DeSoto, LA 1850 Slave Schedule ftp://ftp.us-census.org/pub/usgenweb/census/xla/desoto/1850/ This Census was compiled by J. Hugh LeBaron and submitted to the USGenWeb Census Project http://www.us-census.org/ Copyright (c) 2001 by J. Hugh LeBaron ========================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the written consent of the transcriber or the legal representative of the transcriber and contact the USGenWeb Census Project File Manager via the email address with proof of this consent. ========================================================================= This slave census began on August 17, 1850 and concluded November 3, 1850. Census Enumerator - Thomas W. Broadnax The designation gf appears in the original census and is the symbol for the word griff. This is a word used in early Louisiana to identify the "offspring of a negro (sic) and a mulatto." If a person was too light to be a Negro and too dark to be a mulatto, they were considered a griff. Paul Drake, J. D., A Dictionary of Historical Terms for Genealogists (Heritage Books, Inc., Bowie, Maryland, 1994) p. 107. ======================================================================================== Name Slaves Males Females Black Mulatto ======================================================================================== Wilson Godfrey 2 1 1 2 . W[illiam] J. Hamilton 3 1 2 3 . Horace Carleton 1 . 1 1 . Colonel John H. Townsend 9 4 5 3 6 Eli Best 5 4 1 1 4 R[ichard] D. Foster 9 5 4 9 . Mrs. M[ary] A. Garrett 5 3 2 5 . W[illiam] H. Terrell 4 3 1 3 1 W[illiam] D. Hill 2 . 2 2 . A[lford] J. Taylor 7 4 3 4 3 H. J. Phillips 10 7 3 9 1 William J. Davis 17 10 7 12 5 William H. Connell 6 4 2 2 4 Charles Holden 6 2 4 3 3 John P. Williams 4 2 2 3 1 J. H. Poland 6 4 2 6 . M. T. J. Alston 2 1 1 2 . James T. Williams 12 6 6 10 2 John D. Wemple 4 1 3 4 . Mary A. Parker 1 1 . 1 . Squire Pate 1 1 . 1 . Warren J. Massingale 3 2 1 2 1 P[eter] D. Wynne 5 1 4 5 . B[enjamin] S. Wynne 1 1 . 1 . William McMichaels 9 4 5 9 . H[enry] H. Warmack 4 3 1 4 . M[ary] A. Carr 6 4 2 4 2 G[eorge] W. Meek 1 . 1 1 . R[obert] T. Gibbs 5 3 2 5 . M[athew] Parker 5 1 4 4 1 H[ipet] L. Williams 23 7 16 23 . G[abriele] M. Sandell 4 2 2 3 1 Isabel Terrell 5 4 1 3 2 E[lisha] Terrell 1 1 . 1 . James Terrell 2 1 1 2 . Joseph [M.] Terrell 6 3 3 6 . R[obert] J. Bruce 4 3 1 3 1 W[illiam] G. Lewis 4 4 . 2 2 William Carroll 1 1 . 1 . J. H. Mercier 1 . 1 1 . G[eorge] R. Draughon 18 10 8 18 . Will Crosby 16 12 4 16 . W[illiam] W. Draughon 7 3 4 3 4 gf[1] J[oseph] W. Baldwin 17 7 10 16 1 J[ames] W. Baldwin, Sr. 8 3 5 1 7 George Nickleson 29 16 13 8 17 m/4 gf A[bner] Summrall 4 2 2 2 2 A[nna] M. Munday 41 25 16 39 1 m/1 gf [Mrs.]M[ary] E. Stedman 3 1 2 3 . R[obert] H. Carruth 1 . 1 . 