LOWNDES COUNTY, ALABAMA
LARGEST SLAVEHOLDERS FROM 1860 SLAVE CENSUS SCHEDULES
and
SURNAME MATCHES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS
Transcribed by Tom Blake, October 2001
PURPOSE. Published information giving names of slaveholders and numbers of slaves held in Lowndes County, Alabama, in 1860, is either non-existent or not readily available. It is possible to locate a free person on the Lowndes County, Alabama census for 1860 and not know whether that person was also listed as a slaveholder on the slave census, because published indexes almost always do not include the slave census.
Those who have found a free ancestor on the 1860 Lowndes County, Alabama census can check this list to learn if their ancestor was one of the larger slaveholders in the County. If the ancestor is not on this list, the 1860 slave census microfilm can be viewed to find out whether the ancestor was a holder of a fewer number of slaves or not a slaveholder at all. Whether or not the ancestor is found to have been a slaveholder, a viewing of the slave census will provide an informed sense of the extent of slavery in the ancestral County, particularly for those who have never viewed a slave census. An ancestor not shown to hold slaves on the 1860 slave census could have held slaves on an earlier census, so those films can be checked also. In 1850, the slave census was also separate from the free census, but in earlier years it was a part of the free census.
African American descendants of persons who were enslaved in Lowndes County, Alabama in 1860, if they have an idea of the surname of the slaveholder, can check this list for the surname. If the surname is found, they can then view the microfilm for the details listed regarding the sex, age and color of the slaves. If the surname is not on this list, the microfilm can be viewed to see if there were smaller slaveholders with that surname. To check a master surname list for other States and Counties, return to Home and Links Page.
The information on surname matches of 1870 African Americans and 1860 slaveholders is intended merely to provide data for consideration by those seeking to make connections between slaveholders and former slaves. Particularly in the case of these larger slaveholders, the data seems to show in general not many freed slaves in 1870 were using the surname of their 1860 slaveholder. However, the data should be checked for the particular surname to see the extent of the matching.
The last U.S. census slave schedules were enumerated by County in 1860 and included 393,975 named persons holding 3,950,546 unnamed slaves, or an average of about ten slaves per holder. The actual number of slaveholders may be slightly lower because some large holders held slaves in more than one County and they would have been counted as a separate slaveholder in each County. Excluding slaves, the 1860 U.S. population was 27,167,529, with about 1 in 70 being a slaveholder. It is estimated by this transcriber that in 1860, slaveholders of 200 or more slaves, while constituting less than 1 % of the total number of U.S. slaveholders, or 1 out of 7,000 free persons, held 20-30% of the total number of slaves in the U.S. The process of publication of slaveholder names beginning with larger slaveholders will enable naming of the holders of the most slaves with the least amount of transcription work.
The last U.S. census slave schedules were enumerated by County in 1860 and included 393,975 named persons holding 3,950,546 unnamed slaves, or an average of about ten slaves per holder. The actual number of slaveholders may be slightly lower because some large holders held slaves in more than one County and they would have been counted as a separate slaveholder in each County. Excluding slaves, the 1860 U.S. population was 27,167,529, with about 1 in 70 being a slaveholder. It is estimated by this transcriber that in 1860, slaveholders of 200 or more slaves, while constituting less than 1 % of the total number of U.S. slaveholders, or 1 out of 7,000 free persons, held 20-30% of the total number of slaves in the U.S. The process of publication of slaveholder names beginning with larger slaveholders will enable naming of the holders of the most slaves with the least amount of transcription work.
SOURCES. The 1860 U.S. Census Slave Schedules for Lowndes County, Alabama (NARA microfilm series M653, Roll 32) reportedly includes a total of 19,340 slaves which ranks as the fifth highest total in the State and the twelfth highest in the U.S. in 1860. This transcription includes 142 slaveholders who held 40 or more slaves in Lowndes County, accounting for 10,015 slaves, or 51% of the County total. The rest of the slaves in the County were held by a total of 956 slaveholders, and those slaveholders have not been included here. Due to variable film quality, handwriting interpretation questions and inconsistent counting and page numbering methods used by the census enumerators, interested researchers should view the source film personally to verify or modify the information in this transcription for their own purposes. Census data for 1860 was obtained from the Historical United States Census Data Browser, which is a very detailed, searchable and highly recommended database that can found at http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/census/ . Census data on African Americans in the 1870 census was obtained using Heritage Quest's CD "African-Americans in the 1870 U.S. Federal Census", available through Heritage Quest at http://www.heritagequest.com/ .
