1824 - Watkins to William - Pittsylvania Co, VA
Manumission Item Data Item Type Metadata
Date
03/15/1824
Manumitter
Manumitted
Number of Persons
1
Text of Freedom Document
Pittsylvania County Virginia To wit
To all whom it may Concern that whereas I was (illegible) executor or one of the Executors to the last will & Testament of Thomas Watkins dce’d of the County of Halifax & that through the (neglect?) of debts due from that estate to others & agreeable to the directions of said last last (sic) will & Testament of said dec’d Thomas Watkins, a negro man by the name of William was sold by me as Exor & I became the purchaser at public auction at the price of four hundred & eighty five dollars & accounted with said Estate on a general settlement in my (af’d?) current & whereas from the general good conduct of said William who is the slave of my father to whose will I was Executor as aforesaid & said negroe man William was raised with me being nearly the age of myself & the said negro man William having Contributed fully the sum to me from his honest Industry as I believe that I gave for him with the Interest having permitted him to remain in Halifax near & in the neighborhood of his wife from his Industry at the Carpenters Trade has fully as aforesaid refunded to me the money I gave at auction & from a further Consideration of a particular regard for him growing out of his good conduct & attachment to me in my youthful days I therefor Emancipate him & set said negro man William free to all intents & purposes Given under my hand and seal this 15th day January 1824
Ben. Watkins
Teste
Armistead Jones
John D Watkins
Samuel Adkisson (sic)
At a court held for Pittsylvania County the 19th day of January 1824 The Deed of Emancipation from Benjamin Watkins to William (a negro) was presented in Court and proven by the oath of Armistead Jones a Subscribing witness thereto and at another day to wit At a quarterly Court held for said County the 15th day of March in the year last mentioned the said Watkins acknowledged the same to be his act and deed and by the Court ordered to be recorded
Test Will Tunstall CPC
To all whom it may Concern that whereas I was (illegible) executor or one of the Executors to the last will & Testament of Thomas Watkins dce’d of the County of Halifax & that through the (neglect?) of debts due from that estate to others & agreeable to the directions of said last last (sic) will & Testament of said dec’d Thomas Watkins, a negro man by the name of William was sold by me as Exor & I became the purchaser at public auction at the price of four hundred & eighty five dollars & accounted with said Estate on a general settlement in my (af’d?) current & whereas from the general good conduct of said William who is the slave of my father to whose will I was Executor as aforesaid & said negroe man William was raised with me being nearly the age of myself & the said negro man William having Contributed fully the sum to me from his honest Industry as I believe that I gave for him with the Interest having permitted him to remain in Halifax near & in the neighborhood of his wife from his Industry at the Carpenters Trade has fully as aforesaid refunded to me the money I gave at auction & from a further Consideration of a particular regard for him growing out of his good conduct & attachment to me in my youthful days I therefor Emancipate him & set said negro man William free to all intents & purposes Given under my hand and seal this 15th day January 1824
Ben. Watkins
Teste
Armistead Jones
John D Watkins
Samuel Adkisson (sic)
At a court held for Pittsylvania County the 19th day of January 1824 The Deed of Emancipation from Benjamin Watkins to William (a negro) was presented in Court and proven by the oath of Armistead Jones a Subscribing witness thereto and at another day to wit At a quarterly Court held for said County the 15th day of March in the year last mentioned the said Watkins acknowledged the same to be his act and deed and by the Court ordered to be recorded
Test Will Tunstall CPC
Record Location
DB 26:166
Document Type
Deed
Files
Collection
Citation
“1824 - Watkins to William - Pittsylvania Co, VA,” Manumission Project, accessed July 12, 2026, https://manumissionproject.omeka.net/items/show/966.