1 gf M[artin] H. Alexander 11 8 3 11 . M[oses] David 33 18 15 30 1 m/2 gf C[harles] J. Pegues 30 12 18 27 1 m/3 gf A[nn] L. Pegues 12 4 8 8 4 J[oshua] M. Chapman 1 1 . 1 . W[illiam] M. Allen 1 1 . 1 . J[ames]. S. West 4 3 1 2 1m/1 gf Colonel W[illiam] H. Bonneau 29 10 19 27 2 J[esse] W. Crook 4 1 3 3 . Gideon Moseley 6 3 3 6 . Benjamin Pearson 11 6 5 7 4 gf Prestridge H. McCraw 33 19 14 25 8 gf W[illiam] G[eorge] Hale 18 13 5 9 4 m/5 gf W[illiam] Sebastian 8 4 4 6 2 gf Thomas Lynch 2 2 . 1 1 gf William Mathews 4 1 3 3 1 gf Mary Bradley 5 2 3 4 1 Paschal Bradley 7 3 4 4 3 Elbert Miles 5 1 4 4 1 gf A[lfonzo] Allen 5 3 2 3 2 gf J[eptha] H[ays] McCraw 8 5 3 6 2 gf S[ylvester] P. Jones 7 3 4 5 2 gf W[illiam] A. Pegues 18 11 7 18 . S[olomon] D. Williams 4 2 2 4 . M[ary] F. Hewitt 4 2 2 4 . S[amuel] W. Norwood 5 2 3 5 . Thomas Johnson 2 1 1 1 1 gf C[harles] E. Hewett 2 2 . 2 . A[lford] M. Hewett 3 3 . 3 . G[eorge] A. Norwood 10 5 5 6 4 gf J[ames] H. Saint 6 3 3 3 3 gf R. C. Maby/Mabry 18 10 8 12 6 gf J[ames] W. Fair 8 4 4 8 . T[homas] J. Perminter 8 5 3 8 . J[ohn] W. Stephenson 2 1 1 2 . S[amuel] E. Guy 6 4 2 5 1 gf James Cox 12 6 6 4 1m/7 gf Thomas J. Williams 15 8 7 13 2 gf John Jordan 23 11 12 20 3 gf D[avid] A. Blacksher 7 2 5 6 1 gf ESTATE OF W. H. JORDAN 4 2 2 4 . A[mbrose] M. Chapman 40 21 19 26 14 gf Mary Harris 2 . 2 . 2 B[enjamin] F. Chapman 36 19 17 31 5 gf Milton Evans 1 1 . 1 . J[eremiah] B. Norman 1 . 1 1 . J[ohn] P. Fincher 3 2 1 2 1 gf John Evans 3 1 2 3 . R. Rufus King 3 1 2 3 . W[illiam] B. Adkins 8 4 4 5 3 gf T[homas] P. Cash 12 7 5 12 . W[iley] J. McElroy 2 2 . 2 . C[olumbus] Evans 1 1 . 1 . Fransor Ramby 13 4 9 9 4 gf Seras Flores 1 1 . 1 . Brazil Hessar 3 1 2 2 1 gf Isaac Hessar 1 1 . 1 . M[ary] A. Hessar 2 2 . 2 . Robert Haden . 18 12 20 1 m/9 gf M. A. Prestridge 2 . 2 . 2 gf G. H. & J. J. Nall 59 32 27 47 12 gf S. A. Armstrong 2 1 1 2 . J. H. Armstrong 12 8 4 12 . R. A. S. McCurdy 3 1 2 2 2 gf F. H. Wagley 7 1 6 7 . John Jordan 63 25 38 45 4 m/14 gf E[phraim] C. Lockwood 4 1 3 4 . Raney DeSoto 12 6 6 1 1 gf J[ohn] J. B. Prudhomme 1 1 . 1 . J. T. Robinson 7 3 4 7 . J. Z. Vasher 4 3 1 4 . Mary L. Vasher 3 1 2 1 1 m/1 gf W. W. Olmsted 23 12 11 22 1 Harden Harville 6 1 5 6 . D. J. Gardner 6 3 3 5 1 gf Lescum Lafitte 3 . 3 1 2 gf J. P. McElroy 1 . 1 1 . John McLauglin 16 8 8 14 2 gf W. McElroy 4 1 3 3 1 E. H. Crosby 32 21 11 29 1 m/2 gf Elizabeth Holman 1 . 1 1 . Judith [A.] Bullock 2 . 2 2 . Lewis Phillips 23 9 14 15 8 gf J[essica] H. Rives 23 9 14 13 3 m/7 gf S[amuel] A. Rives 5 1 4 5 . R. J. Cole 29 17 12 21 1 m/7 gf Pedro Flores 9 6 3 9 . A. V. Roberts 13 5 8 11 1 m/1 gf D[ouglas] R. Roach 9 5 4 8 1 gf John H. Quarles 25 14 11 19 6 gf J[ohn] D. Huson 1 . 1 1 . A[lex] M. Campbell 25 13 12 24 1 Ornofn Flores 7 6 1 5 1 m/1 gf J. J. Bradley 10 5 5 7 1 m/1 gf James Willis 28 15 13 10 1 m/16 gf Levi Smith 3 . 