Pat:
Going to the "funeral" tomorrow?
Mo' on Solomon:
All of this comes from the 2-9-92 issue of the Tuscaloosa News:
James Abbott, a free black man, married Solomon's daughter, Martha. Abbott ran this ad in a Tuscaloosa newspaper after he arrived here in 1827.
James Abbott
Barber (Late of New York) MOST humbly and respectfully takes the liberty of informing the inhabitants of this city, that he has located himself expressly for the accomodation of those gentlemen who may think proper to employ him in his profession. His office is kept next door below the State House where he will be found ready to Shave which he does with a keen Razor, or Cut Hair, which he pledges himself he can do in the most approved and fashionable style of the day, except when absent on professional business
Tuscaloosa, Nov. 17, 1827
The same article states that " In the 1850 census Perteet lists his occupation as plasterer. And, while he did work at his trade, even having a contract to do some work in the Capitol building; he made most of his money in real estate. Solomon Perteet bought and sold several pieces of proeprty [sic] in Tuscaloosa during his lifetime."
"He was one of the first settlers in Newtown, the area west of the center of Tuscaloosa where astute businessmen purchased lots before Tuscaloosa itself was officially laid out and available for sale. Among the properties he owned at the time of his death was a large three-story brick building near the corner of what is now University Boulevard and 23rd Avenue."
"Perteet and his wife, Lucinda, who listed herself as a gardener in the 1860 census, had at least three surviving children."
The article goes on to state:
"That many of the free African-American citizens in Tuscaloosa were slave owners underscores the complexity of the Southern economy before the Civil War. A great deal of labor was necessary to work the land profitably. Free black farmers like Zadock Love needed hands to make crops. At that time slavery was the system that provided the farm hands."
" However, some, like Perteet, provided the means for others to free themselves. In addition to manumetting several of the slaves he owned, he purchased slaves with the specific understanding that once they repaid him, they would be free. Ned Berry, purchased under such an agreement, took only one year to repay the $700 to Perteet. Berry then began a very successful business hauling all manner of goods from one side of Tuscaloosa County to the other with his sturdy wagon and four good horses. He was later able to free his wife, Cynthia, and son Daniel under similar agreements."
The author states " A ground-penetrating radar survey of the Perteet plot conducted in 1986 indicated three other unmarked graves."
Concerning unmarked graves(of course, this could include many slaves. Manly even mentions burying one of his slaves in Greenwood), the author wrote,"To date we have identified 1,463 individuals by name. We have specific information on about 1,000 of them. However, we think that there may be twice as many buried in currently unmarked graves."
No shortage of unmarked graves in Tuscaloosa, huh?!!!!
best,
roberto
>From:
>To: "robert register"
>Subject: Re: Found A Terrific Perteet Resource!
>Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 22:43:33 -0500
>
>Mr. Register: Somewhere J.B. Sellers published an article on free Negroes in Tuscaloosa County with some interesting accounts. Have you seen it? By the way, there was an Indian village in Tuscaloosa. It was located somewhere in present Country Club Hills. The Indians were Creeks. A man who knew a lot about these matters was Thomas Clinton, who published articles in the Tuscaloosa News. His son, Matt, put his papers, I believe, in the Tuscaloosa Public Library. -- J.F.D.
