Teresa Dahlgren's Page

Daniel Pilcher's slaves
Dee Ann Buck (View posts) Posted: 11 Mar 2006 11:15AM

Classification: Query
Surnames:
We know from Fauquier Co. VA Will that a John Randall devised to Daniel Pilcher his home farm after the death of his wife Nancy. Their relationship not stated in the will. It is my opinion that Daniel was the son-in-law of said John Randall. It has been pointed out to me that said John also help pay Daniel's taxes as early as 1802. WHY ? I really think things are pointing to a marriage between his daughter and said Daniel Pilcher. Did Daniel also get slaves with the Randall farm ?.

We know that Daniel's last wife Matilda was the daughter of Francies Jett who died by 1835, his estate inventory and estate sales gives us the names of said slaves:

Jack, Hannah, Ann, Sophia, Alcinda, Kit, Simon (later hired by Daniel Pilcher), Daniel & Henry. Mr. Jordan M. Saunders & John Strother purchased all of them. Said Francis' children it would appear wanted cash rather than the slaves.

So none of these Jett slaves transferred into Daniel's estate. The children I believe from Daniel's first marriage: Alexander Spottswood, Ann, Sarah, Daniel Francis & Armistead T.

The children of second marriage: Joseph Mason (d. 1847), Athaline (my line), Susan, Noah E., Peter Lewis, Mary & Martha Ann Pilcher. Their mother's portion of Jett estate in cash not slaves.

Daniel's inventory taken 26 Jun 1854 had slaves:

Sharlot 50 years
Polly 20 years & Menus? (could be Zenus)
Benj. 6 years
John 3 years
Kizzy 33 years
Jackson 15 years devised to widow 1/3
Wm. 13 years devised to widow 1/3
Sarah 10 years devised to widow 1/3
Thomas 8 years
Fanny 6 years
James 9 years

So there were 12 slaves, 1/3 by law to his widow Matilda and the other 2/3 should have gone to his children. Why then did John Ball wife of Athaline (daughter of second marriage) sue to get a portion of the slaves of Daniel Pilcher ?. If we look at the slave list of 1860 you will see that Daniel's first son Alexander S. got the largest portion of slaves followed by his brother Armistead T. Pilcher. The three slaves possessed by Grayson E. Olinger (wife of Martha Ann) were the ones devised to Matilda (Jett) Pilcher--1/3 dower property.

Taken 6 Sep 1860

Alexander S. Pilcher's slaves
75 years male black would not appear to be Daniel's slave
38 years female black
22 years male black
21 years female male
18 years male black
16 years male black
14 years female black
11 years female black
3 years female mulatto born after settlement
7 months female mulatto born after settlement

Armistead T. Pilcher's slaves as of 1 Sep 1860
29 years male black
22 years female black
16 years female black
4 months female black born after settlement

his mother in law Fanny Hill possessed 9 slaves some of his could have from his wife's family. She hired out two of her slaves to work on the railroad in Fredericksburg, VA

Grayson E. Olinger's slaves as of 18 Aug 1860 all came from his mother-in-law dower estate

22 years male black
14 years female black
18 years female mulatto

also noted that Sanford Dodd hired one of Mrs. Pilcher's slaves 19 years male black. Really can't be sure which Mrs. Pilcher.

My ancestor John Ball who sued his wife's family for her portion of the estate. Unless his portion is among his slaves in Culpeper I think I have account for all of Daniel's slaves being given to the children of his first wife. John Ball did have one slave hired out in Fauquier Co. VA to Margaret G. Lee a 22 years male black so born c1838. He would not appear to fit the profile of Daniel's slaves.

I think the reason Daniel's older children got all his slaves was because they came from the wealth & property given to Daniel Pilcher from his father-in-law John Randall. It stands to reason he would want his own grandchildren to enjoy Randall property and not the children of the other wife.

Perhaps more will turn up later to shed light on this mystery.

Hi Teresa, I would be happy to see what I can find for you. Greenup county has recently done a lot of cemetery indexing so keep your fingers crossed!!! It may be a week or so before I can get to this as I may be going to SC to visit.

Hi Teresa. After looking in Jefferson county, I have identified Benjamin Heskett on the 1810. I am pretty sure this is the correct Benjamin, and on the next line after his, is David Palmer, Palmer being the maiden name of Benjamin's wife. There is a male of the correct age for Norval on both the 1810 and 1820 census living in the household of Benjamin. Not solid proof, but the closest I have come to new information in a long time. I would have never thought of looking in Jefferson county, so thank you so much for steering me in the right direction. Next I will check the tax lists as you suggested.

Hi Teresa. Thanks for the suggestion. No, I haven't checked the tax lists. I think I have just looked at this brick wall for so long, and I needed fresh eyes to see things that I haven't. It has been years since I have done a survey of Heskett's on the census. I will definitely also be taking a look at Jefferson county. Thanks so much for the ideas!
Dawn