Description:

Slavery
Spring Creek, Tennessee, October 12, 1853
Tennessee Couple Sells a Slave to Merchants for $900
MDS

With this bill of sale, William and Rebecca Lyon sold a slave girl for $900, to merchant partners Corry Pettigrew and Jesse Gray in Spring Creek, in western Tennessee. [SLAVERY.] William T. Lyon and Rebecca Lyon, Manuscript Document Signed, Bill of Sale, October 12, 1853, Spring Creek, Tennessee. 1 p., 7.75" x 4.125". Expected folds; very good.

Complete Transcript

We have this day bargained and Sold to Messrs. Pettiegrews & Gray for the Sum of Nine Hundred ($900) Dollars the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, a certain Negro Girl named Padilee, Seventeen Years Old. We bind ourselves our heirs Executors &c to warrant and defend the title to said girl, and warrant her Sensible and a Slave for life. Spring Creek, Tenn. Oct 12th 1853
Attest Cyrus Sikes Jno. S. Hill
Wm. T. Lyon
her
Rebecca X Lyon
Mark

William T. Lyon (ca. 1811-1872) was born in North Carolina. He married Rebecca W. Webster (1813-1879) in 1831, and they had at least seven children. In 1850, he was a farmer in Madison County, Tennessee, where he owned $400 in real estate. By 1860, he had increased his real property to $2,000. In 1870, he owned $4,000 in real estate. His obituary described him as "an old and worthy citizen, a man of great industry, and of unimpeachable integrity."

Corry Pettigrew (1800-1870) was born in Ireland and immigrated with his brother in the early 1820s to South Carolina, where they constructed canals and ditches for irrigation. They later established a merchant business in Alabama before moving in 1825 to Tennessee. They established a store at Spring Creek, Tennessee. In 1840, Pettigrew married Mary A. Douglas (1822-1892), and they had two children. In 1850, he was a merchant in Madison County, Tennessee. In 1860, he was a merchant and farmer in Decatur County, Tennessee, with $45,000 in real estate and $225,000 in personal property, including 58 slaves. He died in Decatur County, Tennessee.

Jesse Taylor Gray (1812-1879) was born in Tennessee. In 1847, he married Caroline Mooring (1828-1886), and they had at least six children. Gray served as the postmaster of Spring Creek, Tennessee, from 1844 to 1848, and also served as mayor. He entered into a mercantile partnership with Corry Pettigrew for a time. In 1850, he was a merchant in Madison County, Tennessee, where he had real property worth $1,500 and owned four slaves. In 1860, he owned $3,600 in real estate and $20,000 in personal property, including 11 slaves. Between 1862 and 1870, he moved to Lake County, Tennessee, where he operated a store.

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 4.125"
  • Medium: MDS

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000