The Enslaved People On The Upton Hays Farm

(The Letters are historic letters that reflect the times in a Confederate household in Missouri during the Kansas-Missouri Border War and the Civil War years. There is language used that we do not use today, but the authors want to keep the integrity and the historic value of the writings in these letters.)

INTRODUCING THE ENSLAVED PEOPLE ON THE FARM.

(Readers should note that the ages of the enslaved people below are estimates, based on probate records and US Census Slave Schedules. In multiple cases, ages from these records do not align with what is written about the people in the Watts Hays Letters.) For readers interested in reading the information in the context of the original letters the abbreviation WHL followed by the letter number is used, i.e. WHL 10 for Letter 10 in The Watts Hays Letters.

The owner of record for most the people listed below was Elizabeth Ewing (Berry) Yocum Watts. Elizabeth Watts had three sons by her first marriage to Thomas Yocum; Berry R., Jesse and Matthew Yocum. Most of the enslaved people were owned by these three Yocum sons who had all died before 1851. Their estates were probated in Cass County, Missouri. Elizabeth Watts and some other family members inherited these enslaved people. Elizabeth Watts then gained ownership of these people from the other family members and soon after Elizabeth moved to California where slavery was illegal. She left in 1852 and assigned Upton Hays, her daughter's husband, as her Agent for the slaves in Missouri. The enslaved people came to live on the Hays farm in 1852 after 15 year old Margaret Watts married 20 year old Upton Hays. The surviving letters mentioning the enslaved people begin in 1854.

Aunt Nancy and Henry were the eldest slaves on the farm and may have been born in Virginia or Kentucky. They were likely the parents of some of the younger slaves. In October 1861 Margaret refers to them as "Mamy and Papy" of the other slaves. They were both experienced in the work of the farm and work in the Hays' main house.

Aunt Nancy is estimated to have been born around 1800. In 1861, Aunt Nancy would have been about 61 years old. She is mentioned multiple times in Margaret's letters to her mother. In October 1856, Margaret writes that "Nancy, she has been stouter this summer than she has been in the last three years. She is very anxious to be set free." Aunt Nancy was still with Margaret's household in June 1861; Margaret suggests Elizabeth write a letter directly to Aunt Nancy (WHL32), but we do not have Elizabeth's responding letter although Elizabeth did add a footnote to her letter of Aug. 20 1861 (WHL26) "Tell the blacks howdy for me, tell them i want them to do well for themselves & in so tha will do well for my children."

Henry is estimated to have been born about 1795. He is first mentioned in the 1844 probate records of Cass County (then Van Buren County), as property in Berry R. Yocum's (deceased) estate. Berry was Margaret's half-brother, and Henry was inherited by Elizabeth Watts. Henry would have been enslaved on the Hays' farm in 1852, when Elizabeth assigned Upton as her agent and left for California. In 1857 Margaret described Henry at that time as "contrasy" and "wanting to be sold" (WHL 10.) The 1860 Jackson County, MO Slave Schedule lists a sixty-five year old male slave owned under Upton Hays. No ages match up to slaves owned by Elizabeth Watts in the 1850 Slave Schedule. It is possible that Upton "bought" Henry from Margaret at the price of a new carriage, since Margaret was so upset with Henry. This would have transferred Henry from under Elizabeth's name in the 1860 Slave Schedule to Upton. Margaret wrote that Henry would lay up all week then go to town on the weekend. Margaret asked her husband, Upton, to whip Henry but he refused to whip an old negro. In March 1857, Upton took Henry to a Slave Auction in Independence, Missouri to sell Henry. The offers were so low that Upton returned home with Henry. About this time Upton bought a new carriage for Margaret and seems to have taken ownership of Henry as the 1860 Slave Schedule lists Upton Hays as owning one male slave who was about 65 years old and Black. By Margaret's letter, it is clear Henry felt able to resist Upton and Margaret in at least some matters. By 1857, Henry would have been more than sixty-five years old. This was the last written specifically about Henry by Margaret. Henry, along with the other slaves on the farm, was freed during a Jayhawker raid in 1861(WHL 34.).

In December 1861 Margaret reported to her mother that the freed slaves were living in Leavenworth Kansas. (December 3, 1861 Letter 35)

Andy was a young man of mixed descent, described as "mulatto", and born about 1842 (Matthew B. Yocum Deceased Estate Probate Records. 1850 Cass County, MO Slave Schedule; Clayton Bane.). The 1850 US Federal Census Slave Schedule suggests that Andy may have been owned by Elizabeth Watts since he was at least eight years old. The next source about Andy is a letter written on 26 October 1856, when he was "almost large enough to plow" at age fourteen (WHL 6).