FORMAT. This transcription lists the names of those largest slaveholders in the County, the number of slaves they held in the County and the first census page on which they were listed. Pages numbers under 360 were shown as in the Northern Division, and those over 360 in the Southern Division. The page numbers used are the rubber stamped numbers in the upper right corner of every set of two pages, with the previous stamped number and a "B" being used to designate the pages without a stamped number. Following the holder list is a separate list of the surnames of the holders with information on numbers of African Americans on the 1870 census who were enumerated with the same surname. The term "County" is used to describe the main subdivisions of the State by which the census was enumerated.
TERMINOLOGY. Though the census schedules speak in terms of "slave owners", the transcriber has chosen to use the term "slaveholder" rather than "slave owner", so that questions of justice and legality of claims of ownership need not be addressed in this transcription. Racially related terms such as African American, black, mulatto and colored are used as in the source or at the time of the source, with African American being used otherwise.
PLANTATION NAMES. Plantation names were not shown on the census. Using plantation names to locate ancestors can be difficult because the name of a plantation may have been changed through the years and because the sizeable number of large farms must have resulted in lots of duplication of plantation names. In Alabama in 1860 there were 482 farms of 1,000 acres or more, the largest size category enumerated in the census, and another 1,359 farms of 500-999 acres. Linking names of plantations in this County with the names of the large holders on this list should not be a difficult research task, but it is beyond the scope of this transcription.
FORMER SLAVES. The 1860 U.S. Census was the last U.S. census showing slaves and slaveholders. Slaves were enumerated in 1860 without giving their names, only their sex and age and indication of any handicaps, such as deaf or blind Slaves 100 years of age or older were supposed to be named on the 1860 slave schedule, but there were only 1,570 slaves of such age enumerated, out of a total of 3,950,546 slaves nationwide. The transcriber did not notice any such slaves named in this county, except for the following: 102 female Cresa, held by Cowling on 313B; 110 female Fanny held by McCord on 315B; 105 female Fanny held by Rast on 316; and 110 female Peggy and 100 female Amy both held by Mane on 352B. Freed slaves, if listed in the next census, in 1870, would have been reported with their full name, including surname. Some of these former slaves may have been using the surname of their 1860 slaveholder at the time of the 1870 census and they may have still been living in the same State or County. Before presuming an African American was a slave on the 1860 census, the free census for 1860 should be checked, as almost 11% of African Americans were enumerated as free in 1860, with about half of those living in the southern States. Estimates of the number of former slaves who used the surname of a former owner in 1870, vary widely and from region to region. If an African American ancestor with one of these surnames is found on the 1870 census, then making the link to finding that ancestor as a slave requires advanced research techniques involving all obtainable records of the holder.
MIGRATION OF FORMER SLAVES: According to U.S. Census data, the 1860 Lowndes County population included 8,362 whites, 14 "free colored" and 19,340 slaves. By the 1870 census, the white population of Lowndes County had decreased 39% to 5,086, while the "colored" population increased almost 7% to 20,633. (As a side note, by 1960, 100 years later, the County was listed as having 2,978 whites, only about a third of what it had been 100 years earlier, while the 1960 total of 12,438 "Negroes"was about 36% less than what the colored population had been 100 years before.) Where did the freed slaves go who did not stay in this county? Dallas, Montgomery and Mobile counties in Alabama all saw increases in the colored population between 1860 and 1870, so that could be where some of these Alabama freed slaves went. Between 1860 and 1870, the Alabama colored population increased by 37,000, to 475,000, a 17% increase. It should be noted however, that in comparing census data for 1870 and 1960, the transcriber did not take into consideration any relevant changes in county boundaries.
