Searching for Slave Records
by Rhonda R. McClure
Q:
The 1860 Shelby County slave census shows Richardson BASS owning 4 slaves, from the sex and ages this appears to be a family.
Where can I find when and where he acquired the slaves and when they became free? -- Pat
A:
The researching of slaves often requires that the researcher concentrate more on the slave owner than on the slaves themselves.
If Richardson BASS had only the four slaves you mention, then he would be considered a small-scale owner. The records that you
will need to concentrate on will be:
-- Deeds
-- Census records
-- Wills
-- Probate records
By comparing the names and details on slaves in these records, you are likely to determine when the slaves were purchased. It is very likely that
the records you will need to research may not be available on microfilm. Especially in regards to small-scale slave owners, as their personal records,
if they still exist, are likely to be located in the local historical society.
If you are researching slave ancestry, you will find
Finding a Place Called Home, A Guide to African-American Genealogy and Historical Identity
by Dee Parmer Woodtor, Ph.D. to be of great assistance.
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