A mystery story
Jan. 31st, 2011 09:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fleaThis is a story built on a family anecdote, two census records, and a will. My sister could probably tell it better.
On March 28, 1967, my grandfather sat down with his mother, who was then 92, and took notes on some family stories. The notes begin with the story of how George Wilson (1709-1777) "went to Philadelphia to buy a male slave, a strapping big fellow to help clear the wilderness. A wail from the ship let it be known that there was a wife, so he bought her, too. On the trip to the wilderness the 2 slaves followed on foot." George Wilson was an immigrant of Scots-Irish heritage, and had been an officer in the French and Indian War, and settled in the borderlands between Western PA and Western VA. He was involved in Lord Dunmore's War (1774) and was in Philadelphia in the late spring of 1774. This visit may have been the one on which he purchased a young male slave and his wife.
On September 10, 1776, George Wilson wrote a will, presumably in preparation for marching off with the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment, of which he was Lieutenant Colonel, to Trenton NJ to join George Washington. It was a good thing, too, since the march across PA in a bad winter was difficult, and Wilson died in the early spring of 1777, in New Jersey. Wilson left a wife (his second) and at least 9 children, ranging in age from young adult (the oldest could have been about 25) to infant. Wilson's will proved very troublesome over the years, and was still being disputed in 1833, Wilson's adult grandson acting as a lawyer representing his aunt. Two slaves are named in the will: "my negro man Pompey" who is to go to his son John following the death of Wilson's widow, and "my negro woman Hannah," who is left to John outright. Hannah was pregnant at the time the will was written, and the child to be born is explicitly left to Wilson's youngest son, then an infant (who did not survive his own childhood). There is also allowance made for 3 potential future children of Hannah, to be given to others of Wilson's children.
We now skip forward 64 years, to 1840. In the census records for that year, William George Hawkins, Sr. (1799-1876), the aforementioned grandson of George Wilson, resides in Wilkins township, Allegheny County, PA, with his family. Hawkins had been a lawyer, and served in the PA legislature including as Speaker of the Senate, but has retired to the country outside of Pittsburgh to take up farming. The 1840 census enumerated household members by sex, age, and status, but did not name them. Everyone listed could be a child of the family, with possibly a few hired laborers, except a "free colored person, male, 55-99." Who is this? He was still living at the 1850 census, where he is listed as George Washington Ratler, aged 90, a black man.
Is this George Washington Ratler the same person as "my negro man Pompey," purchased by George Wilson in 1774? If so, he was about 14 at the time of his purchase, which is certainly possible, and had fathered a child (his first?) by 1776/7. The evidence that this is in fact the same man comes again from my great-grandmother's family story, following immediately on the quotation above: "Old George was well known to [William George Hawkins Jr. (1840-1913)] When [Margaret Hawkins's] mother needed a temporary cook, she had Auntie Craig in; this was a relative of Old George's (?descendant of Black Sal) who lived with her many children in a shack perched on a shoulder of the hill in a hollow tributary in a northwesterly direction to Turtle Creek. ... Auntie Craig made the very best biscuits, which JWH [Jane Hays Hawkins, wife of William George Hawkins Jr.] attributed to her beating the batter so well. The children adored her cooking, but she was always replaced after a few days by a regular cook."
What happened to Pompey/George Washington Ratler in the 64 years unaccounted for? Where did he get his name? George Washington is fairly straightforward, but I know of no other Ratler. At some point he was freed; slavery was not officially abolished in PA until 1847, and he was listed as free in 1840. There may be some hints in other wills I have not yet tracked down; clearly he remained, as a very old man, a member of the Hawkins household. He clearly had many descendants; Auntie Craig was probably making biscuits for the children in the 1870s-1880s, and my great-grandmother was the oldest of the children. He died some time after 1850 and before 1860, and I know nothing of his burial.
Original documents:
The full story recorded by my grandfather in 1967 (transcribed today, by my father, [ ] are both his and mine):
Her father's version of WGH I's [William George Hawkins Sr.] Reiter story was that George Wilson went to Philadelphia to buy a male slave, a strapping big fellow to help clear the wilderness. A wail from the ship let it be known that there was a wife, so he bought her, too. On the trip to the wilderness the 2 slaves followed on foot. Old George was well known to WGA II [Jr.]. When MHA's mother needed a temporary cook, she had Auntie Craig in; this was a relative of Old George's (?descendant of Black Sal) who lived with her many children in a shack perched on a shoulder of the hill in a hollow tributary in a northwesterly direction to Turtle Creek. That hollow was the scene of the hiding by [John] Fraser (in the mid-18th century) of a man fleeing from the Indians, in a hole or a cave; the hollow bore the Indian name, something like Tuscaloosa (my bad memory). [Perhaps Tuscarora? Turtle Creek is a tributary of the Monongahela River, and John Fraser built a cabin where they join in 1753. It is right by Braddock, and therefore right by Hawkins Station. There is a small tributary of Turtle Creek just a little ways upstream, whose name is unknown, but which is probably the 'hollow'.] Auntie Craig made the very best biscuits, which JWH [Jane Hays Hawkins] attributed to her beating the batter so well. The children adored her cooking, but she was always replaced after a few days by a regular cook.
