Slaveholders Listed on this Page
- Allen, David (Enslaved persons listed: Sarah)
- Arnold, Jonathan (Enslaved persons listed: Bob)
- Ashman, James, Captain (Enslaved persons listed: Henry)
- Austin, John M. (Enslaved persons listed: Phillis, Ellen, Patty)
- Banning, Anthony (Enslaved persons listed: Cassa)
- Bartlett, John (Enslaved persons listed: Un-named woman, George)
- Beall, Betsey (Enslaved persons listed: Alice)
- Beckett, Joseph (Enslaved persons listed: Maria)
- Blackstone, James (Enslaved persons listed: Charles)
- Blaine, James (Enslaved persons listed: Mary)
- Bleakly, Thomas (Enslaved persons listed: Simon Washington, Washington, Joe, Preston)
- Boyd, William (Enslaved persons listed: Bette, Andrew, Millie, Ben, Prissie, Samuel, Alexander, Aaron)
- Brashears, Otho (Enslaved persons listed: Pegg, Simon, Diana)
- Breading, Nathaniel (Enslaved persons listed: Sam, Beck, Hamlet, Cass, Lydia, Jane, Aaron, David, Hannah, Lucy, Maria)
- Brown, Ann (Enslaved persons listed: Jack, Toby)
- Brown, Basil (Senior) (Enslaved persons listed: Grace, Charles, Henry, Frances, Bett, Susan)
- Brown, Basil (Junior) (Enslaved persons listed: Susana, Andrew)
- Brown, Joshua (Enslaved persons listed: Sally, Eli Curry, Amelia, Jack, Rebekah, Ande, Dolly, Pompey, Nancy, Sam)
- Brown, Sarah (Enslaved persons listed: Kass)
- Brown, Thomas, Sr. (Enslaved persons listed: Dill)
- Brown, Wilkes (Enslaved persons listed: Pat, Eliza, Louis)
- Burns, Samuel (Enslaved persons listed: Tom, Charity, James, Peter, Simon, Gorge)
- Byers, John (Enslaved persons listed: Mary)
- Campbell, Samuel Young (Enslaved persons listed: Rachel Anderson, Ellen Campbell Anderson)
- Cannon, Agnes (Enslaved persons listed: Hannah)
- Cannon, Daniel (Enslaved persons listed: Dinah, Tim, Jo, Bob)
- Canon, John (Enslaved persons listed: :Lucy, Jane, Patrick)
- Clare, Thomas (Enslaved persons listed: Richard, Samuel, Andrew, Peter, Abraham, Reuben, Hiram)
- Clarke, Robert (Enslaved persons listed: Anne, Barbara)
- Collins, Thomas (Enslaved persons listed: James)
- Cook, Edward (Enslaved persons listed: Jacob, Sarah, Ephraim, Dennis, Elizabeth, Samuel, Joseph, Bazel, Jesse, James, Prior, William, Mariah, Hannaw, Matilda)
- Crawford, Hanna (Enslaved persons listed: James)
- Crawford, Josiah (Enslaved persons listed: Benjamin Thomas)
- Crawford, William (Enslaved persons listed: Huldy, Patty)
- Cunningham, Hugh H. (Enslaved persons listed: Phillis [mother], Phillis [child])
Enslavement Data
- Slaveholder Name: Allen, David
City or Township: Franklin Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation:
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Sarah
Sex: Female
Age: Five months old when registered
Date of Birth: 06 May 1816
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro female child"
Notes: Text of registration: "David Allen of Franklin Township in Fayette County farmer returns for registry to the Clerk of the Peace on this fifteenth day of October in the year eighteen hundred and sixteen a negro female child born on the Sixth day of May Eighteen hundred and sixteen and named Sarah / David Allen / Sworn & subscribed 15 Oct 1816 Cor R W Lane Clerk"
Date of Record: 15 October 1816
Sources: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Arnold, Jonathan
City or Township: Luzerne Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation:
Notes: See Jonathan Arnold's pre-1793 enslavement listings in Westmoreland County.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Bob
Sex: Male
Age: "25 or 26 years of age"
Date of Birth: circa 1763 (based on Arnold's registration of Bob in Westmoreland County)
Status: Slave for life; self-emancipated
Description: "Negro Man"
Notes: Arnold placed the following escape ad in a Pittsburgh newspaper:
RANAWAY from the subscriber, living in Fayette county, Luzerne townshp, a Negro Man named BOB, 25 or 26 years of age, about 5 feet 6 inches high, very black, much knock-kneed, has a large beard for his age, and full face, and a small bit off one of his ears; had on when he went off a white wool hat, half worn, country linen shirt, light coloured country cloth coat, with a seam across the shoulders, home-made fustian trowsers, new grey stockings, new shoes common square buckles. Whoever will secure said Negro so that I get him again, shall have Five Dollars if within 15 miles of home, and for every 15 miles further One Dollar, and reasonable charges if brought home, paid by
JONATHAN ARNOLD.
November 14, 1793.
Bob was actually about 30 years old when he escaped from Arnold in 1793.
Date of Record: 14 November 1793
Sources: Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette, 28 December 1793.
- Slaveholder Name: Ashman, James, Captain
City or Township: Dunbar Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Ironmaster
Notes: Lived 1775-1808. Son of George Ashman. Married Mary Meason, daughter of Isaac Meason.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Henry
Sex: Male
Age: "Aged Two months and twenty nine days" when registered
Date of Birth: 20 May 1806
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negroe Boy"
Notes: Text of registration:
James Ashman, of Dunbar Township, Fayette County and State of Pennsylvania, Ironmaster -- Returns for entry to the Clerk of the Sessions of said County -- a Negroe Boy named Henry and aged Two months and twenty nine days -- born 20th May 1806
James Ashman
Sworn & Subscribed 19th August 1806
Ephraim Douglass
Date of Record: 19 August 1806
Sources: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Austin, John Morse
City or Township: Uniontown
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Attorney-at-law (admitted to bar 1810); Newspaper publisher (The Genius of Liberty and American Telegraph, with John Bouvier, 1818-1821)
Notes: Born in Hartford, Connecticut. Lived 1783-1863. Husband of Priscilla Stevens, daughter of Ann / Nancy Stevens.
Source: James Hadden, A history of Uniontown : The County Seat of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Uniontown, PA, 1913, pp. 31, 408.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Phillis
Sex: Female
Age: Age not specified in document. Described as a "girl," but of childbearing age in February 1814.
Date of Birth: Not known
Status: "a Mullatto girl Named Phillis servant till she is twenty eight years old." (from the registration of her daughter Ellen)
Description: "Mullatto Girl"
Notes: Mother of Ellen (below), born on February 11, 1814.
Date of Record: 12 February 1814
Sources: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Ellen
Sex: Female
Age: One day old when registered
Date of Birth: 11 February 1814
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female child" (text of return); "Mulato" (clerk's file notation)
Notes: Daughter of Phillis, (above). Text of registration:
This statement showeth, that John M. Austin of Uniontown Fayette County Pennsylvania attorney at Law was possessed of a Mullatto girl Named Phillis servant till she is twenty eight years old. -- who was delivered of a female child Named, Ellen which is now one day old of which now I am possessed --
Uniontown Feb 12th, 1814
Jno M Austin att at Law
Richard William Lane
Clerk of the Peace et Cetera
[elaborate flourish, or seal]
sworn & subscribed
12 Feby 1814
Austin's return does not specify this, but the clerk's file notes identify Ellen as "mulato." File notation on reverse of return: "87 / Registry of Mulato / John M Austin / 87 / filed 11 [12]th Feby 1814" The numeral "12" in the date is heavily overwritten with an "11." However the correct date, as taken from the full text of the registration, should be February 12, 1814.
Date of Record: 12 February 1814
Sources: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Patty
Sex: Female
Age: "about one month & eighteen days old" when registered
Date of Birth: 07 November 1815
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Mullatto female Child"
Notes: Text of registration: "I John M. Austin residing in Union-town Fayette County By profession an attorney at Law am possessed of & Return for recording a Mullatto female Child Named Patty born on the 7 November 1815 being now about one month & eighteen days old / John M Austin Dec 25th 1815 / Sworn & subscribed 25th Decr. 1815 Cor R W Lane Clk"
Date of Record: 25 December 1815
Sources: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Banning, Anthony, Esquire
City or Township: Bullskin Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Esquire, Methodist Minister, Tanner, Innkeeper (see notes)
Notes: From Nelson's Biographical Dictionary:
Anthony Banning, a Methodist clergyman of the itinerant order, was in Connellsville as early as 1789, but was not established there until about two years later. Preaching was not Mr. Banning's sole or exclusive occupation. He seems to have been a man of somewhat versatile character, not only preaching the gospel, but also conducting a tannery and carrying on a tavern. He finally disposed of the tavern and found a new home in Ohio.
