They Had Names

African Americans in Early Records of Liberty County, Georgia

Liberty County Estate Inventory – Archibald Hastings

Location: Liberty County, Georgia
Deceased: Hastings, Archibald
Date Sworn: not listed
Appraisers: David Rees, John Graves, Staff Somarsell [alt: Stafford Somersall]
Estate Executors: Elizabeth Hastings, Cathrine [Alt: Catherine] Hastings
Court Officer: not listed
Date Recorded: not listed
Recording Official: not listed
Total Value of Property Appraised: 274 pounds, 11 shillings, 6 pence
Value of enslaved persons: 260 pounds
Comments: Amounts in pounds, not dollars; date of inventory not listed but likely in 1790 based on inventories before and after.

Enslaved Person NamedValueDescription
Hampshire30
Maria35
Jack (with Maria)
Pompey50
Rachel15“Old Rachel”
Rachal25“Little Rachal” (probably meant Rachel)
Binah35
Leah25
Hagar45Rinah listed as her child (value 45 for both)
Rinah (child of Hagar)0Listed as Hagar’s child (value 45 for both)

Find the digitized original at: “Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G93L-P1H?cc=1999178&wc=9SYT-PT5%3A267679901%2C268032901 : 20 May 2014), Liberty > Wills, appraisements and bonds 1790-1850 vol B > image 174 of 689.

These antebellum estate inventories and appraisals generally included all the deceased person’s “property,” including enslaved persons. Only those names are documented here for historical and genealogical purposes. Anyone interested in the actual property owned by the deceased may find it at the link at the bottom of the page. Names are listed in the original order, as this often gives very valuable information about family groupings or the age of children (who may be listed in age order).