Slave
Descendants of the Cabell Family
Nicholas,
Venable, Allen, Woodson, and Mayo families
of Warminster, Lovingston, Nelson, Virginia
Derek Nicholas
added this to www.ancestry.com on 23 Nov 2009
As a young child, I was fascinated with the uncommon use of our family's last name of "Nicholas".
It was normally used as a first name, at least in all of my encounters.
I've rarely met anyone, with our last name, who was of African descent.
For the last 15 years, I've been on a constant search for the origin and meaning of this surname.
With the advancement in our technology, and a book of family names, written
by my grandmother, Carlie Anne Allen, (born 1898), of Shipman, Virginia,
combined with a list of slave names, written by Nathaniel Francis Cabell,
(born 1808), I've been able to delve deep into our family history.
This is how I invented the term "RBS", which means "Related By Slavery", since
we weren't considered blood relatives to white slave owners.
I am often asked why spend all of this time and effort, researching my family
history. The answer is simple.
First, I feel indebted for the efforts put forth by my grandmother, and the slave
owner, NF Cabell, for having the insight to record this information for their
descendants, and those who came after they were gone.
Secondly, this is a test for the "so-called" modern day technology, called the
Internet. The information is out there, but scattered on various websites.
I'm just compiling all this information pertaining to my family in one place.
This is a very difficult task, but I've made some startling discoveries.
Carlie Ann Alen & Arther Garfield Nicholas
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Carlie's parents
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Carlie's cousins
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Nathaniel Francis Cabell
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Cabell's slave list
|
Perhaps, it was
a pure stroke of luck that our family history, was left for someone to explore.
It may have been my destiny all along. For the last 30 years, I've become an
expert in the trade of sign painting. Which has enabled me to identify, all
sorts of freehand and written letterforms.
Recent inquiries and discoveries have taken me on a long and exciting journey,
into our family's past, and this country's history. From years of research, it
appears that many of my ancestors were originally from Midway Mills, Nelson, Virginia.
Some migrated, and or were sold from "The Corotoman Plantation", owned by John Hartwell Cocke, and ended up in Midway Mills.
As each family member aged, they moved out with their children to other surrounding
areas, such as Rockfish, Shipman, Massies Mill, and Amherst. The children of these
descendants, moved even further to places such as Lynchburg, VA and Kentucky. Other
descendants to a northern track to the north, in search of jobs. They settled in Maryland,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York.
Important note: Midway Mills was the first Colony established, by Dr. William Cabell, in Nelson County, June 6, 1774.
This was the meeting place, where all other counties were created. This area, then was known as
"Swan Creek Estates", and afterwards, "Liberty Hall". An ordinance was raised for
providing the colony with a sufficient force for defense. The colony was then divided
into sixteen districts, and required to organized a battalion of minute-men, who were to
prepare themselves for regular service.
This district was composed of the counties of Albemarle, Amherst, Buckingham, and East Augusta.
|
Residents of Cabell Farms,
and the Swan Creek Plantation
Midway Mills, Nelson, Virginia 1880 |
Not too long ago, I traveled to the state of Virginia to do some family research,
and here is where the true quest began!
Saturday, November 7, 2009.
My first stop, along with my wife, Monica
Stevens, was the Library of Virginia, in Richmond, to view microfilms of
the "Cabell Family Papers". The Cabell's were listed in the same
household, as my great-great-great-grandfather, John Nicholas, born
1810, of Lovingston, Virginia.
We arrived in Richmond, late that evening,
to find the location of the library, then checked into a nearby hotel.
Sunday, November 8, 2009.
My wife and I, drove to the Library of
Virginia, in Richmond, to start the long and tedious process of searching
for information. After locating the room where the microfilms are kept,
we began our research.
The microfilms were extremely old, very
hard to read, and decipher. Printing them out on paper, was even more of
a challenge. We spent a full day, trying to gather and record the information
stored on these films. We documented what we could, and it was off to the
University of Virginia Library, in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Monday, November 9, 2009.
