A-Z Challenge 2026 – Finding Eliza

D – DAVID Cleage Bill of Sale

In 1850 slave holder David Cleage, his wife Martha and their two little sons lived with his father Samuel Clegg in Athens, Tennessee. The spelling of “Clegg” was changed to “Cleage” after the Civil War. Samuel’s occupation was farmer and he had real estate worth $20,500 and enslaved 31 people.

David was a bank cashier with $1,000 worth of real estate and owned 32 men, women and children. Later that year, his father was killed by his overseer and David, and his three older siblings, Alexander, Elizabeth and Sarah, divided their father’s property and enslaved people.

By 1860 David Cleage had real estate worth $20,000 and a personal worth of $90,000. He now owned 52 people who lived in eight cabins. Among them was the family of eight he had purchased from John Armstrong in 1852.

Register
147
John Armstrong }
Bill of Sale }
David Cleage }
Know all men by these presents that I John Armstrong, of the County of McMinn, and State of Tennessee, for and in consideration of the sum of two thousand six hundred and fifty-five dollars to me in hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have bargained, and sold, and delivered unto David Cleage, of the County and State aforesaid, the following named negro slaves, for life, to wit, Fanny aged about thirty years, Martha Jane, aged about twelve years, Ellen, aged about ten years, Mary aged about eight years, Lydia, aged about six years, Sidney, aged about four years, Jacob, aged about one year, there being seven in number and all Children of Fannys. Each of said Negroes I warrant Sound and healthy. both in body and mind, and free from any defect whatever – and slaves for life, and covenant and agree that the title is clear of any incumberance whatever, and also Warrant the title of the same to the said David Cleage, his heirs or assigns, against the lawful claims of all persons whatever, for which I bind myself, my heirs Executors & C – Will in testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixed my seal this the fifth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty two – –
Witness           }
H P Wilson       }
Thos A Cleage }              John Armstrong Seal

This is the third slave holder who bought a family with seven children in these first four posts. We will find out more about this family in a later post.

Other posts related to Samuel and David Cleage.

C is for Cleage Bricks – About 1820
Article of Agreement Between Sam Cleage and Overseer – 1834
Bill of Sale for Bob, age 13 and Jim age 11 – 1843
Death of Sam Cleage – July 20, 1850 Athens, TN
The Death of Sam Cleage – part 2 – 1850

C – CATHERINE Cleage

Catherine, known as Katie, was born on the Hurst plantation in Mouse Creek, McMinn County, Tennessee. She was the fourth of the seven known children of Hulda Hurst. When Katie was 13, Alexander and Jemima (Hurst) Cleage bought her from Jemima’s brother, Lewis Russell Hurst. She was put to work as the seamstress.

Phillip Cleage was born into slavery about 1843 on the plantation of Alexander Cleage in Athens, McMinn County, Tennessee. Phillip was the third child of the four known children of Julie Ann Evans. He grew up to work on the farm. Sometimes he drove the coach.

In 1862, when Phillip was 19 and Katie was 16, they were married by the slave holder, Alexander Cleage. They had two children together. The first was stillborn. The second died soon after birth.

When Sherman’s army came to the area, Phillip and other men from the Cleage plantations joined the 1st U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery (USCT).

As the confusion of war intensified, Katie decided she would leave too. She first went to Cleveland, Tennessee and after working a variety of sewing jobs, eventually ended up in the USCT camp in Chattanooga. She lived on the base with her husband until he died of smallpox on 9 February 1866. In 1883 Katie filed for a widow’s pension.

Her life story is told in her depositions and those of members of her community, including others who had been enslaved on the Cleage plantations, neighbors, men who served in the same unit as Phillip and members of the slave holding Cleage family.

Using these testimonies and related information I reconstructed Katie’s life in a series of blog posts in 2019. Recently, I found this Bill of Sale between L. R. Hurst and his brother-in-law Alexander Cleage for Katie (Catherine), and her siblings. They are not related to me, but are part of the community that my Cleages were also a part of on Alexander’s plantation.

**1857 L. R. Hurst Bill of Sale to Alexander Cleage**. Click to see image on familysearch.org

Register
L. R. Hurst – bill sale – Alexander Cleage
State of Tennessee McMinn County October 19th 1857, For and in Consideration of the sum of Six thousand five hundred dollars, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, I have this day sold and delivered unto Alexander Cleage Six negroes, Vis, Charles, about eighteen, Abram, aged about sixteen, Isaac aged about fifteen years, Catharine, aged about thirteen, years, and Horrace & George, twins, aged about eight years, slaves for life, I bind myself to warrant and defend the title to said property given under my hand date above, witness, J. S. Hurst, L. R. Hurst

“My husband purchased her when quite a child…” – Jemima Cleage
Katie Cleage Civil War Pension File

B – BETSY

Betsy, also known as Elizabeth, was born into slavery in Maryland around 1837. She was eight years old when her family was sold to Foster Ray and taken to Lebanon Kentucky “for the use of him and his family.”

