Petition #21382733

Abstract

The granddaughters of the late Jane Towles ask that a division of five slaves be confirmed. They relate that Jane Towles executed a deed in 1817, in which she empowered her slave Suckey to choose to whom "herself & her children shall belong" after Jane's death. The deed directed that Suckey could choose from one of Jane's eight grandchildren, but it required that she wait until Peter Towles "arrives at full age" before making her choice; in the meantime, Suckey and her children would belong to Jane's son, Daniel Towles. The deed further stipulated that, if Suckey or her children were "being barbarously and unkindly treated by any of the family of Daniel Towles or himself," then the terms of the deed would be enacted earlier; Jane also instructed three other men "to attend to the complaint of the said negroes should they make any." The petitioners state that Jane Towles died intestate in 1826, "without leaving any personal or real estate other than the slaves disposed of by the deed." As there was "no real Estate whereon the said slaves might be employed," they decided "that a personal division of the Slaves would be advantageous to all the parties in interest." Suckey and her four children were therefore appraised and distributed among Jane's heirs on 2 January 1827. The petitioners ask that said partition, "fairly & Equitably made," be confirmed and said slaves "be absolutely vested" in their new owners. [Petition is missing page/pages.]

Result: Granted pro confesso; referred.

17 people are documented within petition 21382733

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Citation information

Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina

Subjects