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| James Forgey will "their children may be divided" |
I've definitely ran across the Forgey former slaves while researching the family in Tennessee since several took the name Forgey after they were freed and did remain in the same area. I've been taking a closer look at these families this week. I had suspected that James Forgey of Hawkins County, TN might have fathered children with some of his slaves because several were described as Mulatto. I did find some evidence that this might be the case a few days ago.
This is some of the information I've found regarding slavery in my own branch of the Forgey family (James Forgey was the brother of my ancestor. Andrew Forgey was my direct ancestor).
The only mentions of the Forgey slaves I've run across are found in the family wills, and total numbers are found in tax lists.
Above is the first reference to slaves in my branch of the Forgey family. It's the 1809 Taxlist for Hawkins County, TN. We see here rows representing acres of land owned, horses owned and slaves owned. Hugh Forgey and Andrew Forgey Jr. owned no slaves, but Andrew Forgey Sr. owned 1 slave and James Forgey owned 2.
Later in 1809 we find the name of Andrew Forgey's slave in his will. His name was Bacchus.
We do find that Andrew Forgey Sr.'s wishes were followed and Bacchus remained in Andrew Forgey Jr.'s family until his death in 1831. Andrew Forgey Jr. wills him to his wife.
I have not found Bacchus on the 1870 Census he may have left the area or most likely was dead by then.
James Forgey Sr. owned 2 slaves in 1809. By his death in 1831 the number had grown. Only a few were identified by name.
A 3 year old was named in James Forgey's 1831 will. Her named was Sarah. She was willed to Matilda Forgey daughter of James. James also names an Alsy and Robert describing them as young in 1831. I have not been able to locate these people after freedom.
We can follow some of the Forgey slaves from enslavement to freedom.
We'll start with Joseph and wife Margaret (Peggy)
We first see this couple here in Andrew Forgey Sr.'s 1809 will
The callousness of the James Forgey family can be seen when you read these snippets. They had no qualms about separating children from their parents.
Here we have James Forgey's wife Margaret also dividing up Joseph and Margaret's family in her 1856 will Hawkins County, TN.
It looks like Joseph Forgey didn't live to see freedom but his wife Peggy did. We find her living in Hawkins County, TN; listed on the 1870 and 1880 Census for Hawkins County, TN.
We see that Peggy Forgey is listed as a mulatto. Her father's birthplace is given as Ireland. We know her master James Forgey was born in Ireland so it is very possible he is Peggy's father.
Next we can follow Thomas Forgey from slavery to freedom. James Forgey Sr. names Tom in his 1831 will.
Rachel Forgey died before her mother Margaret Forgey. Rachel willed Tom to her mother Margaret. In 1856 Margaret mentions Tom in her will.
In 1870 and 1880 we find Thomas and wife Fary living in freedom with his family in Hawkins County, TN. He seems to have made a successful transition and was working as a blacksmith.
We see more Forgey slaves not named in the family wills in the Census. In 1850 James R. Forgey Jr. owns 21 slaves most being children. We do not have most of their names. Here are a few more I found in the Hawkins County, TN Census.
1870 Census Hawkins County, TN
Lou Forgey 1880 Census Hawkins County, TN
I believe one of these families relocated to Knox County, TN at one point and can be found there in the 1940 Census. After 1900 I no longer find Black Forgeys living in Hawkins County, TN.
Inhumanity is not confined to a single race or group of people. I've been reading a book about the Scots-Irish. I agree with the author that hard living conditions in lowland Scotland hardened the people which would later settle the south. They did not feel the pain of others. I believe James Forgey in particular was the sort of ruthless business person that really did not feel the pain of others. The business men involved in the slave trade in England, Spain, the Netherlands didn't have a conscience, but they didn't live with the slaves. The way that some families in the south lived with other human beings and didn't have the decency to free them is hard to fathom?
Here is partial list of Forgeys born into slavery
- Joseph Forgey (Mulatto)
- Peggy Forgey (Mulatto) Born about 1815 she claims her father was born in Ireland in 1880
- Malvina Forgey-Harlan (Mulatto) born about 1839
- Mary Forgey (Mulatto) born about 1854
- Lou Forgey (Mulatto) born about 1845
- App. Forgey (Black) born about 1863
- Thomas Forgey (Black) Birth Year (Estimated): 1829-1830
- Fary F Forgey (Black) Birth Year (Estimated): 1831-1832
- Alice Forgey (Black) Birth Year (Estimated): 1852-1853
- Martha Forgey (Black) Birth Year (Estimated): 1853-1854
- Jinetta Forgey (Black) Birth Year (Estimated): 1855-1856
- Dorcas Forgey (Black) Birth Year (Estimated): 1857-1858
- Margarett Forgey (Black) Birth Year (Estimated): 1857-1858
- Joseph Forgey (Black) Birth Year (Estimated): 1858-1859
- Alsy Forgey (Black) Before 1834
- Robert Forgey (Black) Before 1834
- Sarah 1828
Thanks for posting this, Annette. Maybe it will help descendants of the people who were held as slaves by the Forgey family find their roots. And if James Forgey was the father to some then they are our cousins. They may show up as matches on our autosomal DNA tests, or as matches to the Forgey males who have done the Y DNA testing. It's good to be aware and know that you have documented the information that exists.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nan! I would be happy to hear from anyone in these lines. It is very possible that we may be cousins to some of them, and match us on the autosomal DNA.
ReplyDeleteI descend from Archibald Forgey and Eleanor Roller. When Jacob and Hugh moved to Arkansas they apparently brought a slave with them. Some of the Forgey's settled north in Missouri and it seems it may be because of the slavery issue. By the early 1900's the two sides didn't even know each other anymore. It caused a great division in the family. I appreciate all your hard work on the Forgey genealogy.
ReplyDeleteLinda, that is interesting. I'm a descendant of Archibald and Eleanor as well. I had heard that there was also a rift between some of the ones that stayed in Virginia and some of those that left, caused by the Civil War. When Archibald's estate was settled the executor payed what was owed to those that had left in Confederate money, which exacerbated the problems. I hadn't heard of the division between the ones in Arkansas and Missouri. What a sad time in our country's history, for so many reasons.
ReplyDeletePlease reach out to me, my ancestor was William Nichols of Hawkins County and I believe our family was the exact same as yours, the result of William Nichols and his female slaves!
ReplyDeletePlease reach out to me, my ancestor was William Nichols of Hawkins County and I believe our family was the exact same as yours, the result of William Nichols and his female slaves!
ReplyDeleteIn fact, the ironic thing is James Forgey according to a deed I have lived in the vicinity of William Nichols.
ReplyDeleteMy great grandfather was Gabriel Rogers Forgey. We visited Surgoinsville in the early 70s with my parents. Great Aunt Evalina told us about the slaves we used to have and all the adventures my great grandfather had as the only boy in the family. She took us by our old plantation house and showed us where the slave quarters were. She was regretful we owned slaves, but it was how it was done back in those days. His father was also Gabriel Rogers Forgey.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother was Mary Evalina Forgey and she was my mom's mother. She was born in Seattle to Gabriel and his Hungarian wife, Adeline Victoria Galuska. Great grandmother had been married before and lost her husband in an explosion in Seattle. She had a son with Mr. McCleod, who was my great Uncle Joe. When she married Mr. Forgey, they had three children, one of whom died after it was born. Mr. Forgey adopted her son who died in 1921 soon after it was born.
I love reading about family history. Thank you for writing this piece.