While enslaved she married Stephen Doneghy. They had several children before he left in 1864 to join the United States Colored Troops and fight in the Civil War. After slavery they remained in Lebanon, Kentucky. Stephen worked as a farm laborer and as a servant. Neither Betsy or Stephen could read or write. In 1870 their oldest son, Thomas was attending school. The younger sons at six and two were not yet old enough.

The following year, Marietta Ray Foster, the former wife of slave holder Foster Ray died and left bequests to some of her “former servants”, including Betsy. She left her $150. According to the inflation calculator that would be worth almost $4,000 today. There was also a bequest directing her nephew to spend $500 on the education of “Tim”, who I assume is Thomas. Thomas did get educated and became a teacher.

On October 4, 1879 Betsy and Stephen’s youngest son, Wesley, was born. Two months later Stephen died of unknown causes at home, unattended by a doctor.

In the 1880 census Betsy and eight of her children remained in Lebanon living at 144 Main Street. The children were Thomas (20), Samuel (17), James (12), Tinsley (10), Katie (7), Laura (6), Mary (3) and Wesley who was eight months old. The two oldest sons were working as servnts. Betsy was 48 and keeping house.

Click to enlarge to see where Betsy and family lived in Louisville. Houses highlighted in red.

In 1893 Thomas died at 33 years old. By 1897 the family had relocated to Louisville, Kentucky – 67 miles to the north. Louisville was a destination for many leaving Lebanon. Betsy’s house at 815 Thirteenth Street was full. Three daughters, three sons, two spouses and three grandsons made up the household. Everybody was employed except Sam’s wife. There were two laundresses, two domestics, two cooks, a waiter and a coachman.

In 1902, the family address in the city directory, was around the corner at 1204 W. Madison. It was there that Samuel died of meningitis in November of 1901. Tinsley followed him in December dying of inflammatory rheumatism. Betsy herself died of senility on January 1, 1906.

Previous posts in this series.

Foster Ray – Slaveholder
Marietta Ray Foster’s Death and Will – 1872
Thomas Ray Allen 1847 – 1907
Agnes Primus
Clara Hoskins Green – Thomas’ Mother
A – ASSUMPTIONS

A – ASSUMPTIONS

This is my 13th year participating in the A to Z Challenge. This year I will be writing about the families that were once enslaved on the plantation of Foster and Marietta Ray in Lebanon, Kentucky.

I first learned what plantation my grandmother Pearl’s family were enslaved on when I discovered her uncle Thomas Allen who was part of the United States Colored Troops during the Civil War. The information was in his petition file. Since then I have found more information and more names of the members of that community.

I found several news items from 1845 that appeared in the local Lebanon paper and mentioned that Foster Ray had asked for and received permission to bring in nine enslaved people for his “personal use”. At this time it was illegal to bring people into Kentucky and resell them, but keeping them for yourself was okay. I assumed that these were nine unrelated people until I found another item saying that the group was a family, Basil and Dinah and seven of their children – Felix (12), John (11), Agnes (10), Betsy (8), Treesy (6), Virginia (2) and Basil (1).

I found Basil and Dinah in only one record, a baptismal record for Basil at St. Augustine Catholic Church. I assume they died before slavery in Kentucky ended with the ratification of the 13th Amendment on December 18, 1865. It was one of the last places in the U.S. to emancipate enslaved people.

All the children survived to be free and I found records for them – census, marriage, death records and the Will of Marietta Ray Foster, who left bequests to several of them along with two of my family members. I had assumed that all of them were unrelated and started separate family trees for each. I also assumed that they took the name of “Ray”. They didn’t. All but Basil took the name “Primus”. Which I assume was the name their parents used.

While looking for a picture to illustrate this post, I came across the one below. It was another mother with seven of her children. They were born in Maryland, as was the Primus family. You can click on the picture for more information about Anna Marie Jackson and her family who were not from the Foster Ray plantation.

A mother and her seven children who escaped to Canada after her husband died. Not related to my group.

I will write about several members of the Primus family during this challenge.

_______________________

Previous posts in this series.

Foster Ray – Slaveholder
Marietta Ray Foster’s Death and Will – 1872
Thomas Ray Allen 1847 – 1907
Agnes Primus
Clara Hoskins Green – Thomas’ Mother

Family and Friends – A to Z 2026 Reveal

AtoZChallenge theme reveal 2026 March 9 to 14

During this, is my 12th A to Z Challenge, I will be writing 26 alphabetical posts about my paternal grandmother’s and maternal grandfather’s grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and a few neighbors. I think I have a few partially written drafts, but I’m far from ready.

See you in April.

Maternal grandfather Mershell C. Graham and paternal grandmother Pearl R. Cleage