Parkers of Lawrence and Pike County Kentucky:Information about James Sloan / Slone
James Sloan / Slone (b. Abt. 1760, d. 1847)
Notes for James Sloan / Slone:
The Following Notes are recorded by F.E.M.
The earliest record of James is in his father's 1768 will in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.
The Sloans and several related families, including the Justices, Adkins, and Thackers, began moving from Virginia to eastern Kentucky in the early 19th century. There is an early Kentucky land record for James, dated July 4th, 1800.
SLONE is a very common surname in Pike County, Kentucky, and many, many Slones there descend from James. He settled the area where the Russell & Levisa Forks split the Big Sandy River, and owned a tremendous amount of land in that part of the county. By the time of his death, he had become one of the greatest slave-owners in the county. Much of the original Slone land is now under water where Fishtrap Lake was formed. Between the town of Millard and the Fishtrap Dam, there is a Slone Creek. James & Mary lived at the mouth of Slone's Branch, just above the forks of the Big Sandy River. Slone's Branch is named for him.
On March 2, 1804, James bought 100 acres in what is now Pike County from David Morgan, who had been a Colonel in the Continental Army. In 1811, James bought another 100 acres in the county from William Taylor of Tazewell. On September 29, 1813, David Morgan bound unto James Slone title to a tract of land that had previously been owned by George Slone. James held 150 acres on Sandy River (Levisa Fork), and 150 acres on Pompey Creek.
James was the administrator of both his son's estates (they passed away before he did). On the 1810 Census, it would seem that James had three sons living in his household, but the third male was probably James's relative Clifford Slone, who married Judith Layne that year in Floyd County.
James's 1847 will leaves to wife Polly "...my dwelling house and all my land and household furniture and all my stock and farming tols {sic}...and one negro woman named Feby and Yaller Edmund and Cloy and her Increas to do with those above negros at her death as she may please" and "...my Grand daughter Elizabeth to have the negro girl named Silvy" and "...the balance of my negros to be Equally divided between all my Grand Children Except Elizabeth and her negro Silvy is to be counted to her part after the death of my wife..." Wife Polly & Simeon Justice are named executors; James signed by mark; attested by Simeon Justice & Booker Justice (copy of full original text on hand).
By the time of his death in 1847, James owned 24 slaves, 9 of whom were over 16; the 1850 Slave Census shows 23 slaves in James's widow Mary's household, plus 1 in Joab Slone's household. The 9 slaves over 16 in 1847 were probably: Chloe, Weston, Hampton, Anna, Betsy, Phoebe, Edmund, Sampson, & the female mulatto, name unknown, age 24 in 1850 (Slave Census). In the 1850 Census, the only Slones in Pike County with slaves are James's wife Mary & grandson Joab - the 23 slaves listed as belonging to Mary included the ones James left to his grandchildren (James's will wasn't probated until 1851).
Sources:
1) Pittsylvania Co, VA court records:
19 Jun 1786, James plaintiff against George Hardey in Pittsylvania Co. VA.
23 Nov 1787, James plaintiff against Thomas Linthicum, in Pittsylvania Co. VA.
19 Aug 1789, James defendant against Harman Cook in Pittsylvania Co. VA.
15 Jul 1793, James buys land from William Justice in Pittsylvania Co. VA.
21 Dec 1795, James sells land to Frederick Ragsdale in Pittsylvania Co. VA.
22 Aug 1797, James plaintiff against Frederick Ragsdale.
2) 1789 Pittsylvania Co VA tax list Personal Property Tax list A, pg 38: Slone, James Jr, 1 tithe over 16, 1 horse
3) Kentucky land record: July 4, 1800 - James Sloan
4) Floyd Co, KY: March 2, 1804 - James buys 100 acres from David Morgan on Levisa Fork, Pike Co. Ky for 50 pounds; beginning at the first narrows above the Russell Fork along Morgan's old patent line - N 70 degrees - E 130 poles -S 79 degrees - E 74 degrees (the same David Morgan to whom Shadrack "Hall" Slone was bound in 1798 in Patrick Co. Va: MORGAN, David Col. (Rev. War) d: 10-13-1815 in Floyd Co, KY, came from Pittsylvania Co., VA.; buried at Davidson Memorial Gardens, Ivel, Floyd Co, KY.