Source: Henry Elliot Shepherd, Editor, Nelson's Biographical Dictionary and Historical Reference Book of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 2, S. B. Nelson, Uniontown, PA, 1900, p. 497.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Cassa
Sex: Female
Age: Five months old when registered
Date of Birth: 03 March 1809
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female child"
Notes: Text of registration: "August 21st 1809 Anthony Banning Bullskin Township Esquire Returns to the Clerk of the peace to be registered a female child named Cassa born the third day of March 1809 Anthony Banning / Sworn & subscribed the same day Coram} Richard W Lane"
Date of Record: 21 August 1809
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Bartlett, John
City or Township: Redstone Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation:
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Name not given in document
Sex: Female
Age: Adult female of childbearing age in 1800
Date of Birth: Not known
Status: Status not determined
Description: "Mother"
Notes: Mother of the child George, listed below. John Bartlett signed the registration document for the child George, the property of Andrew Rabb, and was the person sworn to the facts. He had "possession" of the child George and George's mother at the time.
Date of Record: 11 March 1801
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: George
Sex: Male
Age: Nearly six months old at registration
Date of Birth: 18 September 1800
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Mulatto boy"
Notes: Text of registration:
Andrew Rabb of German Township Miller returns to be recorded one male Mulatto boy named George, born in the possession of John Bartlett in Redstone Township (who had the service of the mother with the consent of Andrew Rabb the owner, at the time of her delivery) on the 18th day of September 1800
John Bartlett
Subscribed and sworn to the 11th day of March 1801
Ephraim Douglass
Note that John Bartlett signed the registration document for the child George, the property of Andrew Rabb, and was the person sworn to the facts. He had possession of the child George and George's mother at the time.
Date of Record: 11 March 1801
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Beall, Betsey
City or Township: Bullskin Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Widow
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Alice
Sex: Male
Age: Registered as "about four months old"
Date of Birth: circa September 1789
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes:
Date of Record: 26 January 1790
Sources: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Slaveholder Name: Beckett, Joseph
City or Township: Elizabeth Township
County: Allegheny County (see notes for the child Maria, below)
Occupation: Esquire
Notes: See also the list of people registered by Joseph Beckett in Westmoreland County.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Maria
Sex: Female
Age:
Date of Birth: 25 June 1809
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female child," "Negro child"
Notes: Daughter of "Little Dinah." File notes on the reverse of this return: "Return of a negro child / Richard Noble for Joseph Beckett / 46." Text of registration, filed by Richard Noble in Fayette County:
August 22nd 1809 Joseph Beckett Esquire of Elizabeth Township in Allegheny County Returns to the Clerk of the peace to be registered a female child named Maria, (daughter of Dinah generally distinguished by the name of 'Little Dinah) born the twenty fifth day of June 1809. --
I Richard Noble of Redstone Township in the County of Fayette do swear that the facts contained in the above Return are true to the best of my knowledge
Richd. Noble --
Sworn & subscribed the same day and year
Coram}
R W Lane
Why Maria, a child enslaved by Joseph Beckett of Allegheny County, was registered in Fayette County by Richard Noble is not stated. Possibly the child's mother, Dinah, was working for Noble, or perhaps Beckett was travelling with some of his enslaved workers and staying with Noble at the time of the birth. Also, Richard Noble registered a six-year-old girl named Dinah in Westmoreland County in 1782. That Dinah would be about 33 years old in 1809, and is possibly the mother mentioned in the registration. With regard to the child's name, Glenn Dixon transcribed the name as Maud, but there is a distinct dot over what is actually an "i" and the last character of the name is actually an "a" with a pronounced upstroke flourish. JATR database confirms the name Maria.
Date of Record: 22 August 1809
Sources: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Slaveholder Name: Blackstone, James
City or Township: Tyrone Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Farmer
Notes: The History of Fayette County, by Franklin Ellis (1882) notes on page 545:
James Blackstone came hither from the Eastern Shore of Maryland shortly after Col. William Crawford and his comrades found their way into Yohogania County, Virginia, as the region of which Fayette County is a part was then called. Mr Blackstone married before he left Maryland and brought his family and some negroes with him and settled in what is now Tyrone township on the farm recently owned by Ebenezer Moore.
See pre-1783 enslavement records of James Blackstone, filed in Westmoreland County under the name James Blackston.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Charles
Sex: Male
Age: Ten months old at registration.
Date of Birth: 08 June 1788
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes:
Date of Record: 01 April 1789
Sources: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Slaveholder Name: Blaine, James
City or Township: Brownsville
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Esquire, "Gentleman"
Notes: Son of Colonel Ephraim Blaine of Carlisle. Grandfather of US Senatore and presidential candidate James. G. Blaine.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Mary
Sex: Female
Age: Three months old at registration.
Date of Birth: 09 July 1817
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Negro Child"
Notes: Text of registration:
Fayette County
State of Pennsylvania} Ss James Blaine Esquire of the Borough of Brownsville in said County Gentleman, Returns for registry to the Clerk of the peace of said County a female negro Child named Mary born the ninth day of July Eighteen hundred and seventeen returned the sixth day of October eighteen hundred and Seventeen
James Blaine
Sworn & subscribed 6th October 1817 coram Richard W Lane
Clerk of the peace
Date of Record: 06 October 1817
Sources: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Bleakly, Thomas
City or Township: Washington Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Merchant
Notes: Husband of Sarah.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Simon Washington
Sex: Male
Age: Almost four months old at registration.
Date of Birth: 22 April 1807
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Negro Child"
Notes: Text of registration: "Thos Bleakly of Washington township Fayatte County Merchant, Returns to be Recorded a Male Negro Child Named Simon Washington Born on the 22nd day of April 1807 Thomas Bleakly / Subscribed & sworn to 13th August 1807 before Ephraim Douglass"
Date of Record: 13 August 1807
Sources: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Washington
Sex: Male
Age: Almost four months old at registration.
Date of Birth: 29 January 1809
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro boy"
Notes: File note on outside of return: "42 Return of a negro boy / Thomas Blakely / Filed & entered 10th May 1809" Text of registration: "Sarah Blakely wife of Thomas Blakely (Who for several months has been absent from home) of Wahsington Township in Fayette County returns to the Clerk of the Peace to be registered a negro boy named Washington Born the 29th January 1809 / Sarah Bleakey / Sworn & subscribed the 10th May 1809 Coram R W Lane"
Date of Record: 10 May 1809
Sources: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Joe
Sex: Male
Age: Four months old at registration.
Date of Birth: 23 March 1811
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro male child"
Notes: File note on outside of return: "Return of a negro child by Thomas Bleakly / 60 / 5 August 1811" Text of registration: "Sarah Bleakly wife of Thomas Bleakly Merchant of Washington Township in Fayette County returns for registry a negro male child born March the twenty-third 1811 named Joe Sarah her x mark Blakely / Sworn & subscribed the 5th of August 1811} Richard W Lane Clerk of the Peace"
Date of Record: 05 August 1811
Sources: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Preston
Sex: Male
Age: Four days old at registration.
Date of Birth: 29 August 1813
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro male child"
Notes: Text of registration: "Thomas Bleakly of Washington Township in the County of Fayette by occupation a farmer -- Returns for registry to the Clerk of the peace of said Cnty a certain negro male child named Preston born the twenty ninth day of August 1813 -- returned the second day of September 1813 Thos. Bleakly / Sworn and subscribed before me the same day} Richard William Lane Clerk of the peace"
Date of Record: 02 September 1813
Sources: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Boyd, William
City or Township: Bullskin Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Farmer, Justice of the Peace
Notes: Died in 1812. The History of Fayette County, by Franklin Ellis (1882) notes on page 488:
William Boyd came from Virginia some time about the close of the Revolution, making the journey to his new home on the west border of Bullskin on pack horses. He brought with him several slaves and six negro children were registered as being born to these slaves from 1795 to 1809, namely, Andrew, Millie, Ben, Prissie, Samuel and Alexander, but of their subsequent history nothing can be here said.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Bette
Sex: Female
Age: Of childbearing age in 1797
Date of Birth: Not known, but prior to 1782.
Status: Slave for life
Description: "Slave"
Notes: One of "several slaves" brought to Bullskin Township by Boyd at the close of the Revolution. Mother of Milley, born in December 1797, Ben, born in August 1800, Prissie, born July 1803 and Alexander born April 1809.
Dates of Records: 27 March 1798 (date of return for the child Milley); 28 March 1798 (Sworn before Ephraim Douglass); 10 September 1800 (return for the child Ben)
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives; History of Fayette County, by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, L H Everts and Company, 1882.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Not known
Sex: Not determined
Age: Not determined, but born prior to 1782.
Date of Birth: Not known, but prior to 1782.
Status: Slave for life
Description: "slave"
Notes: One of "several slaves" brought to Bullskin Township by Boyd at the close of the Revolution.
Date of Record: Township history written in 1882.
