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Seven enslaved people, including Dinah, were mentioned in the Athens Manufacturing Company minutes as property.
Partial Transcript: " It is agreed that the value of the lands, water privileges, mills, factory buildings,
as they stood on the first day of January last together with the Smith's tools, wagon + team, and the stock of wool, also seven negroes viz. Ezekiel, a man, Dinah, his wife with their two children, Bob, Cuffee + Charles."
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All people who are employed by the University, including those who are enslaved, are exempted for military duty and services by law.
Partial Transcript: "By the same law, the President, Professors, Tutors, and all officers and servants of the University, are exempted from military duty and 'from all such like duties and services.'"
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Enslaved persons are mentioned in Article 13 of the Athens Manufacturing Company minutes as property of the company itself.
Partial Transcript: " Article 13: All the property, real estate, negroes, machinery, notes, bonds, accounts, books, manufactural govels, and everything that belonged to the co-partners known as Athens Manufacturing Company hereby transferred to and and declared to belong to the Athens Manufacturing Company incorporated under the Act of 1847."
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Seven enslaved people, including Bob Cuffer, were mentioned in the Athens Manufacturing Company minutes as property.
Partial Transcript: " It is agreed that the value of the lands, water privileges, mills, factory buildings,
as they stood on the first day of January last together with the Smith's tools, wagon + team, and the stock of wool, also seven negroes viz. Ezekiel, a man, Dinah, his wife with their two children, Bob, Cuffee + Charles."
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Seven enslaved people, including Ezekiel, were mentioned in the Athens Manufacturing Company minutes as property.
Partial Transcript: " It is agreed that the value of the lands, water privileges, mills, factory buildings,
as they stood on the first day of January last together with the Smith's tools, wagon + team, and the stock of wool, also seven negroes viz. Ezekiel, a man, Dinah, his wife with their two children, Bob, Cuffee + Charles."
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The congregation of Union Church which was composed of enslaved persons had a positive relationship with Alonzo Church who dedicated the church,
Partial Transcript: "The Union Church, a colored congregation four miles above Athens, was dedicated by [Alonzo Church]. The worshipers in all these humble congregations ever manifested a warm attachment to the [Church]."
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Solomon assisted Moses Waddel to visit a cotton gin in town, and haul cotton.
Partial Transcript: "[February] 19... went early with Solomon to Mr. Newton's gin- thence to Talmage's shop to get my cotton hauled."
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Solomon woke Moses Waddel from his sleep to inform him of actions occurring on the plantation.
Partial Transcript: "[March] 7... disturbed by Solomon in [the] night, informing me of attempts on the necessary."
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Billy assisted Henry Hull's wife with hiding valuables when the Federal army raided Athens, Georgia.
Partial Transcript: "When the Federal army was making its way through Georgia and a raid on Athens was expected, my mother got all her silver and fine cutlery together and a small keg of fine brandy which she was saving for some unknown occasion, and gave it to old Billy to hide away, none but she and Billy knew where."
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Bart requested Henry Hull to sell him due to an argument between Bart and his father.
Partial Transcript: "Bart, one of the plantation hands, came in one night on a pass, and said, "Mas Henry, I've had a fuss with my daddy, and I can't stay on the plantation no longer wid him. I want you to sell me." - My father enquired into the trouble and told Bart to stay in town the next day and think better of it. The next night he still asked that he be sold. My father told him to go and find a new master."
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Jim Wood, an enslaved man owned by Henry Hull, was accused of being guilty of a misdemeanor.
Partial Transcript: "'Jim Wood had been guilty of some misdemeanor and had the option of being whipped by the overseer or the town marshal. It was considered a disgrace by a self-respecting negro to be whipped by the overseer"
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The enslaved people at Henry Hull's plantation were described to work from sun up to sun down and never complaining of work.
Partial Transcript: "The hours for work were from "sun up' to "sun down" with an hour for dinner. The negroes never complained of work. They were always cheerful when well."
