Page 249

“…hiding in the topsails…”

Narrative of Richard Slaughter. Despite a significant search, I was unable to find any evidence of Underground Railroad activity in or around Bowling Green, Virginia.

Library of Congress. (2018). Slave narratives: A folk history of slavery in the U.S., Virginia Narratives, Vol. 1, p. 49.

Richard Slaughter

“…two hundred slaves at Old Mansion…”

See “…two dozen…,” above.

Sutcliff, R. (1811). Travels in some parts of North America in the years 1804, 1805, & 1806. York [Eng.: Printed by C. Peacock, at the Courant office for W. Alexander, p. 96.

“…grubs from tobacco plants…”

Sutcliff, R. (1811). Travels in some parts of North America in the years 1804, 1805, & 1806. York [Eng.: Printed by C. Peacock, at the Courant office for W. Alexander, p. 50.

“…invented a machine to do his whipping for him…”

Narrative of Henry Clay.

Rawick, G. P., Hillegas, J., & Lawrence, K. (1978). The American slave: A composite autobiography: supplement, series 1. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Pub, Vol. 12, Oklahoma, pp. 111-12.

“…said to have detested slavery…”

I’m very grateful to Steve Nicklin, a former owner of the house, who has done extensive work on the important personages who visited the property (called “Bowling Green” until the town took the name). These excerpt from the diaries and will of Colonel John Hoomes are from Mr. Nicklin’s work.

“…the life of a white man’s racehorse…”

See “…in the year 1798,” above.

“…even a white man’s mule…”

As will be seen later in a later chapter, Anarcha will eventually be leased away from Old Mansion, along with a mule.

“…Chinese porcelain to eat from…”

See “…Chinese porcelain…,” above.

“…leftover jelly cake to eat?”

See “.…from the Old Mansion kitchen…,” above.

“Woolfolk slaves thought differently.”

This account of the musings and disagreements of enslaved people at Old Mansion and on the Woolfolk plantation is largely speculative, but it is based on claims that no enslaved person ran away from Old Mansion during the war. As will be documented in a later chapter, twenty-five enslaved persons escaped from the Woolfolk plantation in 1862.

“…deep in the woods…”

Similarly, there is no account of Anarcha’s remote house being used as a gathering place for enslaved persons who wished to plot escapes. This, however, seems likely—not only was Anarcha’s cabin away from the others, she would not have been seen as a risk in terms of running away, and even her personal offensiveness, as a woman suffering an ongoing fistula condition, would have acted as a disincentive for overseers to check on her. Her cabin would likely have been safe from prying eyes.

“…schools in the North…”

Berlin, I., & Harris, L. M. (2005). Slavery in New York. New York: New Press, p. 19.

“…black singers traveled about…”

The National Anti-Slavery Standard, December 20, 1856, p. 3.

“…burned at the stake…”

Berlin, I., & Harris, L. M. (2005). Slavery in New York. New York: New Press, p. 85.

“…still being sent to Africa?”

Berlin, I., & Harris, L. M. (2005). Slavery in New York. New York: New Press, p. 119.