La Force Efforts to Recover Slaves This article, written by Lois Sutherland Wark, a member of the Ruddle's Fort and Martin's Station Historical Association (RAMSHA). Martin's Station is our focal point. ================================================== Art's Notes: Magee vs McKee, Kandis vs Candis. Rachel Reno's birth is closer to 1780 than 1761, hence she probably was not 103 years old at time of death. Remember "Draper Manuscript", where she is described as "an old African woman over 80 years of age". Rachel Reno's mother = Kandis, gmother = Hannah, ggmother = Betty or Bess. this now takes this family line back to approx. 1730. Baby is pronounced Baw'Bee The 1st attempt to recover the La Force slaves was in a 1784 appeal by Mrs. Agnes Moseby La Force to the British Government in Canada following the Revolutionary War. Most of the "white" captives were returned, but the plea for return of the slaves was virtually ignored. ================================================== Thirty-three years ago after Agnes Moseby La Force and her children were captured at Martin's Station, her family was still trying to recover the 13 slaves who were seized with them by British and Indian forces that fateful day in June on the Kentucky frontier. In 1813, and again in 1814, William B. La Force of Woodford, Ky., appointed individuals to act on his behalf, having his power of attorney "to demand and take into possession (if practicable) or make arrangements for the recovery of all or any part" of the Negroes who had belonged to the family". It was an opportune time to resume the search: the War of 1812 was raging, and Britian once again was the enemy. William hoped that his agents would be able to recover "the Negroes that myself and the legal representatives of Randolph La Force senr., deceased, are entitled to in Upper Canada or elsewhere in the British Canadian country". The powers of attorney, recorded in Woodford County Court (Book F, pp 187-188 and 311), list the names of the La Force slaves: "those Negroes being the same (with their increase) taken by Capt. Bird from Martin's Station in Kentucky in 1780. Their names are as follows: an old woman named BETTY & seven children, to wit, Scippio, HANNAH, James, Ishmael, Stephen, Joe & Kijah, also the above named HANNAH had five yellow children, to wit, KANDIS, Job, Grace, Rachel & Patrick. These are essentially the same names cited by Milo Quaife in his article, "When Detroit Invaded Kentucky", in the Filson Club History Quarterly (January, 1927), p. 66. Quaife, drawing for his details on Judge William Renwick Riddell's Life of William Dummer Powell, First Judge at Detroit and Fifth chief Justice of Upper Canada (Lansing, Mich., 1924), describes how William Dummer Powell, as a young lawyer in Montreal, attempted to help Agnes La Force recover her slaves by petitioning Frederick Haldimand, governor-general of Canada and pleading for mercy. Haldimand agreed that the slaves should be returned to the elderly widow, and ordered his officers at Detroit to see it. But by the time his orders arrived, the fates of the Negroes had been sealed. Why couldn't they be recovered? In Riddell's convoluted account (pp.26-30), Haldiman "sent the most preemptory orders to the Commandant at Detroit to find out the slaves of Mrs. La Force in whose ever possession they might be and transmit them to the Mistress at Montreal: but Detroit was too far distant from headquarters and Interests prompting to disobedience of such an order too prevalent for it to produce any effect; and the Commandant acknowledged in answer to a reiterated order that the slaves could not be produced; although their names and those of their new masters were correctly ascertained and a list transmitted with the order, and is as follows: "List of Slaves formerly the property of Mrs. Agnes La Force now in possession of:" Negro Scipio --in possession of Simon Girty( a renegade white Pennsylvanian who sided with the British and led many Indian raids against the Americans). ditto Tim--Mr. Le Duc (Phillip Le Duc, a French Canadian, member of the Bird expedition). ditto Ishener--ditto ditto Stephen-- Captn, Graham (Duncan Graham), an officer in the Indian Department). ditto Joseph--Capt. Elliot (Matthew Elliot, a captain in the Indian Service). ditto Keggy--Ditto ditto Job-- Mr. Baby ( Duperon Baby, a prominent French trader in Detroit). ditto HANNAH--Mr. Fisher (Frederic Fisher, an Indian interpreter). ditto CANDIS--Capt. McKee (Alexander McKee, a Loyalist who headed the Department of Indian Affairs for the British). ditto BESS, Grace, Rachel, and Patrick-Indians. 13 (total)" note: BESS is BETTY Milo Quaife, writing in a less flowery era (1927) put it more to the point: " In consequence of Powell's able championing of her cause, Mrs. La Force gained the ear of Governor Haldimand, who, on learning the she had been despoiled of her slaves, her only remaining source of support, directed that the Commandant at Detroit find the slaves, " in whose ever possession they might be", and forward them to Montreal for restoration to their rightful owner. but this intervention availed Mrs. La Force nothing, for, although De Peyster (Arent De Peyster, commander at Detroit) transmitted a list of thirteen of the slaves, several of whom were in the possession of officials of the government of Detroit, he professed his inability to recover them. Thus was the might of the British government defied by a group of its own officials and certain influential citizens of Detroit." The slaves had become part of the spoils of war. Who was the William B. La Force who sought to recover them more than 30 years later? I believe he is one and the same as the 16 year-old-boy who was captured with his mother and three sisters at Martin's Station, That William, born about 1764, would be 49 years old in 1813. Woodford County records make clear that his full name