Duncan McArn And His Slaves

"I sold Isaac and Maria on a twelve months credit for $2900 but it is supposed that a reaction is about to take place and it is supposed that negroes will be down." Duncan McArn, February 06, 1837, Jefferson County, MS

REMEMBERING DUNCAN MCARN'S SLAVES - 1864
by Linda Durr Rudd


Beatrice Sartin Wilson
Daughter of Edmond Sartin
Granddaughter of Ellis Sartin
Great Granddaughter of Charles Sartin

Transcribed from McArn's Slave List
1870 and 1880 Federal Census Records

Bill and Lizza his wife; Bill is about 45 is a good hand but subject to pain in the back and a weak rist. Lizza 36, about 2nd class and 9 children as follows; Willis 18, unsound, Manda 16, Nancy 13, Scot 11, Isaac 8, Irena 6, Preston 5, Jacob, 3, and Isabella 2.

1870 Census - WILLIAM 55 and ELIZABETH EMERSON 40, children NANCY 18, SCOTT 16, ISAAC 15, RENA 12, PRESTON 10, JACOB 8, ISABELLA 6, WILLIAM 4, JAMES 2, MARTHA 2, FRANCIS 11 - Jefferson County, MS, Fayette - Page 134

1880 Census - WILLIAM and LIZZIE EMMERSON with children JACOB 19, ISABELLA 17, WILLIAM, 12, and JIMMIE 10 - Jefferson County, MS, Beat 2, Page 173

Catherine and 3 children; Catherine about 38 years, 3rd class. Children July Ann 17, same class, Jerry 12, and Antony 8 months.

Alvy*** and wife Lisa; Alvy 27, 1st class, Lisa 27, 2nd class - Six children as follows; Pasty 9, Martha 7, Archy 6, Noa 4, Adam 2, and Alexander 10 months.

1870 Census - ALVA 31, and ELIZA GIBSON 33, PATSEY 15, MARTHA 13, ARCHIE 10, NOAH 8, ALICK 6, ADAM 7, JOHN 4, GEORGE 3, FRANCES 3 months - Jefferson County, MS - Union Church - Page 16

1880 Census - ALVY and ELIZA GIBSON with children ARCHIE 20, NOAH 19, ADAM 18, ALEXANDER 16, JOHN 15, FRANCES 11, BYRD 9, ISAIAH 8, JAMES 5, and THOMAS 1 - Jefferson County, MS, Beat 1, Page 132

Mary** and three children; Mary, 23, 2nd class, Adaline 6, Frances 3, and Elmira, 1

1870 Census - MARY 33, is found with CHESTER SARTAIN, 28, another of McArn's former slaves, and with children ADALINE 12, ALMIRA 6, and ACEY 3. Jefferson County, MS, Union Church, Page 16

Mary Sartin married Albert Ford 05 Mar 1880 in Jefferson County, Mississippi.

1880 Census - ALBERT FORD, 30 with wife MARY 45, ELMIRA EMMERSON, stepdaughter, 16 - ASA SARTINS, son, 11 - WESLEY SARTINS, son, 8 - SUSAN SARTINS, daughter, 6 - AGNES SARTINS, daughter, 3 - Jefferson County, MS - Beat 1 - Page 133

Frank and Rachel his wife and Harry their child; Frank about 43 years old has had his breast and chest badly mashed. Rachel about 39 years old subject to pain in head and breast. Harry about 5 years old a crippled from his birth.

1870 Census - FRANK CORBAN 50, RACHEAL 50, invalid HARRY 12, ELIZA 70 - Jefferson County, Fayette, MS - Page 131

Edward and Lucy** his wife and Hester their child; Edward unsound has had the white swelling and appears to be disposed to phthisic or consumption and is about 41. Lucy is about 21 and very lazy. Hester about 6 months old.

George and Suzy his wife; George about 45 with a lame knee and about 2nd or 3rd class hand. Suzy about 35, 1st class and their five children as follows; Henry about 18, 3rd class, Andrew 17, same class, Lina, 14, Jim, 11, and Rila, 10

Tom and Bet** his wife; Tom 25, 2nd class, Bet 21 almost worthless, Four children as follows; Harriet, 5, Asa, 3, Lewis Thorton, 2, and Talitha, 6 months.

