This collection contains 58 items are related to slavery or emancipation in the states of Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Texas and the countries of Cuba, the Caribbean, Jamaica, and Paris, France.

The descriptive write-up provided by Respess and William Reese, Company is used in the listing of documents. Each document purchased has a title, date, and some have an abbreviated transcription of the text.

The Texas document recounts the hiring, auctions, renting, and transferring ownership of slaves. The Missouri documents concern the purchase and transferring of ownership of slaves named Nancy, George, Phebe, Washington, Lucinda, Madison, Benjamin, and Sarah. No last names or additional information is provided except that Nancy is a Mulatto Woman and George is "of the age of seventeen or thereabouts." Of particular note are two documents, a Texas free woman of color filing a complaint regarding an illegal beating by a group of five men one and the other document is from Missouri and details a sale of slaves by a woman, a rarer document than those recording sales by men.

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The sale of five slaves as recorded in an autograph document transferring ownership of "Sundry Negroes slaves for life (to wit) Jim, July, Harriet, Ann & George with their Increase" to D. A. Perry for $2400, signed by S. W. Perry of Washington County, Republic of Texas, February 28, 1838. Half-sheet 4to. One-page, approximately 50 words; docketed on verso/ Folded; traces of an attached sheet on verso.

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Renting a slave for the interest on debt as recorded in an autograph document transferring temporary ownership of "a negro woman named Lucretia about 18 years old copper complexion or yellow" from Wyatt Hanks for a period of 12 or 20 months, for the interest on $900, to John Campbell and his wife of Dewitt County, Texas, and signed by John Campbell and Hanks, July 24, 1857. Folio. One page, approximately 200 words; docketed on verso. In a signed statement on the verso, a bit less than two years later, Hanks relinquishes claims on the slave for $300. Folded; some edgewear and browning.

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Transferring ownership of "a negro woman named Harriet, about thirty years old," to J. S. Hanna for $1000, in a manuscript document, signed by J. C. Rogers of Milam County, Texas, October 6, 1857. Folio. 1-page docketed on verso. Signed by A. M. Massengale and D. R. Cole as witnesses.

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Accounting for the hiring and rent of land and slaves, a one-page accounting for the estate of F. R. Garnett. Listing includes five slaves, identified by name, and one parcel of land; for each slave entered the "hirer" and the monthly fee paid to the estate for services or use; William Woodson of Harrison County, Texas, was acting as administrator for the estate. February 8, 1858.

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Announcing the auction of slaves in Caldwell, Texas, in an autograph document headed "notice," signed by Ellis Gregg as the administrator of the estate of John Gregg, deceased, September 27, 1858. Half-sheet 4to. One page, approximately 65 words. "I will sell to the highest bidder at the Court House door in the town of Caldwell on the first Tuesday in November next … the Negro woman named Ellen and children named Frances, Jinny, and Austin." Pinholes at corners from an original mounting; another hole in the middle of the document, taking parts of two letters.

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Seeking $10,000 in damages for an illegal beating, a plaintiff's attorney's manuscript complain, signed by L. T. Harris and R. L. Elkins in February (?), 1960 on behalf of Rose Ann, "a free woman of color, and a resident of Jackson County." Folio. 2 pages approximately 325 words. Malcolm Gandy, Andrew Sea, William Wingfield, John White, and Adam McDaniel, all of Jackson County, allegedly "with force of arms & without right … dragged the said pltf. Who is an old and defenseless woman, about 60 years of age, a considerable distance, and then and there with force of arms, …beat, bruised & wounded the said plaintiff with sticks, clubs, and quirts." Rose Ann is later described as "a citizen of Texas at the date of the Declaration of the Independence of Texas," the first such description we've seen for an African-American. Folded (some wear and short separation at folds); some browning and smudging. The complaint was prepared for the March term of the Lavaca County Court but bears no court markings or docketings (the complaint is apparently a copy or was never filed).

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Transferring ownership of "thirty seven negroes," from Jesse Tubbs to William Davis, Robert Calvert, and James S. Hanna for $36,750, in a manuscript document, signed by Davis, 15 October 1860. 4to. 1-page docketed on verso. Signed by T. W. Cunningham as a witness.

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Transferring ownership of "a negro man by the name of Tom," from H.J. Willson, to "Davis, Calvert & Hanna," for $1050 ($25 down payment made here), in a manuscript document, signed by Willson, October 25, 1860, at "Railway Camp." 4to. 1-page docketed on verso. Signed by T. W. Cunningham as a witness.

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Printed slave hire, a partly printed document completed in manuscript and signed by J. D. Billups, John Billups, and G. W. Beauchamp. [Palestine, TX?], January 1, 1861. Handbill, 8 x 6.5 inches. "[blank] By the Twenty-fifth day of December next, we, or either of us, promise to pay to W. W. Quarles, as guardian of M. Quarles, [blank] Dollars, for the hire of a Negro [blank] named [blank] said Negro we are to furnish with three suits of good clothing, one of which to be woolen; two pairs of shoes, one [blank] and one good blanket. And we are to pay the Taxes, and are to employ a Physician, when necessary, and pay the Physician's bill: --and we are to pay five Dollars for every article of clothing we fail to furnish according to the above agreement. Ten per cent for maturity/ January 1st 1861." The blank spaces are here completed appropriately in the manuscript. While autograph slave hires are among the most common slavery-related documents, this is the first printed form for one that we have encountered.

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Promising to pay $25 per month for "three Negro Boys to work," to Geo. R. Tubb, in a manuscript document, signed "Davis, Calvert, & Hanna," Leon County, October 21, 1860, additionally agreeing to "clothe and feed said boys." Half-sheet 4to. 1-page docketed on the verso. Over the hire is written "Cancelled & the Negroes taken home & payment made in full to G.R. Tubb this day February 7th 1861."

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Promising to "furnish [sic] Samuel King a negro man four months at 20 dollars per month", in a manuscript document, signed by James S. Hanna, in "Sterling," [TX?], March 8, 1862. Half-sheet 4to. 1-page. Hanna further notes the $80, "being the balance due him for buck work done in the year 1861."

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Transferring ownership of "a certain negroe girl named Banbry, about seventeen years of age," in a manuscript document, signed by Joseph Mason of Harrison County, Texas, January 2, 1854. Folio. 1-page docketed on the verso. Signed by Pendleton Murrah as a witness. Folded as for filing, but very good. Benjamin Young and Alfred Johnson purchased the slave for $1041. Murrah (1826-1865) was elected governor of Texas in 1863 and served to the end of the war when he fled to Mexico, dying there of tuberculosis in August 1865.

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Posting bond for an accused murderer of "Jack Hunter a negro man, formerly belonging to Mrs. A. M. J. Hunter on the Seventh of April A.D. 1864," in a manuscript document, signed by Joseph W. Slater, as Justice of the Peace, Thomas W. Hull, the accused, and 16 of his supporters, all of Harrison County, Texas, September 18, 1865. Folio. 1-page; docketed on the verso. Folded, but very good.

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Paying a J. S. Hanna a $25 bounty as a "reward for recovery of a Freedman Rance Ross - charged with horse stealing," in an autograph document, signed by M. F. Harman, December 9, 1875, on a "John Orr & Co." billhead, dated Calvert, Texas. 8 vo. 1-page.

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Transferring ownership of "a negro boy named Stephen, said boy … about twenty years of age … and slave for life" from W. W. Watts to J. S. Hanna for $4000, in a manuscript document, signed by Watts and by W. Rowland as a witness in Robinson, Texas. December 7, 1863 (i.e., after the Emancipation Proclamation) Half-sheet 4to. 1-page. Undated