Source: History of Fayette County, by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, L H Everts and Company, 1882.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Andrew
Sex: Male
Age: One month old at registration
Date of Birth: 17 May 1795
Status: Slave to the age of 28 years
Description: "Negroe Male Child"
Notes: First of six "negro children" born to enslaved women brought to Bullskin Township by Boyd at the close of the Revolution. (Ellis). Full text of Andrew's registration:
William Boyd Esquire and Farmer -- of Fayette County -- Bullskin Township -- Returns to the Clerk of the peace for said County -- A Negroe Male Child named Andrew born the seventeenth day of May one thousand seven hundred and ninety five -- to be entered of Record agreeably to Law --
Wm. Boyd
17th June 1795 --
Sworn to before Ephraim Douglass
Date of Record: 17 June 1795
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives; History of Fayette County, by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, L H Everts and Company, 1882.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Milley, Millie
Sex: Female
Age: Three months old when registered
Date of Birth: 27 December 1797
Status: Slave to the age of 28 years
Description: "Negroe female Child"
Notes: Second of six "negro children" born to enslaved women brought to Bullskin Township by Boyd at the close of the Revolution. (Ellis) Milley is "born of his Slave Bette." Full text of registration:
William Boyd Esqr. of Bullskin Township applys to have a negroe female Child regestered Born of his Slave Bette Named Milley said Child born the 27th Day of Decemr 1797 agreable to the Acdt of Assembly in that Case made and Provided
Wm Boyd March the 27th 1798
Sworn to the 28th March 1798 before Ephraim Douglass
Date of Record: 27 March 1798 (date of return); 28 March 1798 (Sworn before Ephraim Douglass)
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives; History of Fayette County, by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, L H Everts and Company, 1882.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Ben
Sex: Male
Age: Nearly one month old when registered
Date of Birth: 15 August 1800
Status: Slave to the age of 28 years
Description: "Male negroe Child"
Notes: One of six "negro children" born to enslaved women brought to Bullskin Township by Boyd at the close of the Revolution. (Ellis). Ben is the son of Bette. Text of registration:
William Boyd Esr. of Bulskin [sic] Township applys to have a male negroe Child of his Slave Bett named Ben, born the 15th August 1800 recorded agreable to the Act of Assembly in that Case Made and Provided &c
Wm Boyd
Ephraim Douglass Esq
Prothy
Sworn to the 10th Septr 1800
Coram Ephraim Douglass
Date of Record: 10 September 1800
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives; History of Fayette County, by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, L H Everts and Company, 1882.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Pricey, Prissie
Sex: Female
Age: Two months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 13 July 1803
Status: Slave to the age of 28 years
Description: "Negroe famale Child"
Notes: Daughter of Bette. One of six "negro children" born to enslaved women brought to Bullskin Township by Boyd at the close of the Revolution. (Ellis). Text of registration for Prissie:
Sir, Agreable to the Act of Assembly I hereby apply to you to have a negroe famale Child named Pricey Born of my Slave Bett on the thirteenth day of July Last Past recorded according to said Act Witness my hand and Seal the 14th Day of September 1803 William Boyd [seal] of Bulskin Township Fayette County
Ephraim Douglass Esquire Prothonatary} Sworn to on the 14th Septr 1803 before Ephraim Douglass
Dates of Records: Township history written in 1882; 14 September 1803 (Registration)
Source: History of Fayette County, by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, L H Everts and Company, 1882.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Samuel
Sex: Male
Age: Three months old when registered
Date of Birth: 26 March 1806
Status: Slave to the age of 28 years
Description: "Negroe Boy"
Notes: One of six "negro children" born to enslaved women brought to Bullskin Township by Boyd at the close of the Revolution. (Ellis). Text of registration:
William Boyd of Bullskin Township, Fayette County in the State of Pennsylvania, farmer, returns for entry to the Clerk of the peace in and for said County a Negroe Boy named Samuel aged two months and twenty eight days March 26th 1806 born
Wm. Boyd
Sworn & subscribed
June 23 1806
Coram Ephraim Douglass
Date of Record: 23 June 1806
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives; History of Fayette County, by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, L H Everts and Company, 1882;
- Enslaved Person's Name: Alexander
Sex: Male
Age: Four months old when registered
Date of Birth: 07 April 1809
Status: Slave to the age of 28 years
Description: "Male child"
Notes: Son of Bette. One of six "negro children" born to enslaved women brought to Bullskin Township by Boyd at the close of the Revolution. (Ellis). Text of registration:
William Boyd Esquire of Bullskin Township in Fayette County Returns to the Clerk of the peace to be registered a Male child named Alexander (son of a Negro woman named Bet) born the seventh day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nine
Wm Boyd
Sworn and subscribed the 23 day of August 1809
Coram
Richard W Lane Clerk
Date of Record: 23 August 1809
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives; History of Fayette County, by Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia, L H Everts and Company, 1882.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Aaron
Sex: Male
Age: Four months old when registered
Date of Birth: 01 November 1811
Status: Slave to the age of 28 years
Description: "Negroe male child"
Notes: Return filed by Robert Boyd, a son of William Boyd and an administrator for the estate of William Boyd, who died in February 1812. Text of registration:
Robert Boyd One of the Administrators of William Boyd late of Bullskin Township in the County of Fayette farmer deceased, returns to the Clerk of the peace for registry One negroe male child, named Aaron, born on the first day of November 1811 and returned the twenty third day of March AD 1812.
Robert Boyd
Sworn & subscribed the 23d March AD 1812
Coram
Richard William Lane
Clerk of the peace
Date of Record: 23 March 1812
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives;
- Slaveholder Name: Brashears, Otho
City or Township: Menallen Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Farmer
Notes: See pre-1783 enslavement records of Otho Brashears, filed in Westmoreland County. Surname also spelled Brashear in some records.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Pegg
Sex: Female
Age: Five years old at registration
Date of Birth: 25 December 1783
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes:
Date of Record: 31 March 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Simon
Sex: Male
Age: One year and nine months old at registration
Date of Birth: 08 June 1788
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro "a boy"
Notes:
Date of Record: 31 March 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Diana
Sex: Female
Age: Six months old at registration
Date of Birth: 30 November 1790
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro "a boy"
Notes: The registration return for Diana was made by Walter Brashear for Otho Brashears.
Date of Record: 24 May 1791
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Slaveholder Name: Breading, Nathaniel
City or Township: Luzerne Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Judge, Businessman, Farmer
Notes: 1751-1821. Nathaniel Breading was justice of the peace and President Judge in Fayette County. As a businessman, he helped develop trade between western Pennsylvania and New Orleans by sending a flat boat downriver each year loaded with flour and whiskey. He served as lieutenant in Capt. Joseph Wright's company of the Pennsylvania Line during the Revolutionary War and served in the commissary at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-78. Breading served on the Supreme Executive Council for Pennsylvania and was a member of the 1790 convention to write the Pennsylvania Constitution. He also was one of two Fayette County representatives at the state convention to ratify the U.S. Constitution in 1787. (Biographical info from Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/122062678/nathaniel-breading.)
Brother of David Breading of Little Britain Township, Lancaster County.
Sources: History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Franklin Ellis, Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1882; Nelson's Biographical Dictionary and Historical Reference Work, Vol. 1, Henry Elliot Shepherd; Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, John Woolf Jordan and James Hadden, eds., 1912.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Sam
Sex: Male
Age: Not stated, described as a "Man"
Date of Birth: Not known.
Status: Jailed suspected runaway slave
Description: "Negro Man"
Notes: Sam was jailed in Pittsburgh in July 1789 as a suspected runaway slave. He told the jailor that he belonged to Nathaniel Breading in Fayette County. Below is the text of the jailor's advertisement:
Pittsburgh, July 17, 1789.
COMMITTED to the jail of Alleghany county, on the 14th instant, a Negro Man, who calls himself SAM, says he belongs to Nathaniel Breading, who live on Delaps creek, in Fayette county. This is therefore to notify his said master, that unless he releases him before the 20th of August next, he will on that day be sold for fees.
ANDREW ROBINSON, Jailer
Date of Record: 17 July 1789
Source: Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette, 18 July 1789, page 3.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Beck
Sex: Female
Age: Three years old at registration
Date of Birth: "born the about the 1st of September 1785"
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negroe female child"
Notes: Mother of Hannah, born June 1813 (see below). Registered along with the boy Hamlet (below). Text of registration: "Nathaniel Breading of Fayette County & Luzerne Township Esquire Returns for Record one Negroe female child named Beck born the about the 1st of September 1785 One Negroe boy named Hamlet born about the eighth day of March in the year 1788 -- Nath Breading / Sworn to according to Law 24th March 1789 Before Ephraim Douglass"
Date of Record: 24 March 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Hamlet
Sex: Male
Age: One year old at registration
Date of Birth: "born about the eighth day of March in the year 1788"
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negroe boy"
Notes: Registered along with the older girl Beck, above. See above for text of registration.
