AFRICAN-AMERICAN
FURRS
Tracing African-American Furrs has been a daunting
task. As shown by their wills & census records, the early Furrs definitely
owned black slaves. I have not been
able to trace the lineage of any of these slaves. It is also not clear that later
African-American Furrs are descendants of these slaves. Below is what I have been able to gather
concerning African-American Furrs.
Additions or corrections to this information would be greatly
appreciated.
The 1870 census was the
first time former slaves had a name.
There were 56 people with the last name of Furr listed as Black and 16
listed as Mulatto. In the 1880 census,
there were 82 listed as Black and 13 as Mulatto. In the 1950 census, there were 234
listed as Negro, 236 listed as Neg, and 2 listed as Mulatto.
Will of Thomas Furr
(1679-1734 -- Loudoun County, Virginia)
Unto my loving wife one servant woman and an orphan
boy called by the name of Thos Mcantier.
John Furr (1752-1827 --
Cabarrus County, NC)
1790 census: 2 males over
16, 6 males under 16, 2 females, and 3 slaves.
Western Carolinian, Salisbury, North
Carolina, August 30, 1838
Paul Furr (1754-1837 --
Cabarrus County, NC)
1790 census: 1 male over
16, 3 males under 16, 4 females, and 1 slave.
Will: I bequeath unto my beloved wife Mary
Furror to her direction and power to give and sell to whom she pleases and also
Eight negros named Partee, Nell, Ibbe, Bil, Tama, Adam, Charles, and Morras,
and all their increase and also two hundred dollars in silver also one waggon
and gears three head of horses and one colt her own choice also one still
containing severty-five gallons and ten hogshead and ten barrells and six small
kegs all of her own choice also six cows and calves and one be! ef and six
sheep of her own choice and half of the hogs the loom and all the articles
belonging to it the wind mill & grind stone & cutting box the womans
saddle and mans saddle and bridle and so much of the household and kitchen and
farming utensials as she want all of herown choice and the one-half of crop in
the field barn graney and cribs also one hundred weights of goods shugar and
twenty-five pounds of good coffee, also three bushels of salt ten gallons of
rum five gallons of molasses two gallons of wine and also the brass clock the
whole of what I have willed to my beloved wife Mary Furr she is to have to
dispose of at her direction as she pleases.
2nd. I give and bequath
to my son Paul Furror Jr. the plantation whereon he now lives containing two
hundred and fifty-four acres more or less all except twenty-five acres
convenient to the mill seat which is excepted and also another tract of land
conveyed to my by Silas B. Shinn containing sixty-five acres more or less alsoo
another tract of land conveyed to me by Geo. Tucker containing one hundred and
sixty-five acres more or less also all the Hartman tract lying on the East side
of Buffalo Creek the above land estimated or value Two thousand dollars and
also one negro girl named Eva valued at Two Hundred Dollars with all their
increase.
3rd. I give and bequath
unto the bodly heirs of my son Henry Furror the tract of land he now lives
containing ninety-two acres and all the land lying on the West side of Buffalo
Creek of the Hartman tract and also another fifty acre tract adjoining the same
and also one negro boy named Geo. estimation of land and negro
twelve hundred dollars.
4th. I give and bequeath
unto the bodily and lawful heirs of my son Leonard Furror, One hundred and
fifty acres of land the plantation whereon he now lives and also one other
tract of land containing one hundred and twenty acres adjoining on the West
side of the aforesaid land and also one negro boy named Peter estimation of
land and negro Twelve Hundred dollars.
5th. I give and bequeath
unto my son Daniel Furror, all the land of the Willhelm tract which is lying on
the East side of Buffalo Creek and also another tract of land containing Two
Hundred and forty acress adjoining the North side of the Willhelm tract and
also another tract of land which I heired of my Father lying on both sides of
Buffalo Creek conatining one hundred and six acres more or
less, also one negro girl named Margaret with all their increase
estimation of value Twenty-two hundred dollars.
6th. I give and bequeath
unto my daughter Elizabeth Josey three negro women named Mariah, Lucy and Jincy
which she now has in her possession with all their increase edtimation Twelve
hundred dollars.
