Franklin Miles purchased Hannah and her son Dick for $633 dollars from the heirs of Elizabeth Bird in 1849. He has since discovered that the slaves originally belonged to Elizabeth’s daughter, Alafair Bird, who died intestate in 1841 or 1842; Alafair had inherited Hannah as well as Zilpha, Scipio, Cooper, and London from her father, Arthur Bird, who died in 1835. Alafair was “unhealthy and partially idiotic” and lived with her mother Elizabeth. When Alafair died unmarried and intestate, her mother and siblings took possession of her property; after Elizabeth died in 1848, her heirs partitioned the estate, including the slaves originally belonging to Alafair. Appointed administrator of Alafair's estate in 1857, Finklea G. Wise represents the interest of some of Alafair’s siblings and wants to partition Alafair’s estate. The petitioner maintains that such an action would directly affect his ownership of Hannah and her six children. Miles therefore asks that his title to said slaves be confirmed. He also requests that Finklea Wise be enjoined from pursuing the suit instituted against Miles and two other men, who have purchased or hired out slaves from Elizabeth Bird’s estate.
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Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
