Part 1 Elizabeth Taylor: A Women Of Caution and Resolve

Elizabeth Taylor opened the door for black women today, she was one of many unknown stepping stones in our American history. She represented the courage, strength, determination and all while proving that a woman of African decent was more than capable of being a respectable, free citizen, of the country she grew to love, and herself *personally represented.


Elizabeth Taylor  
b. abt. 1800 ~ d. 1842
I remember clearly the afternoon that I learned about my Great 3rd Grandmother, however, at the time I only wondered if there was any relation or not. After all, my fathers family came from Charleston SC. and this cleaver women and he do share the same  surname. But whether or not, there was a connection. I was instantly intrigued! 

Larry Koger's book, Black Slave Owners mentioned briefly that  Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor,was pursuing legal methods in order to keep her slave husband out of the hands of the Charlestons City officials and pro~slavery holders. As a legislative function, the number of manumitted slaves sharply declined. In 1822, for example, the State Legislature granted only 6 out of 22 petitions for emancipation. The majority of free blacks who owned slave relatives and friends were adversely affected by the act of 1820.1 
This meant that f.p.c. would be forced to own the ones they loved and pay a head tax on themselves and also their slave family members. Although the benevolent slave holder would have to report their slave as chattel, they would no dought treat them as kinfolk. 
Free blacks would often align themselves to trusted powerful white friends, in order to further their own meager lives and their loved ones ,they often asked there powerful and influential friends to become trustees of their enslaved loved ones in order to protect the possible bargaining, exchanging or selling of their slaves after their death. Elizabeth Taylor does just that she submitted an application to the Court of Equity. 
                                             Old State House

Thru a great deal of personal research, I have found that Elizabeth used all possible resources given to her for the time in which she had lived. The Antebellum years. 1789~to 1861.
On paper, there appeared to be no room for black women to engage in a debate about the nature of their rights. The law gave enslaved persons no such authority, and S.C.'s "free people of color" occupied a tenuous legal space. It is true that their marriages to other free persons were legal; they could purchase, sell, and bequeath property; lend money at interet, and work for wages.1)  Elizabeth, however, was not married to a "free person of color" but to an enslaved man Abraham Taylor, also known as Abram Wilson. This would have complicated things quite a lot, if not having a spouse that was well esteemed. Out of necessity an alliance was made with a white influential ally, that was well known and respected within the community.

 The success of the household would therefore fall completely onto Elizabeth herself. There were 60 (Women of African descent) out of 267 (Women of African descent) that were heads of households in 1790. This statistic, I hope helps put a defined perspective on her life in Charleston during the 1820~40's. I'm quite sure it would have been the desire of Elizabeth to free her very own "beloved husband" Abram from the bonds of slavery, but in 1820 the State Legislature passed a statute which banned personal manumission in South Carolina. According to the act of 1820, slaveholders could not legally manumit their slaves without the consent of both House and the State Assembly. In order to obtain the permission of the legislature, the slave masters petitioned the State Assembly to issue a proclamation of emancipation which would free their faithful servants. Yet obtaining the permission of the legislator was a difficult task because most of the assemblymen believed that there were far too many freed slaves and descendants of freed slaves in the state. As a consequence, few slaves were manumitted by the State Legislature. In my ongoing pursuit to know and understand Elizabeth, I hope to research all the manumission request possible, that would pertain to Elizabeth and *any of her family members. 

Until then I'm going with the documents I have found. According to her family papers I obtained from the SC. Secretary of State. Abram was deemed a slave. By 1830 the laws were that of "if the owner" without a formal act of emancipation permits his slave to go at large and to exercise all the rights and enjoy all the privileges of a "free person of color" the slave becomes liable to seizure as a derelict 3) This was surely put into place to give the city an option to claim the person acting as a "fpc". The very best behavior would always be the utmost important, otherwise an impound could be justified in their minds. 

Could you imagine the burden Elizabeth had in knowing her own husband was a "nominal" slave and the daily fear Abraham had, knowing that at any time while walking, entering shops and dealing in business transactions, a white pro~slavery individual could ask to see his papers or "free badge". Life was a constant gamble at ever turn.

