Lincoln County (Ky.) slave affidavits, 1808

Summary

Creator:

Anonymous

Abstract:

This collection consists of 8 affidavits recorded in Lincoln County, Kentucky, in 1808. The statements, all provided by slaves, concern events leading up to the stabbing of a slave named Moses in May 1808.

Extent:

16 pages

Language:

English

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Mary Parsons, December 2011, and Meg Hixon, November 2013

Background

Scope and Content:

This collection consists of 8 affidavits (16 pages) recorded in Lincoln County, Kentucky, in 1808. The statements, provided by slaves named Ben, Peter, Caleb, Martin, Frank, David, Lew, and Jim, concern events leading up to the stabbing of a slave named Moses in May 1808. According to their testimony, Ben and Lew had a financial dispute after a card game, which later led to an altercation between a slave named Surry, who was a relative of Ben, and Moses, who was acquainted with Lew. The slaves who were involved in and who witnessed the incident belonged to several different masters. The affidavits provide detailed information about the men's activities before and during the fight between Surry and Moses.

Additional research about the collection and the context of Surry's murder trial is available in the Manuscripts Division.

Biographical / Historical:

A group of slaves in Lincoln County, Kentucky, witnessed a violent altercation between slaves named Surry and Moses in May 1808, which ended with Moses's death by stabbing.

Additional research about the collection is available in the Manuscripts Division.

Acquisition Information:

2011. M-4878.1 .

Processing information:

Cataloging funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). This collection has been processed according to minimal processing procedures and may be revised, expanded, or updated in the future.

Rules or Conventions:

Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Additional research about this collection and transcripts of the affidavits are available in the Manuscripts Division.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

African Americans--Crimes against.
Murder--United States.
Slaves--United States.

Formats:

Affidavits.

Places:

Lincoln County (Ky.)