Are wives of slave owners also slave owners?

Started by Private User on Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Private User

5/6/2020 at 6:40 AM

Should I automatically list the wives of recorded slave owners in the census records even though it only lists the husbands' names? I think so. But an alternative approach is to only list confirmed women according to either census records or (as is more common) recorded in wills. Thoughts?

Dan Cornett C

5/9/2020 at 4:06 PM

I wouldn't do so automatically; but there are likely cases where the wives inherited the estate and should thus be considered owners of enslaved persons. It all depends on the family, I would think.

Private User

5/10/2020 at 3:47 PM

Thanks, Dan!

Billie June Keaffaber

8/9/2024 at 9:21 AM

Thanks for asking this question I was wondering too but I useally use will to determine who gave slaves or owned them.

I just added new one to slave owners.

Captain John Dorsey

Dan Cornett C

8/12/2024 at 7:50 AM

Without having records or family stories, it's really hard to tell about the wives. Did they hate the institution of slavery but just went along with the estate they married into (recognizing they didn't have much power to make changes on their own) -- or did they embrace and support the prevailing attitudes of the culture that the enslaved persons were "less than"?

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Are wives of slave owners also slave owners?

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