3 2 1 N. G. Cox 3 2 1 2 1 Henry Moore 19 12 7 6 13 gf Benjamin L. Lester 3 1 2 3 . Drury R. Nance 2 1 1 . 2 gf Robert W. Buchanan 1 . 1 1 . James M. Farmer 4 2 2 4 . B. R. Hogan 39 21 18 34 1 m/4 gf Israel Rodgers 9 4 5 6 1 m/1 gf Isaac Dykes 2 1 1 1 1gf Josiah Hill 13 7 6 10 3 gf Moses C. Williams 11 6 5 11 . Henry Williams 17 7 10 16 1 gf Benjamin A. J. Williams 5 3 2 4 1 gf S. P. Williams 9 4 5 8 1 gf J[ames] C. Rives 36 21 15 35 1 gf John Burnett 4 1 3 3 1 Dempsey McMillan 2 1 1 2 1 gf Simon Glover 2 1 1 2 . Aaron Gandy 6 2 4 5 1 gf E. H. Turner 15 5 10 12 3 Calvin E. Kirvin 2 1 1 2 . Ozainor Rambin 1 . 1 1 . W. W. Deloach 16 11 5 16 . Lockwood Alison 23 9 14 18 1 m/4 gf Robert B. Frierson 4 1 3 3 1 gf George P. Frierson 17 10 7 8 1 m/8 gf Seneca H. Powell 13 6 7 11 1 m/1 gf John Greenwood 2 1 1 1 1 gf Thomas Scott 30 14 16 24 2 m/3 gf Robert H. Scott 15 10 5 15 . Elizabeth Faust 1 1 . 1 . Collin McMillan 9 3 6 7 1m/1 gf John W. Jones 8 6 2 6 2 gf Joshua Best 9 3 6 8 1 W[illiam] R. Lewis 3 2 1 3 . Harris Brantley 27 11 16 9 18 gf Francis Powell 12 4 8 9 3 R. R. Riggs 15 6 9 6 3 m/6 gf Edward Riggs 13 6 7 8 1 m/4 gf William Riggs 9 5 4 9 . Colonel W[illiam] B. Means 80 44 36 50 2 m/28 gf G. M. Eldridge 7 4 3 6 1 gf William Stewart 6 5 1 5 1 gf Young E. Allen 4 2 2 4 . John B. Pew 5 3 2 3 2 gf Sterling Powell 18 9 9 13 5 gf Jonathan Penwell 66 35 31 65 1 Frederick DeWitt 4 3 1 4 . Robert [F.] Whitaker 1 1 . 1 . Samuel Wilson 7 1 6 5 2 gf Sylvester Murry 21 11 10 12 1 m/8 gf Thomas M. Gilmer 20 13 7 12 8 gf Joseph Juquues 3 2 1 3 . J. B. Townsend 6 3 3 4 2 gf ESTATE OF J. R. BRANTLEY 7 1 6 4 2 gf Payton Stanley 9 5 4 4 5 gf Thomas P. Hall 26 10 16 19 5 m/2 gf Alson Taylor 11 7 4 9 2 gf Joseph Valentine 2 1 1 . 2 gf Elizabeth [G.] Hall 16 9 7 10 6 Charles A. Edward 104 52 52 85 4 m/15 gf Alexander Haden 17 8 9 13 4 gf John R. Piles 2 1 1 2 . George Burnes 23 14 5 17 1 m/5 gf James A. Simpson 21 6 15 14 2 m/5 gf T. M. Gatlin 58 29 29 54 1 m/ 3 gf James Daniels 1 1 . 1 . John H. Sutherlin 11 7 4 9 2 gf Robin Smith 4 3 1 2 2 gf John Wagner 10 4 6 6 1 m/3 gf James L. Rochelle 40 25 15 37 . D. B. McMillan 13 8 5 9 4 gf 4 gf Daniel McMillan 5 1 4 5 . G. S. Hart 2 . 2 2 . Benjamin Wells 7 3 4 5 2 gf James Riddlesparger 6 2 4 5 1 gf William Sims Anderson 8 4 4 6 2 John H. Jenkins 3 1 2 3 . Benjamin Pittard 1 . 1 1 . William Shell 4 2 2 3 1 gf Isaac Butterworth 3 . 3 3 . William A. Tharp 31 18 13 17 . James G. Carter 2 2 . 1 1 gf J. G. W. Spears 6 4 2 3 3 William C. Peyton 1 . 1 . 1 gf John Dailey 1 . 1 1 . J. F. M. Palmer 3 1 2 1 2 James Franks 2 1 1 3 . John A. Franks 1 1 . 1 . William Franks 5 3 2 4 1 Rev. A[braham] W. Jackson 19 8 11 19 . R[everend] R. M. Fortson 7 4 3 6 1 Rev. John Wimbish 6 3 3 4 2 gf Sarah C. Wimbish 6 1 5 2 4 gf Jesse Pew 8 5 3 8 . Mrs. Sarah Youngblood 10 6 4 9 1 gf Mrs. Mary Williams 32 16 16 24 8 gf F[rancis] W[alker] Williams 4 4 . 