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Bills of Sale for Enslaved Persons

 Collection
Identifier: Mss-027

Scope and Contents

The Bills of Sale for Enslaved Persons are original handwritten receipts documenting three individual transactions that took place between 1835 and 1845.

Dates

  • Creation: 1835, 1837, 1845

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is available for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Collins Memorial Library provides access to its collections in order to support research and education. Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the use or reproduction of some items may be restricted by the terms of the gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, or university policy. It is the user's responsibility to determine and satisfy copyright or any other use restrictions when publishing or otherwise disseminating materials found in the collections.

Biographical / Historical

A bill of sale was a contract between an enslaver and a potential buyer detailing the purchase of an enslaved person. The contracts typically stated the name and location of the enslaver, the name and location of the buyer, and the gender, name, and age of the enslaved person.

These bills of sale detail the purchase of Arthur (age 8), Louisa (age 50), Rose (age 15), Catharine (age 5 months), and Bill (age unknown) by enslaver S.P.C. Burford.

Extent

0.04 Linear Feet (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

A bill of sale was a contract between an enslaver and a potential buyer detailing the purchase of an enslaved person. This collection includes three original handwritten receipts for the purchase of Arthur, Louisa, Rose, Catharine, and Bill by enslaver S.P.C. Burford.

Title
Bills of Sale for Enslaved Persons
Status
Completed
Author
Elizabeth Knight
Date
2012
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English
Sponsor
Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Revision Statements

  • 2022: Finding aid revised.

Repository Details

Part of the University of Puget Sound, Archives & Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Collins Memorial Library
1500 N. Warner Street #1021
Tacoma 98416-1021 United States us