Boston Polite’s Southern Claims Commission case file was relatively short, because his claim was disallowed on the grounds that he was able to call no witnesses to the actual taking of his property by U.S. soldiers in the Sherman’s Army raid on Liberty County during December 1864. His only witness was a white man, Gideon B. Dean, who testified only that he knew Polite was allowed to own property.
However, Polite’s testimony did reveal that he was 56 years old and living on the Woodland Plantation in 1878 when he gave his testimony and that this is where he was living when the U.S. soldiers who were foraging out of their camp at Midway Church about 6 miles away took his corn, rice, bolts of cotton, hens, ducks, hog, lard, and potatoes. Polite said he had lived in Liberty County all his life, and that he had both worked for the property and inherited some of it from his grandfather, whom he did not name. He said his slaveowner was John LeConte, and that Woodland was LeConte’s property. He added that he was currently renting property from LeConte, who was living in California, thus could not testify.
Gideon B. Dean testified that he himself was 37 years old and had lived in McIntosh County all his life. He was not related to Polite, he said, but had known him all his life and saw him frequently during the war.
Claim transcribed by Cathy Tarpley Dillon; Research by Stacy Ashmore Cole
More about the Claimant
Slavery Times
Polite had said that he was owned by John LeConte, a member of the well known and wealthy white LeConte family. At the time of Polite’s SCC testimony, John LeConte was living in California because he was the president of the University of California, where his brother Joseph also served as a professor.
The LeConte brothers owned large numbers of enslaved people, whom they had inherited from their father, Louis (also Lewis) LeConte, who had died in 1838. It was not uncommon in Liberty County at that time for estate inventories to list enslaved people in family order, which helps with establishing family relationships, and in this case, reveals that Boston Polite’s parents were apparently Scipio and Tenah, and that he likely had siblings named Peter, Williby [alt: Willowby, Willoughy, a female name], Mazer, Titus, Kate, Kitty, and Hagar, probably in age order (with Peter being Boston’s older brother and the others being younger than him). They were named in estate inventories in 1838, 1841, 1842, and 1844.
After Emancipation
When free, Boston took the surname Polite. In the 1870 federal census, he was listed as 48 years old, living with Harriet (45), and Minda (18), Walton (10), Mary (5), and Dianna (4). What about his parents, Scipio and Tenah? They were living in the same neighborhood, but had taken the surname LeConte; Scipio was listed as being 85 and Tena 50. Relationships were not specified in the 1870 census so, given the age difference between Scipio, Tena, and Boston, one might wonder if Tena was actually Boston’s sister, not his mother.
However, in the 1880 census, when relationships were specified, Boston is listed as 53 years old, living with wife Harriet (50), daughter Minder (30), son Walton (20), daughter Mary (16), and son Ned (11). Also in the household is grandson Wallace LeConte. Living next door are Scipio and Tenah, now using the surname Polite. Scipio is listed as 90 years old and Tenah is now 75, and listed as his wife. Evidently, as was common, the census takers were careless with the ages.
In 1872, Boston Polite had filed for a homestead tax exemption, which required him to list the property he wanted to have be exempt from taxation:
100 bushels corn, valued at 75 cts per bushel
1200 pounds of short Leed cotton valued at $5 per hundred
75 bushels of rice, valued at one dollar per bushel
Household and kitchen furniture and bedding valued at two dollars
5 head of hogs valued at $3 dollars per head and one ox valued at $25.00 and one wagon valued at $25.00
His application stated that this property was raised on the Woodland Plantation belonging to J. LeConte, and it was filed by his attorney, William B. Gaulden.
No records were found indicating that Boston Polite purchased property during his lifetime. No record was found of his death, and the latest record found was in 1885, when he mortgaged two oxen, two cows, a calf, and his corn, rice and cotton crops for $22 in groceries to Robert Q. Cassells, who commonly had such transactions.
Citations:
1870 U.S. Federal Census for Boston Polite
1870 U.S. Census, Liberty County, Georgia, population schedule, Subdivision 180, p. 46, dwelling #436, family #436, enumerated on December 14, 1870, by Robert Q. Baker, Boston Polite household, digital image #46 of 52, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 7/3/2020).
