Slavery
Muhlenberg County, KY, June 2, 1852
Slaves Sold at Courthouse Door By Mayor!
MDS

[SLAVERY.] Thomas H. Crawford, Manuscript Document Signed, Commissioner?s Report for Sale of Slaves from the Personal Estate of John Bullock, June 2, 1852, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. 2 pp., 8" x 12.5". Expected folds; some separations on folds repaired with cellophane tape; very good.

This 1852 report by Commissioner Thomas H. Crawford to the Muhlenberg County Court in Kentucky details the sale of a one-third interest in three enslaved African Americans owned by John Bullock at the time of his death in 1841. John Bullock?s son Joseph Bullock held the interest, but the interest was sold after his death in 1851, likely to support his widow and children. His brother-in-law James Lewers purchased the third interest. Lewers lived in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife, child, and widowed mother-in-law, Louisa Bullock. In 1850, she owned four slaves?a forty-year-old male, a thirty-eight-year-old female, a fourteen-year-old male, and a two-year-old male. It is likely that the first three are Charles, Polly, and Jasper, as mentioned in this document. Lewers owned only one slave, a fifteen-year-old female, who was likely a domestic servant.

Muhlenberg County, formed in western Kentucky in 1798, was bordered on the northeast by the Green River and Ohio County. Slavery was an institution in Muhlenberg County from its earliest days. In 1800, there were 1,313 white inhabitants, 5 free African Americans, and 125 slaves in Muhlenberg County. By 1850, the white population of the county was 8,250, and there were 37 free blacks and 1,522 slaves.

Complete Transcript
Kentucky Muhlenberg County Court
Bullocks admr vs Bullocks heirs & creditors
The undersigned commissioner in said suit Reports, that in pursuance of the decree at the April term 1852 of said Court, after making due advertisement thereof according to said decree he proceeded on the second day of June A D 1852 at the Court house in Louisville Kentucky and before the front door thereof to sell to the highest bidder on a credit of two months the interest, being one third part, which Joseph Bullock now deceased had in the three slaves Charles, Polly and Jasper, subject to the dower right of Louisa Bullock, widow of John Bullock deceased, and James Lewers being the highest bidder for Charles at fifty one dollars, for Polly at fifty one dollars and for Jasper at forty eight dollars became the purchaser of each & all of said slaves; And thereupon executed his bond with Jame McBurnie surety, who is approved as good & sufficient for the said sums amounting to one hundred and fifty dollars payable to me as Commissioner two months after date of said sale: which bond is herewith returned: Whereupon at the request of said James Lewers I executed the bill of sale for said slaves to said James Lewers and his wife Sarah Ann during their lives then to the survivor for life and then to the heirs and assigns of the survivor which bill of sale & conveyance is herewith returned. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal as commissioner aforesaid this 2nd day of June AD 1852 and submit the same to the said court.
Thos H. Crawford Commissioner {seal}

Historical Background
The division of enslaved persons at the death of a slaveowner often led to the division of families and at the very least broke up slave communities, where individuals had lived and worked together, often for their entire lives. Such divisions often led to sales when the new owner could not profitably employ the enslaved persons they had inherited. These sales further broke family and community ties.

John Bullock (1770-1841) was born in Nelson County, Kentucky (then Hanover, Virginia). In 1794, he married Louisa Cosby (1774-1860), and they had at least eight children. In 1840, Bullock owned nine slaves.

Joseph Bullock (1802-1851) was born in Kentucky to John Bullock and Louisa Cosby Bullock. He married Catherine Conner in 1824, and they had at least five children. He was a farmer, and in 1840, he owned two slaves. He died in July 1851 in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky.

Thomas H. Crawford (1803-1871) was born in Virginia. He moved to Kentucky as a child and married Clementine Eloise Martin in 1831, and they had at least one child. He was elected to the Louisville Board of Aldermen in 1857 as a Know Nothing. He served as mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, from 1859 to 1861. He was a strong supporter of the Union during the Civil War and ran again for mayor unsuccessfully in 1863 on a Unionist ticket. He later worked as a real estate agent and as president of the Central Savings Bank of Pewee Valley until his death. He was one of the first residents of Kentucky to install gas lights in his home and died because of an explosion at his home on May 27, 1871.

James Lewers (1795-1870) was born in Ireland. He married Sarah Ann Bullock (1800-1880), the daughter of John and Louisa Bullock, and they had at least one son. In 1850, they lived in Louisville, Kentucky, where he was a merchant, and his widowed mother-in-law lived with them.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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8" x 12.5"