They Had Names

African Americans in Early Records of Liberty County, Georgia

Liberty County Estate Inventory – Edward Sumner

Location: Liberty County, Georgia
Deceased: Sumner, Edward
Date Sworn: not listed
Appraisers: Peter Winn, [first name difficult – Jas. or John] Wilson, Lazarus Mallard
Estate Executor: Thomas Sumner
Court Officer: not listed
Date Recorded: not listed
Recording Official: not listed
Total Value of Property Appraised: 871 pounds, 10 shillings, 8 pence
Value of enslaved persons: 535 pounds, 10 shillings
Comments: Amounts in pounds, not dollars; date of inventory not listed but likely in early 1790’s, based on inventories before and after.

Enslaved Person NamedValueDescription
Jacob65Negro man, “man Jacob”
Abram55Negro man, “man Abram”
Agrippa50Negro man, “man Agrippa”
Prince30Negro man, “old Prince”
Prince50Negro man, “young Prince”
Arandan50Negro man
Dinah60Negro woman
Mariah55Negro woman
Lucy40Negro woman
Nancy35Negro woman [or Naney]
Jack7 pounds, 10 shillingsNegro boy
Jacob5Negro boy
Nanny15Negro girl

Find the digitized original at: “Georgia Probate Records, 1742-1990,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-893L-P9C9?cc=1999178&wc=9SYT-PT5%3A267679901%2C268032901 : 20 May 2014), Liberty > Wills, appraisements and bonds 1790-1850 vol B > image 171 of 689

These antebellum estate inventories and appraisals generally included all the deceased person’s “property,” including enslaved persons. Only those names are documented here for historical and genealogical purposes. Anyone interested in the actual property owned by the deceased may find it at the link at the bottom of the page. Names are listed in the original order, as this often gives very valuable information about family groupings or the age of children (who may be listed in age order).