They Had Names

African Americans in Early Records of Liberty County, Georgia

Marriage Contract (Baker/Bennet)

Enslaved Persons Named: Hannah [Old], Tom, Washington, Robert, Minda (?), Charles, July, Betsy [alt: Betsey], March, Susy [alt: Susie], Nancy, Abram, Joe, Beck, Stephen, Charlotte, John, Jimmy, Cloe [alt: Chloe], Hannah, Moses, Toney [alt: Tony]. Phebe [alt: Phoebe], Simon, Cudjoe (?), Mary, Lizzy, Stephen, Haskye (?), Jim, Binah

On March 5, 1842, Joseph S. Baker, of the City of Columbus, and Sarah R. Bennet [alt: Bennett], of Liberty County, entered into a marriage contract, and put property she had owned prior to the marriage into a trust with the trustees being George W. Walthour and William B. Fleming. Into the trust were put “the following named negro slaves thirty one in number viz. Old Hannah, Tom, Washington, Robert, Minda (?), Charles, July, Betsy [alt: Betsey], March, Susy [alt: Susie], Nancy, Abram, Joe, Beck, Stephen, Charlotte, John, Jimmy, Cloe [alt: Chloe], Hannah, Moses, Toney [alt: Tony]. Phebe [alt: Phoebe], Simon, Cudjoe (?), Mary, Lizzy, Stephen, Haskye [misspelling of Hackey?], Jim, Binah…” as well as one half of a lot of land in Walthourville, bounded east by lands of William J. Way and R.S. Baker, south by Mrs. Mary Norman’s, west by lands of Wm. N. Way and north by lands of E.H. Bacon, as well as one half of all other interests or debts belonging to the estate of Matthew Bennet, of Liberty County, and any future estate she was to be become entitled to. Inheritance conditions were also delineated [see original document]. Witnessed by S. Spencer, R.S. Baker, E.H. Bacon, N.P. Recorded on March 8, 1842, by E. Way, Clerk.

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. K-L 1831-1842,” Record Book L, 1838-1842, pp. 337-8. Image #497 (Link: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3QP-T92K-Z?i=496&cat=292358)