Before November 12, 1861, Andy was hidden away by Margaret to avoid release by a large Jayhawker raid on the farm. Later in February 1862, Margaret's husband Upton Hays advised her in a letter to escape to Texas with what she could, specifically mentioning Andy. It is clear Andy held greater value than the other slaves on the Hays farm, although the reason for Andy's value is unclear. Upton's assessment of Andy may have been tied to the value placed by Elizabeth, Andy's slave-owner, but that does not explain the efforts to keep Andy and not similar aged slaves. Andy's monetary worth in the antebellum world would have been increasing as a young black male. His lighter coloring suggests slave rape occurred in the household of his former owners. We cannot assess how the Watts, Hays, or Yocum families might have viewed biological colored children without more information.

By early December 1861, Margaret writes that she had "saved" Andy from the Jayhawker raids by sending him with her husband's brother, Amazon "Am" Hays, By October 1863, Andy was still near Williamsburg with Margaret having been exiled there. By 07 November 1863, however, Andy had successfully run away to join the United States Colored Troops. By 28 DEC 1863, Andy had enlisted in the United States Colored Troops (Union), and "had his gun to fight for his freedom". Andy was about 20 years old in 1863.

(December 3, 1861 Letter 35 "Amberson (Amazon Hays) heard throug the papers of our luck. He came after me, I was not able to go with him. he is living about a hundred miles from hear, he has Andy and my Carriage mules with him. The last I heard from the Negros they were in Leavensworth (Leavenworth, Kansas). The way I saved Andy, I had sent him off with my mules. After they left I knew it would not be safe to bring him home. Got Am to take him with his family.) "

(Nov, 7 1863 Letter 52 "Have never had but little trouble hear with the exception of negros running off. They are leaving every few days, my last one has gone, Andy. I had run him down hear for two years thinking I could save him, but they are but little profit to anyone now.)"

If Andy was living in Callaway County, Missouri in 1863 he may have enlisted in the 56th United States Colored Troops. The Regiment had a recruiting station in Fulton, Missouri, near Williamsburg where Margaret was living. The recruiters were required to ask permission of the Slave owners before accepting men into the unit. Andy's owner was in California and her Agent in Missouri, Upton Hays, had been killed in 1862. Without an owner he may have needed to use a false name to enlist. This has made it difficult to find Andy's service record and to find out if he survived the Civil War.

The younger Nancy was born around 1845-46. Nancy was first listed as a two-year-old black slave belonging to Matthew Yocum, Margaret's half-brother, when he died around 1847. According to the probate records, Nancy was given to Matthew Yocum's two sons. The 1850 US Federal Census Slave Schedule lists a three-year-old female slave as property of Clayton Bane, second husband of Berry R. Yocum ‘s widow( Matthew B. Yocum Deceased Estate Probate Records). 1850 Cass County, MO Slave Schedule; Clayton Bane.) This three-year-old was probably Nancy, as Clayton Bane would have been the listed owner for his family's slaves. The 1860 Division 35, Jackson County Slave Schedule lists an 11 year old black female belonging to Elizabeth Watts.

Hannah & Liz In October 1856, Margaret describes Hannah as "as tall as I am … and a great deal heaverer. She would be a very good negro if it wasnt for her dady and mamy, they make her with all the rest beleive that they aught not to mind me as I was not their Mistress." In the same letter, Liz is described as Margaret's nurse. (WHL 6.) Although probate and census data are somewhat conflicting, Hannah is estimated at 18 years old and Liz at 25 years old in 1856. Margaret's description of Hannah as her "nurse" means that Hannah had given birth to a child, was lactating and was providing milk for Margaret's second child, Bettie, born 24 August 1856. Also since infants were nursed for several years during that era, for her son, John, born 4 February 1854. Hannah would have been helping Margaret care for the two infants. Since Hannah and Liz were mentioned in the same sentence as their Mamy and Papy they were likely children of Aunt Nancy and Henry.

Reason According to probate records and Margaret's letters, Reason was born around 1838. Reason was first listed as a five-year-old boy in the 1848 probate records of Matthew Yocum's (deceased) estate. Similar to the younger Nancy, Reason was inherited initially by Matthew Yocum's sons and listed in the 1850 Slave Schedule under Clayton Bane.

