Enslaved Persons Named: Hester, Bob, Peggy, Dennis, Cyrus, Joe, Elsie, Eugenia, Ben, Robert, Bec, Eliza, Isaac
On February 3, 1852, in a record from the State of South Carolina that was recorded in Liberty County Superior Court, William B. Gaulden, Liberty County, purchased from James M. Smith and William Patterson, executors, and John Stoddard, Trustee, under the will and testament of John David Mongin, deceased, “the following thirteen negroe slaves viz. Hester, Bob, Peggy, Dennis, Cyrus, Joe, Elsie, Eugenia, Ben, Robert, Bec, Eliza & Isaac…” He then used them as collateral on a promissory note of $3015.35 used to purchase them. Witnessed by Wm. Law, Francis S. Bartow, Not. Pub. Recorded on February 25, 1852, by S.A. Fraser, C.S.C.L.C. [NOTE: Written on this deed was “The first note paid & cancelled, and the interest on the other note paid for one year. J. Stoddard, Trustee. Notes paid & cancelled. J. Stoddard. Savannah Dec. 16th 1863. Entered this 28th October 1864. Jesse Brewer, Clerk.”]
Preceding this record was one in which James Mongin Smith and William Patterson, as executors and trustees of the last will of John David Mongin, stated they had received a decree from Camden County Superior Court, in its November 1851 term, permitting the sale of “the following thirteen negro slaves viz Hester, Bob, Peggy, Dennis, Cirus, Joe, Elsey, Eugina, Ben, Robert, Beck, Eliza, Isaac” for $4500 to William B. Gaulden of Liberty County.
In an undated partial image of a record found in the Coastal Courier newspaper, Simon A. Fraser, clerk of the Liberty County Superior Court, witnessed that Wm. [William] B. Gaulden had sworn that “he hath introduced and imported into this state from the state of South Carolina thirteen slaves all field hands whose names and ages are as follows to wit Hester about sixty years old Bob 40 years Peggy 40 years Dennis 21, Cyrus 17, Joe 15, Elsey 14, Euginia 12, Ben 10, Robert 8, Beck 7, Elisa 5, Isaac 12 month old that said deponent is the true and lawful owner of such slaves….” [NOTE: This record should be in Superior Court records but has not been found yet. The article called it a “tax document,” which is inaccurate and said it was dated 1852 and in the county’s archive of historic records.
Source: Family Search.org. Liberty County Superior Court “Deeds and mortgages, 1777-1920; general index to deeds and mortgages, 1777-1958,” Film: Deeds & Mortgages, v. M-N 1842-1854,” Record Book N, pp. 442-3,445 Image #643-5 (Link: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3QP-5CC2)
Source: Coastal Courier (Hinesville, Liberty County, Georgia), e-edition, “Documents shed light on slavery here,” published April 27, 2007, 6:52 p.m., updated May 12, 2007, 50:03 a.m. (https://coastalcourier.com/news/documents-shed-light-on-slavery-here/ : accessed 5 February 2025).