Threads That Tie . . . Threads That Bind . . . Threads That Weave, (Part 2) by Drew Howard

excerpted from an article in the Dartmouth Alumni newsletter

In the last post of this webpage, Drew Howard described his family history journey, linking him through his mother to his great-grandmother and Martha Miller, who was the original owner of the 1847 silk wedding dress found in the Society’s archival collections. Ed.

… Then I come to the 21st clause, and here is Martha. He writes “formerly my slave, but now free, and resident of the State of Ohio, One Thousand Dollars of Bonds.” This was also telling me that 14 years after he had emancipated her, he still knew where she was and would provide for her. This will has tied Sarah and Martha together for me, and I only wish my mom had seen this.

I uncovered the Register of Negroes & Free People of Color. C.C.C. This is the Campbell County Courts’s register incompliance with a 1793 Virginia law requiring all free Black and Mulattoes to be registered. I scrolled through quickly and found an entry in May of 1845 for Martha. I went to October 1839 which was the date of an earlier deed of emancipation by Miller of Rose and her two children. There was no entry for them however there were three entries on 14 Oct: Mary Miller “about 23 years old and is 5 feet 6 ½ inches high has a scar on her forehead and one under left eye”, Sarah Miller “about six years old has no scars or marks and is 3 feet 10 inches high”, Edward Miller” about three years old has no scars or marks and is 3 feet 1 ½ inches high. I had not only discovered the future Mary Hodge, my great-great grandmother, but also a great-great granduncle. I think Miller acknowledged his parenthood in writing the will.

That was further bolstered when, after the Civil War has changed the way of life in Virginia, in 1868, less than a year before he died, he eliminated the first clause of the will by deeding that same property to James W. Lee, Trustee, for “Ten Dollars good and lawful Money of the United States.” Further on in the deed it states “the said trustee shall permit the said Sarah Jane Lee to occupy, possess and enjoy the said tract or parcel of land, and the rents, issues and profits thereof, to take, for and during the term of her natural life, unto her own proper use and behoof [sic], free and clear of and from all manner of charge and incumbrance of her husband.” It has already been established that James and Sarah are husband and wife (and already have had my grandmother and one grand-aunt), but Samuel is making sure that Sarah will be provided for even if the husband acts badly. The property stayed in the family for nearly 40 years before my grandparents sold it about the time my mother was born. She always said that the family once had a piece of downtown Columbus. That piece is now partially covered by I-70.

Read the whole article