Southern Debate Over Slavery: Volume 2

Loren Schweninger is the Elizabeth Rosenthal Excellence Professor of History at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, and is editor of The Southern Debate over Slavery: Volume 1, Petitions to Southern Legislatures, 1778-1864.

"When your Orator returned Home he found his Wife in Tears, and upon inquiery of the cause, she informed your Orator that the aforesaid Haley had Grossly abused and insulted her, and amongst other terms of opprobriousness had called his said Wife a Damned Liar--upon which your Orator pusued the said Haley . . . and upon overtaking him, inflicted Several blows, for the gross and degrading insult offered his Wife--and your Orator hopes that such a State of insubbordination in a man of his Colour, would well justify the Deed."--from "Joseph B. Abrahams to the Chancery Court, Henrico County, Virginia, 1806" "For serious scholars of both American slavery and pre-Civil War America this volume is essential."--H-CivWar"A landmark feat of historical discovery and retrieval. . . . A truly fascinating glimpse into the thoughts and personal conduct of otherwise obscure men and women of both races in the pre-emancipation south."--Civil War Book Review "A terrific addition to our knowledge about slavery."--The North Carolina Historical Review"Schweninger has compiled another extraordinary volume of primary source documents revealing the scope and details of the experience of slavery in the US South. . . . Highly recommended."--Choice

• CoverTitle PageCopyrightContentsAbbreviationsEditorial MethodIntroductionPETITIONS TO COUNTY COURTS1. Antonio Muray to the Inferior Court, Craven County, North Carolina, 17752. Jim to the Court of Quarter Sessions, New Castle County, Delaware, 17833. Thomas Hurd and Elizabeth Hurd to the Chancery Court, Fluvanna County, Virginia, 17834. Job Garretson to the Chancery Court, Baltimore County, Maryland, 17845. Patrick McNemara to the County Court, Frederick County, Maryland, 17866. John Moore to the County Court, Accomack County,Virginia, 17897. Robert Kerr Jr. to the District Superior Court, Washington District, Tennessee, 17918. Margaret Lee to the Superior Court, Washington District, Tennessee, 17959. Will, Burwell, Jane, and Lucy to the Chancery Court, Sussex County, Virginia, 179510. Stephen Mitchell to the Court of Quarter Sessions, Sussex County, Delaware, 179511. Reuben Beckum to the Superior Court, Jefferson County, Georgia, 179912. William Rouse to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 180013. Amelia Green to the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, Craven County, North Carolina, 180114. Esther Holman Anderson, Elizabeth Holman Collins, and Margaret Holman Collins et al. to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 180315. Citizens of Pasquotank County to the County Court, Pasquotank County, North Carolina, 180416. Joseph Johnson to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 180417. Joseph Antoine to the Circuit Court, Jefferson County, Kentucky, 180418. The Slaves Held by Lewis Allen to the Superior Court, Richmond, Virginia, 180519. Joseph B. Abrahams to the Chancery Court, Henrico County, Virginia, 180620. Samuel Warren, Charles Steedman, and Laurens McGregor to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 180721. James D'Wolf to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 180722. William Winchester and William Owings to the Orphans Court, Baltimore County, Maryland, 180923. William Frank to the Superior Court, Territory of Orleans, Louisiana, 180924. Samuel Holbrook, Jane L. Holbrook, Matilda Hyland, and the Slaves of the Late Alexander Stewart to the Orphans Court,Somerset County, Maryland, 181025. John Humphries to the Inferior Court, Jones County, Georgia, 181126. Marie Perron Beaury and Joseph Guerineau to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 181327. William Anderson to the Superior Court, Liberty County, Georgia, 181428. William Durbin Jr. to the Governor, Maryland, 181429. Emilie Dussuau and Francois St. Fort Dussuau to the District Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 181430. William Andrews to the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions,Wake County, North Carolina, 181731. Dempsey Snipes, John Pattie et al. to the District Court, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, 181732. Julien to the District Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 181833. Zephir to the Parish Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 181934. Frances Claiborne to the County Court, Henrico County, Virginia, 181935. Job P. Givhan to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 181936. Stephen Hall to the Court of General Quarter Sessions, Kent County, Delaware, 181937. Victorine Fortier to the District Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 181938. Henry Dickerson to the Circuit Court, Barren County, Kentucky, 182139. John Young to the Circuit Court, District of Columbia, 182240. Sally Toogood and Martha Toogood to the County Court, Montgomery County, Maryland, 182241. Archibald H. Scott to the Inferior Court, Greene County, Georgia, 182242. Mary Ann Preato to the Superior Court, West Florida, 182243. Barbara Thomas to the Inferior Court, Pulaski County, Georgia, 182244. David Burton, Thomas Wright et al. to the Orphans Court, Monroe County, Mississippi, 182245. Gideon Thompson and Robert McCombs to the Circuit Court, Rutherford County, Tennessee, 182346. Patience Morton, Henry