Table of Contents
Sand Run Church Documents Regarding African Americans
Compiled for the African Americans in Boone County Project sponsored by Preservation Kentucky.
Some leaders: Chichester Matthews, Wm McCoy, Cave Johnson, Benj. Mitchell, John Wilson, Markland , Rueben Clore, Benj Watts
Enslaved members: Fortune & Kizza (Matthews), John, Maria, & Elliott (Wm Montague), Chris, Lucy, Mary Meshach, Shadrich, & Lewis (Wm McCoy), Moses (C. Johnson), Adam (Andrew Brockman) Benjamin, Armstead, & Jenny (C. Montague), Nan (Sister Deulaney), Cupid (Elijah Deulaney), Joseph (Fanny Deulaney), Julia (Jos. Graves, Jr.), Barnaby (John Cave), Warrick (J. H. Craig), and Fillis, “free woman of colour”
Rule 5: “Any member who shall exhibit a complaint against another shall have no voice in the decision.”
(Editor's Note: Dec seems to be a rowdy month – that’s when slaves were usually given holiday)
1819
15 May - Fanny Deulaney’s Joe accused of stealing meat & telling several falsehoods – found guilty & excluded
1820's
1820
18 March - Mr. Graves’ Julia “absconded” and was absent for a considerable time & there was “no certainty when she would be with us again.” Found guilty of sin & excluded
20 May - Brother Ward brought complaint against McCoys Meshach – adultery – found guilty, no satisfaction, exclueded
1821
19 May - Jas. Graves complained of Joe – stole tobacco, lied, “raising a riot” at Bro. Terril’s on Sabbath & using unsavory language. (excluded)
7 November - Thought proper for “Black members and friends” to use “Northeast end at the adjoining front of the gallery (sic) to the partition.”
16 December - Found seating of black members proper. Then Brother Whitaker motioned that black members present if they were willing to take their (new?) seats, “Sister Mariah refused to comply.” Bro. Whitaker “laid in a complaint”
1822
19 January - Mariah found guilty of sin & excluded (Editor's Note: sounds like Fanny & Kizza also refused to sit in the right place). Fanny then took her seat; Kizza absent (excluded 16 Feb 1822)
22 August - Kizza came back
1823
25 January - Eliot (Wm Montague) complained against self for getting into a fight Dec. 24th – satisfaction obtained on 24 Feb
25 October - Kreetz (Wm Montague) woman recd
1824
26 June - Moses (Johnson) complained against self, took wool from master & denied it, satisfaction obtained
1825
22 January - Jos. Graves complained of Joseph (Deulaney) for striking a man with stone. McCoy also complained of Joseph for stealing turkey from Harvey (tried before magistrate & publicly whipt). Joseph acknowledged first but denied stealing turkey – church found him guilty anyway – excluded
23 April - C. Montague complained against Fillis (free) for stealing
25 June - Thomas Whitaker complained of Fanny (Mrs. Cave) for leaving husband & having illegitimate child
1826
22 December - C. Montague complained of Tom (Cave Johnson) for adultery with black woman belonging to C.J. made satisfaction & restored. Brother Fortune complained against self for quarreling on Sabbath with man he accused of stealing his shirt. W. Whitaker complained of Ben (bro. Deulaney for being with Isaac when latter broke into a house – kept it a secret & threatened to cowhide Fortune. Jas. Gilmore complained of Isaac (Walter Goodridge) for drunkenness & getting into an affray with white man.
1827
26 May - Elliott (Johnson) admitted getting drunki & hitting a black man with a stick
1828
22 March - Tombolen (Johnson) absconded & remained absent
1829
27 June - C. Montague complained of Kizza (B. Mitchell) for 1. Fornication, 2. Marrying a man with a wife & living in adultery with him. Also CM complained of Adam, the married man she married (Geo. Gibson).
