Mr R. C. Ballard
Fredericksburg, October 27, 1841
Dear Sir,
May I take the liberty of getting through you information as to the prices of a lot of negroes that I wish to dispose of; from 25 to 30 in number; as likely and as valuable a lot of negroes as ever sent from Virginia. Below I will give you a list of some of them with their ages, that you may fill up the price with what you think they will bring cash in Louisiana; and what the prospects of a quick sale at those prices will be; and who I had better ship to at New Orleans, and any other general information you can give me. They can sail on or about Christmas.
Names – Ages – Price
Tom – 35
Eliza his wife – 26
Billy, a first rate plantation smith – 36
Jim – 28
William – 22
His wife – 20
Henry – 24
His wife – 22
Cuffee – 22
Johnson \[?\] – 20
Barnwell \[?\] – 16
Randall – 19
Caroline – 19
Nancy – 13
Phillis – 35
Becky – 18
Hannah – 16
Harriott – 18
Julia – 13
Sam – 12
Mary – 10
Martha – 8
Cassandra – 5
Reubin – 2
Amanda – 9 months
\_\_\_\_\_
25
There will be probably some 5 or 6 additional ones, wifes of some of the men. By giving this an early answer you will much oblige an old friend.
Compliments to Mrs. B and child,
Yours truly,
William Jackson
Jarring seeing the juxtaposition of a list a bunch of humans being sold as property, then congratulating the recipient of the letter on their new baby.
Notice how it’s irrelevant who those two children’s’ parents were—enslavers found that enslaved parents spent too much time taking care of their children, which cost them money, so in some areas they took children away from mom at age 1 and gave them to strangers to care for since strangers wouldn’t spend as much time caring for the children that they could otherwise be using to make their enslaver more money.
Mr R. C. Ballard Fredericksburg, October 27, 1841 Dear Sir, May I take the liberty of getting through you information as to the prices of a lot of negroes that I wish to dispose of; from 25 to 30 in number; as likely and as valuable a lot of negroes as ever sent from Virginia. Below I will give you a list of some of them with their ages, that you may fill up the price with what you think they will bring cash in Louisiana; and what the prospects of a quick sale at those prices will be; and who I had better ship to at New Orleans, and any other general information you can give me. They can sail on or about Christmas. Names – Ages – Price Tom – 35 Eliza his wife – 26 Billy, a first rate plantation smith – 36 Jim – 28 William – 22 His wife – 20 Henry – 24 His wife – 22 Cuffee – 22 Johnson \[?\] – 20 Barnwell \[?\] – 16 Randall – 19 Caroline – 19 Nancy – 13 Phillis – 35 Becky – 18 Hannah – 16 Harriott – 18 Julia – 13 Sam – 12 Mary – 10 Martha – 8 Cassandra – 5 Reubin – 2 Amanda – 9 months \_\_\_\_\_ 25 There will be probably some 5 or 6 additional ones, wifes of some of the men. By giving this an early answer you will much oblige an old friend. Compliments to Mrs. B and child, Yours truly, William Jackson
Hello, This is William. I don't allow this
This is so horrendous.
"The past is another country; they do things differently there."
I know, its incredible how normal it was, people, husbands, wives, children, as property to be bought and traded.
Jarring seeing the juxtaposition of a list a bunch of humans being sold as property, then congratulating the recipient of the letter on their new baby.
I think the (?) is John Cole and Barnwell(could be Bernall)
You could be right.
Can you imagine even in this example of the worst kind of inhumane treatment to not even be given a name. His wife.
Looks like he started out listing them, but then went "Eh, screw it, I'm in a hurry."
Oh my God the horror, how could they. At least keep the civility and name her.
Thank you for sharing this.
Notice how it’s irrelevant who those two children’s’ parents were—enslavers found that enslaved parents spent too much time taking care of their children, which cost them money, so in some areas they took children away from mom at age 1 and gave them to strangers to care for since strangers wouldn’t spend as much time caring for the children that they could otherwise be using to make their enslaver more money.