Emmancipations in Boone County

Compiled for the African Americans in Boone County Project sponsored by Preservation Kentucky.

• Kitty vs. the Commonwealth. Kentucky Court of Appeals, 14 December 1858. Appeals, 1841-51, Administration Building, Burlington, KY. Case resulting from the emancipation of Kitty. William Winston, on 10 August 1843, for $150 gave Kitty to Joseph Chambers for 12 years. At the end of that time, she was to be emancipated. BUT after being emancipated & living as a free woman for several years, the County Court ordered her to be placed under the custody of a Trustee & to be hired out until enough money was raised to send her to a free state & support her there for 12 mos. This was attempted in 1857, but Kitty resisted these restrictions on her freedom & sued the court (takes some confidence & probably the support of a white person). The case was appealed & found for Kitty because the Constitution of 1848 was not yet in effect & that Constitution, with revised statutes, required that any emancipated slaves be sent out of the state.

• Emancipation Bond. Parrish & Henderson to Commonwealth, 3 June 1850. Ferry & Guardians Bonds, Administration Building, Burlington, KY. Executors of the will of R. L. Clarkson, signing bond that the emancipated slaves of Clarkson would not become dependent on any county govt in the Commonwealth – Charles, Samuel, Wyatt, Winny, & Judy.

• Emancipation Bond, Hiram Stevens to Commonwealth, 6 February 1843. Ferry & Guardians Bonds, Administration Building, Burlington, KY. Bond for the freedom of Ester, about 50 years old, under same conditions as above.

• Emancipation Bond. John Hawkins to Commonwealth, 1 February 1836. Ferry & Guardians Bonds, Administration Building, Burlington, KY. Emancipation of Squire – no description given, but Hawkins writing looks like an elderly/sick man’s.

• Deed of Emancipation, Vest &c vs. Charles, proved 6 November 1848. Ferry & Guardians Bonds, Administration Building, Burlington, KY. Heirs of John Vest emancipate Charles, about 45 years old. Signed by Brumbacks & Vests.

• Deed of Emancipation. John T. Alexander to Lucy, 1 May 1848. Ferry & Guardians Bonds, Administration Building, Burlington, KY. Emancipates Lucy, about 35 years old, of “yellow complextion (sic) about five feet seven or eight inches high”; Alexander attaches only his mark. Jas. Dinsmore serves as witness.

• Deed of Emancipation. John T. Alexander to Letty, 5 November 1849. Ferry & Guardians Bonds, Administration Building, Burlington, KY. Emancipates Letty 'aged about thirty seven years of age about a commonsize (sic) woman and common black complexion (sic) for negroes.'

Compiled for the African Americans in Boone County Project sponsored by Preservation Kentucky. All accounts from Order Book G, 1852-1853. Boone County Court. Boone County Administration Building. Burlington, Kentucky.

The following free negroes and mulattoes personally appeared in court in a obedience to the summons issued against them pursuant to the act of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky approved 24th March 1851 to wit:

• Samuel late a slave of Rueben L. Clarkson and who is of the following description male about twenty five years of age six feet high copper colour, nose freckle

• Wyatt late a slave of same and who is of the following description male forty two years of age six feet high yellow or mulatto complexion hair nearly straight

• Judy late a slave of same of the following description female thirty seven years of age five feet three inches high rather dark complexion very heavy made

And exhibited (sic) and produced to the court each a certificate of freedom issued by the clerk of this court and bearing date on the 22nd day of June 1850 which is ordered to be certified.

Also

• Rebecca late a slave of George H Bery and who is of the following description to wit, female thirty seven years of age mulatto complexion five feet two inches high and exhibited before the court a deed of emancipation from said George H. Bery dated on the eighth day of June 1836 duly authenticated whereby she is emancipated and set free which is ordered to be certified

Also

• Mary Bates late a slave of Peggy Bates deceased who is of the following description female thirty five years of age Black complexion about five feet five inches high tolerable heavy made

• Martha Bates late a slave of same who is of this description Female twenty years of age dark complexion five feet nine inches high

• Tom Bates late a slave of Peggy Bates who is of the following description, male thirty four years of age rather bright complexion five feet eleven inches high stout made

• Sam Bates late a slave of same of the following description male forty four years of age about five feet ten inches high Black complexion

• Henry late a slave of same of the following description male twenty two years of age very dark complexion about six feet one inch high and severally exhibited to the court the following evidence of their freedom and emancipation to wit the Last will and Testament of said Peggy Bates proved and admitted to record in this court on the first day of September 1845 and also an order of this court shewing that Benjamin Watts and William Whitaker Executors of the last will and testament of said Peggy Bates deceased had signified their assent to the freedom and emancipation of said slaves all of which is ordered to be certified

Also

• Albert Miles who is of the following description male twenty two years of age Bright mulatto five feet seven inches high and he produced to the court the following testimony that he was free born to wit Mrs. Nancy Botts declared upon oath that she knew of her own knowledge that the said Albert Miles was free born in the County of Culpepper and State of Virginia that his mothers name was Jane Miles and that his fathers name was unknown to her all of which is ordered to be certified. (p. 87-88)

Note: An Albert Miles registered for the draft into the Union Army in June 1863 from Guilley's Mill, Hamilton County, Ohio. In the 1870 Census, he is living with his wife Amanda (Manda) and several children in Miami Township, Hamilton County, Ohio, near Cleves. Cleves is across from the North Bend area in Boone County. In the 1880 and 1900 Censuses, he is widowed living in Miami Township, Hamilton County, Ohio.

The following free negroes and mulattoes personally appeared in Court in obedience to the summons issued against them pursuant to the act of the general assembly of the commonwealth of Kentucky approved 24 March 1851:

• Uriah late a slave of Arthur Parker who is of the following description male twenty seven years of age Black complexion six fee high proved by the testimony of Richard Parker that he was duly emancipated and set free by the said Arthur Parker deceased by his last will and testament ordered to be certified,

• Erastus late a slave of same male twenty four years of age five feet ten or eleven inches high jet Black complexion proved that he was emancipated and set free by an order of this court made on the third day of May 1847 based upon the last will and testament of Arthur Parker deceased all of which is ordered to be certified.

• Winston late a slave of Benjamin Stephens who is of the following description thirty six years of age five feet seven or eight inches high dark copper complexion produced to the court the following evidence of his emancipation and freedom to wit an order of this court made on the 2nd day of September 1844 shewing that said Ben Stephens did on that day acknowledge a deed of Emancipation to said Winston discharging him from all manner of servitude from and after that date all of which is ordered to be certified. (p. 90)

• Charles late a slave of Sarah Vest William L. Vest Hugh L. Vest John Vest, James Vest G.W. Brumback Elizabeth Brumback R. H. Brumback and Mary Brumback and who is of the following description to wit aged forty five years about six feet high very Black appeared in court in obedience to the summons issued against him and produced to the court the following evidence of his freedom and emancipation to wit by a certificate issued by the clerk of this court bearing date on the 6th day of November 1848, based on the deed of the persons aforesaid all of which is ordered to be certified.(p. 103)

• Lucy late a slave of John T. Alexander and who is of the following description aged 41 years about four feet eight or nine inches high copper coloured female personally appeared in court in obedience to a summons issued against her and exhibited the following testimony of her freedom and emancipation to wit - a certificate of emancipation issued by the Clerk of this court bearing date on the second day of May AD 1848 based upon the deed of said John T. Alexander acknowledged in said court and upon which said certificate was ordered to issue all of which is ordered to be certified.(p. 112)

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• Boone County History