Remembering Seventy - One McLaurin's Slaves -- 1847

I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wings is bruised and his bosom sore, -
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core,
But a plea, that upwad to Heaven he flings -
I know why the caged bird sings!
Paul Laurence Dunbar, Poet

Simpson County Mississippi
Transcribed by Linda Durr Rudd

Received of Daniel and John D. McLaurin thirty seven thousand dollars ($37, 000) payment in full for seventy one negroes Viz

  1. HARRY aged twenty three
  2. JUDE aged fifty two
  3. CREASE aged twenty five
  4. MARK aged twenty one
  5. STEPHEN aged twenty
  6. DOCTOR aged fourteen
  7. WASHINGTON aged twelve
  8. LUCY aged nine
  9. JUDY aged nine
  10. RACHEL aged ten
  11. MANDY aged seven
  12. BEDA aged five
  13. LEAH aged three
  14. EMANUEL aged one
  15. MARTIN aged two
  16. JANE aged one day
  17. LEAVEN aged forty nine
  18. LUCY aged fifty four
  19. ISAAC aged twenty seven
  20. CHARLES aged twenty two
  21. ALLIS aged seventeen
  22. WILLIS aged fourteen
  23. ESTHER aged thirty five
  24. LITTLE JOE aged nineteen
  25. MARY aged eight
  26. LOUISA aged three
  27. LOUESA aged three
  28. LING JACK aged thirty
  29. KITTY aged thirty
  30. BIG JACK aged forty
  31. MARCELLA aged thirty five
  32. BESTY aged sixteen
  33. MARY aged fourteen
  34. ALEXANDER aged eight
  35. WILSON aged six
  36. FRANCES aged ten months
  37. BIG JOE aged thirty five
  38. CHLOE aged thirty one
  39. HARRISON aged thirteen
  40. ARMESA aged eleven
  41. MINERVA aged nine
  42. SILAS aged six
  43. KATE aged four
  44. JOSEPH aged six months
  45. BRISCOE aged thirty two
  46. VICY aged thirty two
  47. ISOM aged twelve
  48. FELIX aged ten
  49. ELI aged nine
  50. SUSAN aged six
  51. ADALINE aged four
  52. SIMPSON aged eight months
  53. MACK aged twenty nine
  54. VINA aged twenty nine
  55. LAVINA aged two
  56. MINTA aged thirty seven
  57. PATIENCE aged fifteen
  58. CYRUS aged thirteen
  59. POLLY aged eleven
  60. AMOS aged nine
  61. ABEDNEGO aged six
  62. DICK aged thirty seven
  63. GEORGE aged thirty two
  64. CAROLINE aged twenty one
  65. HARRIET aged seven
  66. WILLIAM aged five
  67. SARAH aged three
  68. ISAIAH aged one
  69. MINERVA aged eightteen
  70. NELLY aged twenty seven
which said negroes I warrant and defend to the said Daniel and John D. McLaurin their heirs, executors and administrators against the lawful claim or claims of all and every person or persons whatsoever to be sound in body and mind and subject to no bodily infirmity given under my hand and seal this the 11th day of November AD 1847

Duncan McLaurin Note: The bill of sale only had seventy names.
According to the 1850 Simpson County Slave Schedule, John D. McLaurin had 53 slaves, John McLaurin had 2 slaves, Duncan McLaurin had 10, and Hugh McLaurin had 10 slaves. 1860 Simpson County Slave Schedule shows Duncan A. McLaurin had 20 slaves, John C. McLaurin had 5 slaves, Hugh C. McLaurin had 58 slaves, and John D. McLaurin had 76 slaves.

The McLaurin family resided in several MS counties including Copiah, Lawrence, Lincoln, and Rankin.

Source

McLaurin Family Papers, Collection Number: Z/510F

Remembering Their Names