Description:

Slavery
Elizabethtown, KY, January 1, 1811
Fantastic Slave Hire in 1811 for $21; Then Her Master Gave Her the Option of Going to Liberia or Remaining in Kentucky as a Free Woman
MDS

With this bond for $300, Samuel Martin secured his hiring of an enslaved African-American girl named Harriot, owned by Washington Whitaker. As Whitaker was only ten years old at the time, his guardian and stepfather Benjamin Helm negotiated the transaction. Martin was to pay Helm $21 by the end of the year and return Harriot at the end of the year with a new suit of winter clothes. Helm did not obtain the money until September 1815, when he received $31.23, including $4.40 of interest and $6.88 of court costs; the sheriff received an additional $1.25 in fees.

When he died at the young age of 33 in December 1833, Whitaker owned "quite a number of slaves." In his will, he directed that "all my slaves now or hereafter to be born, shall be free at the end of six years from this date and that the whole of them be sent to the Colony of Liberia in Africa." He bequeathed to Thomas D. Brown and Elisha S. Brown the use of them for six years, when they were to deliver the slaves to the Colonization Society with $500 to be divided equally among them. He added one proviso: "This devise is however subject to this condition if my negro woman Harriet wishes to remain here she is permitted so to do, but in that case she is not to have any part of the five hundred Dollars."

[SLAVERY.] Samuel Martin and Robert Martin, Manuscript Document Signed, Bond for Hire for Negro girl Harriot, January 1, 1811, Elizabethtown, [Kentucky]. 1 p., 7.5" x 12.5". Expected folds; water stains; general toning.

Complete Transcript
Know all men by these presents that we Samuel Martin & Robert Martin are held and firmly bound unto Benjamin Helm Guardian of Washington Whitaker in the just and full sum of three hundred dollars lawful money for the payment of which we bind ourselves our heirs executors or administrators jointly severally and firmly by these presents Witness our hands and seals this 1st day of January 1811.
The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas the above bound Samuel Martin hath this day hired of the said Benjamin Helm a negroe Girl named Harriot from this day until the last day of December next for the sum of twenty one dollars.
Now if the said Samuel Martin shall pay the said Benjamin Helm the said sum of twenty one dollars by the 1st of January next, and return said negroe Girl to the said Benjamin in Elizabeth Town free from all incumbrances (lawfull accidents excepted) with a new suit of winter cloths from head to foot and during said term of hire keep said negroe comfortably clothed & comfortable lodging and treat her with humanity, then this obligation to be voide else to remain in full force and virtue.
Sam Martin {seal}
Robert Martin {seal}
Teste / Horatio Waide

Benjamin Helm (1767-1858) was born in Virginia and moved to Kentucky with his parents in 1780. He was appointed the first surveyor of Hardin County, Kentucky, and he made the first survey of Elizabethtown. Helm also served in the Kentucky Senate (1796-1800) and as the clerk of the county court. He owned 6,000 acres of land and built a two-story brick home in Elizabethtown in 1802. He served in Andrew Jackson's forces at the Battle of New Orleans at the end of the War of 1812. He was the senior partner in the Helm & Green mercantile company and served as the first president of the Union Bank of Elizabethtown.

Washington Whitaker (1800-1833) was born in Kentucky, the son of Henry R. Whitaker and Mary Edwards Whitaker (1777-1871). His father was killed while raising a house. When Benjamin Helm married his mother in 1803, Helm became his guardian. In 1820, Whitaker owned 14 slaves. Whitaker and stepbrother John B. Helm (1797-1872) were partners with Benjamin Helm in the mercantile firm of John B. Helm & Company. When that partnership dissolved, he entered another mercantile partnership with Dr. Bryan R. Young. In 1832, Whitaker formed another partnership with Anthony H. Cunningham. At the time of his death, he owned several slaves, whom he willed to Thomas D. Brown and Elisha S. Brown, with instructions to free them after six years and send them to Liberia.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 7.5" x 12.5"
  • Medium: MDS

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