, 29087, 1487, 82, 2156, 1407, 78

SMYLY, 18, 2, 0, 5, 2, 0

STROTHER, 392, 30, 15, 43, 29, 14

TALBERT, 220, 51, 34, 55, 51, 34

THURMOND, 49, 6, 4, 8, 6, 4

TICKEM?, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0

TILLMAN, 437, 39, 22, 67, 39, 22

TOMPKINS, 316, 23, 18, 52, 22, 17

TUCKER, 2023, 153, 0, 198, 148, 0

WALKER, 8492, 515, 41, 778, 486, 38

WATSON, 3567, 287, 37, 404, 277, 35

WELLS, 1647, 76, 15, 127, 74, 14

WILLIAMS, 28865, 2124, 188, 3049, 2007, 168

WILSON, 10819, 844, 19, 1210, 819, 19

WISE, 520, 75, 30, 92, 73, 30

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Those in the Williams Family have resided in the area of Barnwell County, South Carolina since at least the time of the American Revolution. Williams in the 1790 Orangeburg District-South Census included: Abraham, Benjamin, Even, John, Joseph, Thomas, and Wilson. Most of these men left considerable descendants in Barnwell County.

Britton Williams in the 1770s came to the Barnwell area from Georgia after trouble with the Indians forced Georgia pioneers to flee to the safety of South Carolina. During the Revolution, Britton Williams was a patriot militia man who was captured after the battle of Wiggins Hill on the Coosahatchie River. There he was then hung by the British.in 1781. His children included Wilson Williams, Sarah Williams, and Martha Williams.. Britton was supposedly born circa 1740 in Northampton County, NC.

Marmaduke Williams, born c1756 and Mary Matthews?, his wife, were residents of the Darlington area of SC in the 1790s. Later they moved the family to Barnwell County. Their children included Stephen Williams and John M. Williams, who left descendants in the area. They also had a son named Britton. Marmaduke's grandmother was Susannah Burnett of Bertie County, NC.

The origin of the name Edgefield is unclear; the South Carolina State Library's information on the county's history suggests that the name "is usually described as 'fanciful.'"^[3] There is a village named Edgefield in Norfolk, England.

Edgefield District was created in 1785.^[3][4][5] It was formed from the southern section of the former Ninety-Six District when it was divided into smaller districts or counties by an act of the state legislature.^[3][4][5] Parts of the district were later used in the formation of other neighboring counties, specifically:^[3]

• Aiken in 1871;

• Saluda in 1895;

• Greenwood in 1897;

• and, McCormick in 1916.

In his study of Edgefield County, South Carolina, Orville Vernon Burton classified white society into the poor, the yeoman middle class, and the elite.^[6] A clear line demarcated the elite, but according to Burton, the line between poor and yeoman was never very distinct. Stephanie McCurry argues, yeomen were clearly distinguished from poor whites by their ownership of land (real property). Edgefield's yeomen farmers were "self-working farmers," distinct from the elite because they worked their land themselves alongside any slaves they owned. Ownership of large numbers of slaves made the work of planters completely managerial.^[7]

Edgefield County, South Carolina

Will Book D Index

Volume One 1836-1853

---

This is only an Index to the Will books. Volume Two can be reached through the link at the bottom of this page. I have no other information on the Wills themselves. These records come from microfilm I ordered through Heritage Quest. I have done my best to be as exact as possible but i'm am human and do make mistakes on occasion.If you would like to obtain a copy of the Wills write to: South Carolina Department of Archives and History 8301 Parklane Road Columbia, South Carolina 29223-4905 E-Mail Lesley Thanks and come again soon.

