The estate inventory of John Raven Mathews, filed May 8, 1867, includes a list of more than 170 enslaved people who were freed by the United States government in 1865. Although the enslaved community held by Mathews had been freed two years before Mathews’ death in 1867, appraisers of his estate listed the names, ages and occupations of those he formerly held in bondage. In the list below, brackets around groups of names may denote family groupings.

The list may not include the names of all enslaved people held by Mathews, as a note at the bottom of the list (entitled “Negro Slaves Owned by John Raven Mathews 1st of May 1865,” submitted by the estate Executor) states, “and others whose names I have not been able to procure3.”

John Raven Mathews

 

John Raven Mathews (1788-18671) owned a plantation in Colleton County, South Carolina, a town home in Charleston, and land in Habersham County, Georgia2.  

Will of John Raven Mathewes

In his will, John Raven Mathews (rendered Mathewes in the will) bequeathed property to sons J. Fraser Mathews and William R. Mathews4.

Estate Inventory

The table below is searchable. You may also select how many names to view per page.

NameAgeRemarks
Ned38Brakets around Ned, Tenah and Sam
Tenah25
Sam14
Sharper40Brackets around Sharper and Betsy
Betsy37
Frank25
Peggy20Brackets around Peggy and Infant
Infant
Tenny (?)30Brackets around Tenny and Infant
Infant
Ansel28Brackets around Ansel, Nan and 2 Infants
Nan22
Infant
Infant
Joe35
Tyrah28Brackets around Tyrah and two Infants
Infant
Infant
John43Brackets around John, Phid, Binah and Infant
Phid (?)45
Binah26
Infant
John Small58
Rose55
John27
Venus & three children from 1 year old & up to 8 yrs.25
Mary23
Children 2 yrs. Old up to 6
Lydia30
Amy22
Ned26
Hagar18
Betty C[illegible]41
Humphreys15
Amy47Brackets around Amy, Sabrina, Katy, Lucy and Henry
Sabrina43
Katy23
Lucy20
Henry18
Dennis37
Amy34
George8
Infant
Albert32Brackets around Albert, Sarah and Ansel
Sarah30
Ansel10
Neptune27Brackets around Neptune and Clarinda
Clarinda28
Sally Carr35
3 children from 3 to 12 yrs. Old
Tim52Brackets around Tim, Hannah and Charity
Hannah43
Charity3
Sam Graham45
Martha40Brackets around Martha, Daniel and Mary
Daniel10
Mary8
William35Brackets around William, Hannah and Mary
Hannah32
Mary10
Infant
Jolly28Brackets around Jolly, Patty and Mary
Patty25
Mary6
Domo43Brackets around Domo, Sylla, York and Hetty
Sylla40
York12
Hetty8
Phoebe50
Hagar24Brackets around Hagar and Infant
Infant
Phillis26
Nelly20
Charley23Brackets around Charley, Mary and Infant
Mary20
Infant
Jack27
Christianna23
InfantBrackets around Infant, Stephen, Katy Moore, Sue, Juno and Tenah
Stephen46
Katy Moore44
Sue14
Juno12
Tenah8
Cuffee33
Beck51
Tenah18
Ned27
Martha20
Katy48
Toney17
Rhina20
Infant
Charles24
Minia(?)19
Caesar36
Sally32
Isaac44
Hester37
Dick14
2 children 2 to 6 yrs. Old
Marcus45
Dianna43
Dick Aiken43
Betty40
Cudjo34
Christy32
Katy14
Chloe20
Susy40Brackets around Susy, Christy, Limus, Robert and Infant
Christy14
Limus8
Robert6
Infant
Will47Brackets around Will and Sally
Sally44
Stephney42Brackets around Stephney, Minia, Lindy and Nancy
Minia38
Lindy16
Nancy12
Silvia blind47
Old Amy70
Grace40
Cely56
Shem40
Jane28
Parin(?)17
Infant
Tim52
Doll50
Nannie26
Sam16
Sharper18
Hannibal20
George18
Simon15
Sam20
Crosby10
Rose14
Frank50
Adam44
Thomas47
July28
Harry30
Lucy25
Jim Heyward38
Sam Pinckney40
William32
Toby35
Cyrus43
Jack24
Tom41
Wyatt34
Alec36
Quash30
Daniel24
Frank Edward46
Mary40
York52
Primus43
Cuffee25
Neptune28
Frederick24
Joe22
[overwritten and illegible]20
Tom26
Joe54
Maria60
Rachel35
[Additional note below list: "and some others whose names I have not been able to procure"]

Please click the thumbnail images below to view the document images.

John Raven Mathews Estate Inventory P 630 John Raven Mathews estate Inventory P631 John Raven Mathews Estate Inventory P632 John Raven Mathews Estate Inventory P633 John Raven Matthews Estate Inventory P634

Bills of Sale

On 7 April 1843, John R. Mathews purchased 49 enslaved people from the estate of John Heyward5.

Mathews John R Purchase from Estate of John Heyward Bills of Sale Book 6a P15

On 16 June 1848, John R. Mathewes purchased 38 enslaved people from Edward W. Mathewes6.

Mathews Edward W bill of Sale to John R Mathews Bills of Sale Book 6b P419

Suggestions for Further Research

The John Raven Mathewes Papers, 1802-1851, are held at the South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina. You can view the collection description here. The collection appears to consist of bills and correspondence concerning the rice trade. 

A diary which may be attributable to John Raven Mathewes is held by the Medical University of South Carolina Library, and contains lists of provisions to enslaved people that include names, ages and family groupings. 

References Cited

[1] Ancestry.com. Web: South Carolina, Find A Grave Index, 1729-2012 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Find A Grave. Find A Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi: accessed 16 March 2017.

[2] “South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-JWSW-WC?cc=1919417&wc=M6N4-VM9%3A210905601%2C212195101 : 21 May 2014), Charleston > image 215 of 460; citing Department of Archives and History, Columbia.

[3] “South Carolina Estate Inventories and Bills of Sale,” online database at Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/image/256/308409945), Estate Inventories, Book G (1864-1867), Pp. 630-634, accessed 18 Mar 2017. [It is not unusual to see lists of formerly enslaved people in estate inventories filed in Charleston District after 1865. Volumes F (1860-1864) and G (1864-1867) each contain several.]

[4] “South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-JWSW-WC?cc=1919417&wc=M6N4-VM9%3A210905601%2C212195101 : 21 May 2014), Charleston > image 215 of 460; citing Department of Archives and History, Columbia.

[5] “South Carolina Estate Inventories and Bills of Sale,” online database at Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/image/256/308409945), Bills of Sale, Book 6a (1843-1846), P. 15, accessed 18 Mar 2017.

[6] “South Carolina Estate Inventories and Bills of Sale,” online database at Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/image/256/308409945), Bills of Sale, Book 6b (1846-1849), P. 419, accessed 18 Mar 2017.

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