Enslaved People Named: Mary, Abram, Amelia, Paul, Riley, Silva
On January 15, 1850, Eleanor Bird, Bryan County, sold to John Swanston, Chatham County, for $400 “the following property to wit, a certain negroe woman named Mary about fourteen years of age of dark complexion, which negro woman I warrant to be sound and well in body and mind and to be a Slave for life.” Witnessed by Sam’l [Samuel] J. Davis. Recorded in Bryan County Superior Court on January 24, 1850.
On the same day, the heirs to Andrew Bird’s estate (Bryan County) quit-claimed their right to Mary so she could be sold to John Swanston. They were identified as Cyrus Bird, Jackson Bird, Ann G. Butler, Godliss (?) Dasher for his wife, James N. Simmons for his wife, and Cyrus Bird in his capacity as administrator of the estate of Andrew Bird Jr. Also witnessed by Sam’l J. Davis and Recorded in Bryan County Superior Court on January 24, 1850.
On January 15, 1850, Cyrus Bird, administrator of the Estate of Andrew Bird, Bryan County, sold to John Swanston, Chatham County, for $700 “the following property (to wit) a certain negro boy named Abram about thirty years of age.” Witnessed by A.G. Smith. Recorded in Bryan County Superior Court on January 28, 1850.
On January 16, 1850 in Bryan County, J. Bird confirmed receipt of $200 from John Swanston “being the consideration money for a negro girl by the name of Amelia aged about 2 years.” Recorded in Bryan County Superior Court on January 28, 1850.
NOTE: It seems likely that Mary, Abram, and Amelia had been owned by Andrew H. Bird (1772-1848), who is buried in the Bird-Smith Cemetery in Ellabell, Bryan County (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73713445/andrew-hamil-bird). In Chatham County probate records, Cyrus Bird, the administrator, stated that Andrew Bird had died without a will; Jackson Bird served as his security. In the appraisal of his estate conducted in Chatham County, he was said to have 160 acres of 1st quality land in Bryan County and 800 acres of pine timbered land there, along with 80 acres in Cherokee County. Also listed were “negro man Riley aged 22 valued at 800.00, negro man Paul aged 22, valued at 800.00, and negro girl Silva aged 11, valued at 400.00.” These individuals were likely located in Chatham County. In September 1851, Cyrus Bird applied in Chatham County court to sell the remaining “lands & negros” belonging to Andrew Bird’s estate as the estate was insolvent. He added that the heirs were a widow and two minor children, that the two children were now under his guardianship, and the widow had remarried to one Daniel T. Lefils. [To find these probate documents, visit this link: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8635/records/698240. The documents are from images 282 to 305. Unfortunately, the probate records for his Bryan County estate may no longer exist.]
Bryan County, Georgia, Deeds & Mortgages, v. E-G 1830-1853, Book G (1846-53), page 165-8; digitized microfilm accessed through catalog, FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4K-VS2M-F : 14 Jan 2025), image 575-7 of 682; microfilm #007899047, citing original records of Bryan County Superior Court.