Where did freed Alabama slaves go if they did not stay in Alabama? States that saw significant increases in colored population during that time, and were therefore more likely possible places of relocation for colored persons from Lowndes County, included the following: Georgia, up 80,000 to 545,000 (17%); Texas, up 70,000 (38%); North Carolina, up 31,000 (8%); Florida, up 27,000 (41%); Ohio, up 26,000 (70%); Indiana, up 25,000 (127%); and Kansas up from 265 to 17,000 (6,400%).
SLAVEHOLDER LIST:
ALEXANDRA, Edmund, 45 slaves, page299
ALEXANDRA, Wm. B., 50 slaves, page 357B
ATKINSON, Eli, 75 slaves, page 368
BARLOW, Thomas, 50 slaves, page 317
BELL, Joseph, 76 slaves, page 300
BIBB, W. C., by R. J. Bibb, 96 slaves, page294
BOLING, Mary A., 47 slaves, page 337B
BOWIE, S. W., by Mr. B, 47 slaves, page 365B
BOYNTON, H. B., 68 slaves, page 356
BRADLEY, F. B., 47 slaves, page 366B
BRAGG, John, by Mr. Cooner, 88 slaves, page 341
BROOKS, N.? L., 54 slaves, page296B
BROUGHTON, John A., by B. B. Brown manager, 49 slaves, page 309B
BROWN , Thomas B., by Mr. Grumbles, 48 slaves, page 342B
BROWN, John G., 93 slaves, page 363B
CAFFEY, J. H., 43 slaves, page283
CALDWELL, D. F., by W. P. Bulock manager of Farm, 85 slaves, page 307
CHAPPEL, John J. 129 slaves, page 327
CHEEK, Randall, 105 slaves, page 302B
COLE, John M., 41 slaves, page 337B
COOK, J. W., by T. Branchcomb manager, 76 slaves, page 309B
COOK, J. T., 50 slaves, page 381
COOK, James W., by D. E. Ledbetter manager of farm, 110 slaves, page 312
COWAN, J. G., 51 slaves, page 348B
COWLING, J. W., 78 slaves, page 313B
CRUM, L.? D., 43 slaves, page 372
DAVIDSON, George L., 56 slaves, page289B
DICK, J. G., for self & GILMER, F. M., 66 slaves, page 382B
DUDLEY, J. M., 108 slaves, page 322B
DUDLEY, John Jr., 53 slaves, page 366
DUNKLIN, Ann H., 41 slaves, page 325
DUNKLIN, J. W., 54 slaves, page 324B
DUNKLIN, Thomas W., 44 slaves, page 325
EVANS, James E., 82 slaves, page287 (ends on 288)
FITZPATRICK, P., by D. V.? Gregors, 49 slaves, page 321B
GARY, William Est., by Thomas J. Gunther, 112 slaves, page 345B
GILLCHRIST, Est. of A., by Mrs. M. L. Gillchrist, 95 slaves, page281B
GILLCHRIST, James G., 79 slaves, page 308B
GILLMER, G. N.?, by J. J. Ledbetter manager, 71 slaves, page 312B
GILMER (see also Dick & Gilmer)
GILMER, F. M., 65 slaves, page 383
GILMER, F. M., E. A. M., Cooper agent for, 43 slaves, page 382
GILMER, F. M., C. Ellington agent for, 58 slaves, page 381B
GILMOR, J. T., 78 slaves, page 328
GIRHAM?, George & Phillip, 62 slaves, page 305
GORDON, David, 53 slaves, page 326
GORDON, Francis, 93 slaves, page 364
GREENE, H. P., by D. W. Sims, 130 slaves, page 346B
GRESHAM, John, 40 slaves, page 354
HAIGLER, Josiah, 41 slaves, page 339