Around October 1856, Upton sold Reason to Margaret's "Uncle Jemmy" (Judge James B. Yager); at this time, Reason would have been around eight years old or 18 years old. The next time Margaret writes of Reason is in September 1861. "Two of Uncle Jemmys negros run off the morning he left home. Reason and John, Steve's brother. John has since came back" (punctuation added). (WHL 33.) At this time, it was still dangerous for enslaved people to run off, as the Fugitive Slave Law and the Compromise of 1850 required captured slaves to be returned to their owners, regardless of whether they were caught in a slave or free state. However, by summer 1861 the Civil War was in full swing, and it is possible Reason found refuge across the Kansas border five miles west of the Hays farm. Reason remained uncaptured, based on a November 1861 letter. (WHL 34.) He was around 23 years old in 1861.

Steve & John See the biography for Reason.

Wilson A male slave named Wilson, "a blackman", was mentioned in Jesse Yocum's probate record from February 1852, in relation to purchase of medicines. Wilson was mentioned again in 1856 by Margaret as being "hired out" to a widow woman across Blue (WHL 6), indicating that he would have likely been property of Elizabeth in the 1860 US Census Slave Schedule for Jackson County. He was probably an adult in 1852. Although a thirteen-year-old boy and an eight-year-old boy are listed as Elizabeth's property in 1860; in 1856, the older boy would have been around nine years. Wilson may have continued to work for the widow and have been enumerated as one of her slaves in 1860. If Wilson was sold then it may have been mentioned in one of the missing letters. Jesse Yocum was already in California by 1849, and his deceased estate was probated in 1851 in Cass County, Missouri. Based on Wilson's inclusion in Margaret's household in 1856, Wilson was probably inherited by Elizabeth instead of Jesse's wife in 1851.

Luciann In total, Matthew Yocum's sons inherited three slaves. Luciann was associated with an infant in Matthew Yocum's estate. The infant suggests that Luciann was at least a teenager by 1848, and capable of caring for the infant. The 1850 Cass County Slave Schedules lists a twenty-two-year-old black female and a twenty-year-old black male under Clayton Bane. Luciann's birth year would be in the late 1820s. By the mid 1850s Luciann had three children living with their mother on the Hays farm. Although there is little information about these children it may be that Luciann had a daughter in about 1850, a son in about 1851 and a daughter in about 1853.

Benjamin Benjamin was originally listed in the probate records of Berry R. Yocum's (deceased) estate (died about 1844), but no age was given. A slave on the farm named Ben is mentioned in an October 1856 letter: "Ned Noland bought Ben" (WHL 6). It is unknown if this was the same person or two different men. In the 1860 Slave Schedule for Independence, Missouri, Edward T. "Ned" Noland owns one slave, a Black male 15 years old.

Matthew Yocum was not listed as an heir to Berry R. Yocum, but certainly could have bought Benjamin from the family member who inherited Benjamin. Ben, mentioned in the Letter, was born in about 1845. The Benjamin in the probate records may have been born about 1831.

Lewis For some enslaved people, there is very little official data, or only a short mention by the letters. Lewis was originally listed in the probate records of Berry R. Yocum's (deceased) estate but no age was given. Berry died about 1844. There are no other records of Lewis.

Diann Diann was a slave on the property of Margaret's cousin, Richard "Dick" Berry in Cass County, Missouri. The 1860 US Census Slave Schedule for Cass County lists a twenty-four year old woman belonging to R B Berry, suggesting Diann was a young woman born in the late 1830s. Diann was still on the Berry property when it was attacked by Jayhawkers in 1862. (See footnote 12 in WHL 36 for Margaret's account of this Jayhawker raid. "Cousin Dick house was burned and everthing they had was taken or Burned. They tryed to persuade Diann to go, they told her that she had to pretty Children that ought to be free and that she should be as free as her Master and Mistres. She told them that she was as free as they were, that her Master and Mistress had treated her more like a father and a mother than anything else. She cursed them all the time the house was burning, they then robbed her of all her clothing." The accuracy of Margaret's version of events is unknown, as Margaret is the only source. Disregarding Margaret's suggestion that Diann preferred to stay with the Berry family and as a result the Jayhawker raid removed Diann's source of food and shelter, making her even worse off.

Morris , a free black girl, was mentioned in an April 27, 1854 letter (WHL 4). "I have wrote to you about Mrs Majors Death and about Aunt Elizys Death and also of Marys Death. The black Girl, Morris was to see her every day during her sickness excepting about a week of the time and then he thought she was out of danger and she had a backset." Possibly Morris A. Hardin who is listed in the 1860 Callaway Co., Missouri Slave Schedule as a free Negro.


