Bill of Sale (James/Varnedoe-Walthour)

On December 15, 1830, James James, “formerly of Liberty County but now of Morristown in the County of Morris and State of New Jersey,” appointed Charles M. King, “late of the city of Savannah in the State of Georgia,” as his attorney to “contract and agree for the sale, and to sell and dispose of unto Nathaniel Varnedoe and George W. Walthour, planters, of the County of Liberty in the State of Georgia, as he shall think fit, for my benefit and advantage, all, every or any the messuages, lands, tenements and hereditaments of and belonging to me the said James James, lying and being in the County of Liberty in the State of Georgia, with all the houses, buildings, slaves, cattle, utensils, crop, provisions, and things thereunto belonging.” This power of attorney was witnessed by J.M. King and Reuben Eaton. Appended to it in the Liberty County Superior Court record was a certification from William H. Maxwell, Commissioner of the State of New York, that Reuben Eaton had probated the power of attorney before him on December 16, 1830. 

Following this in the Liberty County Superior Court record, dated January 17, 1831, was the deed record in which James James, formerly of Liberty County but then of Morristown, Morris County, New Jersey, sold to Nathaniel Varnedoe and George W. Walthour, of Liberty County, for $14260 certain tracts of land and  “the following negro slaves to wit, Chloe, Jesse, Jemmy, Stephen, Bess, Sandy, Little Abraham, Daphne, Becky, Charlotte, Binah, Caesar, George, Jenny, Amey, Nanny, Stephen, Matthew, Isaac, Little Jacob, Little Die, Tissey, Jacob, Lame Jenny, Elsey, George, Mary, Plenty, Nelly, Juno, William, Toby, Little Plenty, Violet, Jupiter, Minty, Little Jupiter, Israel, Anthony, Sarah, Nanny, Cuffy, Cudjoe, Elsey, Lucy, Leah, Rachel, Joshua, Nanny, Charlotte, Abraham (country), Tom, Old Jemmy, Kate, Sibby, Murriah, Prince, Hector, Old Abraham, Dick, Diana, Peter, Flora, Lettuce, Della, Peggy, Sampson, Little Diana, Caspinah, Sukey, Old Sarah, Sarah – Chloe, Sarah – Jenny, Paris, July, Simon, Adam, Little Jacob, Little Kate, May, Abraham, Old Sibby, Old Die, Phoebe, Jesse, Joe, Darcas, John, Clarinda, Ned, John, Gashem, Dinah, Old Phoebe, Stepney, and Ellick, ninety five in number…” Varnedoe and Walthour made this purchase on time by mortgaging back to James James the land and enslaved people as security for their payment of the purchase amount. 

The land sold was described as a 268-acre tract that was part of a tract originally granted to Daniel Donnom on May 5, 1767, originally containing 500 acres in the Parish of St. John, now Liberty County, and bounded at the time of the original grant south by land belonging to Benjamin Andrew and vacant land, east by John Humphrey and Grey Elliott, northeast by Mr. Osgood and Joseph Way, and on all other sides by vacant land. It had been conveyed by Daniel Donnom to Thomas Young by a deed of conveyance recorded in the Secretary’s office in Book X, folio 265 on January 20, 1772. It was then conveyed by Thomas Young to James James via a deed bearing the date February 6, 1800. The 265 acres were the remaining portion after James James had conveyed the rest to Joseph Quarterman. 

Also included was a 440-acre tract of land, “being the remainder and all that Joseph Way possessed of that tract of five hundred acres of land which is given and devised in the last will and testament of Joseph Way deceased unto him the said Joseph Way,” in Spencer’s Swamp in the North Newport District of Liberty County, bounded east by land belonging to the Robert Quarterman estate, south by land belonging to Thomas Young and land granted to William Bacon, west by land belonging to Edward Sumner, and land sold by Joseph Way to Andrew Walthour, and north by land of the estate of Edward Ball and late belonging to Thomas Cater. This land had been conveyed by Joseph Way, son of Joseph Way, to Myndert VanYeveren and James James via a deed bearing the date April 10, 1792. 

Finally, there was a tract of land containing 280 acres, in Liberty County, bounded northwest by John Stevens, southwest by the estate of Edward Sumner, southeast by James James, and north east by the estate of John Croft. It had been purchased by James James from Thomas Bacon, Jr.

Witnessed by William P. McConnell. Recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on January 30, 1831. 

[NOTE: Written on this deed was “the condition attached to this deed having been fully completed with & by the full payment of all the notes specified principal and interest, this deed is now null and void and the clerk of the County of Liberty is authorized to cancel the record of it as it appears on the Books of that County. [Signed] Elias Reed, attorney for James James, Savannah, 4th May 1836.” Recorded in Liberty County Superior Court on March 9, 1836.]