HALE, William B., by S. P. Centerfirt?, 161 slaves, page 342B
HALL, Sarah A., 121 slaves, page295B
HARRALSON, Wm. B., by M. D. C. Spratley, 71 slaves, page 324
HARRELL, E., 62 slaves, page 367
HARRISON, Benjamin, 70 slaves, page 328B
HARRISON, Jackson, 46 slaves, page 332
HARRISSON, Edmund, 79 slaves, page 335B
HEARN, J. T., 51 slaves, page287B (ends on 286)
HOLCOMB, E.? P., 61 slaves, page 314
HOLT, Wm. J., 47 slaves, page 354B
HOWARD, C., 61 slaves, page 380
HOWARD, J. H., 61 slaves, page299
HUNT, Andrew W., 54 slaves, page 333B
JACKSON, J. F., by Mary Jeter?, 47 slaves, page 332
KNIGHT, J. B., 62 slaves, page 380B
LAMAR, A. J. Est., by J. L. Driskill? Manager of farm, 132 slaves, page 310
LEWIS, Mary D., 51 slaves, page 335
MANE?, Est. Mary, by E. G. Mane Admr., 116 slaves, page 352B
MARRAST, John, by J. B. May manager, 128 slaves, page 301
MASSEY, J. D., 48 slaves, page 386B
MAY , Wm. S., 44 slaves, page 317
MCCALL, D. T., 65 slaves, page 355B
MCCALL, Duncan, 79 slaves, page282
MCCALL, J. D., 44 slaves, page 306
MCCALL, S. T., 57 slaves, page 361B
MCCALL, T. B., 68 slaves, page 334B
MCCORD, R. P., 61 slaves, page 315B
MCGEHEE, A. G., 91 slaves, page 328B
MCGINNEY, A. J., 62 slaves, page 326B
MCLEMORE, H., 61 slaves, page283B
MCQUEEN, John W., 126 slaves, page 307
MCQUEEN, John Est by Executor, 44 slaves, page 301B
MEALING, Jonathan, 48 slaves, page 322
MILES, Aquila, 45 slaves, page 304
MOON, Mary E., 100 slaves, page 348B
MOSS, S. G., 52 slaves, page 314B
MURRAY, John, 41 slaves, page292B
NALE?, John P., 59 slaves, page 338B
NICKOLS, J. H., 52 slaves, page 396
NIXON, Wm. O., by J. Power, 128 slaves, page 340
OSBOURNE, James W., by Mr. Faulkner, 70 slaves, page 333
PAINE, William, 48 slaves, page 387
PATERSON, Sarah, 74 slaves, page 370B
PEOBLES, David, 40 slaves, page 349B
POLLY, Thomas, 41 slaves, page 3444B
POWELL, Allen, 50 slaves, page280B
POWELL, Wm. R., 49 slaves, page 311B
RAST, Daniel, 90 slaves, page 316
REESE, Est Gill by S. Gresham, 114 slaves, page285 (ends on 287B)
REESE, Nathan Est., by M. McCardy Admr., 93 slaves, page 303B
REIVES, Robert, 73 slaves, page 353
RIFFE, M. T., 43 slaves, page 311
RIVES, R. P. 45 slaves, page 347
ROBERTSON, Wm., 182 slaves, page288
ROBINSON, C. B., 48 slaves, page 371
ROOKS, J. W., by Ralb, 92 slaves, page 398B
RUDOLPH , John B., 53 slaves, page 345
RUDOLPH, 113 slaves, page278
RUDOLPH, John B., 82 slaves, page 365
SAFFORD, B. F., by Wah.? Ellis, 41 slaves, page 342
SANDERSON, E. L., 52 slaves, page 331
SHELBY, Wm., 74 slaves, page289B
SHOEFORD, E. L., [illegible word after surname], 91 slaves, page 305B
SIMONTON, W. D. F., 88 slaves, page 313
SMITH, Benj. J., 61 slaves, page 330
SMITH, F. J., 43 slaves, page292B
