Researching the family history of potential slave owners part seven

This article is part of the continuing case study into the roots of former slave Jefferson Clark of Leon County, Florida.  To catch up on the previous articles, read “Summary of the Jefferson Clark online case study.”  The previous articles in this research segment can be read here: part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, and part six.

In the last article, we used the 1830 federal census to identify George Tubb, Sr., as the likely father of George W. Tubb. We then likely located this same George Tubb in the 1800 federal census in Pendleton District, South Carolina, enumerated as "George Tubs." We were unable to locate George Tubb in the 1820 federal census, and several reasons were explored as to why he may have been missing. We will now continue to explore the federal census records for more information about George Tubb and his slave ownership.

As further confirmation, we can compare the 1830 household of George Tubb in Perry County, Alabama, with the later households of the Tubb family.

The 1840 federal census of Perry County, Alabama, contains a George Tubb household, containing the following individuals:

1 free white male aged 60 to 70 years

1 free white female aged 60 to 70 years[1]

Though by this time, none of George Tubb’s children were living with him, the location and ages of the residents in this household appear to indeed represent the parents of George W. Tubb. As previously noted, in “The Jefferson Clark family of Leon County, Texas: an online case study (part eight),” Elizabeth Tubb, the mother of George W. Tubb, appeared as a head of household in Noxubee County, Mississippi, in 1850. This fact indicates that it is likely that George Tubb died between 1840 and 1850, and that Elizabeth moved to Noxubee County at some point during this decade. It is unknown whether George would have died in Perry County, Alabama; Noxubee County, Mississippi; or some intermediate location in which the family briefly resided.

The early census records also enumerated slaves, in addition to these free white families. Now that the households of George Tubb appear to have been identified, it is important to explore his slave ownership as reported in these census records.

In the 1800 U. S. Census, “George Tubs” appears, living in Pendleton District, South Carolina.  Enumerated within this household are five slaves. The ages of these slaves are not reported.[2]

The next census record in which George Tubb appears is the 1830 federal census. In this census, the following slaves are enumerated within George’s household:

• 1 male slave aged under 10 years
• 2 male slaves aged 10–24 years
• 3 male slaves aged 24–36 years
• 1 male slave aged 36–55 years
• 5 female slaves aged under 10 years
• 3 female slaves aged 10–24 years
• 1 female slave aged 36–55 years[3]

In the 1840 federal census, identified above, George Tubb is only enumerated with one slave, a female aged 36–55 years.[4]

If indeed these three households do reflect the same man, then the slave ownership varied significantly during this timeframe.

This case study will continue with additional online resources.