Beverly

Beverly

• Father: Sam b. say 1818, d. January 1850
• Mother: Feraba b. circa 1815, d. between 1870 and 1880

• Beverly was born on 10 September 1844 in Montgomery County, Alabama, at Greenwood plantation.
• Promissory Note from Green Wood to Bolling Hall, dated 5 January 1850
       Notation across text of the second page, “Cancelled, Bolling Hall, February 16th, 1855”
       State of Alabama, Montgomery County (Deed Book Vol. N, pages 382-383)
       Whereas I am indebted to the Estate of the late Doctor Thomas Brown in the sum of Thirty Eight Thousand five hundred and fifty four Dollars and thirty nine cents and to secure the evidence and payment thereof have executed to Bolling Hall Executor of the last will and testament of said Thomas Brown a note of which the following is a copy – “$38,554.39. Twelve months after date, I promise to pay Bolling Hall executor of the Estate of Thomas Brown Dec’d or bearer Thirty Eight Thousand five hundred and fifty four Dollars and thirty nine cents for value received with interest from date – January 5th 1850. “Green Wood.”
       Now, therefore, know all men by these Presents, that I Green Wood, for and in consideration of the premises, and to secure the payment of said sum of money in said note mentioned and also in consideration of the sum of One Dollar to me in hand paid by Bolling Hall at and before the Sealing and delivery of these Presents, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, have bargained, sold and conveyed, and do by these Presents, bargain, sell and convey unto the said Bolling Hall the following named negroes slaves viz. Neptune & wife Pleasant and her two children Richmond & Butler; Henry and wife Crecy and her five children, Andrew, Sarah, Charles, Sandy and Mahala; Ned, Sylvy, Bill, Stephen, Turner, Warren, Granville; Little Bob and wife Eliza and their three children, Frank, Aleck and an infant not recollected, but believed to be Montgomery. Peter and his wife Darcas and her two children Dilsey and Charity, Peter Quarles, Ben, Hansel, Dave and wife Clarisa; Little Sam and Wife Fereby and her three children Beverly, Alfred and an infant name not recollected [Elbert]; Big Sam and wife Caroline; Jenny and her child Joe, John, Tom; Edmond and wife Ailsey; Maria and her two children Ann and Cass; Mary and her children Jerry, Morris, Sue, Rhoda, Wesley and Jane; Old Bill and wife Margaret and her children Len, Amanda, Harriet, Rose, Smith and an infant name not recollected [Frances]; Big Bob and wife Kizzy and her six children, Matilda, Ben, King, Lucey, Augustus and Cummings; Leah and her nine children Jim, Little Guilford, Archy, Chloe, Abraham, Satan, Jefferson, Dallas and Patsy, and Flora, a child of Patsey; Toby and Hannah and her children Ephraim, Rachel, and two other small children names not recollected; Daniel Adam and wife Caroline and her two children not recollecting their names [Mary and Thornton], and also her children Charles, Adam, Daniel and Oliver; And also another woman Letty. To have and to hold the above bargained and sold negroes to the said Bolling Hall, his executors, Administrators and assigns, Provided always and these presents and this Sale and Conveyance are upon the express condition, not if I the said Green Wood shall pay or cause to be paid and discharged the above mentioned debt with interest at Maturity of said note according to its tenor and effect, then this deed of conveyance and all and every interest title and estate in and to the above named negroes, Shall cease, determine, and be utterly null and void; but otherwise shall remain in full force and virtue. In witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and affixed my seal this the fifth day of January One Thousand Eight hundred and fifty. Signed sealed and delivered in presence of J. A. Elmore & W. Garrett. Green Wood [seal].
       The State of Alabama, City & County of Montgomery
       Personally appeared before me William Garrett, a commissioner duly commissioned & qualified a Commissioner to take proofs & acknowledgements of Deeds etc. executed in the State of Alabama, to be read or recorded in the State of Texas: Green Wood, the maker of the foregoing Deed to Bolling Hall, Executor etc. and executed the same by signing, sealing and delivering the same in my presence, on the same day that it bears date – given under my hand and seal this fifth day of January AD 1850. W. Garrett [seal], Commissioner.
• Following emancipation, Beverly adopted the name Beverly Harris.
• On the voter registration list for Montgomery County, Danville Precinct, dated 6 August 1867: Frank Venable, Frank Venable, Daniel McLemore, Adam Moses, Ben Harris, Smith Barnes, Beverly Harris and Charles Moses.
• He married Harriet circa 1869, according to the 1900 census.
• Beverly and Harriet appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1870 in Danville PO, Montgomery County, Texas. Other members of the household included Rose Harris, Sally, Frances (?), Emma (?) and Julia (?). Children Sally (age 5), Frances (3), Emma (2) and Julia (6 months) are listed in the household, but nothing else is yet known of them. Rose (age 5) appears in the household again in 1880, identified as a daughter, but she appears to have been born pior to the marriage of Beverly and Harriet.
• He was a farmer, according to the 1870 census.
• Research Note: According to inforrmation recorded in the 1900 census, at that time Beverly and Harriet had been married for about 30 years, and Harriet had 9 of 9 children living. Also, although there is significant evidence that Sam Harris was born in May 1870, he is not among the chidlren enumerated in the household in that census. Nothing further is yet known of children Sally, Frances, Emma and Julia, who were enumerated in their household in 1870.
• Beverly and Harriet appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1880 in Montgomery County, Alabama. Other members of the household included Rose Harris, Sam M. Harris, Ella Harris, Fereby Harris, Gillis Harris, Liddie Dutch Harris and Benjamin Harris.
• He was a farmer, according to the 1880 census.
• By 1899, there were one white and two "colored" public school districts in the Danville area. Danville District 48 Trustees were W. F. Spiller, A. G. Walker, and J. M. Reding. North Danville Colored District 61 Trustees were Jordan Lee, A. F. Foster, and Wiley Moses. Danville District 21 was a "colored" district, with trustees Hy Cain, Jeff Shanders, and Beverly Harris.
  By the time of the 1908-09 school year, there were at least four Danville districts. Danville District 21 was a "colored" district, receiving its mail at Willis. Trustees were Henry Fair, Jeff Shavers, and Beverly Harris. [From an article by Karen McCann Hett, to be published in the 2009 Montgomery County history.]
• Beverly and Harriet appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in West I&GN Railroad, Montgomery County, Texas, enumerated next to the household of Wesley Moses. Other members of the household included Nellie Harris, Huldy Harris, Charlotte Harris, James Smither Harris, John Harris, Lena Harris and Missie Harris. Also in the household were three grandchildren, based on their ages, presumably children of son Samuel since their surname is recorded as Harris.
• He was a farmer, according to the 1900 census.
• His wife Harriet became a widow at his death.
• Beverly died on 8 September 1905 at age 60.
• He was interred at the old Danville cemetery, Montgomery County, Texas, off present-day Shepard Hill Road, near Willis.
• Children of Feraba born between 1836 and 1854, were recorded by Green Wood.

• Last Edited: 21 Jul 2017