Date of Record: 24 March 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Cass
Sex: Female
Age: Four months old at registration
Date of Birth: November 1790
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes:
Date of Record: 23 March 1791
Source: Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Lydia
Sex: Female
Age: Two months old at registration
Date of Birth: 09 February 1800
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female negroe child"
Notes: Mother of Maria (below), born December 1818; Text of registration: "Nathaniel Breading of Luzerne Township, Fayette County, Esquire Returns to be Recorded one female negroe child named Lydia born the 9th February 1800 (to the best of his knowledge) Nath Breading / Subscribed & sworn 25th March 1800 before Ephraim Douglass"
Date of Record: 25 March 1800
Source: Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025; "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Jane
Sex: Female
Age: Three months old at registration
Date of Birth: 31 August 1802
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female Mulattoe Child"
Notes: Text of the return for both Jane and Aaron (below):
Nathaniel Breading of Luzerne Township Fayette County (Esq) Returns to be recorded one Female Mulattoe Child named Jane born the 31 August 1802 -- one Male Negroe child named Aaron born the 31 day of November 1802.
Nathl Breading
Sworn to and Subscribed
15 day of Decr 1802
Ephraim Douglass
Date of Record: 15 December 1802
Source: Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025; "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Aaron
Sex: Male
Age: Two weeks old at registration
Date of Birth: 30 November 1802
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Negroe child"
Notes: Registered on the same day as Jane (above). See above for text of return.
Date of Record: 15 December 1802
Source: Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025; "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: David
Sex: Male
Age: Three months old at registration
Date of Birth: 24 October 1807
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes: Text of registration: "Nathaniel Breading of Luzerne Township Fayette County Esquire returns to [be] recorded one male negro child named David born the 24th of October 1807 Natl. Breading / Sworn to & subscribed 20th January 1808 Ephraim Douglass Clk"
Date of Record: 20 January 1808
Source: Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025; "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Hannah
Sex: Female
Age: Two months old at registration
Date of Birth: 27 June 1813 ("Sunday morning")
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes: Daughter of Beck, who was registered in March 1789 (see above). Text of registration: "Nathaniel Breading Esq of Luzerne Township in Fayette County, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas [small word or abbreviation unreadable] returns for registry to the Clerk of the peace Hannah negro female child born on Sunday morning the twenty seventh day of June in the year 1813 returned 16 August 1813 Nath Breading / Sworn & subscribed the 16th August 1813} Richard William Lane Clerk"
On a separate scrap of paper filed with the return is the single sentence: "Becks child Hannah was born on Sunday morning, the 27th day of June 1813."
Date of Record: 16 August 1813
Source: Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025; "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Lucy (see notes)
Sex: Female
Age: Four months old at registration
Date of Birth: 17 December 1816
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes: Text of registration: "Nathaniel Breading Esq of Luzerne Township in Fayette County farmer returns for registry a mulatto female child named Lucy born on tuesday the seventeenth day of December Eighteen hundred sixteen Returned the seventeenth of April 1817 Nath Breading / Sworn 17th April 1817 Before me R W Lane Clerk"
The JATR database has this child's name recorded as Luisa. The name "Lucy" is clearly written on the return and in the county clerk's file notes on the reverse of the return. Perhaps Luisa was reported on another document.
Date of Record: 17 April 1817
Source: Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025; "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Maria
Sex: Female
Age: Four months old at registration
Date of Birth: 26 December 1818
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female negro child"
Notes: Daughter of Lydia, a term slave, (above). Full text of registration: "Nathaniel Breading Esquire of Luzerne Township in Fayette county and State of Pennsylvania associate judge of the Court of said county has in his possession a female negro Child named Maria born on the 26th day of December 1818 of a negro Woman named Lydia a servant until the age of 28 years of age the estate of the said Nathaniel Breading Esquire and delivers this statement to the Clerk of the peace of the county aforesaid to be recorded agreeably to the provisions of an act of assembly passed March 29th 1788. Given under my hand the eighth day of March 1818 / Nath Breading / Sworn & subscribed cor. / John StClair Clk / The above child is a grand child of Jude born a slave & recorded by George Ewing in Lancaster county -- N.B."
Clerk's file notes written on reverse: "129 June Session 1819 / Nath Breading Esq Registry of a negro female child naded Maria"
Date of Record: 08 March 1819
Source: Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025; "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Brown, Ann
City or Township: Menallen Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Widow
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Jack
Sex: Male
Age: Five years old
Date of Birth: 20 July 1783
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro, "a boy"
Notes:
Date of Record: 01 April 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Toby
Sex: Male
Age: Four years old
Date of Birth: 26 March 1785
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro, "a boy"
Notes:
Date of Record: 01 April 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Slaveholder Name: Brown, Basil (senior)
City or Township: Menallen Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Farmer
Notes: There are two distinct slaveholders named Basil Brown in Menallen Township. The father, born in 1732 and the son, born in 1762. The entries below were registered with the county clerk as either "Basil Brown," (through 1793) or "Basil Brown, Sr.," beginning in 1794. For those attributable to his son, see Basil Brown, Jr., below.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Grace
Sex: Female
Age: Three years old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 03 December 1785
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes:
Date of Record: 01 April 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Charles
Sex: Male
Age: Six months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 26 September 1788
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes:
Date of Record: 01 April 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Henry
Sex: Male
Age: Five months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 26 August 1790
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "A Negro child"
Notes:
Date of Record: 02 February 1791
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Frances
Sex: Female
Age: Two months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 16 January 1793
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Feemale Negro Childe"
Notes: Return signed by Basil Brashear
Date of Record: 19 March 1793
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Batt (Bett)
Sex: Female
Age: Six months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 25 December 1793
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "A Negroe Child Being Afemal [a female]"
Notes: Registrant is "Basil Brown, Sr." Glenn Dixon's transcription of the record reports this child's name as "Natt" but an examination of the original return digitalized by the Pennsylvania State Archives shows the named is written as "Batt." Professor Cory Young's records report the name as "Bett."
Date of Record: 17 June 1794
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Susan
Sex: Female
Age: Four months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 06 March 1802
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female Malatto Childe"
Notes: Registered by Basil Brown Junior for Basil Brown Senior. Text:
Basil Brown Senr. of Redstone Township Fayette County and State of Pennsylvania farmer Returns one female Malatto Childe Named Susan Born the 6th day of March 1802 for Record
Sworn and Subscribed before me
this 10th day of July 1802
Ephraim Douglass
Basil Brown Junr for Basil Brown senr
Date of Record: 10 July 1802
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Slaveholder Name: Brown, Basil (junior)
City or Township: Menallen Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Farmer
Notes: There are two distinct slaveholders named Basil Brown in Menallen Township. The father, born in 1732 and the son, born in 1762. The entries below were registered with the county clerk as "Basil Brown, Jr.," the junior designation first appearing in April 1791. All other entries are assumed to be attributable to the father, Basil Brown, senior.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Susana
Sex: Female
Age: Eighteen days old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 12 April 1791
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "A Negro child"
Notes: The JATR database records Susana's date of birth as April 14, 1791. It also records the registrant as Basil Brown Jr.
Date of Record: 30 April 1791
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Andrew
Sex: Male
Age: Six months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 28 March 1797
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Negro Child"
Notes: The signature on the return is Basil Brown Jr.
Date of Record: 13 September 1797
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Slaveholder Name: Brown, Joshua
City or Township: Springhill Township; George Township (1816)
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Farmer, Innkeeper (1816)
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Sally
Sex: Female
Age: Four months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 11 May 1798
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Fimale slave child"
Notes: Text of registration: "Joshua Brown of Springhill Township, Farmer, returns to be recorded one fimale [sic] slave child, named Sally, born the 11th day May 1798 Joshua his X mark Brown / Sworn to & subscribed the 25th Septr 1798 Cor. Ephriam Douglass"
In January 1812, at the age of 13, Sally gave birth to Dolly (enslaved person number 7, below), who was registered by Brown in July. Mother of Sam (below), born in November 1819.
Some possible additional intormation about Sally is found in Hadden's A History of Uniontown:
[a certain property] sold it to James T. Gorley who conveyed it to Lucy Webster, a colored domestic of the town, who with her mother, Sally Curry, made this their home the remainder of their lives. Mrs. Curry was born a slave in 1803, and died here December 30, 1909, aged 107 years.
The surname Curry helps identify this person with enslaver Joshua Brown, who registered the child Eli Curry (below) in June 1800. Although Hadden identifies Sally's year of birth as 1803, that is incorrect based upon this record.
