It's a hard and sad truth when confronted with actual proof that your ancestors had "slaves". Though it's in the past and can't be changed, you hope that your ancestors were the kind of people who treated them better than the horror stories that most often happened. I personally think they were the kind that were out there working along side them as they didn't have a whole lot of them. We also have to stop and think about the time period. It was the "norm" for the time period and location to have "slaves". Not that it made it right!
I came across scanned copies of the Will of Lemuel Manair (Manire). I knew there was a chance because of the time period and where the family came from that they would have "Slaves". Lemuel's Will confirmed some of the names... a man named Solomon, a woman named Mary with a girl child named Harriet, a boy named Edmond, a boy named Hardy, and a boy named Balam.
I wonder if they took on the Manire last name as some did. Lemuel left the ones named above to his beloved wife Susan Ann E. Manair during her natural life time or widowhood. He also left her the land he owned.. some 130 acres plus the 54 acres he bought from William McKay of Rutherford County in 1835.
When I found the Will, I also found other Documents. An Inventory in 1846 shows that Susan (listed as S.A.E. Manire) bought some furniture for total of $8.00 and a sugar chest for $5.00. A negro woman named Jinny (28 to 30 years old) was sold to Stephen J. Manire (son?) for what looks like $301.00. A boy named Samuel (7 or 8 years old) was sold to Y. W. Redmon for $349.00. A boy named Edmond (about 4 years old) was sold to John W. Manire (son?) for $240.00.
I found an 1860 Indenture (agreement) between Susan Ann E. and all her kids getting together for selling some land and "slaves". They were selling the 54 acres of land Lemuel had bought from William McKay. They also had listed to sell.. 30 year old Edmond, 27 year old Balam, 19 year old Jason, 17 year old Andy, 14 year old George, 1 sorrel mare, 1 yellow mare, 1 bay colt, 3 mules, ____ blacks, 1 bay, and a set of Blacksmithing tools.
I have found some info on a Jason and a Balam Manire. I'll have to look thru my notes. I believe they got married. Will post it when I find it again.
