Participant Info

Slaveholder

John Williams

Locations

Warren County, Kentucky Dubois County, Indiana

Researcher

Frena Williams Hokans

Researcher's E-mail

abhokans AT comcast.net

Researcher Location

United States

Comments

SH John Williams, died in about July of 1807 in Warren County, Kentucky. Estate Inventory found in Warren County Probate Records 1797-1985 at FamilySearch.org -- Vol. A-B 1797-1824, Image 80 of 199. Date: 20 May 1808 Enslaved persons (in order by evaluation - so this might be a family): Ceazar -- man Adam -- man Bets -- woman Kercy -- boy Jena -- girl Kizey -- girl Stephen -- boy George -- boy Allen -- boy Eleassa or Elessa -- girl Note for researchers: I haven't found any record for what happened after the estate inventory. John Williams' widow, Sylvia, married 2nd James McDaniel in 1811 in Warren County, Kentucky. They were living in Troy, Perry County, Indiana Territory in 1812-1813. I found Sylvia McDaniel next on the Dubois County, Indiana census in 1820. When Indiana became a state in 1816, slavery was outlawed at that time. Living with Sylvia McDaniel in Patoka, Dubois County, Indiana were two female "free colored persons" under fourteen years of age, and one female "free colored person" of fourteen and under 26. There were a total of eight free colored persons on this census, all living with white families, right next door to Sylvia McDaniel on page one of this census. I believe the first page of this census was devoted to the "free persons of color" living in Patoka, Dubois County, IN at this time, as Sylvia McDaniel's husband was enumerated on another page -- so this clearly indicated that they were associated with her separately on that census. UPDATE 7/08/2024: I finally found John Williams ' father, Thomas Williams of Warren County, Kentucky who married 2nd Christian Hightower, the daughter of the Reverend John Hightower. While researching source records for John Hightower, I discovered that the Reverend John Hightower had purchased the EP named ADAM from the Estate of John Williams, most likely in about 1808 while the Estate was being probated -- and on 10 Jun 1818 Reverend John Hightower emancipated ADAM, effective date 1 Mar 1820. Source: FamilySearch.org, Warren County, Kentucky Deed Records Vols. 6-8, 1812-1818, image 775 of 817. Per the Estate Record of EPs outlined above, it appeared that the EPs were a family, however, it appears that ADAM, enumerated as "man," may not have been part of that family, as there were two adult men listed, so it appears that Reverend John Hightower purchased ADAM separately from the estate and subsequently emancipated him in 1818. As mentioned above, the rest of the EPs would have been effectively freed when Syliva Williams McDaniel moved to Indiana Territory in about 1812-1813, where slavery was never instituted. However, researchers of these EPs might be able to go through the deed and court records for Warren County, KY at FamilySearch to find other possible purchasers of other EPs from the Estate of John Williams. It would be time consuming, but there may be other source documents concerning those EPs, such as the one I discovered regarding ADAM and REVEREND JOHN HIGHTOWER. Also important to keep in mind, that the area our family lived in Warren County, Kentucky was very close to the border of Indiana, prior to statehood, slavery was strongly discouraged in Indiana territory and after statehood slavery was outlawed. So I think it extremely likely that any EPs from the Estate of John Williams would have immediately moved to Indiana Territory or Indiana State if they were emancipated. I don't know the history, but my research appears to indicate that slavery was frowned upon in the area of Kentucky where they were enslaved, so it is possible that other EPs were emancipated in Kentucky and if so, would most likely have crossed the border to Indiana. I will add a separate "Enslaved Population" entry for the Reverend John Hightower of Warren County, Kentucky -- so just search Reverend John Hightower, Warren County, Kentucky for that entry.

On-line Tree or Website

JOHN WILLIAMS, SH: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/120887635/person/332248586896/facts Reverend John Hightower, emancipator of ADAM: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/120887635/person/332547564803/facts

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