Date of Record: 25 September 1798
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives; James Hadden, A history of Uniontown : The County Seat of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Uniontown, PA, 1913, p. 380.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Eli Curry
Sex: Male
Age: Three months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 03 March 1800
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Mulatto child"
Notes: Text of registration: "Joshua Brown of Springhill Township Fayette County Farmer returns to be recorded one Male Mulatto child named Eli Curry born the 3d day of March 1800 Joshua his X mark Brown / Sworn to and subscribed 12th June 1800 Coram Ephraim Douglass"
Date of Record: 12 June 1800
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Amelia
Sex: Female
Age: Five months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 06 September 1802
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female Mullattoe Child"
Notes: Text of registration: "Joshua Brown of Springhill Township Farmer Returns to be recorded an female Mullattoe Child named Amelia born the 6th day of Septr. 1802 / Joshua his + mark Brown / Sworn to & subscribed /22 Feby 1803. Coram / Ephraim Douglass"
Date of Record: 22 February 1803
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Jack
Sex: Male
Age: Two months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 08 April 1804
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Mulatto Child"
Notes: Text of registration: "Joshua Brown of Springhhill Township Farmer returns to be recorded one Male Mulatto Child named Jack born the 8th day of April 1804 Joshua his x mark Brown / Subscribed & sworn to 27th June 1804 Coram Ephraim Douglass"
Date of Record: 27 June 1804
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Rebekah
Sex: Female
Age: Four months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 21 January 1806
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female Negro child"
Notes: Text of registration: "Joshua Brown of Springhill Township Fayette County Farmer returns to be recorded one female Negro child named Rebekah born the twenty first day of January AD 1806 / Joshua his x mark Brown / Sworn to and subscribed 3rd day of June 1806"
Date of Record: 03 June 1806
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Ande
Sex: Male
Age: Three months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 19 September 1807
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Negro or mulatto child"
Notes: Text of registration: "Joshua Brown of Springhill Township Fayette County Farmer -- returned to be recorded one male Negro or mulatto child named Ande born the 19th day of September 1807. Joshua his x mark Brown / Sworn to and subscribed 24th December 1807 Coram"
Date of Record: 24 December 1807
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
(Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.)
- Enslaved Person's Name: Dolly
Sex: Female
Age: Five months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 31 January 1812
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro female child"
Notes: Daughter of Sally, registered in 1798. Text of registration:
Joshua Brown of Springhill Township in Fayette County and State of Pennsylvania Farmer returns for registry on the tenth day of July 1812 to the Clerk of the peace of said County a negro female child named Dolly born the thirty first day of January in the year eighteen hundred and twelve
Joshua his x mark Brown
Sworn & subscribed
the 10th day of July 1812}
Richard William Lane
Clerk of the peace
The registration of Dolly, the daughter of Sally, registered by Brown in September 1798 must have raised eyebrows from the county clerk, Richard W. Lane, since the mother herself was still a child at the time. The following was noted on the reverse, in Lane's handwriting: "72 / Return negro Child named Dolly. born 31 Jany 1812 her mother named Sally was born 11th May 1798 -- this child must have been begotten before the mother was twelve years old -- Says A MClean"
Lane cites "A MClean" as the person raising the issue. Alexander McClean was at the time the Register and Recorder of Fayette County.
In addition to the age issue, the registration as slaves to age 28 of the children of women who themselves were slaves to age 28 was illegal under the law, however such abuse of the system was common throughout the state and was not settled until the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled against the practice in Miller v Dwilling in 1826.
Date of Record: 10 July 1812
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Pompey
Sex: Male
Age: Two months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 08 May 1813
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro male Child"
Notes: Text of registration:
Fayette County in the State of Pennsylvania}
Ss In the Court of General Quarter Sessions of the peace Joshua Brown of Springhill Township in the County of Fayette farmer returns to the Clerk of the peace of said County to be registered among the Slaves and servants a negro boy male Child named Pompey born the eighth day of May in the year eighteen hundred and thirteen; returned the twenty third day of July in the year eighteen hundred and thirteen
Joshua his x mark Brown
Sworn and subscribed
23 July 1813 before me
Richard William Lane
Clerk of the peace
Date of Record: 23 July 1813
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Nancy
Sex: Female
Age: Three months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 13 March 1816
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Mulattoe Female Child"
Notes: Text of registration: "25th June 1816 Joshua Brown of Springhill George Township of County of Fayette farmer & Inn Keeper, Returns for Registry a Mulattoe Female Child born on the Thirteenth day March Anno Domini 1816 -- Named Nancy -- I Joshua Brown do Swear that the above Statement is just Witness my hand same day -- x / Test}"
Date of Record: 25 June 1816
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Sam
Sex: Male
Age: Two months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 08 November 1818
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro child"
Notes: Son of Sall. Text of registration: "Joshua Brown Farmer of George Township Fayette County Pennsylvania returns to the clerk of the Peace of said county for registry a negro child named 'Sam' born the Eighth day of November Eighteen hundred Eighteen of a woman named Sall a servant until she arrives at the age of 28 years the property of the said Joshua Brown and returned the Twentyseventh day of January Eighteen hundred & nineteen to be registered agreeably to the provisions of the act of assembly passed 29th March 1788 -- / Joshua his x mark Brown / Sworn to the 27th Jany 1819 Coram John StClair prothy"
Date of Record: 27 January 1819
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Brown, Sarah
City or Township: Menallen Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: "Single woman"
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Kass
Sex: Female
Age: Eight months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 07 August 1787
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes:
Date of Record: 01 April 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Slaveholder Name: Brown, Thomas, Sr.
City or Township: Menallen Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Farmer
Notes: See pre-1783 enslavement records of Thomas Brown, filed in Westmoreland County. This is Thomas Brown who lived circa 1738-1797. He also had a son named Thomas Brown.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Dill
Sex: Female
Age: Five months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 27 November 1788
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro, "a girl"
Notes: Registration notes the entry filed by "Thomas Brown, Sr."
Date of Record: 01 April 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon; Young, Cory James. "A Just and True Return: Pennsylvania’s Surviving County Slave Registries, 1780-1826." Journal of Slavery and Data Preservation 3, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.25971/QS08-YE30. Accessed 29 January 2025.
- Slaveholder Name: Brown, Wilkes
City or Township: Redstone Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Innkeeper, Brown's Tavern
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Pat
Sex: Female
Age: Described as a "woman," and is of childbearing age in April 1818
Date of Birth: Not known
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Woman"
Notes: Mother of Louis, born April 1818 (see below)
Date of Record: 19 August 1818
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Eliza
Sex: Female
Age: Almot six months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 30 May 1814
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro or mulato female child"
Notes: Text of registration: "Wilkes Brown of Redstone Township in Fayette County returns for registry to the Clerk of the Court of General Quarter Sessions of the peace of said County a negro or mulato female child named Eliza born the thirtieth day of May in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and fourteen. Returned the twenty first day of November 1814 / Wilkes Brown / Sworn & subscribed the 21st Nov 1814 / Coram me / R Wm Lane Clk"
Date of Record: 21 November 1814
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Louis
Sex: Male
Age: Four months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 06 April 1818
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male negro child"
Notes: Son of Pat. Text of registration: "Wilkes Brown of Redstone Township in Fayette County State of Pennsylvania Farmer has in his posession a male negro child named 'Louis' born the 6th day of April 1818 -- of a woman named 'Pat' a servant until Twenty Eight years of age The Estate of the said Wilkes Brown and delivers this statement to the clerk of the peace of the county aforesaid to be recorded agreeably to the provisions of an act of assembly passed 29 March 1788 / Wilkes Brown / Sworn coram August 19th 1818 -- John StClair / fees paid 25c"
Date of Record: 19 August 1818
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Burns, Samuel, Captain
City or Township: Washington Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Farmer
Notes: See pre-1783 enslavement records of Samuel Burns, filed in Westmoreland County.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Tom
Sex: Male
Age: "about 4 1/2 years old"
Date of Birth: Circa September 1784. Exact birthdate not reported in registration, contrary to law.
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negroe boy"
Notes: Son of Nance. Twin of Charity, below. Complete text of the registration note is below:
Description of Negroe Children the property of Samuel Burns of Washington Township in Fayette County Farmer --
Tom a Negroe boy of about four & half years old
Charity a Negroe girl of the same age -- they being twins, born of Nance a wench then the property of General Washington --
Samuel Burns
Fayette County. On the eleventh day of March 1789 the above named Samuel Burns made oath that the above description is true to the best of his knowledge.
Before Ephraim Douglass
An image of this registration paper is above. It appears to have been written out by the county prothonotary, Ephraim Douglass, and signed by Samuel Burns. The statement that the twins were born to an enslaved woman named Nance, "a wench then the property of General Washington," is lent credence by the presence of George Washington in Fayette County in September 1784, the approximate time of their birth. Washington was in western Pennsylvania inspecting his extensive land holdings in the region. In September of 1784 he spent time in nearby Washington County negotiating with "squatters" who had settled on large parcels of his land. We know that Nance is one of the enslaved people sent from Mount Vernon in 1773 to work on the grist mill and settlement called Washington's Bottom, located near present day Perryopolis in Fayette County and under the management of Washington's business associate Gilbert Simpson. The operation, including enslaved workers, was placed up for sale by Washington in the summer of 1784 when his business partnership with Simpson broke up.
Burns probably purchased Tom and his twin sister Charity at the public sale of George Washington's "stock" of the gristmill and plantation on the Youghiogheny River held on September 15, 1784. For the history behind this transaction, see "George Washington's Enslaved People in Fayette County."
