Buckingham Notables: John Horsley, Part Three
Need to catch up? Click here: Buckingham Notables: John Horsley, Part One
In the spring of 1836, John Horsley’s vast estate was held in trust by Frederick M Campbell and Horsley’s neighbor, Alexander Mundy, and put up for auction at Elk Mills in Amherst County. Among other things, they were responsible for auctioning his slaves. This list was provided in an advertisement in the Lynchburg Virginian:
Robin (who worked on the Island in the James River), Nancy, Big Robin, Anna, Frank, Sophia, Bob, Nelson, Wilson, Charles, Archey (a yellow boy,) Blada [sic], Sam, Albert, Robert, Henry, Sarah, Amanda, Rachel, Isabella, Haney and her youngest child. Mary, Emela, Brittain, and a girl named Judy, in whom Horsley owned a half interest.*
There were also horses for sale, a mule, and twenty head of cattle, as well as house furniture and farm implements.
Slaves were sold for cash. The other personal property could be sold on credit for six months.
Results of the auction are unknown, though, it seems likely that African-American families were separated when the slaves were sold. Except for Robin, who worked on one of the islands in the James River, the others probably lived on the plantation in Amherst County, since the Buckingham property was mostly timber.
*In 1830, John Horsley of Amherst County was taxed on eighteen slaves.
Coming Next: Buckingham Notables: John Horsley, Part Four
slate river ramblings . . . . 
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