Slaves imported from a foreign country since the first of January 1808, or slaves who had been tried and convicted of a felony in any other state or territory were not to be brought into Kentucky. Also no slave could be imported into Kentucky as merchandise or for the purpose of sale or barter under penalty of a fine. Congress prohibited the importation of slaves into the United States and
slaves were prohibited from being imported in Kentucky from 1833. Within 40 days of a slave being imported to
Kentucky, his/her owner had to present a list to the county court clerk giving
the names of the slaves, their ages and sex. Within 60 days, the owner had to
take an oath in their Kentucky county of residence regarding their intention of
importing slaves for their personal use.[1]
The following document was found in loose Caldwell County, Kentucky county
court papers in a file marked Importation of Slaves
“Caldwell
County} Sct
I, Gillee M.
Bacon hereby certify that I have come to the State of Kentucky with an
intention of becoming a citizen thereof from the State of Virginia and that I
have brought with me the following Slaves, for my own use and not for
merchandise. Viz
Warrenton Black
complexion aged about 50
Sam do do “ 40
or 45
Rachael Brown do “ “ 14
Lucy
Park do “ “ “ 16 or 18
Mary Black “ “ “ 40
Hannah Brown “ “
“ 50
Mariah do
“ “ “ 15
Gillee M. Bacon
Sworn to before me this 26th
November 1852
Gillie M.
Bacon married Mary A. Jones 14 July 1825 in Lunenburg County, Virginia.[3]
They were living in Lunenburg County in 1850.[4] By the
latter part of 1852, they had moved to Kentucky, settling first in Caldwell
County (see document above) and then moving to Henderson County, Kentucky before
1860.[5]
Indiana M.
Bacon was owner of slaves Hannah, Mary, Maria and Sam, who were transferred to
Indiana by John J. Jones in a division between Indiana, the said Jones and E.C.
Craig and his wife for the purpose of having same conveyed to Mary Ann Bacon by their deed and
is also possessed of a life estate for the life of Gillie M. Bacon in certain
other slaves, to wit, Warrenton, Judy, Ben, Lucy Parke and Margaret Rachel
Elizabeth and Mary Ann Bacon by deed of 21 January 1850 conveyed to Indiana her
right in reversion to slave Lucy Parke. Therefore this indenture of 21 January
between Indiana M. Bacon, of the first part, Gillie M. Bacon, Trustee chosen by
the parties and Mary Ann Bacon of the third part … and $1 .. hath conveyed to
Gillie M. Bacon, Trustee, all her right, title and interest to slaves mentioned
above. Gillie to hold said slaves and apply the profits arising from them for
the sole and exclusive use of Mary Ann Bacon during her life and after her
death for the benefit of Mary Ann’s children by the said Gillie. If at any time
it is the opinion that it is expedient to sell or remove any of the slaves, the
Trustee is authorized and empowered to effect such sale and the proceeds held
in trust or disbursed for the benefit of Mary A. Bacon. Recorded in Lunenburg County, Virginia 5 May
1852 and recorded in Henderson County, Kentucky 12 June 1858.
The Gille/Gillie Bacon family does not appear on the 1870 or later census records in Henderson
County, Kentucky.
[1]
“Slaves, Runaways, Free Negroes, Etc., “The Revised Statutes of Kentucky and
An Appendix, Vol. II, (Cincinnati: Robert Clarkes & Co., 1860), Article
II on the Importation of Slaves, Sec. 1,2 and 3, Google Books.
[2]
Loose County Court papers, Caldwell County Clerk’s Office, Princeton, Kentucky;
also recorded in Caldwell County Deed Book 2:81, Recorded 3 December 1852.
[3]
Virginia Marriages 1740-1850, Lunenburg County, Virginia, Gillie M. Bacon and
Mary A. Jones, 24 July 1825, Ancestry.com.
[4]
1850 Lunenburg County, Virginia census, Roll 958, p. 24, Ancestry.com.
[5] 1860 Henderson County, Kentucky census, Division 2, p. 153, Ancestry.com.
Published 3 September 2020, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/
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