Description
In Ante Bellum Days - Slave Secures Liberty and Works for That of Wife and Children - Success Crowned His Efforts - - (excerpted from longer article - Nicholas Carper, a Free Man of Color, purchases the freedom of his wife and children from William Jack.)
HE BUYS HIS WIFE.
Know all men by these presents that I, William Jack of the County of Ray and State of Missouri for and in consideration of sum of $350 dollars to me in hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have granted, bargained, sold and transferred and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell and transfer to the Reverend Nathaniel B. Dodge of Harmony, Missouri, and the Reverend Salmon Geddings, of the City of St. Louis, both of the Stale of Missouri, all my right and title to, and interest in a certain female mulatto slave named Milley Carper, aged about 35 years, bound as a slave for life by the laws of Missouri: and I do furthermore covenant to and with the said Dodge and Geddings the right to the service of the said mulatto slave named Milly Carper during the term of her natural life and I will well and truly warrant and by these presents forever depend.
Given under my hand with my scratch seal thereto annexed this 23rd day of March in the year of Lord 1827. William Jack [seal.] In presence bf John Aull and James Aull.
Memorandum: Nicholas Carper, Husband to above woman, has paid $200 dollars of the above money and so soon as he is able to pay the balance of $150 dollars his wife is to be entirely free. John Aull. James Aull.
SECURES HIS CHILDREN.
Whereas Nicholas, a free man of color, has now in the possession of William Jack of Lafayette County, Missouri, two children by his wife Milley, late a slave, both which children are yet slaves to said William Jack and whereas said Nicholas is anxious to take his 2 children with their mother to St. Louis and said William Jack being willing to yield to the paternal solicitude of said Nicholas, be it therefore known to whom all these presents shall come:
That it is agreed by and between said Jack and the said Nicholas that said Nicholas shall have permission to take his two said children, one named Neely aged about 5 years, the other is named Mary aged about 20 months, as far as St. Louis in the State of Missouri and there to retain them in his or their mother’s possession for the period of 18 months from this date, the said Nicholas being bound to take good and sufficient care to provide the said children with comfortable food and clothing and to pay attention to the preservation of their health; and if said Nicholas should not return the said children to said Jack at the expiration of the time before stated then he shall be bound and hereby binds himself to pay to Jack the sum of $320 current money provided said children should so long live; but if said Nicholas should choose to return said children as before stipulated then said Jack shall pay to said Nicholas the sum of $50 dollars current money in consideration of a horse saddle and bridle now delivered to said Jack by said Nicholas.
In testimony of all and singular the stipulations in the foregoing agreement contained the parties have hereto enterchangably subscribed the names at Lexington this 23rd day of March, 1827.
William Jack. [seal] Nicholas Carper [seal] In presence of John Aull.
(Researcher's note: William Jack, Sr. and William Jack, Jr. are listed on the 1839 Platte County Tax List. Per Paxton's Annals - "Captain William Jack died on June 8, 1864, at Platte City, Missouri. He was born March 19, 1778, in Tennessee; married, in 1801, Esther Harris, born September 5, 1780, and died in 1803. They were living in Kentucky when agitated by the great revival out of which the Cumberland Presbyterian Church grew, and he became one of the founders of that denomination. They came West about 1820, and settled at Lexington Landing (Ray County, Missouri), where Capt. Jack kept a ferry for many years. In 1837 the family removed to Platte, and, after a few years, settled at Platte City." Lexington Landing was a riverboat landing and ferry crossing between Ray County on the north side of the Missouri River and Lexington, Missouri on the south side of the river.)Date(s) of Creation
3/23/1827
