Description:

Louisiana Slaveowner Sells Four Young Slave Women to Nephews of One of the Largest Slaveowners in the State

In this document, Notary Public Lucien Hermann notarizes the sale of four young enslaved women to brothers James and Elias J. Hoover, who were living with their uncle and tutor Jacob Hoover, who was on his way to becoming one of the largest slaveowners in Louisiana. By the time of his death in 1859, he owned approximately five hundred human beings.

[SLAVERY.] Lucien Hermann, Partially Printed Document Signed, Copy of Bill of Sale, February 29, 1844, Concordia Parish, Louisiana. 4 pp., 8.5" x 14". Some toning; ink somewhat light; good.

Excerpts
"Personally appeared, Chandler Lewis a resident of in the State of Missouri who declared that for the consideration hereinafter expressed he has sold…Unto James and Elias Hoover, now living with their uncle and tutor Jacob Hoover of the Parish of Concordia in this State the four following slaves to Wit.
1 Elizabeth a negro woman, aged twenty one years
2 Clarissa a negro woman, aged eighteen years
3 Mary Jane a negro woman aged twenty years
4 and Lavinia a negro woman aged twenty two years which said slaves are the true and lawful property of the said vendor, and were by him lately introduced in this State
."

"The present sale is made and accepted for and in consideration of the price and sum of Six hundred dollars for the slave Elizabeth, Six hundred dollars for the slave Clarissa, Five hundred and fifty Dollars for the slave Mary Jane, and Five hundred and fifty Dollars for the slave Lavinia, amounting to the sum of Two thousand and three hundred Dollars, which the said vendor hereby acknowledges to have received in ready current money from Mr Thomas Byrne of this City for account of Jacob Hoover tutor of the said purchasers."

Lucien Hermann (1811-1885) was born in Louisiana. He served as a notary public in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, and was an active Mason. He married Mary Anne Clarke (1820-1899) in 1850, and they moved to San Francisco, California, where he worked as a clerk in a broker office by 1870.

Chandler Lewis (1808-1882) was born in Connecticut and moved to Louisiana by the 1830s. In January 1846, he married Charlotte Cloud (1829-1907) in Franklin Parish, Louisiana, where he lived for the rest of his life. They had at least eight children between 1847 and 1865.

Jacob Hoover (1803-1859) was born in Georgia. He became a planter in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, where he purchased the Whitehall plantation on the Mississippi River in 1830. By 1850, he owned 83 slaves and $235,000 worth of real estate. By the time of his death, he owned two plantations and approximately five hundred slaves.

Elias J. Hoover (ca. 1830-aft. 1880) was born in Louisiana. At his uncle's death in 1859, he and attorney and future Confederate general Zebulon York (1819-1900) inherited his uncle's estate, which consisted of two plantations and approximately five hundred slaves. By 1860, Hoover owned 236 slaves in Concordia Parish. Losses in the Civil War and other reverses left them bankrupt by 1868. After the bankruptcy, Hoover insisted that he and York were merely holding his uncle's property as trustees for James Hoover (b. ca. 1857), Jacob Hoover's illegitimate child by his slave Lydia, but the Louisiana Supreme Court rejected his assertions in 1872. In 1877, Elias J. Hoover married the mulatto Rosalie Collins (b. ca. 1840), perhaps a former slave. In 1880, he worked as a farmer and lived with his wife, their nineteen-year-old son James Hoover, and two hired black laborers.

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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