Enslaved Persons Named: Jim, Louis, Ben, Jenney, Bess, Bellar, John, Lindy, Jane, L. Jacob, Miles, Sue, Rhoda, Carpenter Jacob, Hannah, Sarah, Abby, Prince, Hagar, Jackson, John Harden, George, Eve, Richard, Carpenter Peter, Letty, Jane, Nanny, Maria, John, Caroline, Monday, Mary, Amy, Joseph, B. Cain, Jack, Sarah, Hetty, Junius, Nicholas, Brutus
On February 1, 1838, Charles West and Bayard E. Hand, as trustees for Catherine King, wife of Barrington King, sold to Roswell King Junior of McIntosh County for $17,200 the Southampton [alt: South Hampton] plantation containing 1950 acres and “the following slaves named Jim, Louis, Ben, Jenney, Bess, Bellar John Lindy & Jane with the future issue & increase of the females…”
The land was described as follows: “all that certain plantation tract piece & parcel of land described in the conveyance thereof from the said James Nephew to the said Charles West & Roswell King Junior situate lying & being in the County of Liberty containing nineteen hundred & fifty acres more or less being the southern part of the tract of land purchased by the said James Nephew from Thomas Young and known as the southampton tract or plantation which said southampton tract of plantation has such shape form & marks as appear in the plan thereof hereto annexed the southern part of which said southampton tract or plantation hereby conveyed and intended to be conveyed is bounded on the west by the Sunbury road, on the north by a line running along the centre of the North Canal & the most Eastward dam to the point where the Boyne Creek intersects said dam usually known as the old lower flood gate and by the Boyne Creek so as to take in the whole of the old Rice fields and on all other sides by the lines in the annexed plan or representation of the southampton tract of plantation laid down that is to say the outer lines as by reference to said conveyance & the plan thereo annexed will more fully appear, excepting therefrom one acre of land near the Corkers plantation with the Pleasant Grove Church thereon.”
The indenture stated that James Nephew had on July 4, 1826, conveyed to Charles West and Roswell King Jr a plantation and slaves as a trust for the use of Catherine, Barrington King’s wife, during her natural life, and to pass to Barrington King after her death for his natural life, and then for the use of their children, share and share alike. The trustees were to have the right to sell any part of this property if requested in writing by Barrington and Catharine King, as long as the proceeds were reinvested in the trust under the same conditions. However, by order of the Chatham County Court on January 18, 1838, Roswell King Jr was “removed from his office of Trustee under said conveyance & Bayard E. Hand substituted as Trustee in his stead.” [NOTE: This was probably so that King could legally purchase the property.] Witnessed by John Gignilliat. Recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on on February 23, 1838.
In a deed recorded next in Deed Book K: On February 1, 1838, Joseph Jones, Charles West & Bayard E. Hand, as trustees for Catharine King, wife of Barrington King, sold to Roswell King Jr for $4800 “the following slaves viz. L. Jacob, Miles, Sue, Rhoda, Carpenter Jacob, Hannah, Sarah, Abby, Prince, Hagar, Jackson & John Harden twelve in number with the future issue & increase of the female slaves.” The deed noted that these individuals had previously been put in trust for Catharine King by James Nephew in his last will and testament to be held by her trustees, named as Joseph Jones, Charles West & Roswell King Jr. As in the deed above, it was noted that Roswell King Jr had been removed as trustee and replaced by Bayard E. Hand, and stated that the sale was based on a written request from Barrington and Catharine King. Witnessed by John Gignilliat. Recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on on February 23, 1838.
In a deed also dated February 1, 1838, Barrington King, Liberty County, sold to Roswell King Junior of McIntosh County for $17200 “the sugar mill boilers, coolers, machinery & apparatus thereunto in any wise belonging, the horse gins, and corn mill with the machinery apparatus thereunto belonging also the ox carts & plantation tools & utensils there are of every kind belonging to the plantation whereon I now reside in the County of Liberty known as southampton also the cane seed on said plantation & fifty head of cattle, also the following Slaves twenty one in number named George, Eve, Richard, Carpenter Peter, Letty, Jane, Nanny, Maria, John, Caroline, Monday, Mary, Amy, Joseph, B. Cain, Jack, Sarah, Hetty, Junius, Nicholas & Brutus together with the future issue & increase of the females. Witnessed by John Gignilliat. Recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on on February 23, 1838.
On February 1, 1838, Roswell King Junior used the plantation, enslaved people and property as collateral on mortgages to pay the money he owed for their purchase. These mortgages were marked on the deed as having had the balance paid by Mrs. Julia R. King, administrator of Roswell King’s estate, on February 11, 1858. Barrington King signed the note “for Mrs. King & children the trustees named having departed this life.” Witnessed by J.A.M. King. Satisfaction recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on July 21, 1859.
[NOTE: Although mentioned, no plat of South Hampton plantation was included in these deed 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. K-L 1831-1842,” Record Book K, 1831-1838, pp. 469-475. Image #290-3 (Link: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3QP-T9KY-G?i=289&cat=292358)