was William Bailey La Force. He is listed as a Revolutionary War veteran in a history of Woodford County, and I have found in the National Archives a Revolutionary War military record: "Wm. La Force appears with the rank of Pvt. on a Return of Prisoners sent from the Province of Quebec for Exchange...Return dated Quebec Nov. 8, 1782. Province he belongs to: Virginia. When sent & which Way: Oct 1782 by Lake Champlain." William La Force was married in Botetourt County, VA., in 1791 to Sarah Goodwin ("consent of Mary Goodwin"), who bore him four sons. On September 17, 1805, in Woodford County, KY., he married Nancy Holeman, daughter of Edward and Mary Holeman. Four children of this marriage are named in the will of Edward Holeman (6 Feb. 1911 Woodford), including a daughter born about 1807, Agness LaForce. The Randolph mentioned in the powers of attorney is believed to be William's brother, who is listed in the Kentucky Census as a resident of Scott County. Randolph Leforce (as it is spelled in the Census), whose age is listed as "over 45", was the head of a family of seven- a wife also over 45, three sons and two daughters. Also in the household: 3 slaves. In 1780, the year of the taking of Martin's Station, Randolph La Force had claimed 200 acres of land in what was then Fayette County, Virginia- later Scott County, Ky. This son of Rene and Agnes Moseby La Force presumably was named for the well-known Randolph family of Virginia, who were neighbors of Rene La Force on the Tuckahoe Creek in Goochland County, Va., long before the migration to Kentucky in the early years of the Revolutionary War. The William B. La Force powers of attorney are reproduced below. Woodford County, Ky. 25 August 1813 Power of Attorney William B. La Force to Merit Young Source: Woodford County Court Book F, pp 187-188, La Force to Young Know all men by these presents that I, William B. La Force of the county of Woodford and the state of Kentucky, have nominated, constituted and appointed and by these presents do nominate, constitute and appoint Merit Young of the county and state aforesaid my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name to demand and take into possession ( if practicable) or make arrangements for the recovery of all or any part of the Negroes that myself and the legal representatives of Randolph La Force senr., decd, are entitled to in Upper Canada or elsewhere in the British Canadian country. those Negroes being the same (with their increase) taken by Capt. Bird from Martin's Station in Kentucky in the 1780 (sic). Their names are as follows: and old woman named BETTY & seven children, to wit, Scippio, HANNAH, James, Ishmael, Stephen, Joe & Kijah, also the above named HANNAH had five yellow children, to wit, KANDIS, Job, Grace, Rachel, & Patrick. Now be it known therefore that by these presents I do hereby ratify & confirm all such lawful acts & things which he, my said attorney, may lawfully do for the benefit of the above representatives of Randolph La Force, senr., decd, in as full & ample manner as if myself was personally present. In Testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand & seal this 25th day of August 1813. /s/ W.B. La Force /seal/ State of Kentucky, Woodford County: I, John McKinney jun., clerk of the county court for the county aforesaid, being duly authorized by law to receive the acknowledgment of writings & admit them to record in my office do hereby certify that this power of attorney from Wm. B. La Force to Merit Young was produced before me in my office & acknowledged by said La Force to be his act & deed the same is duly recorded. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of my said office this 28th day of August 1813 & in the 22nd year of the Commonwealth. John McKinney jun., clerk -------------------------------------------------- Woodford County, Ky. 22 June 1814 Power of Attorney William B. La Force to William Stevenson, John Stevenson & Alexander Loughery Source: Woodford County Court Book F. p. 311 La Force to Stevenson et al Know all men by these presents that I, William B. La Force of the county of Woodford and the state of Kentucky, have this day nominated, constituted and appointed William Stevenson, John Stevenson & Alexander Loughery of the county and state aforesaid my true and lawful attornies for me and on my name to demand and take into possession ( if applicable) or make arrangements for the recovery of all or part of the Negroes that myself & heirs & representatives of Randolph La Force senr., decd., are entitled to in Upper Canada or elsewhere in the British territory, those Negroes being the same (with their increase) taken by Capt. Bird from Martin's Station in Kentucky in the year 1780. Their names are as follows; an old woman named BETTY and her seven children, to wit, Scippio, HANNAH, Jane, Ishmael, Stephen, Joe and Kijah, also the above named HANNAH has five yellow children, to wit, KANDIS, Job, Grace, Rachel & Patrick. Now be it known therefore that by these presents I do hereby ratify and confirm all such lawful acts and things they, my said attorneys, may do for the benefit of the aforesaid heirs in as full a manner as if I were personally present. In testimony whereof I have unto set my hand and seal this 22nd June 1814. /s/W.B. La Force /seal/ State of Kentucky, Woodford County: I, John McKinney Jr., clerk of the county court for the county aforesaid, do hereby certify this power of attorney from William B. La Force to William Stevenson, Jon Stevenson & Alexander Loughery was produced before and acknowledged by said William B. La Force to be his act and deed and the sames is duly entered of record in my said office. In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and caused the seal of my said office to be affixed hereto this 22nd day of June 1814 and in the 23rd year of the Commonwealth. Jon McKinney Jr., clerk Reply: