Children, women and men held as slaves often passed from one generation of a family to the next. Consider for example, the slaves held by Epps Brown. Epps Brown was born on December 17, 1766 in Virginia. By 1793,he resided in a portion of Greene County, Georgia which later became Hancock County. The History of Hancock County Georgia by Smith, reports Brown came to help subdue the Seminole Indians. Around 1800, he married Elizabeth Shackleford who died May 6, 1860 in Hancock County.
On June 9, 1827, Epps Brown signed his will:
I give and bequeathed to my daughter Nancy B. Brown the following negroes to wit, Lucy and her 5 children, Winston, Warren, Fanny, Elbert and John, also Ellen and Cato Anderson and Harriett and in the event that my said daughter shall die before marriage the aforesaid slaves and increase of the females, I give and bequeath to my son Algernon Sidney Brown.
I give and bequeath to the children which my son Burwell Brown now has or hereafter may have in lawful wedlock the negroes Jere and Judah and the children now in life and hereafter to be born.
To my beloved wife Elizabeth I give desire and bequeath all the rest and residue of my estate and personal negroes not herein before named …during her life and on her decease to my son Algernon Sidney and to my son Alfred.
Epps Brown died from a sword wound received in a duel on August 22, 1827. An inventory and appraisal of his estate listed 46 slaves.
| Slave Name | Appraisal Value |
|---|---|
| Aaron | 262 |
| Alice and child |
450 |
| Anderson, boy | 325 |
| Anthony, waggoner | 550 |
| Berry, boy | 280 |
| Betty, girl | 350 |
| Blanche | 380 |
| Daniel | 500 |
| Davy | 450 |
| Deliah | 380 |
| Elbert, boy | |
| Eliza | 160 |
| Ellinor | 275 |
| Emeline, girl | 325 |
| Fanny | 200 |
| Florida | 100 |
| Hampton | 170 |
| Harriott | 140 |
| Henry, boy | |
| Holland | 450 |
| Jerry | 500 |
| Jourdan | 537 |
| Judah | 100 |
| Julia | 150 |
| Kathy | 260 |
| Lish | 250 |
| Lucy and child | 425 |
| Martha | 154 |
| Mary and child | 500 |
| Noel, boy | 237 |
| Patience | 250 |
| Peggy | 175 |
| Peter | 500 |
| Prince | 200 |
| Richmond | 500 |
| Sabrina and child | 500 |
| Sally | 125 |
| Sarah and child | 400 |
| Susan | 154 |
| Sylva | 125 |
| Tim | 75 |
| Tom, old | 300 |
| Tom, young | 550 |
| Warren, boy | 300 |
| William | 500 |
| Winston, girl | 260 |
Brown’s estate including over 2000 acres and the slaves not specifically bequeathed passed to Elizabeth. On January 8, 1859 Elizabeth E. Brown signed her will :
I give and bequeath to my sons Algernon S. Brown and Alfred E.W. Brown my real estate , The plantation on which I now live containing about twenty-four hundred acres, my stock of all kinds...I also give to my sons Algernon S. Brown and Alfred E.W. Brown the following negroes: Maria, Prince, Antionette and her child Frances, and their future increase...
The above bequests to my sons Algernon and Alfred shall be held subject to the payment of one hundred dollars to my faithful negro man Anthony and of fifty dollars to my old house servant Betty. I direct my executor first to pay said pecuneary legacies before a division shall be made of my estate.
Elizabeth E. Brown died May 6, 1860,thirty five years after her husband's death.The following slaves appeared on the inventory and appraisal of her property:
| Slave Name | Appraisal Value |
|---|---|
| Hampton | 1100 |
| Anthony, Sr. | 300 |
| Maria | 400 |
| Prince | 1000 |
| Burwell | 1600 |
| Antinette | 1000 |
| Frances | 500 |
| Green | 500 |
| Aunt Sarah | 1 |
| Juds | 800 |
| Caroline | 1200 |
| Blanche | 1200 |
| Pedro | 1600 |
| Anthony, Jr. | 1600 |
| Aunt Peggy | 1 |
| Betty, Sr. | 500 |
| Missouri | 1100 |
| Henry | 800 |
| Margaritle | 500 |
| Ella | 200 |
| Ailsey | 1 |
| Lucy | 1080 |
| Mary | 1 |
| Little Betty, Jr. | 1250 |
| Richmond | 600 |
These matching names appeared on both list:
And so in a system of perpetual slavery, the slaves and their descendants held by Epps Brown passed from him to his wife to his children.