7th. I give and bequath
unto my daughter Rosana Klutts one negro woman named Venis with her four
children with all their increase which she had in possession previous to this
time also three Town lotts one is the lots where the Old Jail stood
and the other tow lotts and are adjoining and five acres of land all at the
City of Concord estimation for land and negros sixteen Hundred dollars.
8th. I give and bequeath
to my daughter Catherine Osborne one negro by the name of Jack and one negro
woman by the name of Mile with three children which she now has in her
possession with all their increase Estimation or value of negros Fifteen
hundred dollars.
9th. I give and bequeath
unto my daughter Polly Ury three negro woman named Jane, Peggy and Eva with
their increase Estimation thirteen hundred dollars.
10th. I give and bequeath
unto my daughter Sally Hilick three negros named Lace, Patsey and Moses with
their increase estimation Twelve Hundred dollars.
11th. All the residue and
remainder of my ral and personal estate which is not willed in this my last
Will and Testament I order my executor to dispose to sale among my
legatees including my wife Mary Furr and all the money arising from such sale
or otherwise are to be divided among all my chldren heretofore mentioned in such
a manner that will bring them all to an equal amount but including the amount
willed to my son Henry and Leonard Furror to their shares and inlcuding my wife
Mary Furror to draw an equal share in the amount of sale with the lagatees.
12th. I constitute and
appoint Martin Widenhouse Esq. to be my executor to this my las Will
and Testament. I do hereby make null and void all former Wills by me
made before this date and this to be and contain my last Will and Testament in
Witness hereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 27th day of
April A.D. 1835, Signed, Sealed and delivered in the presence of us
Witnesses.
Estate Sales-Moore County,
North Carolina
Estate of Levi Deaton-December 22, 1842
Sold to: Upsher Furr
Negro girl (Sally)
Negro boy (Tom)
Fayetteville
Semi-Weekly Observer, Fayetteville,
North Carolina, February 11, 1861
Will of Henry Furr
(1762-1851 -- Cabarrus County, NC)
6th. I Will and Bequeath
unto my son, Paul M. Furr, my negro man, Wilson, to have the said boy, Wilson,
until he, the said Paul M. Furr, arrives to the age of Twenty-One and then to
be sold to the highest bidder and the proceeds to be equally divided among all
my legatees.
Codicil: I give and bequeath to my son, Paul M. Furr, my negro woman, Helena,
until he is Twenty and another year of age. And as soon as he arrives to that
age, my will is that, that her and her increase, if any be put up by my
Executors at Public Sale and Fifty Dollars of the money she brings, to go to my
son Paul M. Furr and the balance of the money she brings, to go to pay for her
if not paid for before my Death.
Christian Jacob Furr
(1792-1850 -- Lawrence
County, MS)
Per family history, when
he died his estate included 5 slaves was valued at $20,000.
Wilson Mathias Furr
(1804-1860 -- Stanly County, MS)
According to family lore,
"He was a very wealthy man who owned many slaves and a large
plantation. He purchased one slave named Patsy, who was caught in Africa by slave traders, for three guns."
Will Book 1, page 216
& 217 Clerk of Court’s Office, Stanly County Court House, Albemarle,
N. C. Matthais Furr’s Will
". . . I want them
to sell all my loose property such as my wife don’t want, as to the
balance of my property consisting of negroes, lands, horses, cattle, hogs,
sheep @ give to my wife in trust during her widowhood and should she marry she
is to have a child part out of it. . . . If any of the negroes should become so
bad that she could not live in peace she shall hire them out during her right
over the illegible and the money rising therefrom she may keep to support the
family with."
Montgomery
County-
Earliest Extant Deeds 1774-1842
December 30, 1840 Moses
Kisor to Daniel Reap $200.00. One Negro girl named Nicy about the age of five
years old. Witness: Mathias Furr and A. Huneycutt
Nicy who was buried at Flat Rock
Lutheran Cemetery
where Mathias, wife Mary and several of their children were buried. Inscription
on her marker was, ‘Sacred to the memory of NICY, a slave, the property
of D. Reap. Dec. May 27, 1856, 21 years.’