The will:
1850 Census (original, 2 pages, attached below):
Wilkins Township, Allegheny County, enumerated August 21, 1850. Value of real estate $20,500. George Washington Ratler is listed as Black.
On September 10, 1776, George Wilson wrote a will, presumably in preparation for marching off with the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment, of which he was Lieutenant Colonel, to Trenton NJ to join George Washington. It was a good thing, too, since the march across PA in a bad winter was difficult, and Wilson died in the early spring of 1777, in New Jersey. Wilson left a wife (his second) and at least 9 children, ranging in age from young adult (the oldest could have been about 25) to infant. Wilson's will proved very troublesome over the years, and was still being disputed in 1833, Wilson's adult grandson acting as a lawyer representing his aunt. Two slaves are named in the will: "my negro man Pompey" who is to go to his son John following the death of Wilson's widow, and "my negro woman Hannah," who is left to John outright. Hannah was pregnant at the time the will was written, and the child to be born is explicitly left to Wilson's youngest son, then an infant (who did not survive his own childhood). There is also allowance made for 3 potential future children of Hannah, to be given to others of Wilson's children.
We now skip forward 64 years, to 1840. In the census records for that year, William George Hawkins, Sr. (1799-1876), the aforementioned grandson of George Wilson, resides in Wilkins township, Allegheny County, PA, with his family. Hawkins had been a lawyer, and served in the PA legislature including as Speaker of the Senate, but has retired to the country outside of Pittsburgh to take up farming. The 1840 census enumerated household members by sex, age, and status, but did not name them. Everyone listed could be a child of the family, with possibly a few hired laborers, except a "free colored person, male, 55-99." Who is this? He was still living at the 1850 census, where he is listed as George Washington Ratler, aged 90, a black man.
Is this George Washington Ratler the same person as "my negro man Pompey," purchased by George Wilson in 1774? If so, he was about 14 at the time of his purchase, which is certainly possible, and had fathered a child (his first?) by 1776/7. The evidence that this is in fact the same man comes again from my great-grandmother's family story, following immediately on the quotation above: "Old George was well known to [William George Hawkins Jr. (1840-1913)] When [Margaret Hawkins's] mother needed a temporary cook, she had Auntie Craig in; this was a relative of Old George's (?descendant of Black Sal) who lived with her many children in a shack perched on a shoulder of the hill in a hollow tributary in a northwesterly direction to Turtle Creek. ... Auntie Craig made the very best biscuits, which JWH [Jane Hays Hawkins, wife of William George Hawkins Jr.] attributed to her beating the batter so well. The children adored her cooking, but she was always replaced after a few days by a regular cook."
What happened to Pompey/George Washington Ratler in the 64 years unaccounted for? Where did he get his name? George Washington is fairly straightforward, but I know of no other Ratler. At some point he was freed; slavery was not officially abolished in PA until 1847, and he was listed as free in 1840. There may be some hints in other wills I have not yet tracked down; clearly he remained, as a very old man, a member of the Hawkins household. He clearly had many descendants; Auntie Craig was probably making biscuits for the children in the 1870s-1880s, and my great-grandmother was the oldest of the children. He died some time after 1850 and before 1860, and I know nothing of his burial.
Original documents:
The full story recorded by my grandfather in 1967 (transcribed today, by my father, [ ] are both his and mine):
Her father's version of WGH I's [William George Hawkins Sr.] Reiter story was that George Wilson went to Philadelphia to buy a male slave, a strapping big fellow to help clear the wilderness. A wail from the ship let it be known that there was a wife, so he bought her, too. On the trip to the wilderness the 2 slaves followed on foot. Old George was well known to WGA II [Jr.]. When MHA's mother needed a temporary cook, she had Auntie Craig in; this was a relative of Old George's (?descendant of Black Sal) who lived with her many children in a shack perched on a shoulder of the hill in a hollow tributary in a northwesterly direction to Turtle Creek. That hollow was the scene of the hiding by [John] Fraser (in the mid-18th century) of a man fleeing from the Indians, in a hole or a cave; the hollow bore the Indian name, something like Tuscaloosa (my bad memory). [Perhaps Tuscarora? Turtle Creek is a tributary of the Monongahela River, and John Fraser built a cabin where they join in 1753. It is right by Braddock, and therefore right by Hawkins Station. There is a small tributary of Turtle Creek just a little ways upstream, whose name is unknown, but which is probably the 'hollow'.] Auntie Craig made the very best biscuits, which JWH [Jane Hays Hawkins] attributed to her beating the batter so well. The children adored her cooking, but she was always replaced after a few days by a regular cook.
