A massive and remarkable manuscript archive of a North Carolina family dating from 1804 to 1869. Including approximately 376 items, over 50 related to the enslaved individuals they owned. 

The earliest documents relate to patriarch Benners Vail (1780-1816) and his wife, Elizabeth “Eliza” Dorthea Lente Vail (1783-1853). An earlier settler of New Bern, Craven County, the archive includes several early 19th century land grants and surveys. 

The archive then follows to one of their daughters, Frances M. Vail Emery (1804-1841), and her husband, Thomas J. Emery (1749-1847). From there, the line of descent passes to Sally “Sallie” Vail Emery Washington (1830-1869) and her husband, John Nicholson Washington (1819-1869). John Washington was a prominent lawyer and was deeply involved in the estates of his wife’s family. Notably, he is the probate lawyer and power of attorney for the estate of Eliza Vail, a large estate that included dozens of enslaved individuals. Washington also handled affairs for his wife’s parents and her brothers, Dr. Thomas R. Emery (b. 1836), Dr. James B. Emery (1824-1852), and Benners Vail Emery (1833-1853), who died of yellow fever in Haiti. Thorough and meticulous, Washington kept hundreds of documents related to the various estates, including receipts, promissory notes, inventories, and court documents. 

Most notably, there are approximately 50 items related to the enslaved individuals, almost always named, from the Vail and Emery estates. The number of documents that are related to the same individuals give an unprecedented glimpse into the past. 

The earliest document related to slavery is dated 23 December 1826, upon the death of Sarah B. Vail (daughter of Benners Vail and Eliza Vail), who bequeathed her slaves to her sister Frances and her husband, Thomas J. Emery: “entitled to one half of certain slaves owned by the said Sarah Vail in common with the said Eliza Vail her mother…The following negro slaves (which have been agreed by the said Thomas J. Emery and the said Eliza Vail, and the said Michael H. Lente to be taken, set apart and held as the said Frances Mary Emery of the negros held and owned in common as foresaid that is to say Holloway, Charles, old Quoco, Betty, Sarah, and four of Dinah’s children viz. Minerva, Jerry, Isaac and Hannah.”

Many of the documents relate to the expenses of care of the enslaved individuals. Washington kept meticulous records of all the expenses related to the estates he was handling, which included the costs and care of the slaves. Some examples include a receipt for “burying negro child” (4 January 1854); receipt for “medical attendance on negress Eliza” (January 1852);  “Paying expenses of negro boy Alexander from newbern to Wilmington” (31 December 1853); and a medical bill that included the cost of care for several enslaved individuals, including “Lizzie’s child, Lana, George, Naomi, Betsey, Julia, Alfred, and Mary Jane” (4 November 1857); and a midwife receipt for having “waited on your negro woman Hannah the wife of Jacob she had 2 boy children last week” (6 January 1855). 

While most of the documents relate to the inheritance or care of enslaved individuals, the Washingtons also acquired more slaves and sold others. A slave bill of sale dated 16 November 1830  is included “for my negro man named Kitt aged about twenty-seven years which I have sold this day to her which negro man.“ A 5 February 1859 document gave authorization to Washington  “to take and receive negro man Henry from Bryan Gardner on Gardner + Branch and sell and dispose of him anywhere as he may think most advantageous.” 

A rare untouched archive directly from an estate providing a view into a slave-owning family in antebellum North Carolina. A complete list of documents is available upon request. 

[Manuscripts, Documents, Letters, Ephemera, Signatures, Autographs] [Colonial America, 13 Colonies, Thirteen Colonies] [Slavery, Enslavement] [Civil War, Union, Confederate] 

Most documents show typical signs of age but are mostly in good to fine condition. Condition report and a list of documents is available upon request.