5) The 1810 Census, Floyd Co, KY, pg102: 00301 00010 01 (note 3 males born 1785 - 1794: the 3rd male is probably the Clifford Slone who married Judith Layne on August 02, 1810 in Floyd Co, KY; according to the research of Viola Slone Wright, based on her interviews with James's descendants in Pike County, James did NOT have a 3rd son, and she believes this Clifford was James's nephew, the son of Thomas; also note that the family owned only 1 slave at this time)
6) 1810 Floyd Co KY Tax List: James Slone
7) Floyd Co, KY Deed Book A, pg 87: 1 October 1811: Indenture by William Taylor to David Pauley, for land on Big Sandy River. ATTEST: Simon Justice, Paten Justice, and James Slone; 1 October 1811: Indenture by William Taylor to James Slone, for 100 acres of land on Big Sandy River. Said tract was patented to Benjamin Goslin and transferred to William Taylor. Tract started on the south side of the Louvisa Fork of Sandy River below the fish-trap and running up the river on both sides including all that part of a tract of 400 A. the said Taylor did warrant and defend the same against himself and heirs and against the said Goslin heirs. ATTEST: David Pauley, George Justice, Ezra Justice, and Paten Justice.
8) Floyd Co, KY Deed Book A: 1 March 1814: Rachel Doran appointing James Slone Power of Attorney to collect her part of the estate of Harkman Doren, decd. WITT NESS: Simeon Justice, Paton Justice and Amous Slone.
9) The 1820 Census, Floyd Co, KY: Slone (looks like Stone), James 000001 00010 11 0 (note James & wife only whites in household at time; also now there are 11 slaves: in 1813, James's wife Mary received Chloe from her father's will: many of the Slone slaves were her children; I don't know how the Slones acquired the rest - no early Floyd or Pike County court records mention any importation of slaves by James Slone. It is possible that James Slone bought some of his slaves from the heirs of William Witcher of Pittsylvania County, and then imported them into Pike County. A Sinda, Ceala, and Anna, daughters of Sarah, & a Phebe, Betsy, and Peyton, children of Tamer, and also a Sellar, appear among the slaves listed in the will of William Witcher of Pittsylvania County, Virginia (will written Dec 8, 1806; probated July 18, 1808) - recall that Daniel Witcher was a witness to the Pittsylvania County will of James's father John Slone.)
10) The 1820 Census, Floyd Co, KY: Justice, Peyton 100010 10111 01 0 (note the 45+ y.o. white female (Margaret); only 1 slave is listed, but Margaret had been left "...two negros named Sam and Charrity" in her husband's will)
11) Pike Co, KY Tax lists 1823 (James Slone 100 acres, 13 slaves, 2 horses); 1825, 1828, 1829; 1831 -- Total blacks 20 (no names given); 1833 -- 1-4-16-3 (16 slaves); 1834 -- Total blacks 17; 1835 -- 450 acres on Sandy River, 150 acres on Pompey Creek, Total blacks 17; 1836 -- Total blacks 18
12) The 1830 Census, Pike Co, KY pg369: 0000000001000 1000100010000 & 19 slaves: Black Males: under 10=8, 10-23=2, 24-36=1 and Black Females: under 10=4, 10-23=3, 24-36=1 (note 3 white females: 1 13) The 1840 Census, Pike Co, KY, pg 283: White Males 1 70-80; White Females 1 5-10 (Eliza) & 1 70-80; also 19 Slaves (10 Male: 2 14) Pike Co, KY land records:
