For many African Americans tracing their family history, identifying their ancestors' slave owner is an important and often necessary step in genealogical research. Before 1865, enslaved people were considered property, making records for them sparse or non-existent. To tackle this problem, information about the enslaved individual must be found within the slave owner's own records, making the slave owner a crucial link in uncovering more about your ancestor and furthering genealogical research.
1870 Census Records
When researching African American ancestors, the 1870 census is a crucial starting point for identifying possible former enslavers, even though it doesn't directly list slave owners. Since it's the first census after the Civil War to enumerate formerly enslaved people by name, it can be particularly helpful for identifying your family's slave owner. Many newly freed individuals adopted the surnames of their former enslavers, so if your ancestor shares a last name with a nearby slave owner, it's possible that this individual was your ancestor's slave owner. However it's important to remember that not all formerly enslaved people took their enslaver's surname, and other factors should be considered when making this determination.
When looking at the 1870 census, it can be helpful to look at other white families living nearby your family as well. Because those released from slavery often remained in the same area due to their finances being limited, the white families living nearby are potential slave owners of your family. Once you have identified who the white families were living nearby, you can then go back to the 1860 slave schedules 10 years earlier to the same area and identify which of those white families had slaves at that time that fit the approximate age of your ancestor. Then study the records about the potential slave owners to see if there is anything mentioned about your family.
Freedman's Bank Records
Freedman's Bank records are an important resource for finding the slave owners of your African American ancestors. The bank's signature cards sometimes included the name of the depositor's formal enslaver. These records can help researchers move beyond the 1870 census, which is often the first time formerly enslaved people appear in public records with surnames.
The Freedemen's Bank Records can be found on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.
Freedmen's Bureau Records
Freedmen's Bureau records are a valuable resource for identifying your ancestor's slave owner before 1870. These records, created after the Civil War, often include details about their former enslavers. By examining labor contracts, marriage records, and other documents within the Freedmen's Bureau collection, researchers can potentially uncover their ancestors' formal owners.
The Freedmen's Bureau records can be found on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.
Probate Records
Probate records, including wills and estate inventories, are important records for uncovering your ancestors' slave owner and understanding the lives of your enslaved ancestors. They often list enslaved people by name, age, and sometimes family relationships, providing key information for genealogical research. Through examining probate records, it's sometimes possible for researchers to uncover their African American ancestors' slave owners.
Property Records
Deed records can also be helpful for identifying your enslaved ancestor, as there were sometimes sale documents when slaves were sold from owner to another.
Civil War Pension Files
Lastly, Civil War pension files can be a great resource for identifying your African American ancestors' slave owners. These files, particularly those of the U.S. Colored Troops (USCT), often include details about a soldier's life before, during, and after the war, often including the names of slave owners, and where they were enslaved.
Using these records, it's often possible to find your African American ancestors' slave owner. One important note: not all African Americans were slaves previous to the Civil War. Some African Americans were not slaves, so it's good to look for your family in the 1860 and earlier census records in case they are listed there as well.
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