Slavery and Abolition: Three (3) 19th century documents, concerning slaves sales in Tennessee plus abolitionist Rev. David Root of New Hampshire and Connecticut. 1st item: Williamson County, TN receipt for the Feb. 8,. 1821 sale of 5 slaves, names and approximate ages Willis (19), Nelson (12), Nelly (30), Mary (10) and Lucy (16), by John W. Cooke of Franklin to William P. Duke, also of Williamson County, for $1164.99. 2nd item: Dickson County, TN estate settlement document regarding the receipt of "a woman slave named Rachel, valued at six hundred dollars," to settle a claim by David White against the estate of his grandfather William White. Dated Dec. 19, 1849. 3rd item: Undated document regarding a controversy over slavery at the Third Congregational Church in New Haven, CT, sparked when Rev. David Root "refused to request the Rev. Abner Leavenworth, a regular minister [of] the Presbyterian Church, when here on a visit to his friends, to preach in our pulpit on the simple grounds that he was the owner of a slave." The document lays out the church''s response and position, noting that "on the subject of abolition, there is a divided opinion in the Christian community of our denomination… abolitionism of the present times is a political question, unhappily dividing our community – and in our opinion ought to be kept out of our churches." The document ends with the conclusion that "this church is of the opinion that the simple fact of a person holding the relation of a master to a slave.. is not sufficient to preclude a minister from our pulpit, nor a brother from communion." Note: the Rev. David Root (1791-1873) was an ardent abolitionist; in addition to his pulpit ministry, served as president of the New Hampshire Anti-Slavery Society.
PROVENANCE: Private Southern Collection.

CONDITION: All items in good condition with toning; church document also has some foxing.