 Slavery having been a traditional habit in the south, slave masters we're known to emancipate their slaves upon their deathbeds. I've read endless will's where slaveholders attempted to do just that, free their slave or slaves, I'd imagine at an attempt to right their wrongs. Most of these slaves, were women and their mulatto children. But by 1800 it became almost impossible to emancipate a slave, due to the fear of uprising of free colored persons...[i.e.1822 Charleston Sc, Denmark Vessey]

 Here below, Elizabeth Taylor clearly did not trust that a Will would secure her husbands freedom, so she had pursued the best possible coarse there was. I found she did not leave a Will. She did, however, as an astute black women, set up an elaborate plan of action thru Trustees and lawyers, and relied heavily on State legislative laws to secure her husbands freedom. I do believe she herself was born free, due to the fact that she was not actively pursuing the continued freedom of her children or herself.

Some black slaveholders did not think that their trustees would honor the agreements, and so they established intricate provisions within the trusts to protect their loved ones. Elizabeth created an elaborate provision in her trust to protect Abram!

                                                            Guardian Bonds

      Rev. Christopher Pansin, of 

St. Phillips Church

                                       

The 1836 Provision 
I've done my best in transcribing these papers...I'm going to have to re~ transcribe them with some historical paper/book helps. But for now it will do. These (..........) portions are un~scribed.  

                               

In the trust, Elizabeth stated:

I the said Elizabeth Taylor shall have the use and enjoy the services of the said Mulatto fellow Abram Taylor for and during my natural life and it is herein and hereby expressly agreed and understood that the sum of five Dollars to me paid annually shall be in full fair and equivalent compensation for the said use and service of the said Abram Taylor and after my death for the use and benefit of Rev. Gentleman...Rector of St. Phillips Church...the said Christopher Pansin...shall not require or compel that said Abram Taylor to pay more than two Dollars a year wages nor shall they the said Trustees...attempt by an application to the Court of Equity or by any legal provision whatsoever to sell barter or exchange the said Abram Taylor nor shall they or either of them attempt to send or force the said Abram Taylor to leave or remove from this City or State unless it is truly his own desire and with his own consent...

But should the said Christopher Pansin trustee aforesaid his heirs Executors or Administrator or any other person whomsoever...the said trust and Limitations and all the Interest hereby Conveyed or intended to be conveyed shall cause and determine and the said Abram Taylor Shall pass to and be held in trust by the Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church.... 2.) 
I've ordered and transcribed:
The State of South Carolina
Know all men by these .......... that I Elizabeth Taylor a free person of color of the City of Charleston and in the state ........ ....... for and in Consideration of the sum of five dollars ...... me in hand paid at and before the ............ and delivery of these presents and for ................ other good causes and ......... hand .................... ............. assigned .......... ......... and by these presents........ bargain sell assign ........... the mulatto fellow called Abram Wilson ........... in fact named Abram Taylor who I purchased from Mr. Peter Drege and Company unto Christipher Pansin ..............and to his heir....... and Admors in trust ........ the .........and to and for the .......... here in after expressed that is to  say that I the said Elizabeth Taylor shall have the use and enjoy services of the said mulatto fellow Abram Taylor for and during my natural life and it is herein and hereby expressly agreed and understood that the sum of five dollars {to} me paid annually shall be in full fair and  equalant compensation for the said use and service of the said Abram Taylor and after my death for the use and benefit of Rev. Gentleman .......... rector of St. Phillips Church in the City of Charleston and in the State a for said ........ and ....... in office upon the express condition that the said Christipher Panis the trustee  afor said and the said ......... ........ ......... shall not require or compell the said Abram Taylor to pay ........ ..........$? dollars a year ........ shall they .......said trustee or .......... ........ attempt ........ ....... application to the court of equity or by any legal procing whatsoever to sell barter or exchange the said abram Taylor ........ shall they or ........ of them attempt by to  send or force the said Abram Taylor to leave or remove from the said city or state .....  is to by his own desire and with his own constent and that ? only? .......... the condition of his ........ to some? other state where by the ....... of ........ state he shall be manumitted and set free any thing? here? to this country? notwithstanding. But should the said Christipher Pansin trustee aforsaid ......... hereis executors or administrators or any other  person whomsoever appointed trustee in his or then stead? or the said ............. or ........... any one of his successors shall attempt to do any set  whatsoever ........... .......... or annaul ........................... ........................................ the said ..................and limitation and all the interest hereby conveyed or intended to be conveyed shall ........ and determined and the said Abram Taylor shall pass to and be held in trust by the  Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diouse of the State of South Carolina and his sucessor in office who shall recieve his .......... of ten dollars a year and appropriate the said wages to Christopher Pansin and the said Bishop Shall hold the said Abram Taylor .......... the same ................... limitation ......... as are here in before set forth ........... mentioned in  withness wherefor I have here unto set my hand and seal this the fifteenth day of June in the year of the Led One Thusand eight hundred and thirty six and in the Sixtenth year of the soverenty Independance of the United States of America .
Sighned Sealed and Delivered
Elizabeth Taylor