19 Jul 1845, James Slone Sr. sells to Absalom Thacker & wf Trac(t)s ...
19 Jul 1845, James Slone sells to Melton G. Kendrick tract on Levisa Fork
19 Jul 1845, James Slone sells to Joab Slone tract on Levisa Fork
17 Jul 1845, James Slone sells to Mellington Adkins 50 acres on Pompey Creek
19 Jul 1845, James Slone sells to Elijah Slone tract on Levisa Fork
19 Jul 1845, James Slone sells to Mitchell Slone tract on Levisa Fork
19 Oct 1850/1, James Slone heirs sell to John N. Richardson a tract on Levisa Fork
15) Pittsylvania County Virginia Marriage Bonds 1762-1864, GS film #87779
16) Pittsylvania County Virginia Deed Index - Grantee, GS film #003361
17) Pittsylvania County Virginia Index to Court Orders - Defendants, GS film #079010004; Plaintiffs, GS film #079010002
18) Pittsylvania County Virginia Will abstracts
19) Pike County Kentucky Tax list abstracts
20) Pike County Kentucky Court Book 1827 A1 219 Slone, J. Identification Mark Recorded
21) Pike County Kentucky Court Book 1847 B1 243 Slone, Polly List of Taxable Property ("Polly Slone the Widow & Relict of James Slone dec'd came into open Court and gave in a list of Taxable Property of sd decedent for 1847 which is as follows to wit one tract of land worth $2500, 13 head of Cattle worth over $50-$60, 4 head of horses worth $100, 9 slaves over 16 years of age total number of Slaves 24 - worth $8000, total amount $10660, all of which is ordered to be certified according to law.")
22) Pike County Kentucky Court Book 1848 B1 335 Slone, James (deceased at time) Case of Deed of Emancipation of former slave Samuel Slone, continued (mentions Milton G. Kendrick, George Powell); see also Weddington, Etc. v. Sam Sloan (of color). Court of Appeals of Kentucky 54 Ky. 147; 1854 Ky. LEXIS 60; 15 B. Mon. 147 (December, 1854, Decided...)
23) Pike Co, KY Will Book A, pp 17-28: Will of James Slone
24) Viola Wright & Hope Blackburn, "Pioneers on the Levisa, The James Slone Family and Relatives" Pike Co, KY. 2002
25) Burke, "Genealogical Information about the John Justice Family" in "150 Years in Pike County, Kentucky"
26) Charles C. Wells, "Annals of Floyd County, Kentucky 1800-1826" (Baltimore, 1983), pp 9 (transcribed as "Slover"), 13, 14, 17, 18, 79, 84, 93, 115, 119, 138, 146
27) Randall M. Miller, John David Smith, "Dictionary of Afro-American Slavery" (Greenwood Pub Grp, Dec 1988), "Kentucky" article
28) Murphy, James B., "Slavery and Freedom in Appalachia: Kentucky as a Demographic Case Study." The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society. 1982. 80:151-169.
29) Dorcas M. Hobbs, John W. Picklesimer Jr. "Pike County, Kentucky Death Records 1849-1909"
30) The 1850 Census (Slave), Pike Co, KY: Slone, Mary has 23 slaves; at this time, Joab is listed with 1 male mulatto slave.
31) Last Will and Testament of William Witcher of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, probated Pittsylvania Co., VA July 18th, 1808. (Sinda, Ceala, Anna, dtrs of Sarah, left to John Witcher)
32) Hanson, Lee H., "The Slone Site, Pike County, Kentucky" Dept of the Interior, National Park Service. Southeastern Region, Richmond, VA. 1964.
33) "Roster of Soldiers from North Carolina in the American Revolution" (According to researcher Viola Slone Wright, the present James is the one who fought in the Revolutionary War from North Carolina. A James, William, John, Arch, Thomas, David, Fargus, Samuel and Alexander Sloan are listed from the Salisbury District of North Carolina - I have not been able to verify this)
More About James Sloan / Slone:
Occupation: Farmer.
Probate: 15 Dec 1851, Pike County, Kentucky.
Will: 24 Jun 1847, Pike County, Kentucky.
More About James Sloan / Slone and Mary "Polly" Justice:
Marriage: 17 Oct 1784, Pittsylvania County, Virginia.
Marriage Notes for James Sloan / Slone and Mary "Polly" Justice:
Marriage record lists Mary as "Polley Justice."
Sources:
1) Pittsylvania County, Virginia Marriage Bonds 1762-1864, GS film #87779
Children of James Sloan / Slone and Mary "Polly" Justice are:
- +William Slone, b. Bet. 1785 - 1794, Pittsylvania Co Virginia, d. Abt. Jun 1817, Pike Co Kentucky.
- +Archibald Sloan, b. Bet. 1790 - 1794, Pittsylvania Co Virginia, d. 1834, Pike Co Kentucky.