L. Marshall et al. to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 182347. Betsy Bonne to the Superior Court, West Florida, Florida, 182448. Christina Stanton to the Equity Court, Fairfield District, South Carolina, 182549. Helen to the Circuit Court, Washington County, District of Columbia, 182550. William R. Maxwell to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 182651. Peregrine Hendrickson to the Court of General Quarter Sessions, New Castle County, Delaware, 182652. Samuel Cowgil to the District Court, West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, 182653. Henry R. W. Hill to the County Court, Williamson County, Tennessee, 182755. Polly B. White to the Circuit Court, Bourbon County, Kentucky, 182756. John C. Stanly to the Superior Court, Craven County, North Carolina, 182857. Jean Dayson to the Parish Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 182958. Lucien Fiemster to the Circuit Court, Bourbon County, Kentucky, 182959. Jane Dawson to the Superior Court, Randolph County, North Carolina, 183060. Rachel Hicks to the District Court, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, 183061. Winthrop S. Baker to the Superior Court, Middle District, Florida, 183062. Robert Beale to the Circuit Court, Washington County, District of Columbia, 183063. David K. Markham to the District Court, St. Landry Parish,Louisiana, 183064. Zulma Roy to the Police Jury, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 183165. Joseph H. Waring and Thomas W. Boone to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 183266. Kelso Davis to the Superior Court, Craven County, North Carolina, 183267. Elizabeth Dial to the District Court, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, 183268. William Patrick Davis and Kitty Davis to the Circuit Superior Court, Lynchburg, Virginia, 183269. Theressa Taylor to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 183370. Thomas Cowles to the County Court, Henrico County, Virginia, 183371. Sophia Tydings to the Orphans Court, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 183372. The Administrators of the Late Thomas H. Gist, Baltimore County, Maryland, 183373. William L. Brown, Eliza R. Brown et al. to the Circuit Superior Court, Petersburg, Virginia, 183474. Elizabeth Marsh, John Murphey et al. to the Superior Court,Greene County, Georgia, 183475. Lelia Tucker to the County Court, Lancaster County, Virginia, 183476. Milly Bowser to the District Court, Prince George's County, Maryland, 183577. Michael Edwards to the Circuit Court, St. Louis County, Missouri, 183578. John H. Sargent to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 183579. Pierre Charles to the Police Jury, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 183580. Mary Anne Gray to the Circuit Court, Washington County, District of Columbia, 183581. Aimée Canonge to the Parish Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 183582. George Peery to the Chancery Court, Knox County, Tennessee, 183683. David Cross et al. to the County Court, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 183684. The Children of the Late James Mitchell to the Chancery Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 183685. Richard Coleman to the Criminal Court, Warren County, Mississippi, 183786. Thomas Morris and Albert Foster to the County Court, Henrico County, Virginia, 183787. Joseph Bernard to the District Court, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, 183788. James L. Davis to the County Court, Frederick County, Maryland, 183889. Frederick Wesner to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 183890. George to the Circuit Court,Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, 183891. Hanna Dubberly to the Chancery Court, Louisville, Kentucky, 183992. James Thompson to the District Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 183993. Eveline M. Whetstone and William Ratcliff to the Chancery Court, Shelby County, Alabama, 183994. The Heirs and Testamentary Executor of the Late Eugénie Decuirto the Probate Court,Iberville Parish, Louisiana, 1839195. Citizens of Vicksburg to the Board of Police, Warren County, Mississippi, 184097. Neal and Mary McDonald to the Chancery Court, Barbour County, Alabama, 184298. Peter Foust, Sally Foust et al. to the Superior Court, Orange County, North Carolina, 184399. John Pendleton to the Circuit Court, Crawford County, Arkansas, 1843100. Ira Garrett and Nancy to the Circuit Superior Court, Albemarle County, Virginia, 1843101. Elizabeth Mills Tinges to the County Court, Baltimore County, Maryland, 1843102. Charles Saunders to the Chancery Court, Louisville, Kentucky, 1844103. Elizabeth McLauchlin to the County Court, Gadsden County, Florida Territory, 1845104. Missouri Boyett to the Chancery Court, Sumter County, Alabama, 1845105. Margaret Hackney and George Dickey to the Chancery Court, Maury County, Tennessee, 1845106. Marie Françoise to the District Court, Iberville Parish, Louisiana, 1845107. Walker Reynolds to the Chancery Court, Talladega County, Alabama, 1845108. Polly Stewart to the District Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 1845109. Sarah Duncan to the Circuit Court, Clay County, Missouri, 1846110. Alexander W. Marshall to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 1846111. A. Foster to the Chancery Court, Spartanburg District, South Carolina, 1847112. Permelia Russell to the Circuit Court, Boyle County, Kentucky, 1847113. Harriet Whitehead to the Circuit Superior