We drove to Charlottesville in Albemarle
County, and stopped at the main library in the center of town, near the
statue of General Lee, sitting proudly on his horse, across from the Historical
Society in the main square.
We looked through various books about
the town's history and it's original inhabitants. To my surprise, I found
many books and documents concerning the slaves of Virginia, and discovered
the book "The Cabell's and Their Kin".
In a letter written by William H. Cabell,
to his brother, Joseph Carrington Cabell, explains problem he is having with
some of the slaves, he inherited from his first wife and 1st cousin, Elizabeth Cabell.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009.
Went back to the main Library in town,
which used to be the original post office, directly across the street from
a building that was once, an old "Slave Auction" building. Back inside
the library, I found more documents concerning slave births from the early
1800's.
While I was there, I thought I'd look at
some old newspaper articles on microfilm, pertaining to the history of
that area. While loading the machine that reads the microfilm, someone
had left the machine in full-unwind mode. The entire roll of film from
the year 1834, unwound over the entire floor of the library. It took over
45 minutes to re-roll the film. After which, I sparked up a casual conversation
with the head librarian, trying to smooth things over, and to avoid criticism
of the disaster that just happened! After things calmed down a bit, he
said I should check the "Historical Society" around the corner.
Later that afternoon, after a brief tour
of the downtown area, we stopped in, and met the head librarian, Margaret
O'brien. I told her of the information I was seeking, in which she filled
an entire 8-foot table with documents and books. I recorded mounds of information,
pertaining to the slave descendants of the Nicholas, Allen,
Diggs,
Venable,
Woodson,
Rose,
and Rives families of Nelson County. It was so much information,
that we had to return the following day.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009.
Went back to the Charlottesville Historical
Society to continue my research, and finished early that afternoon. Before
leaving Charlottesville.
Later that evening, we stopped at the "Special
Collections" department, at the "University of Virginia Library", that
was designed by Thomas Jefferson, built by the Cabell Family, his associates,
and their slaves, (my ancestors). That evening, after reading through over
800 hand written documents by the Cabell family, I could only find a few
articles, pertaining to slaves. Many documents that I held in my hands,
were older than the "CONSTITUTION" itself.
I've even read letters that Dr. William Cabell wrote to King Henry of England. William Cabell had lots
of business dealings with his associates, who were all major landowners
too. They sold and exchanged slaves, as if they were currency.
These slaves, were used by the slave owners,
to satisfy debts to one another, like "Shillings, pence, and pounds".
I've read and recorded many documents concerning
business deals, between William H. Cabell and William Mayo.
There were also deals with Joseph Carrington Cabell, Cole Diggs, William Loving, Nicholas
Cabole Early, William C. Scott, William Venable, William Diggs,
George Nicholas, John Diggs, John Dillard, Robert Rives, Alexander
Rose, William Horsley, John Hartwell Cocke, Joseph Loving, Charles
Kidd, H. Carrington, Mary F. Allen, Thomas Lockett, Joseph Shelton,
William Ligon, and many more.
|
William H. Cabell
and the original
Nelson County, Virginia
government |
Finished for the evening... tomorrow's a new day.
Thursday, November 12, 2009.
We went back to the "Special Collections"
department at the "University of Virginia Library". Today I met with Jean
Cooper, a genealogist for the university. We had lunch, and discussed various
aspects concerning ancestry research.
I received many important tips and advice
on the subject. I went back to research, and to apply the techniques that
I've just learned. Today, I read through the documents pertaining to Nathaniel
Francis Cabell, who was listed as the head of household, along with
my great-great-great grandfather, John Nicholas of Lovingston, Virginia,
in the 1880 United States Federal Census. I've read through hundreds of
invoices, pertaining to the family owned and operated businesses. Which
dealt with bridge building throughout this entire nation. Along with the
production of tobacco, and owners and builders of the "C and O" railroad,
at the old town of Edgewood in Warminster, and Midway Mills. I still could not find any information,
concerning the slaves that they've owned. I've read over two thousand documents
in total, so far.