1870 U.S. Federal Census for Scipio & Tenah LeConte
1870 U.S. Census, Liberty County, Georgia, population schedule, Subdivision 180, p. 44, dwelling #425, family #425, enumerated on December 13, 1870, by Robert Q. Baker, Scipio & Tenah LeConte, digital image #44 of 52, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 7/3/2020).
1880 U.S. Federal Census for Boston Polite
1880 U.S. Census, Liberty County, Georgia, population schedule, District 15, enumeration district 67, p. 48, dwelling #324, family #325, Scipio & Tenah Polite household; digital image #48 of 84, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 7/13/2020).
1880 U.S. Federal Census for Scipio & Tenah Polite
1880 U.S. Census, Liberty County, Georgia, population schedule, District 15, enumeration district 67, p. 48, dwelling #325, family #326, Boston Polite household; digital image #48 of 84, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com: accessed 7/13/2020).
Boston Polite’s application for homestead exemption
Liberty County Superior Court, “Deeds & Mortgages v. Q 1870-1874,” p. 182-3, Boston Polite; digital image, FamilySearch.org, “Deeds & Mortgages, v. Q-R 1870-1877” within “Deeds and mortgages, 1777-1920; general index to deeds and mortgages, 1777-1958,” image #121, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3QP-5935-R?i=120&cat=292358, accessed 7/13/2020)
Boston Polite’s mortgage to R.Q. Cassels
Liberty County Superior Court, “Deeds & Mortgages v. U 1884-1885,” p. 532-3, Boston Polite to R.Q. Cassels; digital image, FamilySearch.org, “Deeds & Mortgages, v. T-U 1882-1885” within “Deeds and mortgages, 1777-1920; general index to deeds and mortgages, 1777-1958,” image #549, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3QP-R9D9-X?i=548&cat=292358
1838 Lewis LeConte Estate Inventory naming Boston and family
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. 19-21. Image #336-7 (Link: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3QP-T9K2-G?i=332&cat=292358); Abstract at TheyHadNames.net (https://theyhadnames.net/2019/12/18/liberty-county-estate-inventory-lewis-leconte-2/)
1841 Lewis LeConte Estate Inventory naming Boston and family
Liberty County Court of Ordinary, “Wills, appraisements and bonds 1790-1850 vol B, p. 304-5, Estate Appraisement of Lewis LeConte; digital image, Ancestry.com, “Georgia Probate Records, 1743-1990,” Liberty County, within “Wills, appraisements and bonds 1790-1850 vol B,” image #592-3. Accessed online 7/13/2020 at familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893L-GH2D?cc=1999178&wc=9SYT-PT5%3A267679901%2C268032901; Record summarized and put online at TheyHadNames.net (https://theyhadnames.net/2019/08/25/liberty-county-estate-inventory-louis-leconte-2/)
1842 Lewis LeConte Estate Inventory naming Boston and family
Liberty County Court of Ordinary, “Wills, appraisements and bonds 1790-1850 vol B, p. 325-6, Estate Appraisement of Lewis LeConte; digital image, Ancestry.com, “Georgia Probate Records, 1743-1990,” Liberty County, within “Wills, appraisements and bonds 1790-1850 vol B,” image #603-4. Accessed online 7/13/2020 at www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893L-GHF7?i=602&wc=9SYT-PT5%3A267679901%2C268032901&cc=1999178; Record summarized and put online at TheyHadNames.net (https://theyhadnames.net/2019/08/25/liberty-county-estate-inventory-louis-leconte-3/)
About the Southern Claims Commission
The Southern Claims Commmission was set up by Congress in 1871 to adjudicate claims for property taken by U.S. federal troops during the Civil War. More than 140 Liberty County residents — both black and white — filed claims, mostly for property taken during December 1864 when a unit of Sherman’s Army commanded by General Kilpatrick camped at Midway Church and conducted foraging raids throughout Liberty County. Horses, cows, hogs, poultry, corn and rice were the most common items of property taken. In Liberty County, many slaveowners allowed their enslaved people to work on their own time and own small amounts of property, most of which was taken by the U.S. troops for use by the Army.