SMITH, H. V., 113 slaves, page286
SMITH, James H., 80 slaves, page 329B
SMITH, James T., 46 slaves, page296
SMITH, Morgan Est., by Gar. Gilman Admr., 67 slaves, page293B
SMITH, Rebecca L. [&] Smith, Sarah O.?, by F. J. Smith Admr., 55 slaves, page293
SNOW, E. H., 51 slaves, page 376
SPANN, James G. Est., 290 slaves, page290B
STEEL, John, by J. A. Montgomery, 43 slaves, page 319
STEELE, David A., 74 slaves, page 320
STEWERT, E. A., 61 slaves, page 393B
STONE, Harran? T., 79 slaves, page 336B
STREETY, John P., 44 slaves, page282
SULLIVAN, D. B., 56 slaves, page 368
TANNER, Thomas M., Est., by A. M. Moseley, 89 slaves, page 356B
THOMAS, W. A., 47 slaves, page 381B
TURNER, F. A., 75 slaves, page297
TURNER, Wille Est., by F. E. May manager, 61 slaves, page 308
TYSON, A., 128 slaves, page 362B
WALKER, B. W. Est., by H. B. Wigginton, 52 slaves, page 330B
WALKER, John H., 43 slaves, page 351B
WETHERSPOON, J. H., 40 slaves, page 386
WHETSTONE, H. H., 51 slaves, page284
WHITE, Joseph A., 91 slaves, page 341B
WILLIAMS, J. D. F., by T. S. Reese, 47 slaves, page 323B
WILLIAMSON, A. H., 58 slaves, page294
WILLIAMSON, Jas. S., 98 slaves, page 388
WOOD, J., by Pinkney Sprott, 53V19B
SURNAME MATCHES AMONG AFRICAN AMERICANS ON 1870 CENSUS:
(exact surname spellings only are reported, no spelling variations or soundex)
(SURNAME, # in US, in State, in County, born in State, born and living in State, born in State and living in County)
ALEXANDRA, 4, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
ATKINSON, 465, 23, 1, 17, 13, 1
BARLOW, 203, 30, 11, 26, 17, 8
BELL, 4784, 485, 32, 388, 280, 23
BIBB, 353, 142, 19, 107, 99, 12
BOLING, 115, 26, 4, 23, 19, 2
BOWIE, 262, 27, 9, 19, 16, 6
BOYNTON, 37, 5, 0, 6, 5, 0
BRADLEY, 1305, 92, 0, 89, 57, 0
BRAGG, 267, 59, 14, 69, 44, 12
BROOKS, 4486, 307, 36, 248, 160, 14
BROUGHTON, 152, 13, 1, 9, 6, 0
BROWN , 27013, 1585, 87, 1321, 878, 43
CAFFEY, 59, 50, 3, 43, 43, 1
CALDWELL, 1034, 104, 15, 66, 60, 9
CHAPPEL, 95, 18, 12, 6, 4, 3
CHEEK, 140, 16, 15, 10, 10, 9
COLE, 2004, 177, 1, 167, 108, 0
COOK, 3149, 409, 36, 339, 253, 18
COWAN, 368, 36, 11, 28, 24, 9
COWLING, 26, 15, 15, 5, 5, 5
CRUM, 96, 38, 14, 30, 29, 11
DAVIDSON, 762, 156, 17, 131, 109, 8
DICK, 204, 30, 0, 16, 16, 0
DUDLEY, 668, 71, 19, 53, 42, 13
DUNKLIN, 85, 72, 39, 48, 47, 22
EVANS, 3275, 311, 18, 274, 184, 7
FITZPATRICK, 212, 83, 1, 61, 60, 1
GARY, 263, 23, 1, 11, 8, 1
GILLCHRIST, 6, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
GILLMER, 11, 2, 0, 2, 2, 0
GILMER, 230, 93, 24, 62, 55, 10
GILMOR, 11, 2, 0, 2, 1, 0
GIRHAM?, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
GORDON, 1952, 149, 34, 136, 96, 28
GREENE, 553, 77, 1, 49, 42, 0
GRESHAM, 160, 17, 9, 13, 8, 4
HAIGLER, 14, 11, 9, 9, 8, 6
