Estate of William Cook – Anderson County, South Carolina

William Cook was my great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather

My line is:

William Cook – Thomas D. Cook – Thomas Alexander Cook – Obia Hempie Cook Hill – Myrtle Argen Hill Winton – Ruby May Winton Vantine (my great-grandmother).

Any time I find probate records that include the inventory or sale of slave property, I include it in this blog so that it is in a format that is searchable and might be found by descendants of the African Americans that were enslaved by my ancestors. Otherwise, it is hidden in county record books that are not yet indexed.

I don’t know much about William Cook. He was born in Georgia around 1794. Died in Anderson County in March 1851. Married a woman named Sarah. He farmed near Starr, South Carolina. Their children: Thomas D., William L., Martha F., John T., Joseph ( who died during the War with Mexico), Moses, Samuel, Lucinda who married Alexander Avery, Nancy, who married Edwin Roach, and Mary, who married Richard P. Vernon.

Anderson County Inventories and Appraisments –  Volume III. Pages 70 – 73, 204:

Sale Bill of Personal Estate of Personal Estate of William Cook, Dec’d.

Negro Man Jacob, $57.00 – purchased by Sarah Cook. [What was different about Jacob that he was apparently only worth $57.00?]

Negro girl Caroline, $615.00 – purchased by Sarah Cook.

Negro woman Delphy, $572.00 – purchased by Thomas D. Cook.

Negro woman Clarissa & child, $700.00 – purchased by Samuel Cook.

1 girl Mary, $345.00 & girl Tabitha, $515.00 – purchased by Samuel Cook.

Woman Ann & child, $830.00 – purchased by Samuel Cook.

Negro boy Charles, $540.00 – purchased by Moses Cook.

1 Negro girl Eliza, $610.00 – purchased by Andrew Stevenson.

Negro boy Lewis, $730.00 – purchased by Thomas O. Hill.

Negro boy Tom, $770.00 – purchased by John Morgan.

Negro boy Edward, $750.00 – purchased by William M. Bell.

Negro boy Ben, $640.00 – purchased by ____ Wilburn.

Negro boy Winston, $570.00 – purchased by ____ Tucker.

Negro man Sam, $765.00 – purchased by R. L. Hardin.

[This sale was held in May 1851. A second sale was held on 5 July 1852. A ‘negro fellow’ named Simeon was sold for $405.00 and sold to J. C. Haynie.]