1810 US Census
Culpepper County, Virginia
Furr?, Lucy (F. Negro)
Will of Paul P. Furr
(1814-1876 -- Stanly County, NC)
The date was written as
April 10, 1876 in the will, but written as April 10, 1860 when will was proven.
Since slaves were mentioned in the will, the year of 1860 is obviously correct
and the year of 1876 must have been a transcription error by the clerk. Probate
Date: September 30, 1876. ". .
. of the county of Cabarrus . . . being Somewhat avanced in years, and in low
State of health, and weak in boddy . . . that my beloved wife Eve Furr Shall
Sell the black woman Martha + her child Harriett if living to pay my just debts
. . . unto my beloved wife Eve Furr all the remainder of my estate both Real
and personal, under her entire control + dominion as long as She keeps my name
and lives in her widowehood. but in case . . . She Should choose to intermarry
again . . . that all my person-al Estate be put to public sale to the highest
bider . . . and the proceeds of Such sale be all Equally divided among my beloved
wife Eve Furr and all my beloved children then living shear + shear alike . . .
and all my Real Estate, it is my will that beloved wife Eve Furr is have one
third part thereof, and the remaining two thirds is to be Equally divided among
all my children . . . by partition or Sale as it may Seem most Expedient to the
Interest of my Said children . . ."
Trustee
Sale
“. . . and also all
the right, title, interest and claim whatsoever of the said Tobias Furr, in,
of, and to the several Negroes, Slaves, for life, as mentioned and described in
said deed of trust, to wit: One
Negro woman named Eliza, aged about 28 years; a boy named Frank, about 11
years; a girl named Lucy ebout (sic) 9 years; a boy named Bob, about 4 years;
and a boy named Jesse, about two weeks old; or so much thereof, as may be
sufficient to pay and satisfy said note and interest, together with all costs
and charges attending the premises for ready money for the purposes in said
deed of trust contained. Jas. B.
McLelland, Trustee, may 16, 2 6 w
Macon
Intelligencer, Macon, Mississippi, May 16, 1838
United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850
Prairie County,
Arkansas
Daniel Furr, one female,
age 12
Hall County,
Georgia
Paul Furr, 5 females,
ages 19-60, 6 males, ages 3-38
Stephen Furr, 2 females,
ages 20 & 10, one male, age 2
T.T. Furr, one female,
age 19
Woodford County,
Kentucky
Meredith Furr, one female
age 15, one male age 60
Chickasaw County,
Mississippi
Titus Furr, 2 females, 18
& 0, one male, age 24
Winston
County, Mississippi
Tobias Furr, one male,
age 16
Cabarrus County,
North Carolina
Daniel Furr, one female,
age 18
Henry Furr, two females,
ages 35 & 35
Paul D. Furr, one female,
age 10
Paul P. Furr, one female,
age 9
Samuel Furr, one male,
age 20
Moore County,
North Carolina
Upshur Furr, 2 females,
ages 15 & 48, 3 males, ages 13-30
Stanly County, North Carolina
Mathias Furr, 3 females,
ages 0-19, 2 males, ages 56 & 4
Clarke County,
Virginia
Johnson Furr, one male,
age 60, one female, age 13
Hampshire County,
Virginia
Nimrod Furr, 5 females,
ages 16-35, 3 males, ages 0-28
Loudoun County,
Virginia
Catherine Furr, 2
females, ages 17 & 11, two males, ages 58 & 0
Fenton Furr, one female,
age 22, 2 males, ages 23 & 1
William Furr, 3 males,
ages 19-35
United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860
Ouchita County,
Arkansas
Daniel Furr, one male,
age 23
Banks County,
Georgia
Isaac S. Furr, 4 females,
ages 2-27, one male, age 1
Hall County,
Georgia
Paul Furr, 4 females,
ages 8-60, 5 males, ages 11/12-50
Stephen Furr, 6 females, ages
3-26, 7 males ages 3/12-13
Woodford County,
Kentucky
M.
