To Ms. Watro and All;

  I just went out of town for a few days to come back and find my computer
full of arguments about TJ, slavery, Sally Hemings, and what not.
Sorry, I was just trying to bring the discussion back around to
Virginia history.  It seems I helped "cut a hog," as my Orange
Courthouse-born grandfather would have said.
  As to the census, yes it is amazing that such a meticulous
device as the "Founders" created, would initially inquire into the
names of only heads of households.  Then, in 1840, when the
census formula was revised, slaves went nameless in the records,
though they certainly maintained given and family names within
their own communities and localities.
  This, itself, would be an interesting subject of discussion, given
the acadian notions of slavery spun by its interpeters past and
present;  in Virginia and throughout America.

Date sent:              Sat, 30 Mar 2002 14:27:42 -0500
From:                   "Lonny J. Watro" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:                Re: "high crimes and misdemeanors"
To:                     [log in to unmask]
Send reply to:          Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
        <[log in to unmask]>

> About two years ago I visited once again the homestead of my ancestor in
> Albemarle County. The circa early 1800 brick house still stands along with
> several small shacks in neat rows behind the house. I remember visiting
> this same house as a college student in the late 1970's. At that time, my
> father told me that the small shacks were part of the remaining slave
> quarters. He said some of the shacks were not original and had benn
> rebuilt, but he showed me some of the original foundations of the slave
> quarters. A remember getting a very chilling feeling looking at the homes
> of former slaves.  A few days ago I stumbled upon the 1850 slave census of
> my ancestor, and hoped to find the names of those he had held in bondage.
> Unfortunaltely only the sex and ages were given. It saddened me to learn
> that their names were of no importants on this document. I wondered who
> they were and where they went in 1865. Did they remain on with my
> ancestors family or move on to somewhere else? I'll probably never know
> what happened to them.
>
> Lonny J. Watro
>
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Harold S. Forsythe
Assistant Professor History
Director:  Black Studies
Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT 06430-5195
(203) 254-4000  x2379

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