The Names of Enslaved People in James Steptoe, Jr.'s Will, February 27, 1826

James Steptoe by Harvey Mitchell in Memorials of Old Virginia Clerks (1888)

[Based on transcription made by Michele Stepto from Part IV--Abstracts of Steptoe Wills & Deeds recorded in Bedford County, 1826-1848. This is particularly important information, in that the names of enslaved people are rarely mentioned in Steptoe family correspondence. Thirty-three given names are listed below.]

DATE: 27 Feb 1826

PARTIES: James STEPTOE & heirs (STEPTOE and PENN)

DOCUMENT TYPE: Will

SOURCE: Bedford County Courthouse, Bedford VA, Will Book F-6

SLAVES NAMED IN DOCUMENT:    

"Winney & her five children, to wit, 

Reuben
Winston
Osman
Wyatt  
Sophia" 
(bequeathed to son James Calloway [aka Callaway] Steptoe). 

"[O]ld Winney
Alice
Killy[?] 
Billy
Caesar
Sam
Bob 
Lucy & her child Julius 
Jerry 
Juddy
Milley
Tom
Anna
James
Dennis
Burwell
Tom
Maria and her child Ellen" 
(bequeathed to son Thomas Steptoe). 

"Anna and her five children, to wit, 
Mary
Suckey
John
Ben

Kitty
Also Stephen (a son of Hannah)" 
(bequeathed to grandson James S. Penn). 

[Note: Additional names are mentioned in documents dated 1827, 1828, and later. These will also be posted, tagged with the appropriate year.] 

[James Steptoe (1750-1826).

James Callaway Steptoe (1781-1827).

Thomas Steptoe = Thomas Eskridge Steptoe (1799-1880).

James S. Penn =  James Steptoe Penn (1817-1854), son of Lucinda "Lucy" Steptoe Penn (1795-1878) and Robert Cowan Penn (1789-1856).]

[Many additional thanks to Sue Davis, William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration.]