Description:

Slavery
Wilcox County, Alabama, December 22, 1848
Receipt for 5 Slaves, Alabama
MDS

[SLAVERY.] Reuben Hickson for Elizabeth S. Hickson, Manuscript Document Signed, Receipt for slaves in estate settlement, December 22, 1848, Wilcox County, Alabama. 1 p., 7.75" x 4.25". General toning; 1" separation on central fold; very good.

With this receipt, Reuben Hickson acknowledges for his wife, Elizabeth, the receipt of five African-American slaves from the estate of his father-in-law, Thomas Coker.

When he died in Wilcox County in 1848, Thomas Coker left his real and personal property equally to his six surviving children—one son and five daughters. His will specified that the bequests to his daughters "shall in no way be subject to the debts of the husbands of those that are married but shall be for the use of my said daughters and their heirs or children." He also declared, "I desire that my negroes shall not be sold but shall be divided into six lots or divisions as nearly equal as may be, and these drawn for by lot by each of my legatees." Coker specified that it was his desire that his daughter Elizabeth S. "pay out of her share of my estate the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars to my other five legatees to be divided among them equally." Coker directed his executors to sell his real property, which yielded nearly $2,000, or $325.74 for each of his six heirs.

Complete Transcript
The State of Alabama
Wilcox County
Received of James R. Fisher Executor of the last will and Testament of Thos Coker decd the following described negroes. Viz—Jim, Mariah, Charles, Peggy, Julian. Which were allotted to my wife Elizabeth S. on the division and allotment of the negroes belonging to the estate of her Father the said Thomas Coker deceased.
December 22d 1848. Elizabeth S. Hickson by her husband Reuben Hickson

Elizabeth Sylvestia Coker Hickson (1815-1915) was born in South Carolina to Thomas Coker and his wife Priscilla. She married Reuben E. Hickson (1812-1873) in 1834 in Sumter County, South Carolina, and they had eleven children. In 1850, he was a farmer in Wilcox County, Alabama, and he owned five slaves. By 1853, he was a Baptist clergyman. By 1860, they had moved to neighboring Clarke County, where they owned nine slaves, although one adult male was a fugitive. After Reuben Hickson died, Elizabeth Hickson remained in Clarke County, dying there in January 1915, two months before her one hundredth birthday.

Thomas William Coker (1775-ca. 1848) was born in North Carolina. In 1806, he married Priscilla "Sallie" Mucklevine (1790-1818). They moved to South Carolina, where she died, and he then moved to Wilcox County, Alabama.

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: 7.75" x 4.25"
  • Medium: MDS

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