African Americana

Ninth plate ambrotype of a young African American girl holding onto a chair next to her with one hand and looking intently into the camera, her cheeks lightly tinted pink. Housed in full pressed paper case. (Image plate with emulsion dimpling and scratching, though contrast and clarity remain rather good, oxidation to mat, unsealed; surface wear to closure area of case.)

Together with an accompanying manuscript document signed ("John W. Freeman"), "Know all men by these presents that I John Freman [sic] of Robertson & state of Tenn have bargained sold & delivered to TJ Waggoner of the county of Davidson & state of Tenn a negro girl named Lucy 9 years old for the sum of six hundred and forty seven dollar [sic] the receipt where of is here by acknowledged. I warant [sic] and defend the the [sic] title of sd negro agains [sic] all other claims but do not warant [sic] the soundness of sd negro given under my hand and seal this the 5 of Feb 1859 / John W. Freeman Seal." Later pencil inscription on folded verso reads, "Oct, 5th, 1901 / Mollie / Found this paper and old picture of the young colored slave girl while back at the old home place in a chest of memories of my grandmother’s / Haze[?]."

Slave schedules for the year 1860 return one record of a T.J. Wagoner (probably Thomas Jefferson) of Davidson County, Tennessee, an enslaver of 11 individuals as of 30 June 1860, including  an 11-year-old Black girl. As is typical, her name is not recorded. While the 1860 census lists Wagoner as a "merchant" with personal property valued at $3500; we assume much of this wealth  was from enslaved humans.