Other (McGowen/McGowen)

On January 14, 1811, John McGowen and Joseph McGowen, parties of the first part, and William McGowen and Amarintha McGowen of the second part, requested arbitration over a dispute as to who should own “the negroes now in possession of William McGowen, namely, Binah, Penny, Swallow, Kneller, Peter, Ned, Russel, and Jack.” John and Joseph McGowen chose their friends Thomas Mell and William Fleming, and William and Amarintha McGowen chose John Winn and Elijah Baker. Witnessed by James Girardeau, Jon’n Bacon, Jos. Way. 

Attached was a statement dated the same day saying that arbitrators had unanimously decided that John and Joseph McGowen had no right to them. Recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on April 10, 1812. 

[NOTE: Nowhere in any of the documents did it specify whose property these enslaved individuals had originally been, and the cause of the dispute.] 

Appended was a division in which John S. Quarterman, William N. Way and Charlton Hines appraised “the goods and chattels that shall be produced to you by Wm. And Rintha McGowen” on March 14, 1811. The appraisal: 

Bina $450

Penny $450

Swallow $500

Peter $400

Ned $300

Russell $250

John $225

One bed, one bolster, & two pillows $35

Two cherry tables $3

One knife case $1

Two sitting chairs 75 cents

Chair wheels, axle tree & harness $20

The above were divided into two lots, as follows: 

Lot No 1

Swallow $500

Penny $450

Ned $300

One bed [word] $35

Riding chair $20

TOTAL: $1305

Lot No. 2

Bina $450

Peter $400

Russel $250

John $225

Two cherry tables $3

One knife case $1

Two sitting chairs 75 cents

TOTAL: $1329.75

Amarintha McGowen drew Lot #1 and William McGowen drew Lot #2 after the lots were put into a hat and shaken. 

Recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on April 10, 1812