Final List of Enslaved, Wiley Turner Probate – 1865

African-American Genealogy & Slave Ancestry Research, Lowndes County, Turner, Wiley Turner Probate Record

This was the fourth and final inventory of the estate of Wiley Turner, deceased, formerly of Lowndes County Alabama. In the spring of 1865 the people enslaved in Alabama were emancipated by the presence of the Federal Army.  This list was made in March of 1865. Emancipation followed shortly thereafter. Columns are Name, Age (approximate and if known) and Value.  Number 27.  Joseph, was my great great grandfather. He was my maternal grandmother Fannie Turner Graham’s grandfather.

  1. Fed                    36     $3,500
  2. Nat                               4,500
  3. Andrew             32       4,500
  4. Tony                   37       3,500
  5. Nelson               27      4,500
  6. Cary                   25      3,500
  7. Lloyd                   29     4,000
  8. Freeman             18     4,500
  9. Long George       31     4,000
  10. Jim                       31     4,000
  11. Henry                   30     4,500
  12. Harrison             18     4,500
  13. George                 25     4,000
  14. Lewis                   30      2,500
  15. Bill Tyus               44      4,000
  16. Frank                   18      3,500
  17. Bill Campbell     33      3,500
  18. Prince               17      3,500
  19. Isaac             22       3,000
  20. Jessie                   33       1,500
  21. Aolbut                 13       3,000
  22. Adam                   34      1,000
  23. Samuel                 47      1,000
  24. Wilson                 40      4,000
  25. Jack                                     500
  26. Jess                       33      4,500
  27. Joseph                   27      4,500
  28. Ed                         15       2,500
  29. Rachal                   72           800
  30. Fanny                   33        1,000
  31. Ellen                     37        1,000
  32. Clary                     25        1,000
  33. Eliza                       49           500
  34. Milly                       67          500
  35. Amy                       41       2,500
  36. Martha                   37       2,500
  37. Hagar                     35       1,500
  38. Emma                   15        3,000
  39. Abigail                 45           500
  40. Peggy                   15        3,500
  41. Cherry                 48            500
  42. Louiza                 17         3,000
  43. Margaret           25         1,000
  44. Harrit                 17          2,500
  45. Fanny(35) & child Mary   4,000
  46. Lucy(24) & child Rubie     4,000
  47. Frances                             1,200
  48. Polly                                 1,200
  49. Phillis (23) & child Susan 4,000
  50. Betsy                                 1,000
  51. Adeline                             2,000
  52. Eliza(29) & child             4,000
  53. May & child Virginia     4,000
  54. Wesley                  8         1,000
  55. Mariah & child Minty   4,000
  56. Ellen                                 3,000
  57. Anna                                 1,000
  58. Georgiana           8           2,000
  59. Tom                                   2,000
  60. William               25          2,000
  61. Julia                     15          1,000

State of Alabama}
Lowndes County}
Probate Court March 14th 1865

Personally came before me James W. Graham Judge of Probate of Lowndes County John A. Tyson, Thomas E Gully and William J Garrett appraisers of the personal estate of Wiley Turner late of said County – deceased, who being severally sworn that the foregoing sheets contain a full and complete appraisement of all the personal estate of Wiley Turner, exhibited to them the said appraisement by James W Turner the administrator on the 13 day of March 1865.

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 14th day of March 1865 James W Graham Judge of Probate

John A Tyson
Thomas E Gully
W.J. Garrett

______________________________________

Related Links:

Joe Turner in the 1852 Estate File of Wiley Turner  – The first list which was made in 1853 when all of the property of Wiley Turner was valued.  It includes names, ages and valuations for all the enslaved before any divisions were made.  My 2 X great grandfather, Joe was about 15 when this list was made.

Second Inventory of Wiley Turner’s Estate – 1856  This list was made to determine the division so that the oldest daughter of Wiley Turner could receive her share of the estate.

Third Inventory of Wiley Turner’s Estate – 1858  This list was made to determine the division when the next child, James, came of age.

Measuring Worth – An article about valuation of the enslaved. It includes several charts about valuation of enslaved people, at various ages and in various years, showing that (as I saw in these lists) values soared from 1852 to 1861.

6 thoughts on “Final List of Enslaved, Wiley Turner Probate – 1865”

  1. I found the article on measuring he worth of slaves interesting although it is awfully sad. Do you have a connection to the slaves listed or know of anybody who does, it seems not quite enough information but perhaps if somebody has birthdate and can link to the county they may be able to make a connection. Perhaps some of those listed tok the surname Turner.

    1. Yes, My great great grandfather number 27, Joseph is listed above. (I added that information to the post above). He did take the name Turner. There is not a lot of information looking at just this list, but if you didn’t know what plantation your ancestors were enslaved on, finding their name in this list would be helpful. When I found my Joseph Turner in the first list, it was the first time I could place him before the 1870 census. The first list was made in 1852. These are all a part of a very large probate file that covers the time from when Wiley Turner died in 1851 up until the early 1870s. There are other places in the estate file where various names on the list above appear.

      Some of those on the list kept the last names that they had on the list. Those without a last name, took Turner. Those who went to Wiley Turner’s daughter Mary Jane Turner Hunter, mostly took the name Hunter.

      When I write about the family groups that I found in the lists, I will also write about how those families appeared in the 1870 census, the first census taken after freedom that named the formerly enslaved by household. There was a census in 1866 that named only the heads of the household.

  2. I never cease to be horrified and saddened when I see records like this. Seeing dollar values associated with the names so starkly documents this sad era.

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