These pages maintained by Lesley Prey and last updated Nov. 2006

NAME	PAGE	BOX	PACKAGE
William Adams Sr.	227	1	14
Allen Anderson Jr.	245	1	13
John Bailey	271	49	2090
Amos Banks	239	48	2048
Jessie Bettis	75	6	185
John H. Black	169	48	2049
Pressley Bland	125	3	76
Nathan Bedie	196	28	2045
Elizabeth Bolger	11	3	71
James Bones	214	48	2038
Daniel Brunson Sr.	250	48	2042
John Burgess	69	6	188
Armstead Burt	129	3	78
Allen Y. Burton	137	3	65
John B. Bush	300	48	2040
Issac Bush	6	2	58
William Bush	52	2	69
William M. Butler	121	6	184
William Carson	213	48	2059
William H. Cary	17	8	273
John Cheatham	221	48	2071
Jesse Christian	118	34	1278
Susanah Christie	264	48	3060
Henry Clark	144	8	271
Noah Cloud	78	will not in file
Thomas A. Cobb	163	34	1280
Robert Cochran	110	8	269
Hannah Coghburn	37	8	266
Mathew Coleman	146	8	256
Hillary Collier	180	48	2052
Joicy Culpepper	156	34	1279
Sarah Cunningham	254	48	2053
Charles H. Dagnel	296	37	1494
Mary Dalton	164	37	1403
James C. Dawson	140	36	1367
Thomas Dean	135	37	1402
Mary L. Dunton	175	36	1266
William Ferguson	33	56	2339
William Flin Jr.	46	11	375
William Fortner Sr.	273	49	2078
John Fox	39	11	374

Edward Garrett	20	16	583
Elizabeth Garrett	287	49	2081
William J. Glover	231	52	1297
James Goggins	277	52	22?3
John J. Gray	283	49	2980
John Griffie	94	16	558
William Hagan	25	13	458
William Hamilton	25	13	458
Charles Hammond Sr.	29	40	1569
John Hampton	289	56	2226
Richard Hampton	148	39	????
John Harrison	279	29	????
Benjamin Hatcher	78	will not in file
Lacey Hatcher	111	18	428
Druey Hearn	156	39	1517
John Hollingsworth	202	49	2095
Caleb Holloway	151	49	2096
William Holloway	76	12	487
Esther Howls	243	49	2087
William Howls Sr.	297	53	2210
Gideon H. Hull	170	39	1521
Jesse Jay	47	15	543
William Jennings	236	59	2119
William S. Johnson	198	50	2118
Richard Jones	81	15	546
John Key	210	59	2122
Reuben Landrum	259	50	2124
Ann Leavenworth	61	18	632
Richard Lewis	80	17	617
Benjamin Lindsay	191	59	2125
William Little	49	55	2294
Nicholas Lowe	258	59	2123
John Lyon	178	50	2129
William Marlow	93	42	1747
Sarah Martin	299	53	2821
Sussanah Mathews	122	20	732
Roger McKinnie	261	56	2396
B. Mims	23	26	722
Green B. Mitchel	198	50	2126
Daniel A. Mitchell	195	?	?

Rachel Mofs	298	will not in file
Creswell Moore	183	42	1755
Evan Morgan	8	20	730
Joseph Morris Sr.	150	20	726
Casper Nail	224	91	3642
Robert Newton	228	133	5493
Ingram Nunn	105	43	1790
Joseph Phillips	127	23	842
Andrew Pickens	94	44	1830
George Pope	202	90	3632
Daniel Prince	272	90	3633
Thomas Rainsford	65	25	912
James Ramage	35	25	910
Peter Rampy	266	51	2172
Thomas Reynolds Sr.	190	51	2161
David Richardson	293	51	2173
Jefferson Richardson	1	25	915
William Robertson	175	51	2171
William Robertson Sr.	233	51	2174
Daniel Rogers	274	51	2160
Benjamin Roper	200	51	2175
Gaines F. Rushton	280	will not in file
Thomas Scurry Sr.	54	26	941
Thomas Scurry Jr.	229	will not in file
Daniel Self	14	26	946
Jeptha Sharpton	100	26	944
George Sigler	241	will not in file
Eliza H. Simkins	56	26	952
James M. Smith	68	45	1994
James Smyley	96	27	965
Elisabeth Spann	256	will not in file
John Sullivan	123	26	945
Pressley G. Sullivan	10	27	957
Vann Swearingan	5	27	959
John Taylor	219	51	2154
Henry Tate	27	46	1959
Anna Marie Terry	285	50	2132
Jonathan Tillman	156	30	1069
Augustas M. Tomkins	257	56	2322
Martha Tucker	153	28	1007

Robert Turner	248	51	2153
Isaac Vann	217	46	1970
Beaufort A. Wallace	186	52	2195
Charles Warren	142	32	1139
Richard Watkins	74	32	1136
Elijah Watkins Sr.	183	52	2189
Robert Watts	115	32	1134
Jonathan Wever	173	52	2194
Fereby Whatley	268	51	2148
Daniel Wheeler Sr.	291	52	2204
Blumer(?) White	131	32	1123
Winfrey Whitlock	114	50	2462
Roger M. Williams	22	32	1143
Rachael Wise	215	52	2193
Sarah Wise	67	32	1341
Gilson Yarbrough	107	32	1159
Martin Yen	161	32	1169
Mary Youngblood	228	32	1165

John E. Turner

276

51

2151

Edgefield Co. South Carolina Wills Volume Two

George Washington Williams

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For the US Navy officer, see George Washington Williams (naval officer).