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At the residence of Henry Hull, four families consisting of 16 enslaved people worked at the house.
Partial Transcript: "At the home place in town there were four families, comprising sixteen negroes."
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Lewis, an enslaved man, was a friend of the college students and noted for his vision disability.
Partial Transaction: "For years ''Old Tub" was the friend of the college boys and they recall him with his sightless eyes and his dilapidated beaver as one of the features of college life."
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Rob Roy was described as a cross eyed, freckled man who lived to a great age according to Augustus Hull in the "Annals of Athens."
Partial Transcript: "Rob was a cross eyed, freckled mulatto of no great beauty who lived to a great age — nobody knew how old he was."
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Tom Harris was a well-known enslaved man in Athens, Georgia, and mentioned to work for Colonel Hardeman and the Methodist Church.
Partial Transcript: "Among some other well known negroes who have a place in the history of Athens, Tom Harris was prominent and most portly. He was Col. Hardeman's factotum and sexton of the Methodist Church, big, fat and amiable, not especially energetic but a man of fine intelligence and respected by himself and the white people as well."
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Colonel John Billups and his sons were recorded to owned many enslaved persons on his plantation.
Partial Transcript: "Col. Billups was a typical planter of the old regime. He owned a large and fertile plantation and many negroes, made lots of money, spent what he wanted and saved some... he lived in affluence; his boys had horses and negroes, his daughters all they desired."
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Mike, an enslaved man owned by Henry Hull, as the foreman of Hull's plantation.
Partial Transcript: "And where are the old time negroes? Gone, all gone! I well remember old Uncle ]\Iike. the patriarch and foreman of the plantation. No hired overseer gave him orders. To his master alone was he answerable."
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Enslaved persons celebrated University of Georgia's Commencement as if it were a holiday. They attended the Commencement throughout the years as it was seen as a statewide annual gathering.
Partial Transcript: "Standing in windows, on the steps of the stage, on boxes outside, they took up every inch of space. Broad Street from the hotel down, was a solid mass of human beings. It was the annual holiday of the negroes, and every darkey from ten miles away came to town that day."
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An enslaved man reportedly set the Baptist Church in Athens, Georgia on fire after their removal was ordered. There is no supporting evidence for this claim.
Partial Transcript: "The negroes were permitted to hold their services in the old churches. When the Trustees of the College ordered their removal, the Baptist Church was destroyed by fire, it was believed, by some enraged colored brother who while believing in plenty of water did not underate the efficacy of fire."
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If an enslaved person was confined by the Town Marshals, the owner must pay $1.00 or the slave would be whipped.
Partial Transcript: "It was discretionary with the Town Marshal to whip or confine all negroes found on the streets after nine o'clock, and the owner of slaves confined must pay $1.00 to the Marshal or have the slave whipped."
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Enslaved persons were not allowed to own dogs.
Partial Transcript: "Some of the strictures on negro slaves seem funny, not to say harsh, to the present generation. For instance, no negro was allowed to own a dog."
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The old town hall's bell warned enslaved persons of the curfew at 9 o'clock every night.
Partial Transcript: "Its bell, which now calls the children of the city schools to their daily tasks, rang every night at 9 o'clock to warn the negro of the curfew hour, and clanged the alarm of fire to rouse the citizens to their safety."
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During the financial panic of 1837, expenses went up and profits went down, and it affected Athens, Georgia greatly. The price for an enslaved person dropped from $1200 to $200 to $300.
Partial Transcript: "The attendance of students in the University fell off, the banks stopped specie payment, expenses went up and profits went down. Cotton went down to five cents, negroes who cost $1200, were sold for from $200 to $300, and good land was offered at $2 and $3 per acre."
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The commissioners of Athens, Georgia imposed a 12 cent tax on enslaved persons.
Partial Transcript: "The Oconee river was the corporate line. The commissioners imposed a tax of 3 cents on $100 on property, 12 1/2 cents each on slaves, and $2 for liquor license. That surely was an ideal Athens."
