Prior to 1850, enslaved people were enumerated only as numbers in columns designated for sex and age. In 1850 and 1860, the federal government expanded the census to include “slave schedules.” Though enslaved people still were not recorded by name, they were enumerated individually by age, sex and color and grouped by slaveowner (or representative). Additional columns tallied “fugitives from the state,” “number manumitted,” “deaf, dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic,” and “no. of slave houses.”
These pages are the first and second in the 1860 slave schedule of Black Creek township, Wilson County. In them,
- Sallie Simms reported that she owned ten slaves aged 7 months to 72 and sheltered them in two houses.
- William Thompson reported that he owned 22 slaves aged 7 months to 44 and sheltered them in five houses.
- Dr. A.G. Brooks reported that he owned 29 slaves aged 1 to 55 and sheltered them in four houses.
- Enos Barnes reported that he owned two teenaged boys and sheltered them in one house.
- Celia Barnes reported that she owned 28 year-old and 53 year-old men.
- James Barnes reported that he owned nine slaves aged 3 to 50 and sheltered them in four houses.
- Jesse Watson reported that he owned one ten year-old boy.
- James Daniel reported that he owned four male slaves aged 9 to 60 and sheltered them in two houses.
- Joseph Farrell reported that he owned nine slaves aged 5 months to 38 and sheltered them in one house.
- James Nusom reported that he owned 22 slaves aged 1 to 28 and sheltered them in four houses.
- Jesse Sauls reported that he owned seven slaves aged 3 to 26 and sheltered them in two houses.
- Nancy Bass reported that she owned eight slaves aged 5 months to 36 and sheltered them in two houses.
- Belinda Aycock reported that she owned six slaves aged 3 to 38 and sheltered them in two houses.
- Sallie Daniel reported that she owned 14 slaves aged 11 months to 53 and sheltered them in four houses.
- Elisha Bass reported reported that he owned six slaves aged 3 months to 30 and sheltered them in one house.
- Jeremiah Bass reported that he owned a 17 year-old girl and two babies, aged 2 years and 4 months, who were probably her children.
- Ephraim Bass reported that he owned a 36 year-old man.