Slavery
Butts County, GA, November 14, 1861; October 1862
Widow & Slaveowner Attempts to Distribute Slaves Among Heirs During Civil War
MDS

[SLAVERY.] Mary Redman, Manuscript Document Signed with a Mark, Last Will and Testament, November 14, 1861, Butts County, Georgia; with James S. Boynton, Autograph Endorsement Signed, October 1862, Butts County, Georgia. 4 pp., 7.75" x 12". General toning; some separation on folds.

With this last will and testament, Georgia slaveowner Mary Redman attempted to distribute her twenty-one enslaved African Americans between her son and grandson. After she died in June 1862, the Court of Ordinary in Butts County refused to admit the will because it had only two witnesses, rather than the three required by Georgia law. This requirement remained a Georgia law until 1958, when the legislature reduced the requirement to the modern standard of two witnesses.

The Civil War, then raging, soon made the distribution of Redman's slaves among her heirs irrelevant. By mid-November 1864, General William T. Sherman's army swept through Butts County during the March to the Sea. Many enslaved African Americans followed Sherman's army southward, but those who did not became free the next spring when the area fell under Union authority and the provisions of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Excerpts
"I Mary Redman of said state and county of sound and disposing mind and memory do make publish and declare this instrument to be my last will and testament....
"Item, 2nd to My Grand son William Lucius Goddard I will and bequeath the following negroes namely Harriet a woman and her children, Emily a girl, Peter a Boy, Lucy a girl, Henry a Boy and Jeffry a Boy (all of which Negroes are now in possession of Lucius Goddard, Father of the said Wm Lucius as a loan to my Daughter Martha Goddard Mother of the said William Lucius during life) to have and to hold the same together with their increase at and after my death and during his natural life and to the heirs of his body forever.
"Item 3d) I will and bequeath to my said Grand son in addition to the above bequest My Negro Boy Wiley (son of the woman Harriet above named) now in my possession and after my death to remain as the property of our son William T. C. Redman until the said William Lucius shall arrive at the age of twenty-one years, at which time the said Boy Wiley shall be given over to the said William L. if living or to the heirs of his Body (if there be any) forever. I also give to the said William L. at my death one feather bed and furniture also one cow and calf....
"Item 6th I will and devise to my son William T. C. Redman and to his bodily heirs the following Negroes namely Aggy a woman and her Eight Children to wit John a Boy, Charles a Boy Nelson Stephen, Jim, Reuben, Jessee and Rhoda and their increase forever I also will to my said son William T. C. all of the lands of which I may be possessed at my death, also all of my Stock house hold and kitchen furniture of every name and kind or any other thing or things of value of which I may be possessed at my death, excepting the followin named Negroes and their increase To wit, Wiley a man Harry a man Caroline a woman her two children Wesley a boy and Mitchael a boy and their increase, to be divided between my said son and Grand son in the following manner, the said Negroes last mentioned to be held by my son William T. C. after my death until my Grand son William L. shall arrive at the age of twenty one years to be then valued by three disinterested men to be appointed by the ordinary of Butts County and divided equally between my said son and Grand son if said division can be amicably made Otherwise said negroes shall be sold at public Sale and the proceeds equally divided between the said heirs....
"In witness where of I have here unto set my hand and affixed my seale in the presans of this November 14, 1861
"Mary her X mark Redman
"Joseph Pittman
"Henry Barnes"

[Endorsement:]
"Butts Court of Ordinary October Term 1862
"The within was presented in Court by W T C Redman as the last will and testament of Mary Redman deceased & refused to admitted to probate or Record because there are but two subscribing witnesses.
"Jas S. Boynton / Ordinary"

Mary Cliett Redman (1797-1862) was born in Georgia and married William Redman (1798-1831) in 1826. Before his death five years later, she had three children, Elizabeth Redman (1827-1828), Martha Redman Goddard (1829-1858), and William Thomas Carter Redman (1831-1887). Her surviving daughter, Martha, married Lucius Goddard (1818-1911) in November 1845, and they had four children, including Lucius William Goddard (1853-1922). In 1860, she was living in Butts County, Georgia, with her son W. T. C. Redman and his wife Sarah Maddox Redman (1841-1914), whom he had married in 1857. According to the 1860 census, W. T. C. Redman owned 16 slaves, and Lucius Goddard owned 20 slaves, both in the Iron Springs District of Butts County. These likely included the 21 slaves that Mary Redman bequeathed a year later.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 7.75" x 12"
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