Friend of Friends Friday: Three Oglethorpe Co., GA, Slave Importation Affidavits

While doing research for an upcoming book abstracting slave importation affidavit registers for several Georgia counties, I found the following loose affidavits, each found in Oglethorpe County, Georgia’s microfilmed loose papers.

The first of these affidavits is located on microfilm found at the Georgia Archives in drawer 307, box 47. The film is titled “Oglethorpe County Ordinary Miscellaneous Records (Unbound) 1796 – 1925,” and the folder where this particular affidavit can be found is appropriately titled “Affidavits.”

Sworn to & Subscribed before me this 20th day of July 1818 Isaac Collen Clk } Samuel Ward

Georgia, Oglethorpe County} I do hereby certify that Samuel Ward has filed an Affidate [sic] in terms of an act of the General [sic] of this State passed on the 20th day of December 1817 for bring & introducing into this State a Negro Girl named Haney about fifteen years old a house & field negro black complected, the said Negroe now in the State of South Carolina

Given under my hand & Seal of Office this 20th day of July 1818
Isaac Collin Clk

The second and third affidavits are located on microfilm found at the Georgia Archives in drawer 307, box 57, of the same title as the previous reel of microfilm. The folder title is “Slaves 1819 – 1889.”

The second affidavit:

State of Georgia, Oglethorpe County } Jesse Robenett makes oath that he is about to bring into this State a Negro woman Slave under the care of George & John Smith named Nelly [smeared section] he is the true & lawful owner of Said Slave that he is about to bring Said Slave into this State for the Sole purpose of being held to Service and labour by him without any intent to Sell, transfer, barter, lend hire, mortgage, procure[?] to be taken or Sold under execution or other legal process or in any way or manner to alien or dispose of said Slave, so as to vest the arc[?] or enjoyment of the labour or service[?] of such Slave in any other person other[?] for the life of said Slave or any other period of time or in any way or manner to defeat, avoid or elude the true intent & meaning of the act

Sworn to & Subscribed this 2nd Day of Feby 1818 [signed] Jesse Robonett

And the third affidavit:

Georgia, Oglethorpe County } Personally came Anthony Martin & being duly Sworn Saith that he hath brought imported & introduced into this State in terms of an act of the Assembly of this State passed at the last Session of the legislature of Said State three negroes (to wit) Spotswood about 21 years of age & Eliza his wife about 18 years old Frank about 24 years old & that he is the true & lawfull owner of the aforesaid Slaves that the Said Slaves is brought imported or introduced into this State for the Sole purpose of being held to Service & labor by him his heir executors or administrators or legatees & without any intent to Sell transfer barter lend hire mortgage procure to be taken or Sold under execution or legal process, or in any manner to defeat avoid or elude the true intint & meaning of the aforesaid Act

Sworn to & Subscribed before me this 31th of August 1819 Isaac Collier Clk [signed] Anthony Martin

Note the language of the second and third affidavits. The act referred to was intended to regulate the slave trade, hence the mention of the intent of the person importing slaves into the state.

Notice also the physical descriptions, genealogical information, and origins stated variously in these records. While not every affidavit contains all of this information, as can be seen with these three, many do, which makes these affidavits an incredibly important source for researching slave holders and the enslaved.

The original records are located at the Georgia Archives in Record Group 209-2-6.

Tags: African American Research, Collier Family, Collin Family, Martin family, Oglethorpe County Georgia, Robenett Family, Smith family, Ward Family