George W. Williams

George Washington Williams (October 16, 1849-August 2, 1891) was an American Civil War veteran, minister, politician and historian. Shortly before his death he travelled to King Leopold II's Congo Free State and his open letter to Leopold about the suffering of the region's inhabitants at the hands of Leopold's agents, helped to sway European and American public opinion against the regime running the Congo, ^[1], under which some 10 million people lost their lives.

[edit] Biography

Williams was born in Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania, to Thomas and Ellen Rouse Williams. He was the eldest of four children; his brothers were John, Thomas and Harry Lawsom. After a limited education and a stint in a "house of refuge" where he learned barbering, Williams enlisted in the Union Army under an assumed name when he was only 14 and fought during the final battles of the American Civil War.

He went to Mexico and joined the Republican army under the command of General Espinosa, fighting to overthrow Emperor Maximilian. He received a commission as lieutenant, learned some Spanish, got a reputation as a good gunner and returned to the U.S. in the spring of 1867.

Back home, he enlisted for a 5-year stint in the army and while in the Indian Territory, he was wounded in 1868. He remained hospitalized until his discharge.

Once back in civilian life, the young veteran decided to attend college and was accepted at Howard University. Records do not show his having stayed there very long and in 1870, he began studies at the Newton Theological Institution. Williams became the first African-American to graduate from Newton in 1874.^[2]

He met Sarah A. Sterrett during a visit to Chicago in 1873 and they were married the following spring. They had one son.

After graduation, he was ordained as a Baptist minister and held several pastorates, including the historic Twelfth Baptist Church of Boston.

With support from many of the leaders of his time such as Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison, Williams founded The Commoner, a monthly journal, in Washington, D.C. He was only able to publish eight issues.

Williams moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where he studied law. He later became the first African-American elected to the Ohio State Legislature, serving one term 1880 to 1881.

In 1885, President Chester A. Arthur appointed Williams "Minister Resident and Consul General" to Haiti. He never served.

In addition to his religious and political achievements, George W. Williams was also the author of A History of Negro Troops in the War of Rebellion and The History of the Negro Race in America 1619–1880, the first history of African-Americans.

In 1889, Williams was granted an informal audience with King Léopold II of Belgium. At that time, the Congo Free State was the personal possession of the King. In spite of the monarch’s objections, Williams went to Central Africa to see the conditions there for himself, from where he addressed "An Open Letter to His Serene Majesty Léopold II, King of the Belgians and Sovereign of the Independent State of Congo" from Stanley Falls on July 18, 1890. In this letter, he condemned the brutal and inhuman treatment the Congolese were suffering at the hands of the colonizers. He mentioned the role played by Henry M. Stanley, sent to the Congo by the King, in tricking and mistreating the Africans. Williams reminded the King that the crimes committed were all committed in his name, making him as guilty as the actual culprits. He appealed to the international community of the day to “call and create an International Commission to investigate the charges herein preferred in the name of Humanity ...” His charges and the reaction to them were discussed in the book, King Leopold's Ghost.

Traveling back from Africa, George Washington Williams died in Blackpool, England, on August 2, 1891, from tuberculosis and pleurisy, and is buried in Layton Cemetery, Blackpool.

George Washington Williams' grave

[edit] References

1. ^ Hochschild, Adam, King Leopold's Ghost, Pan Macmillan, London (1998). ISBN 0-330-49233-0.

2. ^ David Blight, Race and Reunion: The Civil War in American Memory, (Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2001), 169.

See also:

• Franklin, John Hope, George Washington Williams: A Biography, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1985; Reprint, Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 1998.

[edit] External links

• George Washington Williams

• History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880: Negroes as Slaves, as Soldiers and as Citizens By George Washington Williams

• A History of the Negro Troops in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 By George Washington Williams

• Soldier, Scholar, Statesman, Trickster

• George Washington Williams (1849 - 1891) - Find A Grave Memorial

• Works by George Washington Williams at Project Gutenberg

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Williams"

Categories: 1849 births | 1891 deaths | African American writers | African Americans' rights activists | American abolitionists | 19th-century American newspaper publishers (people) | American slaves | History of Belgium | Newspaper founders