When Elizabeth Taylor made her trust, she was aware that her trustees could violate their agreements and sell Abram Taylor or my not have enough clout themsevles within in the Charleston community.. In order to further ensure the freedom of her beloved husband, she requested that an alternative trustee (original trustee unknown, possible Amos Baxter *fpc himself) should take possession of Abram Taylor, if the original trustees failed to honor their commitments. On the whole, this trust permitted Abram Taylor to interact as a free man of color as long as the document was honored by the trustees.

In the antebellum era, it was not unusual for "nominal" slaves to approach free blacks and request them to serve as their agents to purchase their freedom. Usually a slave worked in his spare time to earn the capital to facilitate the purchase. 3.)

 Although many free blacks did everything in their power as parents and grandparents to free their kinfolk, they were not always able to obtain their dream of doing so. In 1800 South Carolina's state assembly passed a new statute that narrowed individual manumissions. One could not free a slave unless the manumit could prove the slave was capable of supporting themselves, The slave then would have needed to be skilled in a trade or have a role within the social providence.
                                                   
                   Skilled Slaves and Free Persons of Color

It's likely that the kinfolk that Elizabeth purchased would have been apprenticed out in order to learn a particular trade, that being if they were under age, or unskilled at the time of her purchase. I have found several records of slaves that Elizabeth purchases, and will present these in part 2. along with a more intimate view of Elizabeth (Eliza) Taylor.

Elizabeth had taken a great risk at every turn.She must have been a women of a strong constitution. Her responsibilities, would have been a great weight for her to have had carried. And the daily life was always a reminder that she was a person of lesser class. Taxes must be paid on all individual slaves, and penalties were unforgiving to blacks.

                                                     

If she was unable to pay taxes on her slave or slaves. The slave, was to be seized and sold to pay that or any other dept. During this time, if her slaves posed any threat, rebelled or accounted a white person unfavorable, her slave could be taken in by the marshal of the city, and placed back into slavery. There was always, a fine line one would have to tow. Having purchased her family, she put her own reputation at a high risk and her own prosperity. No doubt though, she would have gladly done all that she did for the ones she loved.) Living in the Southern States it was an essential to behave a certain way for a negro free or in bondage.


While doing research on the Parris family of Charleston County, I found a women that was petitioning the state to allow her and her young children to return into slavery. She was unable to pay the taxes on herself and her small children. This was not uncommon, and likely on the mind of Elizabeth at every turn. She had to have been of a strong mind. Her reputation would have been a huge factor within Charleston. She would have been dependent upon the white community. Herself, family members and other black friends would work either in the homes of the white elite or owned shops themselves (I *believe Elizabeth was a confectioner or pasty maker by trade and my have owed her own shop on the neck of Charleston City) or along other free persons of color, but relied heavily upon the patronage of  white costumers.  Abram Taylor, Elizabeth's husband was a tailor and a shoemaker. (I believe in the shop owned by a black man, Mr. Abraham Parris) And if the economic static of the white patronage dropped this could greatly affect and reduce their business, opening the possibility of un payed bills and the threat of a take over of their slaves, their own loved ones. Abram in this case was one of Elizabeth's own slaves, being that he was only a "nominal slave".
                                           
                                                    Taylor Family home.