Date of Record: 11 March 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives; Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, "George Washington, Covenanter squatters Historical Marker," https://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php%3FmarkerId=1-A-28F.html, accessed May 5, 2026.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Charity
Sex: Female
Age: "about 4 1/2 years old"
Date of Birth: Circa September 1784. Exact birthdate not reported in registration, contrary to law.
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negroe girl"
Notes: Daughter of Nance. Twin of Tom, above. See above for full text of registration.
Date of Record: 11 March 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: James
Sex: Male
Age: Four months old at registration
Date of Birth: 01 April 1791
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes:
Date of Record: 30 August 1791
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Peter
Sex: Male
Age: Five months old at registration
Date of Birth: 29 August 1792
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "A Male Negro Child"
Notes: "His Mother a Slave named Susanah belonging to Samuel Burns farmer of Washington Township."
Date of Record: 11 February 1793
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon and cross referenced with digital images of the originals.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Simon
Sex: Male
Age: Five months old at registration
Date of Birth: 11 April 1794
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Negro Child"
Notes: Text of return: "Aprile 11th 1794 was born A mail Neagro Child now Called Simon of my Neagro woman Slave Called Sook which is to be Recorded for me
Sworn & Subscribed 8th Septr 1794 Samuel Burns of Washington Township Farmer"
Date of Record: 08 September 1794
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon and cross referenced with digital images of the originals.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Gorge
Sex: Male
Age: Five months old at registration
Date of Birth: 09 October 1795
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Negro Child"
Notes: Text of return:
October the 9th 1795 -- Was born a male neagro child by my wench named Gorge which i look upon to be my property
March the 4th 1796
Saml. Burns
Sworn to 4th March 1796
before Ephraim Douglass
Date of Record: 04 March 1796
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Byers, John
City or Township: Franklin Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Farmer
Notes:
.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Mary
Sex: Female
Age: Five months old at registration
Date of Birth: 19 May 1798
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Mulatto Child"
Notes: Text of return:
John Byers Farmer, of Franklin Township Returns to the Prothonatery of Fayette County a Mulatto child (Born of a Black Woman a Slave) of the female kind named Mary Born the 19th Day of May 1798 To be Taught house Wiferey
John Byers
Sworn to 9th Octr 1795
Cor Ephraim Douglass
Date of Record: 09 October 1798
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Cannon, Agnes, nee McClelland
City or Township: Franklin Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Housekeeper, Widow
Notes: Widow of Daniel Cannon. Mother of Isabella, wife of John Witherow.
.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Hannah
Sex: Female
Age: Three months old at registration
Date of Birth: 18 February 1797
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female Negroe Child"
Notes:
Date of Record: 25 May 1797
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Cannon, Daniel
City or Township: Franklin Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Farmer
Notes: Husband of Agnes Cannon. Father of Isabella, wife of John Witherow.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Dinah
Sex: Female
Age: Age not given in document, but described as a "woman;" of childbearing age in December 1794
Date of Birth: Not known
Status: Undetermined, but probably enslaved for life
Description: "Negro Woman"
Notes: Mother of Bob (listed below), born in December 1794, and whose return notes "Born of My Negro Woman Dinah."
Date of Record: 27 May 1795
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Tim
Sex: Male
Age: Fifteen months old at registration
Date of Birth: 22 November 1787
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro male child"
Notes: Text of Daniel Cannon's return:
I Daniel Cannon of the County Feyette provence of pennsylvania and township of Franklin farmer make Return of one Negro male Child Named Tim Born in November the Twenty Second in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven
Daniel Cannon
Sworn to and subscribed
the 14th March 1789
Before Ephraim Douglass
Date of Record: 14 March 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Jo
Sex: Male
Age: Three months old at registration
Date of Birth: 31 May 1793
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro Boy"
Notes: Text of Daniel Cannon's return:
A Return of a Negro Boy Named Jo Born on My House the 31 Day of May 1793 Made by Daniel Cannon Farmer in Fayette County Franklin Township this 16th Day of September 1793
Daniel Cannon
Sworn & Subscribed
16th Sept 1793
Ephraim Douglass
Date of Record: 16 September 1793
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Bob
Sex: Male
Age: Five months old at registration
Date of Birth: 17 December 1794
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro Boy"
Notes: Return notes "Born of My Negro Woman Dinah."
Date of Record: 27 May 1795
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Campbell, Samuel Young
City or Township: Uniontown
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Merchant, dry goods
Notes: Lived 1790 to 1856.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Rachel Anderson
Sex: Female
Age: Described as a "woman," and of childbearing age in November 1819
Date of Birth: Not known
Status: "a servant"
Description: "Negro Woman"
Notes: Wife of Thomas Anderson and mother of Rachel Campbell Anderson, born November 1819 (below)
Date of Record: 18 March 1820
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Ellen Campbell Anderson
Sex: Female
Age: Three months old at registration
Date of Birth: 25 November 1819
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro female child"
Notes: Daughter of Rachel and Thomas Anderson. Text of registration: "Fayette county Penna / Samuel Y Campbell merchant of Union Borough and county of Fayette and state aforesaid returns for registry to the Clerk of the Sessions of Said county a negro female child named Ellen Campbell Anderson born on the Twenty fifth of November AD 1819 of a Negro Woman called Rachel Anderson a servant whose husband is named Thomas Anderson. / S.Y. Campbell / Sworn & subscribed 18th March 1820 Coram"
Date of Record: 18 March 1820
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Canon, John
City or Township: Dunbar Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Farmer
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Lucy
Sex: Female
Age: Three months old at registration
Date of Birth: 24 October 1798
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female Negro Child"
Notes: Canon's return for Lucy originally indicated only that she was, "aged 3 Months and Six days," and omitted her date of birth. The return was amended with the date of birth written in, in a different handwriting, between Canon's signature and the date. Without the exact date of birth, the return would not have fulfilled the legal requirements of the law and could have resulted in Lucy being adjudged a free person if challenged in court.
Date of Record: 30 January 1799
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Jane
Sex: Female
Age: "Three Months and twenty two days" old at registration
Date of Birth: 25 December 1800
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female Negro Child"
Notes: Text of Canon's return:
John Canon of Dunbar Township Fayette County Farmer enters a female Negro Child Named Jane Aged three Months and twenty two Days born the 25th December 1800 to be Recorded April 17th 1801
John Canon
Sworn & subscried 17th April 1801
Ephraim Douglass
In the same manner as the registration for Lucy, above, the return for Jane was amended by striking out her age and adding her exact date of birth.
Date of Record: 17 April 1801
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Patrick
Sex: Male
Age: "aged two Months and twenty days" at registration
Date of Birth: 09 May 1802
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Negro Child"
Notes: Text of Canon's return: "John Canon Farmer of Dunbar Township Fayette County enters a Male Negro Child Named Patrick aged two Months and twenty days being born the ninth day of May 1802 to be Recorded -- John Canon 29th July 1802 / Sworn to before Ephraim Douglass"
Date of Record: 29 July 1802
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Clare, Thomas
City or Township: Springhill Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Farmer; land speculator
Notes: Named by the jailed freedom seeker Richard as the enslaver from whom he had escaped in 1793. See Clare's pre-1783 enslavement records in Westmoreland County. Thomas Clare settled on a farm on the east bank of the Monongahela River, naming the estate Dublin, after his home in Ireland. He leased land to Albert Gallatin, who later bought land next to Clare. Thomas Clare died in 1814.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Richard
Sex: Male
Age: Not stated, described as a "young man"
Date of Birth: Not known.
Status: Jailed suspected runaway slave
Description: "Young Negro Man"
Notes: Richard was jailed in Greensburg in December 1793 as a suspected runaway slave. He told the jailor that he belonged to Thomas Clare in Fayette County. Below is the text of the jailor's advertisement:
Was committed to the Jail of Westmoreland county, a Negro MAN who callsl himself ABRAHAM, says he ran away from a James Caldwell, of Ohio county. He appears to be upwards of 40 years old, and was once in this jail before, at which time he said he had ran away from near Baltimore.
Also, a young Negro Man who calls himself RICHARD, and says he belongs to Thomas Clare, of Fayette county. The owners are desired to come, pay charges, and take them away.
TIMOTHY BUELL, Jailor.
Greensburgh, Dec. 26, 1793.
Date of Record: 26 December 1793
Source: Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette, 18 January 1794.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Samuel
Sex: Male
Age: About two weeks old at registration
Date of Birth: 27 February 1794
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro boy"
Notes: "Thomas Clair of Springhill Township Farmer, Return for Record one Negro boy named Samuel born the 27th Feby 1794 -- Thos. Clare
Sworn & Subscribed 17th March 1794."
