Slavery at the Hezekiah Alexander Homesite

The Charlotte Museum of History is in East Charlotte on land that was formerly a 600-acre dairy farm and plantation. The land was inhabited by Hezekiah Alexander and Mary Sample Alexander, their ten children, and at least seventeen enslaved people. While many of the enslaved people tended to the land and animals, others worked in trades to support the plantation economy. Short biographies of the enslaved are below, along with a link to more primary sources. This page will be updated as the Museum does more research.

Content Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of the treatment of enslaved people.

Who was Enslaved Here?

Fanny/Jenny

Jenny, or Fanny, was the daughter of Bet, “born of her body in September 5^th, 1799.” She is the only person enslaved by Hezekiah Alexander for which we know an exact birthday. Thus, she was less than six years old when she left the Alexander Plantation after Mary’s death in 1805. For a few years after Mary’s death, she was owned by Kezia Alexander (Hezekiah and Mary’s daughter) until Keziah transferred ownership of Fanny to her oldest brother, William Sample Alexander

By 1827, she was a 28-year-old woman with a family including a husband named Smith and five children: Abigail, Abraham, Caroline, Adaline, and Henry. In that year William Alexander stated in his will that “ I… bequeath, to my said wife Martha the following family of negroes…under the same conditions [as] all the previous devises” listed in the document.

Nance (adult) + three unnamed children

Nance lived at the Alexander Homesite until she left the property with Mary "Polly" Alexander at the time of Polly's marriage to Charlie Polk in 1786. Sometimes between then and 1801, she had three children. They are unnamed and only mentioned with their mother's name in Hezekiah's will. We do not know who fathered Nance's children.

Nance (child)

Hezekiah Alexander’s ownership of a slave named Nance is confirmed within his will of 1797. Upon the death of Hezekiah, possession of Nance was conferred upon Charles Polk. Although Hezekiah does not reveal the sex and age of Nance in his will, an inventory of Hezekiah’s estate in 1801 may serve to clarify the ambiguity. Completed in October of 1801 after the death of Hezekiah, a “Negro child named Nance” is recorded as property of Hezekiah. Because a “Negro child named Rachel” is also recorded for a smaller price, Nance must have been a young boy because of his greater value. However, the price differential may reveal nothing about the sex and age of Nance and could only denote a difference of age.

Abram

In Hezekiah’s will, possession of Abram was transferred unto Mary Sample Alexander. Abram was described as a Negro man within the will.

Ann

Ann was a "Negro girl" owned by Hezekiah, and in his will, he transferred ownership rights of Ann to his son, Silas Alexander.

Bet

It is likely that Hezekiah acquired Bet after the death of Zebulon Alexander (no known relation) in 1784. Zebulon’s will from that year lists “a negro wench Bet” to be bequeathed to his wife, Jean Alexander, along with another enslaved person named Hannah. Because Hezekiah was an executor of Zebulon’s will, and because Hezekiah also listed enslaved people named Hannah and Bet in his will, we can reasonably assume there was a transfer of ownership between the two families.

Zebulon’s description of Bet as a “negro wench” provides some insight into Bet’s daily life. Whereas most enslaved women are listed as “negro woman” or “negro child,” the use of the phrase “negro wench” carries the connotation of a sexually subservient woman, or perhaps a domestic servant or cook. A “bed wench” was typically a woman of childbearing age who was forced to sexually satisfy her White master(s). In other words, Bet very likely experienced sexual assault as a regular part of her life.

After his death, Hezekiah bequeathed “One Negro Woman named bet” to his wife, Mary, in the same sentence that he also bequeathed a bed, furniture, and saddle. Bet’s age is unknown, but Mary’s will, written in 1803, indicates that Bet gave birth to a child named Fanny on September 5, 1799. Both Bet and Fanny were bequeathed to Mary’s daughter Kezia, along with a Spring horsecolt and some miscellaneous textiles, upon Mary’s death in 1805.

Hannah

Hezekiah Alexander’s possession of Hannah was transferred unto his daughter Kezia Alexander in his will of 1797. Described as a Negro girl in the will of Hezekiah, may have obtained possession of Hannah from Zebulon Alexander. In his will of 1784, Zebulon also mentions “a Negro girl” named Hannah as he transfers possession of her to his daughter, Martha Alexander. Yet, because Hezekiah also refers to Hannah as a “Negro girl” thirteen years later, the possibility exists that these are two different girls.

Jack

Hezekiah owned a slave named Jack and ownership of Jack was conferred to Hezekiah’s son, William Sample Alexander, in his will. Jack’s description within Hezekiah’s will was that of Negro man.

Jean

Ownership of a female slave named Jean by Hezekiah Alexander is confirmed within his will of 1797. Referred to as a “negro wench” within the will, Jean was bequeathed unto Hezekiah’s daughter, Esther Garrison. Jean had three children, Siah, Frank, and Nancy, while working for Hezekiah. In his will, Hezekiah also specified that Esther was to retain sole possession of Jean’s three children in addition to any future offspring during the next eighteen years. Hezekiah included this provision within his will in order to provide Ester’s children with sole control of Siah, Frank, and Nancy once they became adults.

Frank

Frank, son of slave Jean, was born into slavery and subsequently into the possession of Hezekiah Alexander. In the 1797 will of Hezekiah Alexander, possession of Frank, and his two siblings, Siah and Nancy, was transferred to Hezekiah’s daughter Ester Garrison. Possession of Frank could possibly have been transferred unto Ester’s brother William Sample Alexander. In his will of 1827, William Sample bequeaths a slave named Frank and his family (Kate, Garrison, Allison, Alfred, and Washington) unto his daughter Theresa Harris. Due to the phrasing within the will, it is not known whether Frank is the father or a child within the family.

Mary

Mary was a "Negro girl" owned by Hezekiah, and in his will, he transferred ownership rights of Mary to his son, James R. Alexander.

Rachel

Although not mentioned within the 1797 will of Hezekiah Alexander, Hezekiah owned a young female slave named Rachel. Within an inventory record of Hezekiah’s property taken after his death in 1801, a “Negro child named Rachel” was recorded as property of Hezekiah Alexander. Because she was not mentioned within his will, it is to be assumed Hezekiah purchased her after 1797 or she was born after this date.

Sam

Between 1775 and 1778, William Alexander (Hezekiah’s oldest son) travelled on a wagon train to Philadelphia to purchase goods for the estate. In his accounting of the journey, William documented his expenses and his experiences, including a purchase for someone named “black sam.” It is unclear whether Sam accompanied William to Philadelphia, but his purchase of “one pattern for gown red and white calico” and “2 silk handkerchiefs 1 black 1 check” suggests that Sam was held in relatively high standing by the Alexanders.

Sam’s age is similarly unclear. If we assume that he was a mature adult (20-30 years old) at the time of William’s writing, he would be more than 50 years old by the time Hezekiah wrote his will in 1796. Sam was willed to Mary Sample Alexander after Hezekiah’s death in 1801, but not listed on Mary Alexander’s will that was written in 1803. Thus, we can speculate that Sam may have died sometime between 1801 and 1803.

See all primary source documents related to slavery on the Alexander Homesite HERE.

See our FAQ brochure about enslavement HERE.