                 This is the home of Elizabeth Taylor, being sold at auction some time after her death
                                           

Life in Charleston in the early 1800's was going to change the lives off all black free persons and slaves alike.
The statute of 1820 by the state legislature was a great hardship on free blacks, the opinion of the state legislature was that the free colored population was growing to rapidly and could pose a threat to the way of life in Charleston and the safety of the white community. During the second "Great Awakening" some white Charleston slaveholders had freed their slaves after their own great repentance and deep conversion. I will at some point put to light those that did free their slaves and righted a great wrong!

                                           Second Great Awakening

            

                      Giving honor, where honor is due!                  

                     

                                                    Bishop William Capers

  

                                         &   
                                                      Bishop Francis Asbury

 Bishop William Capers, and Bishop Francis Asbury, were advocates of freedom and the education of black slaves.  The happy result was many slaveholders freed their slaves!!! Between 1790 and 1800 was a 76.8% increase of free blacks in the white population. However, the South Carolina state officials acted. They imposed the act of 1820. No slaveholder could free their slaves. This however did not sway loved ones as acting as such. Elizabeth Taylor, free herself. (Most likely born free from a free woman of color, prior to 1800) purchased and planned for her loved ones to never be taken back into the bonds of slavery again!

Free blacks, like Mrs. Elizabeth were required to petition the state assembly to manumit their

 slave relatives and friends legally. In many cases, they sought the services of white agents to represent their claims. These agents drafted and presented petitions to the State legislature in Columbia, South Carolina. In the document, the desire of the petitioner to manumit his loved ones was expressed. Usually the petitioner provided the signature of several prominent citizens in his community who attested to the character of the slave-owner and his slave. Once a petition was completed, the agent presented the document to a special committee of the State Legislature. The petition had to clear the special committee concerning slave emancipation before reaching the floor of the House of Representatives. 3)  Most all, of the petitions had never even reached the floor of the Senate nor the House, The special committee killed it. It was run by a heavily Southern Democratic mind set, blacks belong on the plantation or the kitchen.

     This is an early Census that I will be reviewing...Elizabeth Taylor's name is down on the 4th row.

I hope I have given a base of Elizabeth and the City of Charleston.
In part 2 & 3 I pope to bring out the personal side of Elizabeth (Eliza) Taylor and her Husband Abram Wilson/Taylor.
I'm currently reviewing the legal papers of Mrs.Taylor. There is a court case involving Isaac W. Taylor  & Anna Williams (Anna is the widow of Abram Jr. and daughter in~law of Abram and Elizabeth Taylor, )
She purchased several slaves.......

......... and, I need to review and sort out there relationship's to her, before putting the records on this blog. Also Abram and Elizabeth's children later became part of the Talented Tenth, within the Republican Party.

On a more personal note it's been quite a journey to have reached back to meet my (our) 3 Great Grandmother, when my own grandparents had passed on before me, long before I was born. I hope I have given a glimpse into the life of Elizabeth Taylor and a bit into Abram Taylor's life. My has focusing on Elizabeth Taylor born abt. 1798, butI wonder about her birth place.  At this point there are a few possibilities Virginia, SC, or France;however, there can only be one!



Please leave a comment! 
Felissa Velvet :)

1.) Larry Koger "buying my children".
2.) Forging Freedom 
3) H. Bailey,ed., report of cases argued and determined in the court of appeals of SC vol. 11
3.) Teaching American History in South Carolina
4.) Miscellaneous Records vol. 5R 1835-1837 (Secretary of State)
5.) Black slaveowners Larry Koger

Nealand O. Reeder: A Man of Skill, Talent and Forbearance

Who was this man? What did his eyes see? What would he tell us about his family and the struggles he was to endure.Where and how he grew up. These are the questions I hope to find out and share in this blog. At this point I know more about the man he & his family were living with than about him, but I hope this will give a nice foundation into his life. I will be adding more information on Nealand and his family from time to time, as documents/records are found. So this is an ongoing blog post.

