OVERVIEW
Location: Greene County, Alabama
Date Constructed/ Founded: not determined
Associated Surnames: Carnathan, Hays, Hairston, Gould, Ormond, Wright
Historical Notes: George Hayes was one of the wealthiest men in Greene County, Alabama. Hayes inherited his father’s (Charles Hayes) plantation in Chester County, South Carolina sold off his holdings there, and moved on to newly colonized land in Alabama. By 1838, George Hays had a large estate including about 180 enslaved persons. After his death, his wife Ann Hays had inherited a portion of his estate, while the Hays children (George Ann, Mary, and Charles Hays) were bequeathed the rest. William P. Gould, the administrator of the Hays estate, took possession of the Hays childrens’ inheritance, mismanaged the property, and cruelly overworked the enslaved persons there. Brutality was inflicted upon the slaves by Gould’s overseer Joseph C. Carnathan and Joseph’s nephew William Carnathan. The Hays heirs eventually gained possession of their inheritence after a long court battle against Gould.
Associated Pages: Boligee Plantation (Greene Co., AL), Fairview Plantation (Greene Co., AL), Boligee Hill Plantation (Greene Co., AL), Hill Of Howth (Greene Co., AL)
ASSOCIATED ENSLAVED PERSONS
1843-1852: Men: George, Claiborne, Sharper, Jim; Women: Aggy, Betty, Boligee Hannah, Bridget, Caroline, Cely, Chaney, Charlotte, Dinah, Emily, Fillis, Franky, Hannah, “Big” Judy, Judy, Linda, Liza, Keziah, Mahala, Mary, “Big” Milly, Milly, Milly Ann, Nisha, Rose, Sally, Silah, Silvy, Sukey, Vina “Viny”
1860: 93 slaves [1860 U.S. Federal Census Slave Schedules, Boligee precinct, Greene, Alabama, Charles Hays]
ASSOCIATED FREE PERSONS
Hays family: George Hays (b.1779 – d.1838) – owner of Hays’ Mount (home plantation), Boligee Plantation, and Fairview Plantation; Anne Miller Beville Hays – wife of G. Hays (M.1832)
Hays family: Charles Hays (b.1834 – d.1879) – son of G. and A.M.B. Hays, US Congressman; Margaret Cornelia Minerva “Queen” Ormond Hays – wife of C. Hays (m.1863), purchased Boligee Hill Plantation and renamed it Myrtle Hill
Hairston family: Robert Andrew Hairston; Mary Hays Hairston (b.1836 – d.1865) – wife of Robert Hairston, daughter of G. and A.M.B. Hays
Wright family: John Vines Wright; Georgie Ann Hays – wife of John Vines Wright, daughter of G. and A.M.B. Hays
Gould & employees: William P. Gould – owner of Hill Of Howth, executor of the George Hays estate, took possession of the plantations (including Boligee Plantation) and slaves ca. 1839; Joseph C. Carnathan – overseer employed by William P. Gould; William Carnathan – nephew of Joseph C. Carnathan, assistant overseer
RESEARCH LEADS AND RECORDS
- Charles, Mary and George Ann Hays and Robert Leachman to the Chancery Court, Greene Co., AL 1852 petition (Schweninger, 2008) – Enslaved persons named as victims of abuse during 1843: George – right eye lost from abuse; Claiborne – abused by “getting him down and jumping upon his back with the heels of his shoes and by other great injuries”; lost use of his right shoulder and arm; Sharper – died from abuse; Jim – carpenter who was sold away without the permission of the Hays heirs; Described as “breeding women” left almost entirely barren by abuse; suffered several miscarriages: Aggy – entirely barren, Betty, Boligee Hannah, Bridget – entirely barren, Caroline – entriely barren, Cely – entirely barren, Chaney – entirely barren, Charlotte, Dinah – entirely barren, Emily – entirely barren, Fillis – entirely barren, Franky, Hannah, (Big) Judy, Judy, Linda – entirely barren, Liza – entirely barren, Keziah, Mahala – entirely barren, Mary, (Big) Milly – entirely barren, Milly, Milly Ann – entirely barren, Nisha, Rose – entirely barren, Sally – entirely barren, Silah – entirely barren, Silvy – entirely barren, Sukey, Vina/ Viny – entirely barren
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
None noted yet
REFERENCES
- Schweninger, L. (ed). The Southern Debate Over Slavery: Volume2, Petitions to Southern County Courts 1775 – 1867. University of Illinois, 2008.
- U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885, Charles Hays, Boligee, Greene, Alabama, USA
- Find A Grave: George Hays, https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=148036386
- Find A Grave: Charles Hays, https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8031728
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