Could you be related to one of the 48 Free African Americans in Washington County, GA in 1850?
- Feb 7, 2020
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 29, 2020
Interesting finds: In order to hunt for the connections with Brenda Sutton, I put many of my findings from the National Archives in Excel Spreadsheets so I can sort the data.

The 1850 Washington County, Georgia Census, Military Division 91, contained the following 48 free African Americans.
One Deedom (no last name) in this census was freed just because he reached 100 years old! Adolphus, Adam L. Sr., The Source: African Americans of Washington County, Georgia: From Colonial Times through Reconstruction, McNaughton & Gunn, Inc. Saline Michigan, 2011.
[Deedom is historically the oldest named African American identified by name to have been in early Washington County, Georgia.]
Look at the Household compositions! At least one interracial couple listed!
Let us know what you think!

My detailed thoughts about that list in red:
Last Name First Name Dwelling in 1850
1. Chester, Elizabeth, 85 yrs, B 290
2. Chester, Elisha, 43 yrs, Mu 290
Below: Mulatto* No race listed, I found the race from the 1860 Census and others.
3. Chester, John, 22 yrs. 290
4. Chester, Green, 20 yrs. 290
5. Chester, Irwin, 17 yrs 290
6. Chester, Roxian, 16 yrs, 290
7. Chester, Jane, 12 yrs, 290
8. Chester, Winfield, 11 yrs, 290
9. Chester, Lafayette, 7 yrs, 290
10. Chester, Nobles, 6 yrs, 290
11. Chester, Mary, 4 yrs 290
12. Chester, Martha, 4 yrs 290

13. Collins Vincy, 10 yrs, Mu 567 Living with the white Sparks hmmm. no other children listed.

14. Cooler Caroline, 24 yrs, B 252 Looks like an interracial couple living in this dwelling

15. Cooler, Not Named 309 Looks like the index has "Not Named" 60 yrs old but handwriting states 2 years old. Most know this Lesson: Don't always trust the indexing.

16. Cooler Robin 309
17. Cooler Comfort 309
18. Cooler Sarah 309
19. Cooler William 309
20. Cooler Margaret 309
21. Cooler Jane 309
22. Cooler Rebeca 310
23. Cooler Harriet 310
24. Cooler Mary 310
25. Cooler John 310
26. Cooler Paul 310
27. Cooler Winfield 310
28. Cooler Elizabeth 310
29. Cooler Richard 311
30. Cooler Alley 311
31. Cooler Not Named 311
32. Deedom 100 years old! 1074 Nancy Brown is his guardian according to the above referenced book by Adolphus, Adam L. Sr.

33. Echols Melvina 832 Living with the Dailey's

34. Ecoles Catharine J 399

35. Glenn Betty 393

36. Hopson Amanda 506
37. Hopson Nancy 506

38. Hust James 985

39. Mann Henry 247

40. McBride Infant twin 1078
41. McBride Infant twin 1078

By 1860 the twins were gone but look at that Real Estate and Personal Estate Value in the household!

42. McLaughlin, Sally 65 yrs 210 Living in a household with Graybills and Tuckers (and an MD)
43. McLaughlin, Jared 35 yrs 210

44. Newsom Jarrod 107
45. Page Lucy Ann 650

46. Smith William 737

47. Wegins (Wiggins) Moses 24 One free black man living with Bucks, and Hinson families. Note the Real Estate Value

48. Whitaker Isaac 393

Thanks!
Awesome work, cousin!