Nealand O. Reeder was born on Oct. 10th 1836 to Matilda Reeder, known by her family as Tilla.

Its been thought that Nealand was a slave; however, all I have found has been evidence that he was in fact a free person of color. In this 1860 Charleston census. Nealand is 20 years old and his occupation is a carpenter. The fact that this mulato young man's name is even mentioned a year before the Civil War has even started, suggests that he is in fact at this time a fpc.

The Act of 1740F imposed a fine of E'100 upon any person teaching a slave to write. Neland was able to read! {some documents vary on this, however} And this would have been a desirable necessity, he'd needed to understand measurements and read diagrams. He would have been a very skilled carpenter considering he was living in the home of a famous master builder, Albert Elfe, Mr. Elfe may have been Nealand's Guardian . Mr. Elfe was the builder of the cupola that garnished the beautiful exchange building and many other well known buildings and homes, in the area. Did Nealand learn his skills as a carpenter under Elfe? Perhaps Nealand was an apprentice under Albert Elfe.

Nealand's family is living in Mr. Elfe's home, during the 1870 census, I imagine that Nealand would have had a great knowledge of American events at that time, he was in daily contact, and living in close quarters with a man that was part of the South Carolina Bank and I've found him (Elfe) mentioned in several reports, journals etc.: Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of S.C, Reports and Resolutions of S.C. to the General Assembly, United States Congressional Set Vol.1042 and numerous more.

Cupola: A dome, especially adorning a roof or ceiling.




                    Historic Exchange building in Charleston SC.


Having had researched several of the Elfe wills (probate records) I have yet to find Nealand, himself. I believe that Matilda, (his mother) was most likely pre-civil war, a slave (cook) in the Elfe home. More research needs to be done, in this area.

So many possibilities here~  Did a slaveholder emancipate him? Did a benevolent family member purchase his freedom? Was he born free or did Nealand earn his freedom thru the hiring out system, that was allowed, but being threatened in Charleston?

 Hiring out, or hiring, referred to a system in which a hirer would temporarily lease a slave from an owner. In doing so, owners generated revenue from their slaves’ labor without having an investment in the actual work itself. Slaves were more likely to face weekly, monthly, or yearly hiring than being permanently sold (1). In some cases, owners would allow there slaves to hirer themselves out, in order to literally earn their Independence . A promising step towards freedom.

In 1860 officeholders had the Police Force of Charleston go to each known Free Person of Color's residence demanding to see papers (proof) on their status. It was a time of great uncertainty and imaginably, Nealand would have had, to have, been on his best behavior at all times. Keeping his papers close to him at all time or at least know where they could be found, and quickly.

This is an article from the Edgefield Advertiser, Wednesday, April 6 1859, South Carolina Newspaper: I hope this will shed some light on the difficulties that slaves and F.P.C. would have had to endure! I noticed a pattern of newspapers reiterating the same sentiments, However; not all Charleston newspapers, have survived over the years.

I feel it's important here, to insert some Information. "Colored Aristocracy" is referring to Free Persons of Color, born free or set free.
As you'll see in this article it's implying that a F.P.C, "lord it over other Negros" That's very dividing in nature and sets in the minds of slaveholder's a revolt~ish  nature of the Free Persons of Color. Invoking Fear, among the whites!

Colored men and women, slave or free were living in wearisome times, full of burdensome fears at every turn!


In the 1870 census Nealand, his wife Corinne, their daughters Cordelia and Florence, his mother Matilda and siblings are all living in the Elfe home.

I have been scoring thru records to find the Reeder connection. Sometimes slaves in one household or plantation would marry a slave or f.c.p. in another household.

