Hollis: Hi. Contact Dr. Henry Louis Gates at Harvard University. He is in charge of the African-American Studies Program and went through a similar situation with his great-great Aunt Jane who I belive was a free black woman in either Maryland or West Virginia.  There is also a woman genealogist who assisted both him and Ophrah Winfrey in the quest to trace Ophrah's roots.  Her book on this subject is out not and I just saw it at Borders Books.  A lot of the future members of the black middle and upper class ancestors got their start towards wealth by running boarding houses,barber shops and catering.  This led to contacts with sympathetic whites and others who assisted them in building wealth.  Ophrah's stoory was turned innnto a one hour program that was shown on PBS this week.  I missed it because our local PBS stations choose to show things at different times and I will be checking in with PBS.org to see when it will be showing next.  Hope this helps. Jane Steele.

-----Original Message-----
>From: Hollis Gentry <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Jan 26, 2007 1:20 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: [VA-HIST] Probate Inventory of a Free Black Woman in Norfolk 1831
>
>I am in need of assistance in evaluating the estate of
>a free black woman in Norfolk in 1831.  I visted the
>website, but didn't find any sources that could help
>me place this inventory in its proper context.  If
>anyone can comment on it or offer suggestions on
>sources or contacts, I'd appreciate it. 
>
>Below is what I have:
>
>Inventory and appraisement of the estate of Rose
>Reynolds decd a free woman of colour
>
>Edward negro man 45 yrs of age           200.
>negro woman and three children           400.
>1 side board                    5.
>1 old sofa                      3.
>Dining table                    8.
>Candle etc                      2.........18.
>2 looking glasses               3.
>1 doz windsor chairs            4.
>1 small tea table               2.
>1 cupboard                      3.........12.
>3 beds                        25.
>2 ( illegible)bedsteads        5.
>1 old dining table             1.
>Hand irons & shovels tongs     3..........34.
>22 wooden trays                 .50
>Candle stick and Tea trays     1.
>Sag? Irons & kitchen 
>     furniture                10.
>Tubs & c                       1..........12.50
>1/2 doz table & 
> 1/2 doz tea spoons (silver)  10.
>Old drawers                    3.
>Bed furniture                  5..........18.
>
>Total                                   $694.50
>
>Where would she have stood economically within the
>community at that time?  
>
>One historian, Tommy Bogger, thinks she operated an
>eating house, but I've not found evidence of her ever
>receiving a license or permission to do so.  
>
>I don't know if she ever married, but she had mulatto
>four children.  She was listed as mulatto in several
>records.  Her children were educated in Baltimore,
>Maryland and were unable to return to the state by
>law.  The male slave above operated a vegetable cart,
>the proceeds of which went to her estate, but there is
>no evidence that he was her husband.  I've not found
>evidence that he ever gained his freedom in Norfolk.
>
>Four slaves were sold in Norfolk to slave trader
>Charles Hatcher.  I've not been able to locate any
>business papers for him, nor deeds or bills of sale
>for these slaves. I did however, find him paying taxes
>on 4 slaves in 1836.   
>
>Finally, Rose Reynolds paid taxes on only one slave
>from 1820-1824. Then her sister Mary A. Roberston paid
>tax on a single slave from 1825-1829.  When Rose's
>estate was probated, her brother-in-law, James
>Robertson paid the tax on a single slave in 1830. 
>After 1830, different members of the family continued
>to pay taxes on the single slave until 1839.
>
>By the 1850's, Rose's children had moved from
>Baltimore to St. Louis and joined the African American
>community.  Author Cyprian Clamorgan identified her
>descendants as being amongst the "colored aristocracy"
>in that city.  One branch of the family intermarried
>with whites to the extent of no longer being
>considered African American.  I've not been able to
>find any of her living African American descendants. 
>
>Hollis L. Gentry
>[log in to unmask] 
>
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Lillian Jane Steele

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