Date of Record: 17 March 1794
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Andrew
Sex: Male
Age: One month old at registration
Date of Birth: 19 April 1798
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Negro child"
Notes: "Thomas Clare of Springhill Township Farmer, returns to be recorded one male negro child Named Andrew, born the 19th day of April 1798 Thos. Clare
Sworn & subscribed 24th May 1798 Coram Ephraim Douglass"
Date of Record: 24 May 1798
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Peter
Sex: Male
Age: Fifteen days old at registration
Date of Birth: 09 September 1799
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Negro child"
Notes: "Thomas Clare of Springhill Township Farmer returns to be recorded one Male Negro child named Peter born the 9th September 1799 -- Thos. Clare Sworn to and subscribed the 24th Septr 1799 before Ephraim Douglass"
Date of Record: 24 September 1799
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Abraham
Sex: Male
Age: Fifteen days old at registration
Date of Birth: 09 July 1801
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male negro Child"
Notes: "Thomas Clare of Springhill Township Farmer Returns to be recorded one Male negro Child named Abraham born the 9th July 1801 -- / Thos Clare / Sworn to and subscribed 15 December 1801 before Ephraim Douglass"
Date of Record: 15 December 1801
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Reuben
Sex: Male
Age: Six months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 22 August 1805
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Negro child"
Notes: Text of registration: "Thomas Clare of Springhill Township Fayette County, Farmer returns to be recorded one male Negro child named Reuben born the 22nd day of August last Thos. Clare / Sworn to and subscribed the 6th February 1806 Coram Ephraim Douglass"
Date of Record: 06 February 1806
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Hiram
Sex: Male
Age: Four months old at time of registration
Date of Birth: 26 April 1809
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro child," "Male child"
Notes: File notes say "Return of a negro child." Text of registration: "Thomas Clare Esquire of Springhill Township in Fayette County Returns to the Clerk of the peace to be registered a Male child named Hiram born the twenty sixth day of April 1809 Thos Clare / Sworn & subscribed the 24th August 1809 Coram} Richard W Lane Prothey"
Date of Record: 24 August 1809
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Clarke, Robert
City or Township: Brownsville
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Merchant
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Anne
Sex: Female
Age: Described as a "woman," of childbearing age in April 1818
Date of Birth: Not known
Status: Enslaved for life
Description: "Woman"
Notes: Mother of Barbara, born April 1818 (see below).
Date of Record: 15 September 1818
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Barbara
Sex: Female
Age: Four and-a-half months old at registration
Date of Birth: 30 April 1818
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Mulatto female child"
Notes: Daughter of Anne. Text of registration: "Robert Clarke Merchant of Brownsville Fayette County Pennsylvania returns to the Clerk of the pace of sd. county for registry a Mulatto female child named Barbara born the 30th April 1818 -- of a woman named Anne a slave for life the property of the Sd. Robert Clarke returned the fifteenth day of September 1818, to be recorded agreeably to the provisions of an act of assembly passed 29 March 1788. -- / Robt. Clarke / Sworn to September 15th 1818 Cor. John StClair. Prothy"
Date of Record: 15 September 1818
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Collins, Thomas
City or Township: Union Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Esquire, innkeeper
Notes: Collins served as sheriff between 1796 to 1799 and was appointed postmaster of Uniontown, 1801-1807. He established the post office in his tavern.
- Enslaved Person's Name: James
Sex: Male
Age: Six years old at registration
Date of Birth: 09 November 1809
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negro" (file note on reverse); "Male child" (text of registration document)
Notes: Text of registration: "Thomas Collins Esquire of Union Township in Fayette County and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania -- returns to the Clerk of the Peace of the Said County to be registered a Male child named James born on the ninth day of November in the year of our LORD One thousand eight hundred and nine. Thos. Collins. / Sworn & subscribed the 7th day of May 1810. Richard William Lane Clerk of the peace}"
Date of Record: 07 May 1810
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Cook, Edward, Col.
City or Township: Washington Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Esquire
Notes: See pre-1783 enslavement records of Edward Cook, filed in Westmoreland County, including Esther, Nelly and Sue, the mothers of some of the children registered below in Fayette County.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Jacob
Sex: Male
Age: Four years old at registration
Date of Birth: 01 May 1784
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description:
Notes: Cook's handwritten registration note for Jacob, Sarha and Ephraim says: "born of a slave of his called Easter." It also states: "Some say I am to be sworn to the Above, if so I will say it at Court." The note was then appended by the clerk as "Sworn to According to Law 26th March 1789 -- Before Ephraim Douglass."
Date of Record: 26 March 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Sarah
Sex: Female
Age: Three years old at registration
Date of Birth: 18 November 1785
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description:
Notes: Daughter "of Easter, a slave."
Date of Record: 26 March 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Ephraim
Sex: Male
Age: Nearly two years old at registration
Date of Birth: 06 March 1787
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description:
Notes: Son "of Easter, a slave."
Date of Record: 26 March 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Esther
Sex: Female
Age: Six months old at registration
Date of Birth: 18 January 1791
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes: Daughter of Esther
Date of Record: 04 July 1791
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Anne
Sex: Female
Age: Two years old at registration
Date of Birth: 26 March 1789
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes: Daughter of Esther
Date of Record: 04 July 1791
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Dennis
Sex: Male
Age: Several months old at registration
Date of Birth: 05 May 1794
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes: Son of Nell. Cook registered Dennis and Elizabeth together sometime between mid-July and early September 1794:
Edward Cook makes return of two Children born of two of his female Slaves Viz
Dennis Born May 5th 1794 of Nell and Elizabeth born of Esther 27th June 1794 the first a Male the 2d a female to be recorded by the prothonatary as the Law directs &c.
Edw Cook
Date of Record: Summer 1794 (Undated return filed with the returns for 1794. The record before it was filed 19 July 1794 and the record after it was filed 08 September 1784.)
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon and cross referenced with digital images of the originals.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Elizabeth
Sex: Female
Age: Several months old at registration
Date of Birth: 27 June 1794
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes: Daughter of Esther (see text of registration with Dennis, above)
Date of Record: Summer 1794 (Undated return filed with the returns for 1794. The record before it was filed 19 July 1794 and the record after it was filed 08 September 1784.)
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon and cross referenced with digital images of the originals.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Samuel
Sex: Male
Age: Four months old at registration
Date of Birth: 15 February 1796
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Negro Child"
Notes: Return notes "Born of his Slave Esther"
Date of Record: 27 June 1796
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Joseph
Sex: Male
Age: Six months old at registration
Date of Birth: 13 August 1796
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negroe Child"
Notes: Text of sworn declaration:
Fayette County Ss
Before me one of the Common Wealth Justices for said County Came Edward Cook Esqr. and made Oath that a Negroe Child born of his Slave Nell named Joseph was born the thireenth day of August 1796 in order that said Child may be Recorded Agreable to the Act of Assembly in that Case made & provided &C.
Sworn & subscribed the 9th Day of February 1797
Edw Cook
Done before John Patterson
Recd. 11th Feby 1797
Date of Record: 09 February 1797
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Bazel
Sex: Male
Age: Six months old at registration
Date of Birth: 18 April 1797
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negroe Male Child"
Notes: Text of return notes "born of his Slave Susanna."
Date of Record: 25 July 1797
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Jesse
Sex: Male
Age: Four months old at registration
Date of Birth: 09 October 1798
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Child"
Notes: Text of return notes "born of his Slave Nell."
Date of Record: 14 February 1799
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: James
Sex: Male
Age: Almost three months old at registration
Date of Birth: 08 February 1799
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Male Negro child"
Notes: Text of return: "Edward Cook of Washington Township Esquire returns to be recorded a male Negro child named James, born the 18th February 1799 /
Edw Cook / Sworn to and subscribed / 1 May 1799 Cor. / Ephraim Douglass"
Date of Record: 01 May 1799
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Prior
Sex: Sex not specified in registration
Age: Four years and seven months old when sworn to before Justice Isaac Hastings.
Date of Birth: 13 May 1801
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Description not included in registration
Notes: Prior and another enslaved child, William, appear on an affidavit signed by Edward Cook in January 1806. See the notes for Hannaw, below for more information. Line of text in affidavit: "Prior born the 13th May 1801" (Written as the year 1802, but the numeral 2 is heavily overwritten with a "1."
Date of Record: 06 January 1806 (Affidavit)
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: William
Sex: Sex not specified in registration but name is distinctly a male name
Age: Three years and two months old when sworn to before Justice Isaac Hastings.