3 1 gf Thomas J. Carroll 3 1 2 3 . Mrs. Willie Phillps 9 4 5 9 . Eliza Fairchild 1 . 1 1 . Mary A. Nance 4 1 3 2 2 gf Mary Thomas 3 2 1 2 1 gf James Davidson 12 6 6 10 2 gf William Davidson 102 55 47 102 . Gen’l H[enry[ Phillips 29 17 12 26 3 James Cooley 11 8 3 10 1 gf James H. Samples 13 6 7 12 1 James Wafford 16 8 8 14 2 O. L. Durham 17 8 9 17 . Jesse Comb 6 2 4 5 1 gf Robert [A.] Little 2 . 2 2 . John A. Ross 67 30 37 54 2 m/11 gf John R. Mason 7 3 4 7 . Robert B. Jones 30 16 14 27 1 m/2 gf N. J. Moore 2 1 1 2 . P[hil] P. Williams 11 4 7 10 1 gf Thomas C. Collins 3 2 1 2 1 gf Moses Collins 41 22 19 9 1 m/9 gf Thomas R. Adams 4 3 1 3 1 gf Clark Campbell 11 8 3 11 . Mrs. A[nn] Campbell 30 15 15 30 . M. B. Pettaway 15 5 10 10 5 gf W. D. Pettaway 13 5 8 8 5 M. Flanagin 19 8 11 17 2 gf John H. Anderson 2 1 1 1 1 gf M. McNamara 1 . 1 1 . Sterling Ansley 3 1 2 3 . James Daughetry 2 1 1 2 . Benjamin Williams 3 2 1 2 1 gf Isaac Harris 3 2 1 3 . Wm Franks, Junr 11 7 4 11 . Sion Creach 2 . 2 2 . Hamilton Sloan 22 10 12 21 1 gf John Robinson 3 2 1 2 1 gf George Moseley 2 1 1 1 1 gf Joel Adams 16 7 9 15 1 John B. Gamble 3 2 1 2 1 gf C. B. Connell 2 . 2 1 1 gf Samuel McMichael 8 6 2 8 . Allen Medlock 7 5 2 7 . John A. Gamble 40 24 16 23 17 gf Thomas T. Williamson 38 25 13 37 1 Jesse H. Goodwin 89 42 47 86 2 m/1 gf M. J. Loper 18 6 12 18 . Neville Rambin 7 4 3 7 . Collin Barnes 1 . 1 1 . William Robinson 20 8 12 20 . W[illiam] D. Hopgood 7 6 1 4 3 gf Samuel Buchanan 6 3 3 6 . E[lisha] Summerall 4 2 2 4 . D[avid] Summerall 11 8 3 9 2 gf Mrs. R. E. Thompson 7 4 3 7 . W. W. Bell 12 5 7 11 1 gf John Sojourner 12 7 5 12 . Thomas Abington 12 5 7 8 4 gf A. G. Bigham 8 6 2 2 6 W. J. Moseley 12 8 4 12 . Burton Rucker 1 . 1 1 . James Moseley 2 2 . 2 . Daniel Lee 8 2 6 8 . Aaron E. Fergerson 23 9 14 17 6 gf Mrs. E. L. Poland 27 11 16 18 . S[amuel] B. Hall 1 1 . 1 . Caesar Flores 3 . 3 2 1 gf F[orbes] R. Houston 12 4 8 9 3 gf Jonah Robinson 10 6 4 10 . Jonah V. Robinson 1 1 . 1 . Aaron Robinson 8 5 3 6 2 gf J[ames] F. Neuslaff 2 1 1 2 . Robert Hewitt 6 2 4 5 1 gf G. B. Bairfield 6 3 3 5 1 gf W. O. Baldwin 46 23 23 41 5 gf J[ohn] H. Randall 17 9 8 17 . David Henry 1 . 1 1 . William Smith 1 1 . 1 . C. B. Adams 27 16 11 27 . M. H. Mickelberry 3 2 1 3 . William Allen 1 1 . . 1 gf Wiley White 5 1 4 1 4 gf Mrs. Kissiah Heard 8 3 5 7 1 John Tharp 1 1 . 1 . J[oseph] F. Haden 12 2 10 9 2 m/1 gf Mrs. M. H. Hadan 15 9 6 13 2 gf Mrs. S[arah P.] Mathew 6 3 3 4 2 gf Robert Burnes 1 . 1 . 1 gf Samuel Scholler 1 . 1 1 . Mrs. S[arah] M. Ross 4 2 2 2 2 gf Mary C. Blake 3 1 2 . 3 gf F. L. Farrer 1 1 . . 1 gf John Farrer 1 1 . 1 . Mrs. M[ary] R. Williams 1 . 1 1 . Littleton Tidwell 13 8 5 13 . H[enry] G. Shrock 3 2 1 2 1 gf P. B. Markham 1 1 . 