George Washington Lewis, of Claiborne County, Tennessee, was married twice: first to Sarah “Sally” Bullard who died in 1840 and second to Cyntha Fulps, whose family was from Stokes County, North Carolina.
Cyntha’s father wrote his will in February 1850 and in his will transferred the legal authority to enslave Black people to his children:
- Jeremiah was enslaved by William W. Fulp
- Allen was enslaved by George V Fulp
- Rose and her future children were enslaved by Peggy Dawson/Darson
- Violet and her future children were enslaved by Polly Fulp
- Samuel was enslaved by Cynthia Lewis wife of George Washington Lewis
- Gideon Hill was enslaved by Emily Campbell
- Sophia and her future children were enslaved by Eliza Ann Jones
- Tomsley Atterline and future children were enslaved by his granddaughter Sarah Winfree
- All other enslaved people were split among the children if they were not sold to pay off debts.
While the will formalized the legal transfer of authority to hold Samuel in bondage, family tradition maintains that Samuel was “given” to the Lewis’s upon their marriage in 1848. Either way, as George Washington Lewis and his wife Cyntha lived in Claiborne County, Tennessee, this required Samuel to leave any family and kin behind in North Carolina. The distance between the two counties is approximately 200 miles.
The 1850 Slave Schedule for the US Federal Census lists George Lewis in Claiborne County holding one male, age 15, in bondage. This suggests that the family tradition of Lewis enslaving Sam in 1848 is accurate, and the will formalized the arrangement.
The 1860 Slave Schedule for the US Federal Census lists names for those enslaved, which is unusual. George Lewis listed Sam, age 26 and Polly, age 75. The relationship between Sam and Polly is not stated.
After the Civil War and the 13th Amendment which abolished slavery except as punishment for a crime, Samuel Lewis is listed in the 1870 US Federal Census as living in District 11 of Claiborne County. He is listed with his wife, Cynthia Lewis, age 23 and their daughter Darcus. They do not have any real estate. George Lewis is enumerated on the previous page.
Sources
Probate Records (Forsyth County, North Carolina), 1833-1969; Author: North Carolina. Division of Archives and History; Probate Place: Forsyth, North Carolina | ancestry.com
The National Archive in Washington DC; Washington, DC; NARA Microform Publication: M432; Title: Seventh Census Of The United States, 1850; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29 | ancestry.com
The National Archives in Washington DC; Washington DC, USA; Eighth Census of the United States 1860; Series Number: M653; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29
Year: 1870; Census Place: District 11, Claiborne, Tennessee; Roll: M593_1518; Page: 321A
Finding the Yellow Bricks 