COMMENTS

Go here to read about the laws and some of the customs regarding slavery in Missouri: https://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/education/aahi/earlyslavelaws/slavelaws

There is no doubt that chattel slavery as practiced in the European settled Colonies of North America and later in the United States of America was a cruel institution. This type of slavery was abolished after a destructive Civil War (1861 – 1865) and the passage of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution (1868).

Slaves had been imported to North America from Africa starting in the early 1600s to provide laborers for the developing nations. They were often people captured by slave traders from their native regions, then loaded aboard ships, often chained in the holds, that took them to the coastal cities of areas that had a demand for workers. Those that survived were auctioned off to owners and slave traders. By 1860 the population of the slaves in the United States had increased in numbers to more than 4 million with most having been born into slavery in the American Southern states. Also enslaved were Native Americans and others who had skin color darker than the usual European immigrant.

The enslaved people on the Upton Hays farm near Westport, Missouri lived under many restrictions.

They were possessions of their owners and could be sold, inherited and traded at their owner's discretion. Their owners decided when and where they would work and at what work they would do. They were not allowed to marry and if they had children each child became a slave and could be sold at the discretion of the owner. Some slave owners preferred to keep their women slaves pregnant and producing children to increase their own wealth and workforce. These women had little protection from rape and forced intercourse. The food the enslaved people consumed was adequate for their survival but not the quality and variety of their owners. Punishment of the slaves was carried out by the owners and/or their overseers.

Slaves in Missouri in the 1850s were generally restricted to where they worked and lived. If they left the property they were required to carry written permission to leave the property. There were patrols of men hired by owners to check that slaves had permission to be off their owners' work area. These patrols made it very difficult for enslaved people to attempt to excape to an area where they could be free of their owners. For a slave to make an attempt to reach an area where they could become free citizens was difficult and dangerous. Their owners could hire slave catchers to follow them and return them to the owners where they would be severely punished. If they happened to be caught by slave traders they could be sold back into slavery to a different owner. This happened even if the slave had written permission to travel or were free colored people with their legal manumission papers. Manumission was the legal process by which a slave owner could free a slave.

By the 1850s in Jackson County, Missouri the enslaved people were aware they could become free of slavery if they could migrate to a "free" state or territory of the United States, travel to Mexico or Canada. Abolitions who had moved to Kansas were actively informing the slaves that they could leave their owners and offered help for slaves who desired their freedom. Since most slaves could not read they could learn this from anti-slavery people in their community and travelers opposed to the institution of slavery.

In about 1856 Abolitionists in Kansas had begun to form armed groups of men who conducted raids into the Missouri counties along the Kansas Missouri border. In these raids the Kansas armed groups would free slaves but also take whatever they could obtain from the properties of the slave holders and sometimes kill the men who were slave owners. The liberated slaves and the liberated property were termed contraband. Two of the more famous groups were the Kansas Jayhawkers and the Red Legs. As the raids increased the people in Missouri who organized to oppose these destructive raids were generally termed Border Ruffians and Bushwackers. When the Abolitionist raids had caused extensive destruction, not only of slave holders, but of people who were not slave holders, the Missouri legislature approved the formation of the Missouri State Guards. This was the developing situation that the enslaved people on the Upton Hays farm experienced in the 1850s and into the fall of 1861 when they were freed by a Jayhawker raid at the farm except for one young man, Andy, who was not on the farm.

Many of the enslaved people had adapted to their lives as slaves. There had been slave rebellions that had been put down but generally the enslaved people were not rebellious.

In the early days of the American slavery the Africans did not survive for very long. It has been estimated that a slave might survive for 5 years after being enslaved. As time went on they survived longer if treated well, were submissive and their work was satisfactory. By the 1850s the enslaved people on the Upton Hays farm were no longer just dreaming of freedom but were telling their mistress that they wanted to be freed. The adults on the farm were capable people but, although there were opportunities to escape, they stayed on the farm until they knew that they would have a safe place to go when freed.

In the 1850 Slave Schedule for Cass County, Missouri there were no escaped slaves in the area surrounding Mt. Pleasant where Elizabeth Watts lived. In the 1860 Division 35, Jackson County Slave Schedule almost all the Slave holders had escaped slaves in the area surrounding the Upton Hays farm. On the same page as Upton Hays, Slave owner John Kenocher has 7 enslaved people escaped. The oldest was a 24 year old woman who left with six children ranging in age from 9 years to 8 months old. They are all listed as mulatto suggesting that the enslaved woman who took the children away had borne these children while enslaved to a person with European heritage. John Kenocher is not listed in the Federal 1860 Census for Missouri although there is a John Kenocher in the Federal 1860 Illinois census. He was a family man, a potter living in a free state where slavery was not allowed.

back to top