1 . H[enry] P. Dear 10 7 3 10 . A[lford] S. Kidd 7 1 6 5 2 M[oses] D. Kidd 7 3 4 7 . John D. Duke 6 3 3 3 3 Griff James Raynes 1 . 1 1 . James C. Reynolds 2 1 1 2 . John E. Lewis 9 6 3 8 1 gf William Bairfield 4 1 3 2 2 gf R. J. Satterwhite 6 3 3 2 1 m/3 gf John Moseley 8 3 5 7 1 R. J. Hart 3 1 2 3 . William Hart 13 5 8 13 . Joshua Motes 2 2 . 2 . Sylvester Walker 1 1 . 1 . John Robinson, Senr 14 7 7 13 1 gf **** Robinson 1 1 . 1 . Ephraim Butler 4 3 1 3 1 gf G. W. Lenoir 5 3 2 3 1 m/1 gf Robert Reynolds 21 9 12 18 1 m/2 gf James W. Wilcox 19 11 8 18 1 gf George G. Haden 23 13 10 23 . D[avid] B. Graham 2 1 1 . 2 gf Henry McComb 5 2 3 4 1 H. J. Phillips 7 3 4 4 1 m/2 gf Henry Rugeley 12 7 5 12 . James Elliott 6 3 3 5 1 James O’Neel 1 . 1 1 . Horace Chambliss 6 5 1 5 1 gf Whitten Rodgers 2 . 2 2 . Jacinto Chicho 1 1 . 1 . Joseph Bazer 5 4 1 4 1 gf D]avid] L. Stewart 4 1 3 4 . ESTATE OF JOHN S. PEGUES 53 30 23 45 8 gf Augustus Guy 6 3 3 4 2 gf R. F. Johnson 25 15 10 23 2 Alexander Haden 7 2 5 6 1 John H. Howard 28 15 13 26 2 Henry Marshall 157 70 87 152 3 m/2 gf J. J. Marshall 58 34 24 55 3 gf Thomas W. Brodnax 7 4 3 4 1 m/2 gf Alexander Graham 4 2 2 4 . I do hereby certify that I have enumerated all of the Slaves in DeSoto Parish, according to oath of administration to the best of my knowledge and belief. Thomas W. Broadnax Ass't Marshal - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Epilogue Bracketed Names Names, or parts of names, appearing in this transcription that are enclosed in brackets [ ] were added by the compiler and are not in the original slave census. These expanded names were derived by comparing the names of slave owners in the slave census to the names appearing in the free Census of DeSoto Parish, Louisiana in 1850. A few names were expanded based on the compiler's personal research of 1850 inhabitants of the Parish. Mixed Race Identification of Slaves The original slave census provided that slaves of mixed race are to be identified using the word "mulatto." According to the instructions given to census enumerators in 1850, "For census purposes, the term "black" (B) includes all persons who are evidently full-blooded negroes (sic), while the term "mulatto" (Mu) includes all other persons having some proportion or perceptible trace of negro (sic) blood." The census instructions were to "Write "W" for white; "B" for black; "Mu" for mulatto; . . . " 200 YEARS OF U. S. CENSUS TAKING: Population and Housing Questions, 1790-1990 (U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1989) p. 23. These instructions made it incumbent upon the enumerator to determine whether a slave was a Negro of undiluted blood or a person of mixed blood based primarily upon the slaves' physical appearance. Slaves who appeared to be of undiluted blood were classified as Black. However, if a slave appeared to have diluted Negro blood of any