HALE, 569, 87, 2, 57, 42, 1
HALL, 5875, 57510, 383, 398, 62,
HARRALSON, 21, 3, 1, 4, 2, 1
HARRELL, 350, 51, 5, 43, 33, 3
HARRISON, 3639, 349, 49, 320, 220, 34
HARRISSON, 140, 4, 0, 4, 2, 0
HEARN, 141, 13, 4, 14, 9, 3
HOLCOMB, 99, 12, 8, 9, 9, 6
HOLT, 816, 86, 1, 72, 53, 0
HOWARD, 3850, 416, 40, 309, 221, 21
HUNT, 1517, 86, 1, 82, 53, 0
JACKSON, 19100, 1454, 47, 1371, 872, 23
KNIGHT, 834, 107, 9, 84, 65, 6
LAMAR, 285, 64, 5, 34, 31, 2
LEWIS, 8707, 729, 38, 635, 449, 21
MANE?, 10, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0
MARRAST, 9, 9, 2, 4, 4, 2
MASSEY, 509, 37, 1, 29, 22, 1
MAY, 1116, 233, 32, 193, 151, 19
MCCALL, 474, 161, 97, 106, 99, 58
MCCORD, 166, 43, 30, 26, 25, 19
MCGEHEE, 185, 24, 0, 16, 14, 0
MCGINNEY, 9, 4, 2, 3, 3, 2
MCLEMORE, 118, 57, 22, 40, 35, 12
MCQUEEN, 231, 63, 50, 50, 41, 32
MEALING, 23, 18, 18, 15, 15, 15
MILES, 1376, 110, 13, 93, 58, 8
MOON, 350, 34, 0, 30, 16, 0
MOSS, 935, 126, 32, 77, 66, 16
MURRAY, 1154, 42, 6, 36, 20, 2
NALE?, 2, 0 , 0, 0, 0, 0
NICKOLS, 79, 10, 0, 9, 8, 0
NIXON, 524, 50, 22, 44, 25, 11
OSBOURNE, 6, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
PAINE, 507, 23, 0, 28, 11, 0
PATERSON, 185, 12, 0, 10, 3, 0
PEOBLES, 8, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0
POLLY, 30, 12, 12, 10, 10, 10
POWELL, 2420, 298, 55, 232, 183, 28
RAST, 5, 4, 3, 1, 1, 1
REESE, 824, 276, 93, 191, 168, 59
REIVES, 23, 3, 0, 1, 1, 0
RIFFE, 6, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
RIVES, 166, 15, 3, 13, 11, 3
ROBERTSON, 2878, 204, 8, 180, 125, 5
ROBINSON, 8-46, 459, 29, 430, 270, 12
ROOKS, 47, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
RUDOLPH , 109, 73, 60, 40, 40, 31
SAFFORD, 14, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
SANDERSON, 132, 30, 18, 15, 11, 6
SHELBY, 292, 52, 37, 39, 36, 27
SHOEFORD, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0
SIMONTON, 75, 12, 11, 8, 6, 5
SMITH, 29087, 2290, 142, 1820, 1286, 71
SNOW, 239, 52, 16, 44, 34, 15
SPANN, 265, 102, 47, 57, 46, 21
STEEL, 335, 33, 3, 29, 18, 2
STEELE, 610, 223, 40, 167, 152, 23
STEWERT, 17, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0
STONE, 1070, 121, 13, 94, 72, 8
STREETY, 19, 16, 16, 10, 9, 9
SULLIVAN, 482, 46, 2, 38, 28, 1
TANNER, 300, 19, 0, 19, 10, 0
THOMAS, 11418, 1092, 49, 888, 631, 26
TURNER, 5742, 620, 68, 479, 352, 34
TYSON, 263, 50, 35, 33, 27, 20
WALKER, 8492, 827, 49, 727, 474, 26
WETHERSPOON, 64, 17, 0, 15, 13, 0
WHETSTONE, 67, 48, 16, 38, 36, 12
WHITE, 9567, 693, 39, 622, 406, 20
WILLIAMS, 28865, 2335, 91, 2095, 1417, 66
WILLIAMSON, 1289, 197, 28, 137, 118, 18
WOOD, 2672, 333, 16, 272, 222, 16
Lowndes County, AL GenWeb (County genealogical resources)
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