Edgewood, in the old town of Warminster
Nelson County, Virginia
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Warminster Station - C & O railroad line
Nelson County, Virginia
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Slaves on packet boats - the James River
Wingina, Nelson, Virginia
|
In one of the last boxes that the special
collections department put out for me to explore, was a diary written by Nathaniel.
Nate, was an unusual, strange and extremely
intelligent character. His compassion for his fellow human beings, including
his slaves, (my ancestors), truly showed in his writings. He wrote in his
diary, about philosophy, and the Episcopal Religion. He's read literally
hundreds of books. He's even read a book about "The Life of Bugs". He had
a (multiplication times table card) that he carried in his pocket, along
with hand-written business cards.
Nathaniel, also wrote an essay on "The
Black Race in North America". From 1832 to his death, he took a special
interest in his family history, and compiled a manuscript listing the details
of his ancestry.
Upon his death, he willed a list of vocabulary
words that he created, along with his massive collection of books to his
family and friends.
Finally, in the last box of documents,
(box 4, file number 5084), were the hand-written lists of slaves.
In his diary, and other documents, he specifically
listed the full names of the slaves that they've owned, along with stories
of their lives at Union Hill, Liberty Hall, and Edgewood in Warminster.
The names were Susan "Sukey" Diggs, Emily Early, Sophy.
Sophy was the wife of my great-great-great
grandfather, Washington Nicholas. Along with Polly, Clarissa, Lizzie, Jennie,
Eliza, and the names of most of my ancestors living at "Cabell Farms", on the "Swan Creek
Plantation" at Warminster, in Wingina, Virginia.
Most of my family, and their descendants
still lives on, what was once, the Swan Creek Plantation. Many of my ancestors
are still buried throughout this entire area, along route 56, and route
626, in Wingina.
|
Here is the map of the Swan Creek Plantation,
owned by DR. William Cabell.
It shows the locations of Liberty Hall,
Union Hill, Norwood, Soldier's Joy, Midway Mills,
Edgewood, and Warminster. Note: The slave
quarters, were located behind Soldier's Joy. |
Nate, often referred to his female slaves,
as his "Aunts". He was so pleased at how they took care of, and nursed
his family's children. It was those memories, according to his diary, that
affected him the most.
In the mid 1700's, these original settlers,
needed a large work force to carve out the new frontier. They imported
indentured "Scotch-Irish" servants, for a 4-year contract. In return for
their service, they would receive a small parcel of land. These new landowners,
soon became wealthy themselves, and would then need slaves to labor on
their rapidly expanding farms.
England, decided to import a massive labor
force from Africa, the West Indies and other parts of the world, to handle
the work that was once done by these "indentured servants". Except, with
Negroes, it was a life sentence, that would span generations.
..... the rest is history.
I often wonder, if the Cabell family could
ever imagine, a descendant of their slaves, reading and studying their
documents and lives, 400 years later. Perhaps, that was Nathaniel's hope
and intent all along. After all, befriending black people, let alone slaves,
in those days wasn't very popular among the majority.
Friday, November 13, 2009.
Went back to the Historical Society in
Charlottesville, and brought the faculty some coffee and bagels. I picked
up the copy of "The Nicholas Family of England and Virginia, written by
John Nicholas", that Margaret had copied for me. I thanked her for her
time, and it was off to Lovingston.
After arriving in Lovingston, I immediately
stopped at the main library, but it was closed. So I went into town to
check out the county courthouse. Once there, I viewed will books, and marriages
from 1850-1930. In those books, I found all of the information I needed.
Now it was time for some site seeing,
before checking into a motel.
This area of Virginia, is located at the
base of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Not too far from the famous, "Walton's
Mountain", from the old TV show, The Waltons. This area, is full
of steep hills, and sharp winding roads, with heavily tree-lined hills.
