American Historical Ephemera and Photography, Featuring African Americana

Documents spanning 1791-1854, comprising:

Manuscript copy of the 23 January 1790 Last Will & Testament of enslaver William Carr of Prince William County, Virginia. 8 February 1791. 8pp, 8 x 10 in. (toning, creasing). Carr's last will and testament bequeaths to his wife and children specific properties with the enslaved laborers who reside there, and identifies specific enslaved persons including "negro Hannah and her children," "negro Aja and all her children," "negro Lucy and all her children Tom Harry and Vincy." Carr adds a provision to his will that no slaves "be sold out of the families to whom they are devised" and "if offered for sale by any of them out of the family of my wife my daughter and my sons that they be immediately liberated...." In a continuation of the will he states: "My negro man Abner I desire to be set free."

Manuscript "Copy of Mrs. Betsy Tebb's Will." Last Will & Testament of enslaver Elizabeth Carr Tebbs (1771-1852), of Prince William County, Virginia, daughter of William Carr. 6 July 1833 and 17 June 1835. 6pp, 8 x 10 in. (toning, creasing). Carr's last will and testament leaves to her children all her enslaved laborers except her "man Darcy" and her "female slaves Altie Letty Elizabeth and Leamah," which she "leave[s] to be free" at her death" at which time her executor should furnish them with "such evidence of their freedom as the Law requires in such cases." A codicil bequests "a negro woman Mima and her increase" to her grandson, a "slave called Nancy and her increase" to her daughter, and emancipates her "slave called Lessee."

DUVAL, John P. (1790-1854), attorney and husband of Ann Fouchee Tebbs (1791-1868). Autograph letter signed ("John P. Duval"). Addressed to Charles B. Tebbs, Esquire. Middleburg, Loudon County, Virginia. 8 October 1853. 2pp, 7 3/4 x 12 3/4 in. (creasing, tears along folds, toning). Duval asks Tebbs if he is ready to join the other Carr/Tebbs heirs in a suit against family member Col. Tebbs for selling the family's enslaved African Americans: "Col. Tebbs has no authority to sell the negroes of your grandmother to pay her debts if any....your grandmother in her will directs that her negroes should not be sold."

Manuscript copy of the "Answer of Saml. J. Tebbs" in the case of "Duvall vs. Tebbs," Circuit Court of Fauquier County, Virginia. 9 September 1854. 8pp, 7 1/2 x 12 in. (creasing, toning). Filing in the case of John P. Duval and his wife Ann Tebbs Duval against Samuel J. Tebbs, calling for an account and distribution of the family trust and funds managed by Tebbs.

The Carrs and Tebbs were wealthy and prominent Virginia families who enslaved large numbers of individuals. A decades long legal dispute stemming from the administration of the Carr and Tebbs estates, and the sale of enslaved persons, embroiled the families until the conclusion in as decided by the Supreme Court of Virginia in 1867.