In the mid-1850s, Mary “Polly” Barnes finally got around to probating her estate, triggering a family dispute. Polly was the daughter of Reddick and Martha Barnes and had died many years earlier possessed of more than 500 acres she had inherited from her father. She was unmarried and childless, and her heirs at law were her brothers James Barnes and Willie Barnes. Willie Barnes died sometime in the 1840s. His heirs were his daughters Pennina Barnes Dixon and her husband William Dixon, Elizabeth Barnes Dixon and her husband Jesse Dixon, and Polly Barnes. William Dixon got himself named administrator of the elder Polly Barnes’ estate and sued his wife’s uncle James Barnes to force a division of property, which included both land and enslaved people. James Barnes claimed that his brother Willie Barnes had given him his share of their sister Polly’s estate before he died, and thus his nieces and their husbands had no claim.
On 4 April 1857, the Wilson County clerk of court issued a warrant for “James Barnes (Miller)” commanding him to “render unto [Dixon] eight slaves (Clara & her children) of the value of Eight Thousand ($8000) Dollars, which [Barnes] unjustly detains ….”
The children were not named, but on 3 November 1857 William Dixon filed an inventory of Barnes’ property that listed 289 acres on Poplar Branch and eight enslaved people — Clary, Sam, Peter, Mary, Miry, Thomas, Drew, and Becca.
Oddly, the day before, Polly Barnes’ heirs, including William Dixon on behalf of his wife Pennina Barnes Dixon, sold their interest in the eight people to James Barnes for $1250.66. The deed was not registered until November 1858.
Know all men by these presents that we Obedience Barnes William Dixon in right of his wife Pennina Jesse Dixon in right of his wife Elizabeth & Polly Barnes of the County of Wilson for & in consideration of the sun of twelve hundred & fifty Dollars & sixty six cents Dollars to be paid by James Barnes has bargained & sold & conveyed & released to the said James Barnes all our said title & interest in eight negroes viz Clara, Sam, Peter, Mary, Mima Tom Drew & Bella in his possession as next of kin & distributor of Polly Barnes & Willie Barnes in witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands & seals this 2nd day of Nov. 1857 /s/Obedience Barnes, William Dixon, Jesse Dixon, Polly Barnes
The estate file is not clear, but it appears that Willie Barnes’ heirs were awarded his share of his sister’s land.
I have not found reference to an enslaved nuclear family larger than Clara and her seven children. Presumably, given the way they are described, all seven were young — likely less than ten or so years old. I’ve searched Wilson and Edgecombe County records, but have not identified the family post-Emancipation.
Probate Estate Case Files 1854-1959, Wilson County, North Carolina, Records, http://www.familysearch.org; Deed Book 1, page xxx, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office.