Other (Monroe/Children)

[Begin transcript]

Sunbury 9th February 1807

Whereas it is my wish and desire to have my debts speedily discharged and my negro property fairly and equitably divided between my Children now Married and Settled in life, I do therefore voluntarily make, and cheerfully agree to the following arrangements viz’t 

Item 1st The Sum of Four thousand two hundred and eighty two dollars 75/100 due to john Stevens and Charles W. Rogers, viz’t Two thousand one hundred and forty two dollars 37/100 to each: I do assent and engage to have immediately paid off, and finally discharged by a transfer of my plantation near Riceborough known by the name of Fair Lawn; my other plantation near Sunbury, on the publick road leading to the Ferry and known by the name of the Farm and my house and two lots in the Town of Sunbury now in the occupancy of the said John Stevens, to be received by them the aforesaid John and Charles and fair valuation to be made by three disinterested gentlemen whose names are hereafter mentioned, as follows, the said Charles to be put into immediate possession of the before described plantation called Fair Lawn at the valuation as may be affixed thereon as above, holding himself bound to refund, or entitled as entitled to received, as such valuation may be found to exceed or fall short of the said debt of two thousand one hundred and forty two dollars 37/100. The said John to be put into immediate possession of the above described plantation called the Farm consisting of several adjoining tracts or receive the House and two lots in the Town of Sunbury whereon he now resides at his the said John’s election, the valuation of both to be determined as above pointed out, and as such valuation shall exceed or fall short of the aforesaid debt of two thousand one hundred & forty two 37/100 so shall he the said John be bound to refund or entitled to receive in the subsequent division. It is however expressly understood if the said John Stevens should make choice of the Farm plantation, that then and in that case I reserve unto myself the right of cutting and removing therefrom such firewood as I may from time to time require. 

Item 2d. My Negroe property I wish and direct to be divided into four equal parts or divisions. One I reserve for myself, claiming the priviledge of selecting such Negroes as I may have a particular attachment to, but counting them as part of my lot. The other three divisions, I give unto my three sons in law, viz’t James Smith, John Stevens and Charles W. Rogers, to them and to their heirs for ever. 

Item 3d. All debts not herein before provided for, shall be provided and apportioned equally between the said heirs James Smith, John Stephens, and Charles W. Rogers with myself observing first to discharge with the proceeds of the last year’s crop as large an amount of debt as the said crop will admit of, reserving a sufficiency for my annual expences. 

Item 4th. I do hereby nominate and appoint my faithfull and respected friends Paul Grimball, Jas. [James] White, Jas. [James] Powell requesting and fully authorizing them to attend to, undertake and carry into execution completely each and every part of the premises agreeably to the true meaning and obvious intentions thereof. 

[End transcript] 

Signed by Elizabeth Monroe
Witnessed by Reverend William McWhir, Mary McWhir. 
Recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on March 4, 1807. 

In the attached distribution, the Fair Lawn property was described as containing 623 acres, bounded south and east by land belonging to Dr. LeConte and James Smith, east by Capt. John Jones, north and west by land belonging to Thomas Mell, Mrs. Munroe, and Dr. LeConte. It was noted that the property was the former residence of Nathaniel Law. Dr. Rogers agreed to take the property at what Mrs. Munroe paid for it: $2400. The house and lots #5 and 100 in Sunbury occupied by James Stevens was valued at $1300. 

The enslaved people were valued before division, as follows. [NOTE: The original order has been retained in this list.] 

Peggy – $300

Luke – $100

Grace – $75

Little Sam – $400

Jacob – $350

Isaac – $300

Phillis [alt: Phyllis] – $400

Tom – $100

Adam – $50

William – $75

Eve – $65

Elsey – $400

Robin – $165

Beck – $60

Esther – $40

Dembo – $450

Ned – $500

Toney – $600

Toney’s Cloe – $400

Paul – $400

Sary – $375

Flora – $100

Charles – $40

Abby – $400

Sinah – $350

Nancy – $300

Joeter  – $425

Toney – $75

Old Jacob – $500

Binah – $500

Bess – $300

Phoebe – $70

Cyrus – $55

Phoebe /Old/ – $325

Muria /ditto/ – $25

Jack – $60

Old Jack – $300

Hannah – $280

Cate – $400

Big Sam – $425

Big Sary – $380

Strap – $350

Moses – $350

Little Toney – $75

Little Rinah – $60

Little Hannah – $70

Amelia – $30

Will – $500

Dye (alt: Die) – $400

Leah – $50

Jupiter – $65

Sidney – $200

Daphney – $400

Rachel – $60

Joe – $450

Old Bina – $150

Wilcher – $500

Chloe (young) – $400

Tyra – $50

Sylla – $375

Jim – $375

Deliah – $325

Old Robin – $350

Ben – $300

Peter – $500

Bob – $450

Sandy – $400

Kitchen Cloe – $350

Little Joe – $100

Young Bachus – $5

Philis – $280

Betty – $250

Old Tenah – $300

Carpenter Bob – $1000

Young Sylvia – $75

Old Phillis – $250

Young Jim – $400 – taken out

Old Tom – $400 – taken out

Old Bacchus – $125

Old Beck – $400

Inverness – $275

Old Sylvia – $75

Chloe – $75

Total $22,410

With regard to Jim and Tom, who were listed as having been “taken out,” they were given to Mr. Stevens, as the value of the house and two lots in Sunbury had fallen short of the amount he was to receive. 

The enslaved people were then divided into lots, as follows, on February 14, 1807 by Paul Grimball, James White, and James Powell. [NOTE: The spelling of the names in the list below do not always match the list above. The names have been left as spelled. For example, Sarah appears to be Sary, Wilcher as Wiltshire, Tyra as Tira

Lot #1: Carpenter Bob, Old Tenah, Young Sylvia, Young Bob, Joeter, Daphney, Rachel, Sylla, Old Phoebe, Old Maria, Jack, Dembo, Peggy, Luke, Grace, Little Sam, Jacob, Isaac. 

Lot #2: Toney, Toney’s Chloey, Little Sarah, Sandy, Saul [or Paul], Elsy, Robin, Young Beck, Esther, Sarah, Flora, Charles, Nancy, Young Toney, Chloey, Moses, Kate, Old Phillis, Jim, Deliah

Lot #3: Jacob, Binah, Ned, Inverness, Old Beck, Bess, Phoebe, Cyrus, Abbey, Jack, Hannah, Little Rinah, Little Toney, Old Binah, Old Sylvia, Phillis, Tom, Adam, William, Eve, Young Chloey, Tira, Ben. 

Lot #4: Will, Peter, Wiltshire, Kitchen Chloey, Dye, Leah, Jupiter, Little Joe, Young Bacchus, Phillis, Betty, Big Sam, Sarah, Little Hannah, Amelia, Strap, Syancy, Big Joe, Old Robin.

The lots were thrown into a hat “which was carefully covered & shook,” and they were drawn as follows:

1 – Dr. Rogers
2 – Mrs. Munroe
3 – Mr. Stevens
4 – Mr. Smith

Recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on March 4, [1807].