I have been fascinated lately by some of my slave owning ancestors (or potential ancestors). I am still working on building the case for Dorsey Hoagland as one of my ancestors but for now I will assume that he is likely my ancestor. I have been catching up on the show Finding Your Roots with Louis Henry Gates, Jr. I do not have any direct African American ancestry in my tree, however, I do have a few genetic cousins who are primarily African American. Many of the Finding Your Roots episodes explore the ancestry of prominent African Americans. I recently watched an episode with Derek Jeter as they traced his Jeter line to a white slave owner. They were able to prove that one of Jeter’s ancestors was the son of a white slave owner and his black slave. As I look over the inventory of Dorsey Hoagland’s estate, the document reveals that he owned seven slaves. Only one of the slaves was an adult, a female, with the rest being children with descending ages. It strikes me that the children were likely all siblings, or possibly related to one another, with the adult female as the mother to all but the eldest teenager. I would love to hear anyone’s thoughts on this issue. I am trying to learn more about researching African American history and ancestry in general.

Dorsey Hoagland, Inventory and Appraisement
Nelson County, Kentucky
Probate vol. H/2, p. 157-158
Inventory completed 20 July 1836; filed 9 January 1837

“Inventory and bill of appraisment of the property belonging to the estate of Dosey Hogland decᵈ appraised on the 20^th day of July 1836.

1. The following is a list of property that is not considered as assets in the hands of the administrators but reserved to the widow, and heirs under an act of assembly in that case made and provided which allows to the widow, and heirs the same property that is exempt from execution. [?]

One yellow horse	50.00
One cow and calf	10.00
One Bed Bedstead and furniture	20.00
One plow and Geer	4.00
One plow & lead one pot Head One axe & one hoe	3.00
One loom and apparatus thereunto belonging	1.50
One spinning wheel	“.50

2. The property that is considered as assets in the hands of the administrators

One Negro woman Sitter aged 26 years	350.00
One do[ditto] boy William do[ditto] 16	600.00
One do[ditto] girl  Maria do[ditto] 13	450.00
One do[ditto] boy John do[ditto] 11	450.00
One do[ditto] boy Snocuden [?] do[ditto] 8	350.00
One do[ditto] boy Isaac do[ditto] 6	250.00
One do[ditto] boy Harrison do[ditto] 4	175.00
Three pots	1.50
Three ovens & lead, & one pan & lead	1.00
Two spiders, & lead, & one skillett	1.00
Two pair Pot hooks & shovels	“.50
One pair waufle Iron	1.00
One frying pan and ladle	“.50
One Tea Kettle and [?]	1.12½
Two large kettles	6.00
Two small do [ditto]	1.50
One Copper kettle	2.50
One Lot of old Iron	1.50
One pair of [?]	2.50
One Copper Tea Kettle	1.50
One lot of Iron [?]	“.50
One Lot of shoemaker tools	1.00
Eleven open tubs	1.25
One Roan mare	35.00
One Bay mare & colt	40.00
One wagon [?] and Geer Tar bucket & feed trough	65.00
One plow/Cary	“.75
Two Shovel plows	1.00
Three axes one shovel & sprouting hoe	4.00
Two broad hoes	“.50
One pair [?] & 3 [?]	1.50
One wooden Tooth harrow	“.50
One Flax break and Two grind stones	2.00
One handsaw hand axe & drawing knife	1.50
Two Augers one chisel & anvil & cross	“.50
One cross cut saw	1.00
One pair of Geer	2.00
Three blind bridles	1.50
One man’s saddle	5.00
One do [ditto] old	“.50
One cutting box	1.00
Two large Tubs	“.50
One Carey plow	4.00
One Iron fork 3 do [ditto] wood & 2 scythes	2.00
Twelve open Tubs	1.50
One wheat [?]	5.00
One wheat sive	“.75
One lot of shingle & some Timber	4.00
One lot of Cooper timber	5.50
Thirty six [?] head of hogs	95.50
One lot of plank	3.50
One mewly [?] cow	8.60
One Red and White heiffer	6.50
One Brindle Do Do [ditto]	7.50
One Red steer	10.00
One Black steer	10.00
One spotted do [ditto]	10.00
Two stills & all the apparatus thereunto belonging	95.00
Four yearling Calves	14.00
Twenty Three head of sheep	28.75
One cow	10.00
One lot of Oats in the field	5.00
One Tight barrel	“.37½
One Book case	1.50
One clock & one small squareTable 6f	2.00
One small bed bedstead & furniture	5.00
One looking glass 3f Two water 9pr [?]	2.00
Two Candle sticks	“.75
One bed bedstead and furniture	8.00
One Trunk	“.75
One bed bedstead and furniture	8.00
One lot of bedclothes 14 pieces	20.00
One bed bedstead & furniture	7.00
One sidesaddle and bridle	18.00
One powder Keg & some powder	“.75
One side saddle & bridle	1.00
One cupboard and furniture	12.00
One Desk	5.00
One Fall leaf Table	1.50
One Square Table	“.50
One Coffee mill	“.50
Three Tin buckets	1.25
One Rifle Fun	10.00
Two hand Irons	2.00
Two smoothing Irons	“.50
One [?] chest and fifteen	“.50
Seven old chairs common	1.00
Two pot trowels [?]	1.00
Two open Tubs	“.25
One lot of Oak flooring plank	12.00
One do [ditto] poplar	2.00
One do [ditto] do [ditto]	“.50
One Keg of Tar	“.50
Six Corks of hay in the meadow	8.00

John Overalt}
Thoˢ J. Hammond}
Henry A. Lewis} Appraisers

We do hereby certify that the forgoing list contains all the property a True account of all the property belonging to the estate of Dorsey Hogland deceased which has come to our hands as his administrators July the 27^th 1836.

J.C. Hogland Admin.
Mary Hogland Admix.

At a County Court held for Nelson County at the Courthouse in Bardstown on the 9^th day of January 1837. This Inventory and appraisment of the Estate of Dorsey Hogland decᵈ was returned and ordered to be recorded.
Attest Nathᴵ Wickliffe C. of C.C.”

©2014 transcription by Deborah Sweeney
Image via Family Search