Court, Southampton County, Virginia, 1847114. Margaret Collins to the Chancery Court, Mobile County, Alabama, 1847115. Hugh F. Grant, and Other Officers and Privates of the Glynn County Rangers to the Inferior Court, Glynn County, Georgia, 1848116. John Russell to the Orphans Court, Baltimore County, Maryland, 1848117. Milly Brown to the County Court, Shelby County, Tennessee, 1848118. Betsy Dolliole to the District Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 1848119. Marie to the District Court, West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, 1848120. Henry Norrell to the Chancery Court,Tallapoosa County, Alabama, 1848122. William Watts and Edward W. Saunders to the County Court, Campbell County, Virginia, 1849123. Henson Ridgway, Stephen G. Capers et al. to the Circuit Court, Washington County, District of Columbia, 1849124. Mary et al. to the District Court, Concordia Parish, Louisiana, 1849125. Amanda M. Cannon to the Probate Court, Lowndes County, Mississippi, 1849126. Rebeca and B. F. Graves to the Circuit Court, Fayette County, Kentucky, 1850128. William Coppersmith and Elisha S. Nash to the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions,Pasquotank County, North Carolina, 1851129. Charles K. Reese to the Probate Court, Brazoria County, Texas, 1851130. Executors and Heirs of the Late Nicholas Perkinsto the Circuit Court, Williamson County, Tennessee, 1851131. A. J. Ballard to the Chancery Court, Louisville, Kentucky, 1851132. Lamb Stevens to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 1851133. William Adams Sr. to the District Court, Tensas Parish, Louisiana, 1851134. Reuben R. Brown to the District Court, Brazoria County, Texas, 1851135. Charles, Mary and George Ann Hays and Robert Leachman to the Chancery Court, Greene County, Alabama, 18521136. John and Amanda Wright to the Chancery Court, Davidson County, Tennessee, 1852137. Antoine Dubuclet to the District Court, Iberville Parish, Louisiana, 1852138. Prosper K. Montgomery and John S. Chamblissto the Probate Court, Jefferson County, Mississippi, 1852Elizabeth Pierce Campbell and John Pierce Jr. to the Chancery Court, Lowndes County, Mississippi, 1852140. Heirs of the Late William Owento the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, Davidson County, North Carolina, 1853141. John F. Guilmartin and Edwin R. Castellow to the Superior Court, Chatham County, Georgia, 1853142. Mary Vance and Samuel Jones to the Chancery Court, Bedford County, Tennessee, 1853143. John Brown to the Chancery Court, Maury County, Tennessee, 1853144. John C. and George W. Humphries to the District Court, Madison Parish, Louisiana, 1853145. Citizens of Wayne County to the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, Wayne County, North Carolina, 1854146. Hannah A. H. and Alexander H. Abrahams to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 1854147. Lucy B. Russell to the Court of Common Pleas, St. Louis, Missouri, 1855148. Elizabeth Price Johnson to the Superior Court, Greene County, Georgia, 1855149. Francis Terence to the District Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 1855151. John B. O'Neall to the Equity Court, Newberry District, South Carolina, 1855152. Charles Harris to the Circuit Court, Bourbon County, Kentucky, 1856153. John W. Franklin to the Circuit Court, Sumner County, Tennessee, 1856154. Henry and Sally Hensly to the Orphans Court, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 1856155. Stephen Ridgley to the Court of Common Pleas, St. Louis County, Missouri, 1856157. Susan C. and John Belcher to the Chancery Court, Perry County, Alabama, 1857158. Former Slaves of the Late L. W. T. Land to the Circuit Court, Princess Anne County, Virginia, 1857159. William Robinson to the Circuit Court, Chesterfield County, Virginia, 1858160. Constance Bique Perrine to the District Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 1858161. Daniel to the District Court, San Augustine County, Texas, 1858162. Ezekiel Mills to the Orphans Court, Baltimore City, Maryland, 1858163. Stephen Odell to the Probate Court, Adams County, Mississippi, 1858164. Daugherty Gause to the District Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 1859165. Mary E. Baines and Isaac N. Maynard to the District Court, West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, 1859166. Andrew G. Gordon to the Probate Court, Marion County, Florida, 1859167. Leasey Harrist o the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions, Kershaw District, South Carolina, 1860168. Mary Jane Mason to the Orphans Court, Baltimore City, Maryland, 1860169. Hannah Null to the Probate Court, Lauderdale County, Mississippi, 1862170. Philip Meredith to the Clerk of the Circuit Court, District of Columbia, 1862172. Dolly A. Briggs to the County Court, Southampton County, Virginia, 1862174. Edmond Pickens to the District Court, Nacogdoches County, Texas, 1863175. Parker J. and Selena A. Holland to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 1863176. Caroline Scott to the Court of Ordinary, Richmond County, Georgia, 1863177. Nathan Hopkins to the Circuit Court, Talbot County, Maryland, 1864178. Sally M. Yerger to the Probate Court, Hinds County, Mississippi, 1866179. Jack Robinson to the Circuit Court, Albemarle County, Virginia, 1866180. Brotherly Association of Charleston to the Equity Court, Charleston District, South Carolina, 1867The Race and Slavery Petitions ProjectAcknowledgmentsGlossaryBibliography (primary sources found in volume)IndexBack cover