It is most likely a physical difference in skin color; however, it is 
also likely that it refers to the fact that Henry was known to be part 
white.

Barbara Vines Little, CG, FNGS, FVGS
PO Box 1273
Orange, VA 22960

540-832-3473
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CG, Certified Genealogist, is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used
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On 2/17/2015 11:24 AM, Douglas Burnett wrote:
> I am catching up on transcribing some wills and have run across this
> language for the first time:
>
> "3rdly I give to my son *Thomas *one negro boy by the name of
>
> *Henry* (a black boy) to him and his heirs or assigns forever
>
> 4thly I give to my son *Charles Washington *one negro boy by the
>
> name of *Henry * (a yellow boy) to him and his heirs or assigns
>
> forever"
>
> Does anyone understand the differentiation between the "black boy" and the
> "yellow boy"?
>
> Am I trying to read to much into this and it is in fact just a physical
> description of the coloring?
>
>

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