June 13, 1957

This Article Appeared In The Times

But Was Not Actually Titled Cal’s Column

Transcribed by Janette West Grimes

Some Old Papers

______

We are in receipt of some old legal papers through Mrs. Ernest Harris; of Lafayette, the daughter of the late James A. Rose. Some comment is below given on various old papers and perhaps something of the history of the various parties mentioned in these old papers. The first of these papers is as follows: Hartsville, October 24, 1840. W. C. Ha______, remainder being destroyed. Bought of F. Duffy, two barrels of salt, 393, less 26 pounds, we suppose for barrel, net amount, at $4.59. Another barrel at $4.69. Total of $9.28. By cash, $7.00, balance $2.28. This latter amount was a little later paid in cash.

Who Duffy was we do not know, and the name of the buyer stops at W. C. Ha___, and we wonder if this could have been Hanes. This is merely a surmise of ours.

" Received of Claiborne Hanes, two dollars and 60 cents, in full of account to this date, this 1st day of May, 1851. Johnson and Walton." This receipt is dated more than a hundred years ago. But we know nothing of the merchant firm, Johnson and Walton. We have no idea where the business was located. We have no idea of who Claiborne Hanes was. If any reader can give us any information on any of those mentioned in this article, please do so.

"Received of William C. Haynes five dollars in part for 1835. July 30, 1836. Sey and DeBow."

Who William C. Haynes was, we do not know. Seay and DeBow, we presume, to have been a business firm.

AN OLD NOTE

"Twelve months after date I promise to pay unto Stephen Hollon, Seignor, fifty dollars for the hire of a Negro man, named Antoney, for the year eighteen hundred and forty-six and he is to give said Negro two suits of summer clothes and one suit of clothes suitable for the winter, one pair of shoes, one pair of socks, and one blanket; and one wool hat; and to treat said Negro with humanity and to return said Negro to the aforesaid Hollon or his agent on the 25th day of December, 1846. William C. Hanes, [Seal] N. B. Know [Now] if said Negro is taken sick at any time, in the year, the above-bound William C. Hanes is to keep an account of the time that he looses[loses] by sickness and deduct out of his year's hire in proportion to his hire. This the 1st day of January, 1846; and if the aforesaid Negro takes a spell of sickness, the aforesaid Hanes is to return said Negro to his master."

The above note or paper sheds some light on a day long past and we hope gone forever. It tells of hiring out a slave by Stephen Holland, spelled above as Hollon, but now spelled Holland. We are not sure as to the sons and daughters of Stephen Holland, but out wife's great-grandfather Jenkins was Jimmy Jenkins, whose wife was Dollie Holland. We may be mistaken in assuming that Jimmy Jenkins married Stephen Holland's daughter, Dollie. However, in the census of 1840, embracing about two thirds of the present Macon County, Stephen Holland had only two in his family, one male, himself; and his wife, with both of them in the 20 and 30 age group. Living supposedly next to Stephen Holland was John Holland, between 70 and 80 years of age. One female in John Holland's family between 50 and 60, presumably his wife.

Now the reader will note that in the note above given Stephen Holland has the word "Seignor." Whether this could have meant Senior, we do not know. If it did then the Stephen Johnson in the census of 1840 was Junior. If any reader can give us any help in this matter, your assistance will be appreciated.

We find in the census of 1840 some five farms from James Jenkins, W. G. Haines. This could have been meant for W. C. Haines, and nine farms from W. G. Haines the farm of Stephen Holland was reported. The censuses prior to 1850 showed only the name of the head of the family and groups into which the members of various families fell as to ages. This makes difficult proper identification of most of the members of the various families.

Living second and third from John Holland were George White, supposed to have been an ancestor of Abner and Logan White; and also Thomas Bratton, supposed to have lived near the present Brattontown. The editor's wife is the granddaughter of Logan White.

At some later period when we have learned more of the families mentioned, we hope to have another article in our little paper.