Being property, receiving property

NOTE: This is part two of two in a series on slaves and wills.

 

During antebellum times in North Carolina, especially east, where many plantations slave labor camps (let’s not be afraid sometimes to call them what they were) existed, it was not uncommon to see slaves listed as property in wills and other such documents.  But on rare occasions, sometimes slaves actually received property through a will.

The Hollowell family had been landed gentility since the late 1600’s, when Thomas Hollowell received a grant of land on Little River in Perquimans County.  One of his descendants was John Hollowell (1782-1855), the original owner of Bayside Plantation in Pasquotank County.  The famous house on that plantation was built after his death.

(The Museum of the Albemarle possesses many items from this plantation.  We should all be grateful that the Hollowell family chose to donate these materials to the people of North Carolina).

In 1854 John Hollowell had an unusual will written up.  He had no children, so he made arrangements to have his estate, including his plantation, passed upon his wife’s death to his cousin, Christopher Wilson Hollowell (1821-1892).  The reason for this arrangement went beyond family ties: Christopher was the manager of John’s plantations.  He also was in charge of the plantations of the other major planter in the area, James Cathcart Johnston, whose plantation Christopher Wilson Hollowell also later inherited.  Today the U.S. Coast Guard Base is located on some of the nearly 800 acres that made up Hollowell’s Pasquotank plantation.

Included in this 1854 will is an unusual provision:

“it is my wish and desire that my slaves whose names follow shall be paid by my executor, the following sums of money… Miles Hollowell, $25; Dave Reed $25; Reuben Hollowell $25; Harry $20; Alfred $20; Aaron, $20; Dave Hunter $20; Joe $10; Charles $10; Davis $5; Venus $20; Cherry $20; Betsy $15; Fanny $15; Jane $20; Eliza $15; Sarah $10; Clarissa and her four children, $40; Charity and her three children $30.  I hereby request to my executor here in after named to see that the money bequeath to my Slaves Shall be properly and usefully laid out by them. And I further request my executor and devisees to treat my servants well and have them properly cared for as I have endeavored to do during my management of them.”

What does this interesting document suggest to us about slavery?

First, note the names of the slaves.  Reuben and Miles Hollowell were given the last name of their owner, a common practice.   Two had another name (Dave Reed, Dave Hunter). But the others had no stated last name at all.

A 2019 legal document that would identify a person only by the first name would be unacceptably imprecise.  Unless, perhaps, we are referring to the late Prince Rogers Nelson, Cherilyn Sarkisian, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter, or Gordon Sumner–better known, respectively, as the singers Prince, Cher, Beyonce’, and Sting.   In most cases, the only living creatures that usually get only first names are, well, pets (and tropical storms/hurricanes).

Does the fact that most of the slaves in this will had only first names suggest that these human beings were treated the same as we treat pets now?

Not really.

We generally treat pets today better than many plantation owners treated their slaves.

In all fairness, it would seem that this will implies that John Hollowell indeed had some care and concern for them.  He may well have, as the will states, “properly cared” for them.  After all, he did leave them some money in his will.  That says something.

That said, sometimes slave owners would free slaves when they had no children to which to distribute their slaves.  John Hollowell chose to keep them in bondage and to give them to his cousin/plantation manager.

That also says something.

Was the amount of money willed to these slaves significant?  For the time, absolutely.

If we look at inflation records, we will see that $40 in 1854 would be worth nearly $1,200 today ($20 would be $600, and so forth).   $1,200 might not be able to buy us all that much in terms of modern comforts, but it could go a long way towards purchasing the barest necessities.   A starving student, for example, could enjoy a disgustingly large number of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with that kind of money.

According to 1850 census data, in North Carolina a day laborer who received free board would be paid about $7.21 a month.  In that regard, $40 would represent almost six months of wages.

Not bad.

Would $40 have been enough for a slave to purchase his or her freedom?  Not even close.  By the 1850’s in North Carolina it cost nearly $1000 to purchase an able bodied slave.  In the Deep South, where cotton was king, the cost was higher, nearly double that amount.

Let’s put it this way: if all of the slaves who received money from the Hollowell estate had pooled their money together, they still likely would not have been able to purchase freedom for only one.

If we had the choice today between $1200 or our freedom, would any of us choose the money?