In his last days he had spent as a widower, living at 9 Maverick St. Charleston SC., he died on Dec.13th 1914 at 6 a.m. His Doctor, Dr. B.S. Burnett assisted him from Dec.-7th to Dec.-11th. Nealand's burial was at the well known Centenary Church Cemetery in Charleston SC.( I'm in the process of obtaining the member records of the Methodist Church.)

                                              Maverick St. Single Style House
                             The homes are very narrow, but very long!
                                            This home my have been rented from Mr. Elfe

I plan on filling in a few facts about Nealand his family and the times they were diligently enduring. A Part 2, and possibly a Part 3, will be necessary.
 I need to do some transferring of documents/files, that are on another computer.
 Hopefully the documents I've ordered will be mail out to me very soon!
Please fill free to ask Q's, I'll try my best to answer them quickly!

Advertisement of a runaway: City Gazette July 11, 1805
" He [i.e., the runaway slave] is a tolerable good reader and writer; it is likely he will change his name, write himself a pass, and pass for a free man."

Charleston Courier

Nealand Reeder Photo~ From Harriett Taylor & Victoria Hickson


Nealand O. Reeder
Resources:
(1) The New University Lib. ~The Hiring-out System
(2) No Chariot Let Down, Michael P. Johnson & James L. Roark

Part 1~ Amos Baxter Jr. Born into Slavery and Freedom Bought

This blog is a growing account of the activity of a mulatto man, born into a life of servitude as a slave, Amos Baxter Jr. b. abt. 1806 was born to the parents Rev. John Amos Baxter (a free mulatto) and Phoebe Bowman, he had two older siblings Edward  Baxter and Becky [Pawley].

It's important to know that children inherited the mother's status, ones ancestry set free people apart from slaves. Amos Sr. may have been free at the time he purchases his wife and children, but because Phoebe is a slave, her children were viewed as Chattel. 

Young Amos was born during the, The antebellum southern years, his father was connected with a unique society of free Afro-American elites. Amos' parents had a part in the second Great Awakening movement that spurred Abolitionism, among some slaveholding church members in the Charleston area.

One of the events of American history that directly effected the southern states was the banning of the slave trade. Importing of African slaves is outlawed in 1808. This is right about the birth of Amos Baxter Jr.

Only 14 years prior in 1794 cotton gin inventor, Eli Whitney changes the demand of cotton and a huge demand for slave labor in the south. This family did not come directly from Africa; however, it no doubt, would have greatly affected them.

The Plantation he was born on was imaginably a beautiful place to have had seen, with broadleaf trees and large conifers shade trees  everywhere, white cotton fields or coastal long rice ponds. Perhaps the Plantation house had big pillars or a beautiful pizzas'. But even with so much beauty surrounding him, not having his father nearby him, and knowing that his mother and siblings were living in unwanted slavery, along with the other slaves that he had grown to love and admire, were not enjoying the taste of freedom, but living a life under constant bondage, that would no doubt be on the forefront of his mind. He would have to eventually decide early on, whether he was going to have a strong constitution or have a weak will, in the harsh world he was born in.

*South Carolina rice field 

Amos Jr. ,his mother and siblings very likely lived on one of these six South Carolinian plantations owned by Esther Lynch Bowman. *In alphabetical order:

Bellivere Plantation~Fort Motte-Calhoun County

Congaree River near where the road crosses the river.

 Primary crop: cotton. 

Duck Point Plantation~Near Santee river, North.

Primary crop: rice.

Lynch Field Plantation~North of the Santee River, Georgetown County.

Marsh/Pine Grove Plantation~Georgetown, county. Near Estherville road. The property is westward of the intra-coastal area. Primary crop: rice.

Peachtree Plantation~South of the Santee River, Charleston County. Primary crop, rice.

Small Farm~ In Christ Church Parish, in Mount Pleasant.

At a later time, on another blog page, I will go into detail about each of these Plantations and the few slaves I have gotten to know, through research.

*This is a photo of a slave outbuilding/quarters on Duck Point Plantation.

*This is a photo of Marsh Plantation also known as Pine Grove 

Quite possibly the country residence of E. L. Bowman. She had stated in her Will that she resided part of the year at The Marsh Plantation. 