Saturday, November 14, 2009.
Went directly to the Lovingston Library,
on route 29, to gather information on maps of the area, and the locations
of my family's gravesites. From the library, I traveled down route 56,
also known as, (James River Road), passing through the town of Shipman,
where my father, William A. Nicholas, was born. About 17 miles down, is
the small town of Wingina.
The map said to turn on route 426, which
is also, known as Cabell Road. The first set of graves, according to the
map, was located somewhere on this road. I stopped at a house with people
standing outside on their front porch, to ask for directions on the gravesite
locations. They wanted to know my identity, and why was I asking for this
information. I showed them my grandmother's list of family names, and explained
to them, that I was trying to locate my ancestors and family. They wanted
to know how I tracked my ancestors to this location. I told them, I traced
my family history, through the slave owners, which appeared on the old
United States Census documents.
To our surprise, their names, the Woodson
family, was on my list. They were beside themselves, as was I. After a
few pleasantries, they led me and my wife, up a steep mountainside, to
the location of our family's gravesites, which was located on their land.
The Woodson Family
Wingina, Nelson, Virginia
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Old house of Alex Woodson
Wingina, Nelson, Virginia
|
Possibly Nathaniel Woodson,
or George Allen with William Nicholas
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Leftrich Mayo and Ella Brown
Wingina, Nelson, Virginia
|
My newly discovered family, said the Venable
family, lived nearby, and the Rose family, lived up the street. After all
of the hugs and kisses, they took me over to meet my cousin's from the
Venable side of the family. The Venable gravesite was located halfway up
another tree-lined mountainside, located in thier backyard. My 72 year-old
cousin, "Puddin", out-walked my wife and I, up the steep, leaf-covered
mountain to the gravesites.
She said that she walks over 5 miles a
day, and that she was used to traveling these distances. My excuse was
that I was concerned about being eaten by bears, which caused me to stop
frequently, to take a look around. She exclaimed, "you watch too much TV",
and that she hasn't seen any bears in weeks. I thought… only a few weeks?
I've never seen a real bear, except in a zoo.
I took many photos, gather priceless information,
and said my good-byes. After reflecting on the information gathered over
the last 3 days, I realized that this entire area, where my family lives,
and died, was all part of the Cabell owned, "Swan Creek Plantation".
All of my original ancestors were slaves
of the Cabell family, and their associates. This is how my ancestors got
their surnames, such as Nicholas, Allen, Diggs, Mayo,
Woodson,
Wood,
Early,
Rives,
Rose,
Venable,
Terrell,
Bolden,
Horsley,
Shipman,
Miller,
and Brown.
As I stated above, this is how I invented the term "RBS", which means "Related By Slavery",
since we weren't considered blood relatives to white slave owners.
We've been here for hundreds of years,
since our country was in its infancy, but never appeared in any history
books. We built the universities, bridges, roads, railroads, historical
buildings, and monuments. My ancestors has fought along side the Cabells,
during the French and Indian, the Revolutionary, and the Civil Wars.
But now, I can put names to these faces,
along with hand written proof of ownership, by the slave owners themselves.
Along with the direct ancestry connection, from the Mulatto family members
of Scotch-Irish descent, the locations of my family's burial grounds, which
were my great-great-great-great- grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Sunday, November 15, 2009.
Today, my wife and I, decided to do a
bit of sightseeing, and take a drive along the road, that runs alongside
the James River, where Nathaniel F. Cabell, once walked. We started from
the Old Richmond Highway, and drove about 18 miles on Union Hill road.
Passing through the old towns of Norwood, Union Hill, Buffalo Station,
Soldiers Joy, and Liberty Hall. We took many spectacular photos along the
way. This road changed into Cabell road, at route 56. We ended our journey
at Edgewood, in the old town of Warminster, and toured the Historic Estate
called "Bon Aire", which overlooks the entire Swan Creek Plantation.