amount, he was classified as mulatto even if that portion of non-Negro blood was only a "trace." Thus, the instructions in 1850 were to use the term mulatto generically to include quadroons, octoroons, and all other variables of mixed African blood. The census instructions of 1850 ran counter to the correct use of terms to describe persons of racially mixed blood. Mulatto actually means a person who is the offspring of one Caucasian and one Negro parent, sharing the blood of both parents equally. The offspring of a mulatto and a white is called a quadroon to designate a person with one-fourth Negro blood. The offspring of a white and quadroon is called an octoroon to show that the original amount of Negro blood has been diluted to one-eighth. In each of the circumstances described above, the identification in the language applied to cases where the amount of Negro blood in a mulatto is diluted by white blood. There is nothing in the language in common use to identify the offspring of a mulatto and a Negro where the amount of Negro blood is increased. This was unsatisfactory to early Louisianians, and they created a word to indicate the progeny of a mulatto and a Negro. This word is "griff." It is peculiar to Louisiana, and its use is limited to Louisiana environs. Although not authorized by census authorities, Thomas W. Broadnax, the census enumerator for DeSoto Parish in 1850, used the designation "gf" to identify those slaves whom he believed, based on skin tone and features, to be the progeny of a mulatto and a Negro. If multi-racial slaves or freemen appeared too dark to be a mulatto, Broadnax recorded their race as "gf." Evidently, early Louisianians felt it necessary to identify griffs in order to avoid having all multi-racial slaves attributed to Caucasians. The social stigma of race mixing was so odious that the dominant slave culture in Louisiana required some acceptable explanation for the presence of such a large number of racially mixed slaves. In 1850 DeSoto Parish, the number of racially mixed slaves was eighteen per cent of the total. By assigning responsibility for the major portion of these slaves to intra-slave unions, the social ignominy of whites for such a large inter-racial slave presence is lessened. Demographics of the 1850 Slave Census There were 4,352 slaves in DeSoto Parish in 1850 and 395 slave owners for an average of 11 slaves per owner. There were 3,118 free white citizens in the Parish for a total population of 7,466. Slaves accounted for fifty-eight per cent of the total DeSoto Parish population with a ratio of 1.4 slaves for each free person. Summary of the 1850 DeSoto Parish, Louisiana Slave Census Total Slaves 4,352 100.0% Male Slaves 2,214 50.9% Female Slaves 2,138 49.1% Griff Slaves 579 13.3% Mulatto Slaves 206 4.7% Total Mixed Race Slaves 792 18.2%