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“…she was put into service…”

There are no direct records of Delia being brought into Old Mansion at this time, though there is evidence that Delia was eventually kept quite close to Anne Fontaine Maury (who by this time had lost her own young daughter). It’s worth noting that this book, Intimate Virginiana, makes a number of uncited claims, and certain details—particularly in regard to enslaved persons—are not wholly trustworthy.

Maury, A. F. (1941). Intimate Virginiana: A century of Maury family travels by land and sea. Richmond, Va.: Dietz Press, pp. 263-64.

“…Maurys began coming and going from Old Mansion…”

This is drawn from examination of many Maury letters, in archives all across Virginia. A few excerpts from the diary of Betty Herndon Maury, daughter of Matthew Fontaine Maury, makes the point, however. The heavy traffic also makes it likely that they would have compelled Delia to work in the main house.

Maury, B. H., & In Parmelee, A. M. (1938). The Confederate diary of Betty Herndon Maury: Daughter of Lieut. Commander M.F. Maury, 1861-1863. Washington: Privately printed, pp. 56, 61, 92, 99.

“…did not watch their tongues…”

Narrative of Susan Broaddus.

Perdue, C. L., Barden, T. E., & Phillips, R. K. (1997). Weevils in the wheat: Interviews with Virginia ex-slaves. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, p. 55.

“…the huddle of slave cabins…”

On this map, Old Mansion is directly to the north, and Site 1 is the suspected location of the Old Mansion slave quarters during the nineteenth century. See “A level for a small cabin,” above. Steve Nicklin told me that evidence of a smaller site was found further to the south of Site 1, in what is now a heavily wooded area. I trespassed onto the Old Mansion property in an attempt to find the site—but the woods comprise many acres, and are largely impassable.

“Archaeological Survey of the South Field at Bowling Green Farm, Bowling Green, Virginia,” by Nicholas M. Luccketti, Principal investigator, and, Thomas F. Higgins, III, June 2007, pp. 3-4, prepared for Steve Nicklin and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. A copy of the report is in the possession of Steve Nicklin, a former owner of Old Mansion.

“Lorenzo’s master was Charles Mason…”

This letter comes from several years later, but provides some of the most significant details about Anarcha’s life at this time. As will be documented in a later chapter, it’s possible, albeit uncertain, that Lorenzo—Anarcha’s husband (see “…Anarcha met Lorenzo…,” above)—was related to Charles Mason.

Letter from Charles Mason to James T. White, December 11, 1864, original held in the Maury Family materials at the Special Collections department of the Swem Library at William and Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia.

“…if Lorenzo could get a horse…”

Narrative of Tom Douglas.

Library of Congress. (2018). Slave narratives: A folk history of slavery in the U.S., North Carolina Narratives, Vol. 1, pp. 194-95.

“…one of his master’s favorites…”

See “Lorenzo's master was Charles Mason…,” above.

Letter from Charles Mason to James T. White, December 11, 1864, original held in the Maury Family materials at the Special Collections department of the Swem Library at William and Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia.

“…six weeks after Anarcha got pregnant…”

See “…Maury needed the money,” above. The dashes indicate, I believe, that the exact month of the birth was not known (which could well be consistent with an infant who was then sold).

From original birth registers, or transcripts of registers, of Caroline County, held at the Library of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia. I am indebted to Char McCargo Bah for making the first discovery of some of these records.

The document listing the births of Anne Fontaine Maury is in the possession of Steve Nicklin, a former owner of Old Mansion in Bowling Green, Virginia.

“…yes, she would confess it…”

Narrative of Julia A. White.

I conducted an extensive search of records in Alabama, in Caroline County, King George County, and neighboring counties, to find Anarcha and Lorenzo’s marriage record in probate offices, private church records, and so on. I found no such record, though, as will be documented later, the couple identified as married, and even Charles Mason considered them to be married in 1864 (see “…one of his master’s favorites…,” above). This scene is imagined, but it is in keeping with what documents reveal, and with what I was unable to find despite a concerted effort. I built off a language of “confessing” a wish to be married from the narrative of Julia A. White.

Library of Congress. (2018). Slave narratives: A folk history of slavery in the U.S., Arkansas Narratives, Vol. 7, p. 110.

Julia A. White