While touring Warminster Road, we met a local woman named Gracie Davis.
She grew up with my cousins from the Venables, and told us wonderful stories
of my ancesters. She said back in the early days, my uncles, taught her
children how to read, and that black and white people treated each other
as family.
Monday, November 16, 2009.
Went to the Lovingston visitor's center,
and spoke with Becky Howard, head of the historical society in Nelson County,
to gather information on Union Hill and Liberty Hall. They directed me
back to the Library, and two large file cabinets containing all of the
information needed, on the Cabell Family and their history. I recorded
what I could, and headed for home, after taking a few more photos of
the family grave sites, and scenery, located on James River Road.
My final assessment and realization, was that there are more records of slave
ships than one would dream. It seems inconceivable, until you reflect that for
more than 200 years, ships sailed carrying cargoes of slaves. The earliest
information on our families slave descendants that I've been able to retrieve,
is only dated back to 1790. Slavery began around the year 1600. That's two
hundred years of un-accounted for, family history.
When compared the Cabell family, who can trace their family history back to the
1400's and even earlier. The Cabells were descendants of Normandy. The Normans
were the ones who conquered Europe. It's been said through our family lore, that
our earliest ancestors came from Cameroon, Africa.
I've been unable to find any documented proof of that. I'm counting on the
descendants of the Cabell family, to shed some insight in this matter, and
this is why I posted this story!
It was well worth the trip. It has changed
my entire life, knowing who I am, and where I came from!
Here is the genealogy of the Nicholas family,
of Lovingston, Nelson, Virginia.
The oldest ancestor that I've been able
to find, is Lewis Nicholas, born in 1785.
(See the 1870
United States Federal Census - Lovingston, Township, Nelson, Virginia
- page 8).
Father of John Nicholas, and owned by
Robert N. Kidd, of Buckingham, Virginia.
It appears that Lewis Nicholas, was a slave
tithable of the Nicholas family, which owned the Seven Islands plantation,
in Buckingham, Virginia. Without documented proof, that I have yet to locate,
I can only assume that Lewis was sold to Robert N. Kidd, by one of the
"Nicholas Brothers", sometime during the late 1700's to early 1800's.
Starting with John Nicholas, (born
1810), from Buckingham County, Virginia. John, married Judy, (born 1820).
He worked as a farm laborer of the Cabell family, on the Swan Creek Plantation.
(See the 1880
United States Federal Census - Lovingston, Virginia - District 3 -
page 8, and the 1870
United States Federal Census - James River Township, Buckingham, Virginia
- page 22).
John's son was Washington Nicholas,
(born 1845). He worked as a farm laborer on the Swan Creek Plantation.
Washington married Sophia "Sophy" Diggs,
(born 1850), who worked as a housekeeper for William D. Ligon.
Sophy was the daughter of Louis Diggs,
(born 1823), son of Susan "Sukey" Diggs, (born 1780). She worked
as a housekeeper on the Cabell family's farm, Swan Creek Plantation. Sukey's
full name is mentioned in Nathaniel Francis Cabell's diary, and list of
slaves, along with Washington and Sophy, and the rest of her children.
(See the 1880
United States Federal Census - Lovingston, Township, Nelson, Virginia,
page 165).
Note: Washington's second wife was Julia
Allen, (born 1852), who worked as a housekeeper for William D. Ligon,
and daughter of George Allen, (born 1820). George worked as a farm
laborer for William D. Ligon, and married Anna Zan, (born
1828). Julia, married Abram Shipman, (born 1850), after William died.
Abram's daughter, Bettie Shipman,
(born 1874), married Charles Early, (born 1871). Charles was the
grandson of Emily Early, (born 1813). Emily, is also mentioned in
Nathaniel F. Cabell's diary. She was the "mammie" to his children.
William Nicholas, (born 1868), is
the son of Washington Nicholas, and worked as a coal miner. William married
Julia Venable, (born 1872), daughter of Noah Venable, (born 1847).
