South Carolina Slave Compensation Documents

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/28/2005

Pair of Manuscript Documents Signed, 3p. quarto, November 1863, Barnwell District, South Carolina, being a claim of Mary Raysor "for slave lost in the public services." The first document is a statement by Raysor, signed "M. Raysor" and reads in part: "...I Mary Raysor....the owner of a negro man named Alfred, who was impressed by the authority of the State aforesaid [South Carolina] and y the Commissioner of roads ordered to Charleston on the 14th of August last to work on the fortifications about the said city. The boy Alfred was twenty two years old, of most excellent character and valuable field hand and wagoner. He was strong and healthy when he left home. He was taken sick with dysentery while working on the fortifications of James Island and was sent to a Hospital in Charleston where he died. Mr. Joseph Guess had charge of Alfred while he was on James Island..." Verso has a statement signed by two appraisers which reads: "We the undersigned Appraisers Sworn to appraise the within named Negro Alfred the property of Mrs. Mary Raysor do hereby certify that we have this day fairly & impartially and to the best of our judgment appraised him to be worth the sum of Three Thousand Dollars..." Witnessed with statement by S.H. Rush, Magistrate...plus; Manuscript Document Signed, 1p. quarto, November 26, 1863, and reads in part: '...I W.G. Connor do testify that Mrs. Mary Raysor was owner of the slave Alfred that he was impressed on the 14th of August last and carried to Charleston to work on the fortifications of that city. I also testify that Mr. Joseph Guess wrote to me that the said boy Alfred was very sick on James Island, and that I went at the request of Mrs. Raysor to see the boy, found him in the Hospital in Charleston, he having been sent from James Island a day or two before. He was very sick of dysentery which he died [of] in the Hospital..." with signed statement of the Commissioner of Roads beneath "I do hereby certify that I did about the 10th of August last order the road hands of Mrs. Mary Raysor to be sent to Charleston to work on the fortifications about there and that the said negro Alfred was sent in compliance to my order..." Fine. Documents with graphic descriptions of slaves such as this one are very rare and quite desirable.

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