Date of Birth: 30 October 1802
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Description not included in registration
Notes: William and another enslaved child, Prior, appear on an affidavit signed by Edward Cook in January 1806. See the notes for Hannaw, below for more information. Line of text in affidavit: "William Born the 30th October 1802"
Date of Record: 06 January 1806 (Affidavit)
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Mariah
Sex: Female
Age: Six months old at registration
Date of Birth: 10 January 1805
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female Negroe Child"
Notes: Daughter of Esther. Text of return: "Edward Cook applys to the Clerk of the session to record a female Negroe Child named Mariah Born of his slave Esther the 10th of January 1805 Edw Cook 10th June 1805 / Sworn to & subscribed 11th June 1805 Coram Ephraim Douglass Clk"
Date of Record: 10 June 1805 (date on return); 11 June 1805 (recorded by Prothonotary)
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
(Image is from "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives. It shows the return for Hannaw and Matilda, both as noted below, a note of objection to the attempted registration by the Fayette County Clerk of Quarter Sessions because the return for Hannaw was made after the deadline, and an affidavit made by Edward Cook before County Justice Isaac Hastings testifying as to the truth of the return. The reverse of the document bears the filing note "Negro child /Edward Cook, Esqr. / 14" and another notation written at a 90 degree angle to the first: "For Genl. Douglass."
The "14" indicates it is return number 14, filed between return number 13, made February 6, 1806, and return number 15, made April 1, 1806. The order is important, as it gives credence to the clerk's charge that the return was made on March 13, 1806, too late to be legally binding with reference to registering the child Hannaw. Pennsylvania law required the children of enslaved mothers to be registered with the county clerk within six months of thier date of birth.)
- Enslaved Person's Name: Hannaw
Sex: Female
Age: Six months old when registered by affidavit with Justice Isaac Hastings (see notes)
Date of Birth: 30 July 1805
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negroe Child"
Notes: The registration of Hannaw elicited an objection by County Clerk of the Quarter Sessions Ephraim Douglass, who refused to register the child for Edward Cook because the return was made more than six months after her birth, as required by law.
Edward Cook Returns to the Clerk of the Quarter Sessions for the County of Fayette two Negroe Children to be Recorded agreable [sic] to the Act of Assembly in that case made & provided Viz Hannaw born the 30th of July 1805 and Matilda the 5th Day of October 1805
Delivered to Clerk upon the 13 day of March 1806 in Court. Clerk objected to recording the above Hannaw, as not being returned within the time limitted [sic] by law.
Ephraim Douglass Clk [This portion is written in small script in the bit of space between the return and the affidavit, as if added after the document was produced.]
Fayette County Ss
Before me one of the Commonwealth Justices for said County came Edward Cook Esquire & made oath according to Law that the above return & [born?] made to Ephraim Douglass Clerk of the Quarter Sessions in & for the County of Fayette is Just & true as it Stands Stated Sworn & Subscribed the 6th Day of January 1806
Edw Cook
Done before Isaac Hastings} Justice
Prior born the 13th May 1801 William Born the 30th October 1802
The last line of the affidavit, regarding the birth dates of Prior and William, appears almost as an addendum, and appears after the signatures of both Edward Cook and Judge Hastings. It seems to be implying that these two additional enslaved children should be included.
Date of Record: 06 January 1806 (Affidavit); 13 March 1806 (Actual date of return per County Clerk Ephraim Douglass)
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Matilda
Sex: Female
Age: Three months old when sworn to by affidavit with Justice Isaac Hastings (see notes for Hannaw, above)
Date of Birth: 05 October 1805
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Negroe Child"
Notes: Registered along with Hannaw, who was born three months prior. See notes for the process, which included an objection to the registration by County Clerk Ephriam Douglass.
Date of Record: 06 January 1806 (Affidavit); 13 March 1806 (Actual date of return per County Clerk Ephraim Douglass)
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Crawford, Hanna
City or Township: Franklin Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Widow
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: James
Sex: Male
Age: Six months old at registration
Date of Birth: 06 November 1788
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: Negro
Notes:
Date of Record: 04 May 1789
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives, transcribed by G.D. Dixon.
- Slaveholder Name: Crawford, Josiah
City or Township: About two miles from Redstone Fort
County: Fayette County
Occupation:
Notes: Crawford was identified as an enslaver of Benjamin Thomas, below.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Benjamin Thomas
Sex: Male
Age: "says that he is about sixteen of age, but appears rather to be twenty one or twenty two years old."
Date of Birth: circa 1769-1774, depending upon actual age
Status: Slave for life; self-emancipated but jailed as escaped slave
Description: "Negro Fellow" also described as "of a yellowish colour"
Notes: Per the story he related to the Carlisle jailer, Thomas is the son of a mulatto man enslaved by David Rogers, now in Kentucky. He escaped from Quaker Josiah Crawford from near Redstone Fort in late fall of 1790, worked at the Alliance Furnace along Jacobs Creek, then traveled east and was captured in Shippensburg.
A Negro fellow.
WAS taken up in Shippensburg, on Saturday evening and committed to the gaol of Carlisle, Cumberland County, state of Pennsylvania, a Negro fellow, who calls himself Benjamin Thomas, and says that he belongs to a gentleman of the name of Josiah Crawford, of the Quaker society, living about two miles from Redstone Fort, in Monongalia county, state of Virginia. -- This fellow is about five feet eight or nine inches high, of a yellowish colour, says his father was a mulatto and the property of David Rogers, who now resides in Kentucke; has a scar on the shin of his left leg, occasioned by a cut from an ax, likely and well made, says that he is about sixteen of age, but appears rather to be twenty one or twenty two years old -- had on when apprehended, a short dark lindsay jacket with sleeves, lined with red flannel, tow linen shirt and trowsers, old hat -- he further says the time of his leaving his master was towards the close of last harvest, and has since worked at Turnbull's Iron-works, where he received the jacket abovementioned.
Carlisle, Penn. September 12th, 1791
Turnbull's Iron Works is another name for Alliance Furnace, which operated 1789-1802 and was situated on Jacob's Creek in modern day Perry Township, Fayette County. It was established by William Turnbull, John Holker and Peter Marmie. Thomas may have followed the old Forbes Road to leave Crawford's farm near Redstone Fort and travel northeast about 15 miles where he found work at Turnbull Iron Works. He could have then used Forbes Road to travel east all the way to Shippensburg, where he was arrested and taken to Carlisle as a suspected escaped slave.
Date of Record: 12 September 1791
Source: The Carlisle Gazette and the Western Repository of Knowledge, 14 September 1791; Myron B. Sharp and William H. Thomas, "A Guide to the Old Stone Blast Furnaces in Western Pennsylvania, Part 3, Fayette County," The Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine, Vol. 48, No. 3 (July 1965), p. 271.
- Slaveholder Name: Crawford, William
City or Township: Brownsville, Redstone Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Merchant, storekeeper
Notes:
- Enslaved Person's Name: Huldy
Sex: Female
Age: One month old at registration
Date of Birth: 10 February 1798
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female Negroe Child"
Notes:
Date of Record: 03 March 1798
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Patty
Sex: Female
Age: Nearly three months old at registration
Date of Birth: 23 June 1800
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female Negro Child"
Notes: Text of registration: "I William Crawford of Brownsville Fayette County Store Keeper, having a Negro Child borne the twenty third day of June last a female named Patty for to be recorded in said County Records / William Crawford / Sworn 16 Septr 1800 before Ephraim Douglass"
Date of Record: 16 September 1800
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Slaveholder Name: Cunningham, Hugh H.
City or Township: George Township
County: Fayette County
Occupation: Farmer
Notes: Formerly of Manor Township, Lancaster County. There is a Hugh Cunningham who served as Jailer of Lancaster in the early 1780s. This may or may not be the same person.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Phillis
Sex: Female
Age: Age not specified in document, but described as a "wench."
Date of Birth: Not known
Status: Undetermined
Description: "Negro winch"
Notes: Mother of Phillis, born July 1794. See below for full text of return and sworn statement from midwives Margaret Caldwell and Catherine Swearingen.:
Date of Record: 13 November 1794
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
- Enslaved Person's Name: Phillis
Sex: Female
Age: Three months old at registration
Date of Birth: 21 July 1794
Status: Enslaved to age 28
Description: "Female Mulatto Child"
Notes: Daughter of Phillis. Full text of return and sworn statement from midwives Margaret Caldwell and Catherine Swearingen:
We the under Subscribers Inhabitants of Springhill Township in the County of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania do hereby Certify, Certify, and declare that we being Calld. upon by a certain Hugh H. Cunningham, late of mannor Township in the County of Lancaster and State aforesaid to pay attention to his negro winch named Phillis in her extrematy which She had at the Same time and pleace a femal Child boarn of her Boaday the fairest of Complection of aney we ever New aright negro to have which the purpose to Call Phillis the Child was Boarn Monday Moarning July the 21th one thousand Seven hundred and Ninety four as Witness our hands
To whom it may concarn} Margret (her mark) Caldwell Catherine (her mark) Swaringin
Hugh Cunningham of George Township Farmer Returns to be recorded one female Mulatto Child named Phillis born the 21st day of July 1794.
Hugh Cunningham
Sworn to and subscribed
13th Nov. 1794 before [bottom left corner torn or missing]
Date of Record: 13 November 1794
Source: "Birth Records for Negroes and Mulattoes, 1788-1826," Fayette County, Pennnsylvania Prothonotary Records, RG-47 Birth Records for the County Governments, Pennsylania State Archives.
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