1870 Census - THOMAS GIBSON 30, BETTIE 26, HARRIETTE 11, JAMES L. 7, LELITHA A. 6, MARY A. 4, MARY ELLA 2, JOHN THOMAS 6 months - Jefferson County, Union Church, MS - Page 3

1880 Census - THOMAS GIBSON 40, NELLIE 24, LEWIS 17, DELITHA 15, ELLA 13, THOMAS 10, ELIAS 4, NATHAN 2 - Jefferson County, Beat 1, MS - Page 134

Cely about 24, 3rd class and two children as follows; Resin, 4 and Laura, 2

1870 Census - CELIA WILLIAMS 30, REASON GIBSON 9, LAURA GIBSON 8, JOHN WILLIAMS 2 months - Jefferson County, Union Church, MS - Page 3

Celia Sartin married Gaberial Keyes 20 Mar 1877 in Jefferson County, Mississippi

1880 Census - GABRIEL KEYES, 30, wife SEELY FORD, 40 - LAURA P., daughter, 18 - GABRIEL, son, 5 - LAURIN, 6, daughter - DAVID, 12, son - ELIZA, 2, daughter - REASON, son, 1 month - Jefferson County, Beat 2, MS - Page 188

WEBSTER and MARIA** his wife; Webster 31, 1st class, Maria 23, 3rd class and 2 children as follows; Caroline, 5 and Harisa, 3

1870 Census - WEBSTER 34 and MARIA ALLEN 30 with children CAROLINE 10, HARRISON 9, HENRY 1, INFANT 6 months, and F. MCNEILL 22 - Jefferson County, MS - Fayette - Page 144

1880 Census - WEBSTER and MARIA ALLEN with children CAROLINE 20, HARRISON 19, HENRY 14, MARY JANE 9, EMILY 7, BANKSTON 6. Jefferson County, MS, Beat 1, Page 134

JO about 75 or 80; CHARLES about 28 or 30, 2nd class and CHESTER about 24 or 26, 1st class

1870 Census - CHARLES SARTIN 36 and BETSY 35, JERRY 18, ISOM 9, HARRIETT 13, JAKE 10, JOE 4, ELLIS 2, INFANT, 1, and mother-in-law NANCY MCDOUGALD 80. Jefferson County, MS - Union Church, MS - Page 6

Jerry Sartin married Purnett Comfort 20 Sept 1879 in Jefferson County, Mississippi

1880 Census - CHARLES SARTINE 46, ELIZABETH 37, ISHAM 16, JOSEPH 15, ELLIS 13, CHARLES 9, MARY 6, EMILY 5, HENSON 1, JAKE SMITH 19 - Jefferson County, MS - Beat 1 - Page 133

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES: Betsy was the slave of John Mitchell of Union Church, Jefferson County, MS. She was given to John's son John Irvin Mitchell in a 1852 deed of gift. Betsy had a slave marriage with Anderson Mitchell, aka Anderson Smith, who was a slave on the same plantation with Betsy. During the Civil War, Anderson served with the 58th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry. He died January 24, 1864 at Natchez, MS, of small pox and dysentery. Anderson and Betsy had one son, Jacob Smith. Charles and Betsy were married after the Civil War.

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1870 Census - CHESTER SARTAIN 28 is with another of McArn's former slaves, MARY 33, and children ADALINE 12, ALMIRA 6, and ACEY 3. Jefferson County, Union Church, MS - Page 16

Chester Sardin married Mariah Mayberry 01 Mar 1874 in Jefferson County, Mississippi.

1880 Census - CHESTER SARTIN 42 with MARIA 41, CLARNEY 6, ADA 2, EUGENE GADDO 11, ARCHIE PARKER 9, WEBSTER PARKER 7 - Jefferson County, Beat 1, MS - Page 134.

**Listed on McArn's Bill of Sale of 1858
***Listed on 1866 Indentured Child Contract with Duncan McArn

Duncan McArn

Duncan McArn was born on February 14, 1810. He moved from North Carolina to Jefferson County, MS, around 1835. McArn taught school in neighboring Franklin County during the first five years of his residence in MS. He married Catherine Torrey of MS on May 9, 1844. McArn soon began cultivating cotton on a plantation near Fayette, Jefferson Co., and he established business outlets in Natchez and Rodney, MS, and in New Orleans. The McArns were members of Union Church Presbyterian Church in Jefferson County. Duncan McArn died February 24, 1875.

According to the Jefferson County 1860 Slave Schedule, Duncan owned 51 slaves. McArn made a list of his slaves but did not date the list which has 56 names. The slaves are placed in family groups. My guess estimate is that this list was written about 1864-1865. A bill of sale, dated March 08, 1858 contain the name of six slaves. Four of the women on the bill of sale are also on the list. The oldest child born to these four women is six years of age indicating about a seven year span from their purchase to producing a child. The aging of the women also match this seven year span.

McArn made an indentured child contract with his former "property" Alvey Hamilton. The contract is dated March 24, 1866.

Ned was purchased by McArn in Fayetteville, NC in 1836 from John McLaurin. McArn is concerned that he purchased an "unsound negro." Read the correspondence between McArn and McLaurin concerning Ned's sale and health.

SOURCES
1860 Jefferson County Slave Schedule
Anderson Mitchell's Federal Military Pension Records
McArn (Duncan) and Family Papers, Collection Number: Z/1487, Box 8
Collection found at Mississippi Department of Archives and History

Private Anderson Mitchell - 58th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry

Remembering Their Names