~IF MY BODY IS ENSLAVED, STILL MY MIND IS FREE~
Sophocles

Amos was literate and had a lovely signature, for a man of color for that era of time. While many enslaved persons were illiterate, he was not. The possibility is that Ms. Esther L. Bowman a very wealthy spinster, had some of her slaves educated. In her Will, that she had penned on August 13th, 1817 she stated that "Young Molsey have one years schooling and was to be taught writing and arithmetic". Another likelihood  and a very good one is that he attended the private colored school for children started in 1803, headed by Free Person of Color, Thomas S. Bonneau. His father was a close acquaintance of Mr. Bonneau. 

Amos Baxter, his mother Phoebe and two siblings Edward and Rebecca were purchased on October 28th 1817, by his father a free person of color, Rev. John Amos Baxter Sr. (SEE BELOW) This would most certainly have been one of the most exiting days of their lives! Freedom for his beloved family.

Ms. Esther Lynch Bowman, the women he purchased his family from, was born in 1748. In Prince George's Parish, on the beautiful  Hopseewee Plantation in South Carolina.

Hopseewee Plantation 

Esther never married.
She was the sister of the signer of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Lynch Jr.

Her parents were Thomas Lynch Sr., A wealthy Santee River Rice Planter, a Continental Congressman, and he had also served on as SC. Legislature in 1776. Thomas Sr. never sighed the Declaration of Independence, he became ill while in Philadelphia, the signers had left a space for him to sign when able;however, he died soon after while returning home. Esther's mother was Elizabeth Allston Lynch born 1706, she was from a very prominent family also, she had lived on Brookgreen Plantation, Elizabeth, Esther's mother died two years after her last child was born, 1754. 


Amos' father would have worked very diligently, and have had some very prominent friends to have had purchased three slaves, for $1,200. Sr. Baxter was a free colored elite, this no doubt was helpful in his purchasing his loved ones.
Amos's father was well known in the Charleston community and surrounding areas, his father was one of the founders of the Brown fellowship society. He was secretary.  
He was known by the Plantation owners as a fine dedicated and dutiful man. " Intelligence and piety", "Favorably known in the country places, on Goose creek, Cooper river, Wando, St. Paul's Parish, St. James, St. Johns and Wadmalaw Islands, and even as far as Pon-Pon rivers" William Capers *

Amos Jr. must have lived an amazing life, full of great accomplishments, racial difficulties, and yet surrounded in support from the white community. All of this would have been intertwined with a great need to prove himself worthy to his family, colleagues, and communities leaders.
 Being a Free person of color was not an easy thing to become. There were many laws pertaining to the freeman.
Transportation request, Rules in Marriage,
Owning Land/Property and many more. I'm putting together many documents that pertain to these laws and the people of color in the Charleston. (In another blog post)
Amos would have had a great deal of personal responsibility and
would have a desperate need to be successful and to be admired within the community.

*In John's Island
Near the coast, of Pon Pon river, known now as Edisto river.

In this document.....

......Mary * Bowman personally appears before a lawyer on July, 13th 1840. She states that she was the relative of Esther L. Bowman, that she witnessed the bill of sale of the departed. "very often saw her write, and is perfectly familiar with her hand writing and signature" Mary Bowman.
Clearly a hand written note was presented and needed to be verified. Recorded by G.W. Egleston NP** ~Ex office. 
Recorded 7/13/1840, sworn in M. H. Bowman  

I'm currently tweaking a few other blog pages.

Researched names: Baxter, Bowman Lynch, Castle, Bennett, Reeder and Taylor I also hope to give much more detail in each blog. Just crunched with time.

Credits:
*PON PON PHOTO ~ CHARLES FRASER
*CARITER OF BAXTER SR. LIFE OF WILLIAM CAPERS
*Hopseewee Plantation ~DSDI STAFF
*PLANTAION INFO~ SKYWAY
*DUCK POINT PLANTATION~ PIC FROM SKYWAY
*MARSH PLANTAION~ SKYWAY
*RICE FEILD APUS HISTORY