Noah was a slave laborer of Thomas Lockett, then became a farmer.
Noah married Susan Winston, (born 1843).
(See the 1880
United States Federal Census - Lovingston, Virginia - District 111
- page 8).
William's second wife was Elizabeth
"Lizzie" Garrett, (born 1887).
(See the 1910
United States Federal Census - Lovingston, Virginia - District 96 -
page 15).
Noah's second daughter was Fannie Venable,
(born 1867). Fannie, married Alex Woodson, (born 1866).
Noah's son was Alexander Venable,
(born 1870), and worked as a system head at the Cabell family owned and
operated the "C & O" railroad.
Alexander, married Clarissa Patterson,
(born 1870). Noah Venable's second wife was Caroline Horsley, (born 1857).
Arther Garfield Nicholas, my grandfather,
(born 1903), son of William, married Carlie Ann Allen, (born 1898),
daughter of Alex Allen, (born 1868). Alex Allen was the son of George
Allen.
(See the 1930
United States Federal Census - Philadelphia City, Pennsylvania - District
29 - page 15).
Did you notice anything unusual in the
above statement? It appears that Arther's grandfather, Washington Nicholas,
married Carlie Anne Allen's great aunt, Julia Allen, which makes them,
3rd cousins.
William A. Nicholas, (born 1924)
son of Arther, is my father. Okay! You got that?
Other relatives and cousins.
Walter Morris Allen, (born 1912),
is the son of Alex Allen, and married Lina Nora Rose, (born 1919).
This is where the Rose family, enters the tree.
Ida Allen, (born 1856), also a daughter
of George Allen, married Moses Brown, (born 1856). This is where
the Brown family, enters the tree.
Julia Venable, and Abram Shipman's daughter
Jennie Shipman, (born 1876), married William Venable, (born
1877). William is the son of Noah Venable, listed above. William and Jennie's
daughter Susan "Susie" Venable, (born 1905), married Leftrich
Mayo, (born 1899). This is where the Mayo family, enters the tree.
Looks like we are double cousins, to the Mayo's.
I'm still in the process of linking and
adding family members, but this is the basic format, and foundation, of
our tree. These are the original ancestors, stemming from the Swan Creek
Plantation, owned by the Cabell family, of old Nelson, Virginia.
Here is an interesting story told to me by my father. It's the story of how slaves,
or descendants of slaves, built their log cabins. These cabins were built by
using a mixture of mud and pig hair. They would scrape the hair from the pig,
and mix it with mud. This would give tremendous strength between the joints.
The freed slaves would often joke about how they used the whole pig, except
the "oink", such as pigs feet, pig intestines or "chitterlings", pigs ears,
pig belly, and pig skin. Everything was used from the pig, except the oink.
There are still many remnants of these old log cabins, scattered throughout many
parts of Nelson County.
Derek G. Nicholas
Additional information about this story
Description The Slave Descendants of the
Cabell Family - Nicholas, Venable, Allen, Woodson, and Mayo families
of Wingina, Nelson, Virginia
Date Nov. 8, 2009
Location - Wingina, Nelson, Virginia
Attached to:
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Alex Woodson (1866 - )
-
Noah Venable (1834 - )
-
Julia Venable (1872 - )
-
Abram Shipman (1850 - )
-
William Alexander Nicholas (1924 - )
-
Washington Nicholas (1845 - )
-
John Nicholas (1810 - )
-
Derek Nicholas (1959 - )
-
Arther Garfield Nicholas (1903 - )
-
Leftrich Mayo (1899 - 1972)
-
Susan Sukey Diggs (1780 - )
-
William H. Cabell (1772 - 1853)
-
Nicholas Cabell (1750 - 1803)
-
Nathaniel Francis Cabell (1808 - 1891)
-
Carlie Ann Allen (1898 - )
-
Alex Allen (1868 - )
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