Henry Israel Warrant Sound and Slave for Life

Henry Israel was an arm baby, four months old when he was sold to David Buie in 1837. His mother Ann was 16 years old; she was youthful and fertile. She could endure the long trip from Virginia and ahead of her were years of work and child bearing. David Buie paid $800 for mother and child in Natchez, Mississippi.

The Natchez Daily Courier
November 6th 1855

"I had one child Henry Israel when I came from Virginia. Mr. Buie bought me and him at Natchez." Ann, Henry's mother

ANN'S BILL OF SALE - NATCHEZ - MAY 16TH 1837
Received of David Buie eight hundred dollars in full payment for two negroes, to wit, Ann 16 years of age and her child four months old, both negroes. I warrent(sp) to be sound, and slaves for life.
Theophus Freeman
Teste - Neil Buie

If they traveled by land, Ann and infant son would have been part of a coffle. A coffle was a convoy of slaves, mostly chained or roped together. The average coffle consisted of between 30 and 50 people. Men were placed in front, followed by women without children, children who were able to walk, and lastly, women with infants and small children who had to be carried. Major traders would have as many as 300 people. Determine by the destination, traveling 20 - 25 miles per day, the trip could take up to eight weeks.

"I can see de tragic sight, yet, of my people, chained together by deir han's in pairs, lined up in a long row, wid men leadin' 'em, and men at de end of de line takin' 'em to de auction-block." Ex-Slave, Foster Weathersby in Simpson County, MS

Traveling by water, they probably left Norfolk, VA, on a steam brig, navigating the Atlantic around the Florida Peninsula into the Gulf of Mexico. The brig would continue up the Mississippi River to the docks at New Orleans. Slaves destined for the Natchez market were transferred to steamboats for the remainder of the trip. The steam brigs were equipped to carry between 75 and 150 slaves, normally operated between October to May to avoid excessive heat in the tightly packed slave quarters aboard ship.

Once they arrived in Natchez, Ann, baby Henry and the others in their group would be groomed, well fed, and given new clothes for preparation of their impending sale.

"When dey got to Natchez de slaves was put in de pen 'tached to de slave markets. It stood at de forks o' St. Catherine Street an' de Liberty road. Here dey was fed an' washed an' rubbed down lak race hosses. Den dey was dressed up an' put through de paces dat would show off dey muscles. My pappy was sol' as a twelve year old, but he always said he was nigher twenty." Ex-Slave, Isaac Stier of Jefferson County, MS

Charles S. Sydnor’s book, Slavery in Mississippi, described The Forks of the Road Slave Market as follows: "A short distance out of Natchez in the angel of two roads were several low, rough, wooden buildings, that partially enclosed a narrow courtyard. In front of it usually found the saddle horses of planters or of the traders; inside were the Negroes awaiting sale. The entrance of a planter was a signal for the Negroes to line up, the men on one side and the women on the other."

The slave merchandise would be told how to show themselves off, to look cheerful and to speak up. The slaves would be formed into companies, according to size; the men, women, and children into separate groups. With this arrangement, the families among the group would often see the last of each other in this dreaded showroom.

Ann does not mention in her depositions, given in her son's Perry's pension case, if others of her family were sold along with her.

Next post: Ann and Henry arrive on the Buie plantation.

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How does Henry connect to my family?
Henry Israel shared the same plantation with members of my family.

Additional source - African American Migration Experience - The Domestic Slave Trade

Amanuensis Monday Found Love in the Slave Pen

Slave Pen
Alexandria, Virginia
Image courtesy of Library of Congress

This is a bitter sweet testimony from Jane Harris Burnett who found love in a slave trader's pen in Richmond, Virginia. She and her future husband Robert Burnett likely were frighten, sold from family, not knowing where they were going and concerned about the new owner. John Torrey purchased them in Natchez, maybe at the Forks of the Road Slave Market. I wonder if Torrey was looking for a couple or if one or both asked him to buy them both.

Deposition A of Jane Burnett
Federal Pension Case of Jane Burnett (Widow of soldier Robert Burnett)
March 23rd 1898
Union Church, Jefferson County, Miss
I and Robert Burnett were bought by Mr John Torrey a number of years before the war from the traders at Natchez, Miss; I had become acquainted with Robert at Richmond, Va., where the traders first had us. My name in Virginia had been Harris, but on Mr Torrey's plantation I went by the name of my new owner. I took up with Robert Burnett at the slave trader's yard at Richmond, Va., and lived with him as his wife until his death in April four or five years ago; I cannot give you the exact date of his death. We were never divorced. Robert Burnett died of dropsy of the heart, so Dr McLean who treated him in his last sickness told me. When the Yankees had taken Natchez, Robert Burnett left for that place and enlisted in Co. C, 58 USCT, in which he served three years. After his discharged he returned home.

General Affidavit of John Torrey
In the year of 1852 February I bought them in Natchez, Miss and they lived as man and wife until 1863 when he went in the war and after he returned in 1866.

Source: Federal Pension Records of Robert Burnett
Private Robert Burnett of 58th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry
Digging up the Past at a Richmond Jail

Amanuensis Monday Assortment of Negroes

Take Notice
I WILL BE AT MY OLD STAND at the Forks of the Road, Natchez, on or before the first of November next, with an excellent assortment of
NEGROES,
many of them fine Cotton Pickers, besides five Blacksmiths, two House Carpenters, one Cabinet workman (a splendid mechanic) and two No. 1 BRICK-LAYERS. The above Negroes have been carefully selected, and I will guarantee satisfaction to purchasers. R. H. Elam.
Free Trader and Woodville Republican copy one month, and forward account to R. H. Elam. o18-d :wif

Source:
The Natchez Daily Courier
November 6th 1855
Microfilm Number: 22503
Mississippi Department of Archives and History

I don't have documents proving that members of my families were purchased at the Forks of the Road Market but do have documents that they were purchased in Natchez, which was one of the towns the slave owning families conducted their business.