The claims files, which are held at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), have been digitized and are available at Ancestry.com or Fold3.com. For more information on these files, click here. A set of standard questions were used to take the testimony of claimants and witnesses. This set of questions was amended twice, in 1872 and 1874. The questions are not usually part of the digitized file, but we have included them to help make sense of the answers. The questions we used were provided online courtesy of the St. Louis County Library Special Collections, as taken from National Archives Microfilm Publication M87, Roll 1, Frames 104–105, Records of the Commissioners of Claims (Southern Claims Commission, 1871-1880), and can be found here.
About This Transcription
What you are seeing: The Southern Claims Commission files for each claimant included all forms filed for the claimant, including cover pages, standard forms with filled in information, a special agent’s report about the claim, remarks made by the Special Commissioner summarizing the case, testimony from the claimant and his or her witnesses based on a standard set of questions, and copies of other paperwork involved. Much of the information contained in the forms is repetitive. We have summarized that information into one block, and transcribed all testimony, the Special Commissioner’s remarks, the special agent’s report, and any other relevant text.
Methodology: The testimony of the claimant and the witnesses has been transcribed exactly as seen. Some of the files are faded and/or difficult to read. Any words that cannot be read are indicated by “[word]”, or, in the case of entire sections, “[section illegible]”. Alternative spellings of names are also indicated with brackets.
The Claim: Summary & Transcription
Find the digitized original of this claim file at this Ancestry.com link.
Summary
Claimant’s Name (Last Name, First Name): Polite, Boston
Listed as “Colored”? (Y/N): Y
Amount of Claim: $91.75
Total Amount Allowed: Disallowed
Nature of Claim: Stores for Genrl Sherman’s Army 1864
Claimant living in: Woodland, Liberty County, Ga
Incident occurred in: Woodland, Liberty County, Ga
Claim #: 20684
Secondary Claim #:
Date Claim Submitted [YYYY-MM-DD]: 1877-10-02 [Initial claim signed in 1874-09-14]
Date Testimony taken [YYYY-MM-DD]: 1878-02-21 at #3 A & G R R [Atlantic & Gulf Railroad]
Claimant’s Attorney: James M. Simms, Savannah, Ga; Hosmer & Co, Washington, D.C.
Property Removed to: the Camp of the Army
Date property removed: 1864-12-12 to 1864-12-20
Army unit involved: Sherman’s Army commanded by General Kilpatrick
Date Submitted to Congress [YYYY-MM-DD]: 1878-12-13
Post Office of Claimant: Riceboro, Liberty County
Items Claimed
Transcription
Remarks: There is no testimony to the taking of the property except that of claimant himself, and the property was such as claimant lived on from day to day and if not furnished by the master, saved the master to that extent providing rations for claimant. We reject the claim.
A.O. Aldis
J.B. Howell
O. Ferris } Commrs [Commissioners] of Claims
Testimony of Claimant
In answer to the First General Interrogatory, the Deponent says:
1. What is your name, your age, your residence, and how long has it been such, and your occupation?
Boston Polite aged 56 years Liberty County Ga all my life Farmer
2. If you are not the claimant, in what manner, if any, are you related to the claimant or interested in the success of the claim?
I am claimant
66. Who was the owner of the property charged in this claim when it was taken, and how did such person become owner?
I was laborer for it and inherited it
67. If any of the property was taken from a farm or plantation, where was such farm or plantation situated, what was its size, how much was cultivated, how much was woodland, and how much was waste land?
From John LeContes plantation Liberty County about 600 acres about 150 acres cultivated balance wood and waste land
68. Has the person who owned the property when taken since filed a petition in bankruptcy, or been declared a bankrupt?
No
[Question 69 only asked of women]
The following questions will be put to colored claimants:
70. Were you a slave or free at the beginning of the war? If ever a slave, when did you become free? What business did you follow after obtaining your freedom? Did you own this property before or after you became free? When did you get it? How did you become owner, and from whom did you obtain it? Where did you get the means to pay for it? What was the name and residence of your master, and is he still living? Is he a witness for you, and if not, why not? Are you in his employ now, or do you live on his land or on land bought from him? Are you in his debt? What other person besides yourself has any interest in this claim?
Slave at end of war Farming before freedom before the war obtained some from my Grand Father I worked for it. Dr John LeConte still living in California out of the State I am living on his place and rent Land from him don’t owe him any thing no one
[Question 71 not applicable]
72. Were you present when any of the property charged in this claim was taken? Did you actually see any taken? If so, specify what you saw taken.
I was present Saw them take 24 Bushels Corn 15 bush [bushel] Rice 2 Bolts Cotton Cloth 12 pr [pair] Fowls 9 Ducks 1 Hog 10 lbs Lard 5 Bushels Rice 3 Bush [Bushel] Potatoes
73. Was any of the property taken in the night time, or was any taken secretly, so that you did not know of it at the time?
In day time openly
74. Was any complaint made to any officer of the taking of any of the property? If so, give the name, rank and regiment of the officer, and state who made the complaint to him, what he said and did in consequence, and what was the result of the complaint.
I complained to officer who said I would get it back
75. Were any vouchers or receipts asked for or given? If given, where are the vouchers or receipts? If lost, state fully how lost. If asked and not given, by whom were they asked, who was asked to give them, and why were they refused or not given? State very fully in regard to the failure to ask or obtain receipts.
I asked him for receipt but he never gave it
76. Has any payment ever been made for any property charged in this claim? Has any payment been made for any property taken at the same times as the property charged in this claim? Has any payment been made for any property taken from the same claimant during the war, and if so, when, by whom, for what property and to what amount? Has this property, or any part of it, been included in any claim heretofore presented to Congress, or any court, department or officer of the United States, or to any board of survey, military commission, State commission or officer, or any other authority? If so, when and to what tribunal or officers was the claim presented; was it larger or smaller in amount than this claim, and how is the difference explained, and what was the decision, if any, of the tribunal to which it was presented?
No No No No
77. Was the property charged in this claim taken by troops encamped in the vicinity, or were they on the march, or were they on a raid or expedition, or had there been any recent battle or skirmish?
Troops were camped at Midway Church about 6 [?] miles
78. You will please listen attentively while the list of items, but not the quantities, is read to you, and as each kind of property is called off, say whether you saw any such property taken.
[No answers recorded]
79. Begin now with the first item of property you have just said you saw taken, and give the following information about it. 1st.. Describe its exact condition, as for instance, if corn, whether green or ripe, standing or harvested, in shuck, or husked, or shelled; if lumber, whether new or old, in buildings or piled; if grain, whether growing or cut. 2d. State where it was. 3d. What was the quantity; explain fully how you know the quantity, and if estimated, describe your method of making the estimate.4th. Describe the quality to your best judgment. 5th. State as nearly as you can the market value of such property at the time in United States money. 6th. Say when the property was taken. 7th. Give the name of the detachment, regiment, brigade, division, corps, or army, taking the property, and the names of any officers belonging to the command. 8th. Describe the precise manner in which the property was taken into possession by the troops, and the manner in which it was removed. 9th. State as closely as you can how many men, animals, wagons, or other means of transport, were engaged in the removal, how long they were occupied, and to what place they removed the property. 10th. State if any officers were present; how you knew them to be officers; what they said or did in relation to the property, and give the names of any, if you can. 11th. Give any reasons that you may have for believing that the taking of the property was authorized by the proper officers or that it was for the necessary use of the army.
Item 1 The Corn was shucked and shelled Dr John LeContes plantation Liberty County Ga 24 Bushels measured worth one dollar a bushel taken about middle December 1864 Kilpatricks Army Sacked the Corn carried it off in wagons about 8 or 9 men and Horses 2 Wagons 2 or 3 hours to Camp one officer present knew by his Dress Said I would get pay for all Heard officer tell men to take the Corn for the army Saw them feeding the Corn to their Horses
80. Now take the next item of property you saw taken and give the same information, and so proceed to the end of the list of items.
Item 2 The Rice was thrashed 15 Bushels Measured worth 1.25 dolls [dollars] a bushel taken same time and place as Item 1
Item 3 The Bolts of Cotton were in the house worth 9 dolls [dollars] taken same time and place as Item 1
Item 4 The Fowls were all Hens 24 head counted them worth 12 dolls [dollars] taken same time and place as Item 1
Item 5 The Ducks were grown 9 head counted them worth 50 cts [cents] a head taken same time and place as Item 1
Item 6 The Hog was fat ready for killing worth 7 or 8 dollars taken same time and place as Item 1
Item 7 The Lard was in Keg 10 lbs weighed worth 15 cts [cents] a lb taken same time and place as Item 1
Item 8 The Rice was in house 5 Bushels measured worth 1.25 a Bushel taken same time and place as Item 1
Item 9 The Potatoes were in house 3 bushels measured worth one dollar a bushel taken same time and place as Item 1
Boston Polite
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 26th Feby [February] 1878
Henry Way
Special Comr [Commissioner]
Testimony of Witness (Gideon B. Dean)
1. What is your name, your age, your residence, and how long has it been such, and your occupation?
Gideon B Dean aged 37 years McIntosh County all my life Farmer
2. If you are not the claimant, in what manner, if any, are you related to the claimant or interested in the success of the claim?
Not related to Claimant Not interested in this claim
52. In whose favor are you here to testify?
Boston Polite
53. How long have you known that person altogether, and what part of that time have you intimately known him?
All my life
54. Did you live near him during the war, and how far away?
About 3 miles
55. Did you meet him often, and about how often, during the war?
Frequently
56. Did you converse with the claimant about the war, its causes, its progress, and its results? If so, try to remember the more important occasions on which you so conversed, beginning with the first occasion, and state, with respect to each, when it was, where it was, who were present, what caused the conversation, and what the claimant said in substance, if you cannot remember his words.
No
57. Do you know of anything done by the claimant that showed him to be loyal to the Union cause during the war? If you do, state what he did, when, where, and what was the particular cause or occasion of his doing it? Give the same information about each thing he did that showed him to be loyal.
No
58. Do you know of anything said or done by the claimant that was against the Union cause? If so, please state with respect to each thing said or done, what it was, when it was, where it was, and what particular compulsion or influence caused him to say or do it.
No
59. If you have heard of anything said or done by the claimant, either for the Union cause or against it, state from whom you heard it, when you heard it and what you heard.
Heard nothing
60. What was the public reputation of the claimant for loyalty or disloyalty to the United States during the war? If you profess to know his public reputation, explain fully how you know it, whom you heard speak of it, and give the names of other persons who were neighbors during the war that could testify to this public reputation.
All knew him to be Union I knew because I was with him all the time
61. Who were the known and prominent Union people of the neighborhood during the war, and do you know that such persons could testify to the claimant’s loyalty?
Dont [Don’t] know
62. Were you, yourself, an adherent of the Union cause during the war? If so, did the claimant know you to be such, and how did he know it?
No
63. Do you know of any threats, molestations, or injury inflicted upon the claimant, or his family, or his property, on account of his adherence to the Union cause? If so, give all the particulars.
No
64. Do you know of any act done or language used by the claimant that would have prevented him from establishing his loyalty to the Confederacy? If so, what act or what language?
No
65. Can you state any other facts within your own knowledge in proof of the claimant’s loyalty during the war? If so, state all the facts and give all the particulars.
No
72. Were you present when any of the property charged in this claim was taken? Did you actually see any taken? If so, specify what you saw taken.
Was not present but knew he was allowed and did own property before and during the war
Gideon. B. Dean
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 21st Feby [February] 1878
Henry Way
Special Comr [Commissioner]
[END OF FILE]