Joanne wrote, "Just reading the wills of some "small time" planters (owned less than 20 slaves) reveals how devastating slavery was to families." -------------- I believe the wills tell more about slavery in Virginia than any other source. I have read over a thousand of them. Slaveowners almost exclusively refer to their slaves in the same terms as their farm animals and other property: To my son John one cow, my negro Tom, my wearing apparel. To my daughter Mary one cow, my wench Jane, a bed and bedstead. etc. Paul