1830's
1832
22 September - Barnaba (John Thomas) & Jane his wife given letters of dismission
1833
28 September - Bob (“man of colour”) belonging to W. McCoy, joined
1838
27 October - Kizza & Adam made known wish to be restored; restored on 24 Nov
1840's
1840
9 April - baptized Matilda (Watts) & Delilah, woman of colour (W. Draper)
1841
23 October - C. Montague complained of Delilah for dancing & “attending frolicks of the black people” – failed to give satisfaction
1842
20 October - rec’d Milly (C. Montague)
1843
26 February - rec’d Elijah (Mr. Johnson Graves) & Peter (Chiles Coleman)
1844
27 July - Wm Gaines complained of Eliza (his) for stealing & lying. Cave Montague obituary – born in VA Feb 15, 1777 – father was Wm, settled in Scott County 1784-1797, then to Boone; died “without a struggle or a groan”
1850's
1850
27 July - following up on black members at parts unknown (does not sound like they have RUN away just that they have been taken away): Tolbert, Maria (N. Eldridge), Harriet (A. G. McCoy), Delilah (heirs of John Cave), Bob (Wm. N. McCoy, deceased), Kreity (Wm Montague, deceased) [some of these slaves were probably moved away as part of the settlement of a will, but this shows how precarious the position of a slave (& their family) was – one of the biggest reasons for selling slaves was to settle wills).
1851
22 September - Pigeon died
1853
25 April - David (Gaines) “absconded and left this church without any dismission as is usual”
25 September - Jack rec’d (Walter Goodridge)
30 October - baptism – Eliza (woman of colour, Balsley)
1 November - Charles (Man of Colour, Murphy)
4 Nov - Susan (woman of colour, O. Kirtley)
5 Nov - Jas (man of colour, J. Graves)
6 Nov - George (John H. Moore)
9 Nov - Jackson (man of colour, Wm Vaughn), Nancy (Wm Harrison)
13 Nov - Ellen/Eliza (Wm Watts), Harriet (W. H. Vaughn)
1855
27 January - Mr. Vaughn left Harriet in Cynthiana
1860
27 October - Willliam rec’d (Julia McDaniel) (Editor's Note: Like Middle Creek Church very little is happening here during the war. Goes from late 1864 to 1866.)
List & Status of African American Members as of circa 1842
- C. Matthews: Fortune (died), Kizza (excluded)
- A. Brockman: Adam (excluded)
- C. Montague: Benjamin (died), Armstead, Jenny, Milly (dismissed by letter)
- W. Montague: John (died), Mariah (excluded), Elliott (excluded), Kreely (moved to Kenton)
- S. Deulany: Nan (died)
- E. Deulany: Cupid
- F. Deulany: Joseph (excluded)
- J. Graves: Julia (excluded)
- J. Craig: Warrick (died)
- J. Cave: Fanny (excluded)
- W. McCoy: Chris (died), Lucy (died), Mary (died), Mesheck (excluded), Shadrack (excluded), Lewis (died), * Phebe (died), Bob, Milly
- A. McCoy: Harriet (sent away – July 1850)
- C. Johnson: Moses (died), Pigeon, Tombolin (excluded)
- W. Goodridge: Davy (died)
- Wm Goodridge: Reuben (dismissed by letter)
- Walter Goodridge: Alisey, Jack, Isaac (excluded)
- John Thomas: Jane (letter)
- Polly Cave: Delilah (sent away July 1850)
- Mrs. Robinson: Elvira (died)
- Washington Watts: Ann
- Benj Watts: Matilda (died)
- Wm Gaines: Eliza, David
- Wm Hayden: Jane
- N. Eldridge: Mariah (sent away – July 1850)
- Johnson Graves: Elijah
- Joseph Graves: Ofelia (letter)
- Wm. Riddell: Steward (excl)
- Chiles Coleman: Peter
- Free: Fillis
Citation: Minutes of the Proceedings of the Sand Run Church. Microfilm. Boone County Public Library, Burlington, KY. (286.176)