The will:
Will of George Wilson of Westnd Co, Province of Penna dated Sept 10,
1776 gives imprimis [sic]
To Sabina, my beloved wife that tract of land formerly bequeathed to her
father situate in Augusta Co, VA & 1/3 of my movable estate (negroes excepted)
one feather bed & furniture also her riding horse & a new saddle & her choice
of any one of my unsold lots in Stanton, Va (Staunton, Va) also negroes during
widowhood.
1st to my daughter Agnes Humphries £50 in 1 yr
2d to my son John, tract of land he now lives on running to Monongahela
river, also tract of land on south branch of Potomac whereon is a mill
formerly known as Powers mill etc.
3d to my daughter Elizabeth Kinkade the plantation whereon Samuel Kinkade now
lives together with the Flat & 1/2 the ferry across Cheat & Monongahela Rivers
etc etc also a house & lot of land in Romney, Hampshire Co, Va
4th to my daughter Jean, tract of land I purchased from Andrew Davis situated
in this Co etc & to her, my said daughter Elizabeth (evidently confused) her
choice after my wife, fr among my unsold lots in "Stantown" Va
5. to my daughter Mary Ann, tract of land I bought from Wm Pettyjohn situate
in this Co & next choice of a lot in "Stantown"
6th to my son William George, the mill & plantation whereon I now live & a
tract adjg warranted at "Phila to John Swearingen & me" etc
7th to my daughter Sarah, tract of land I bought from Ashbrooke situate in
this Co. Also a tract I bought from Andrew Link & one lot of ground in the
town of Pittsburgh bought from John Ormsby.
8th to my daughter Phebey lot of ground in Romney, Va formerly property of
John Ratton warranted in Lord Fairfax's land office, also a tract of land
laying on the west side of Junction of Cheat & Mon. Rivers.
9th to my son Samuel Stewart tract of land in Forks of Cheat & Monon Rivers &
1/2 share of the Ferry, a negro child that Hannah is pregnant with & my small
sword.
10. to my son, John my negro woman Hannah & if she should have any increase
directs that he give his sister Mary Ann, Brother Wm George & sister Sarah
each one young negro to be delivered to them respectively & in order as herein
mentioned at the age of 6 yrs & if he should die before it is fully complied
with, directs Exr to do it.
11th to my son, Wm George after death or marriage of wife Sabina, my negro man
Pompey etc etc
Unbequeathed lands to be sold & equally divided among children, but wills to
his oldest brother's son named Ralph Wilson a tract of land in this Co adjg
what I gave Sarah. Appoints wife Sabina, son John, Capt John Stewart of
Augusta Co, Va, Wm McCleary & Theophilus Philips Exrs. Geo Wilson (seal)
Witnesses Patrick Allison, Theos Philips, Samuel Kinkade, John Hardin.
On Sept 24, 1790 before Alexander McClean, Reg, appeared Patrick Allison,
Theophilus Philips, & Samuel Kinkade, three of the witnesses & swore to same,
marked.
1840 Census:
| Name: | William G Hankins [William G Hawkins] |
|---|---|
| Township: | Wilkins |
| County: | Allegheny |
| State: | Pennsylvania |
| Free White Persons - Males - Under 5: | 2 |
| Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: | 2 |
| Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: | 1 |
| Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49: | 1 |
| Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: | 2 |
| Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19: | 1 |
| Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: | 1 |
| Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39: | 1 |
| Free Colored Persons - Males - 55 thru 99: | 1 |
| Total - All Persons (Free White, Free Colored, Slaves): | 12 |
| Persons Employed in Agriculture: | 2 |
| Free White Persons - Under 20: | 7 |
| Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: | 4 |
| Total Free White Persons: | 11 |
| Total Free Colored Persons: | 1 |
| Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: | 12 |
1850 Census (original, 2 pages, attached below):
| William G Hawkins | 51 |
| Margaret Hawkins | 48 |
| Anna Hawkins | 18 |
| Minerva Hawkins | 16 |
| James Hawkins | 14 |
| John Hawkins | 12 |
| William Hawkins | 10 |
| Mary Hawkins | 5 |
| George Washington Ratler | 90 |
| Samuel Cleeland | 25 |