Furr, one female, age 7
Copiah County,
Mississippi
G. W. Furr, one female,
age 20, one male, age 10
H. Furr, 3 females, ages
5-40, 3 males, ages 2-13
Lawrence County,
Mississippi
Anderson Furr, one male,
age 22
Catherine Furr, one
female, age 35, 10 males, age 4-25
Henry Furr, 6 females,
ages 2-40, 8 males, ages 2-40
Marshall
County, Mississippi
Caleb Furr, one female,
age 42, one male, age 22
Alamance County,
North Carolina
Rebecca Furr, 2 females,
ages 60 & 25
Cabarrus County,
North Carolina
Daniel Furr, 4 female,
ages 0-27, 2 males, ages 3 & 7
Paul P. Furr, 2 females,
ages 0 & 18
Paul M. Furr, one male,
age 45
Rowan County,
North Carolina
Saml M. Furr, one male,
age 30
Titus
County, Texas
Jepthae Furr, one female,
age 23
Alleghany County,
Virginia
Moses B. Furr, 5 females,
ages 0-27, 2 males, ages 5 & 11
Clarke County,
Virginia
J. Furr, one female, age
12, two males, ages 10 & 16
Hampshire County,
Virginia
Nimrod Furr, Emily, 33 years,
Mary, 28 years, Charles, 18 years, Andrew, 8 years, Jacob,6 years, James, 4
years, Belle, 3 years, Ellen, 2 years
Loudoun County,
Virginia
C. Furr, one female, age
32, one male, age 9
C. Furr, 3 females, ages
4-35, one male, age 1
Catherine Furr, 2 females,
ages 12 & 28, 4 males, age 8-68
Fenton Furr, 4 females,
ages 2-46, 3 males, ages 3-22
Jos Furr, one female, age
12
Jos Furr, 3 females, ages
5-43, one male, age 8
Kemp Furr, one female,
age 25, one male, age 8
William G. Furr, 2
females, ages 1 & 20, 4 males, 13-45
1860
Census Hungary Neck District, Somerset
County, Maryland, p
16
Levin Furr, 60, Male,
Black, Laborer, Personal Estate $50, b. Maryland
Augusta,
50, Female, Black, b. Maryland
John, 20, Male, Black,
Laborer, b. Maryland
Civil War Persion Index
Furr, Samuel Union
Infantry 39th Regiment, United States Colored Infantry Furr, James Union
Infantry 53rd Regiment, United States Colored Infantry
Abstracts of Loudoun County Virginia
Register of Free Negroes 1844-1861 by Patricia B. Duncan
NAME: FURR, Catharine
PROOF: free woman as proved by oath of George Head
DESCRIPTION: abt 58y old, black colour, 5'4" tall, scar in the breast by a
burn some 6" long across the breast, a scar on top of her head from a burn
& a large flesh mole on the left side of her neck just below the hair.
DATE: 11 Jun 1844
RECORD #: 1378
PAGE: 1
Ex-slave Interview
(Ancestry.com) -- Hall County,
Georgia
Anderson Furr, age 87,
"Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project,
1936-1938"
States he was born in Hall
County. His parents were Lydia and Earl
Strickland. His siblings were Bob, Abe, Bill, Jim, and Sarah. He married first
Martha Freeman. They had two children Willie and Ida. He married second Mamie
White, but had no children. According to Barbara L. Furr (BLeeFurr@aol.com),
"not all the siblings took the surname Furr, some I think kept the last
slave owners name of Strickland. The Slave owners were Earl and Sarah
Strickland. Anderson's death certificate states
that his mother, Lydia was
born in Shelby, N.C. Furthermore, the death certificate was
signed by a Robert Strickland who had to make his mark, which leads me to think
he was Anderson's brother rather than a son,
since Anderson
died in 1940, about 85 years old. Anderson
states in the slave narrative that his two children did not live beyond
childhood"
Barbara L. Furr
(BLeeFurr@aol.com)
Albert Furr, born in Georgia and died in Kentucky in 1929. Have not found his parents
or siblings. He might be the Abe listed as brother to Anderson Furr. So far I
have found no proof. He married Louisa Bond in January 1881. They lived in
Commerce, Jackson
County Georgia.
They had 4 children: John H. Furr b. December 1881, Luther b. April 1889,
Elizabeth Furr b. 1893, and my grandfather Clinton b. 1900.