Slave schedules are tough to decipher when the ancestor you’re trying to find is the one that’s enslaved. It helps tremendously when you know who the owner is. In this case, it’s Nancy Askew, the widow of Josiah Askew Jr.
Unfortunately, the names of the enslaved are not documented and one just kind of has to hope and pray that the ages of the enslaved match (or at least come close) to estimated dates recorded on future census records.
On page seven, in this slave schedule for Henry County, Georgia, lines 19-23 record a total of five enslaved people that are the property of Nancy (Jernigan) Askew. From this I have made the assumptions or deduced that 1) the 60 year old, Black, female is Lida, my paternal 3rd great-grandmother. 2) the 34 year old, unnamed, mulatto male slave is my paternal 2nd great-grandfather, George Askew. 3) the 31 year old, unnamed, mulatto male slave is George’s brother, Jackson (also seen as Jack) Askew, and 4) the 16 year old, unnamed, mulatto female in George’s sister, Eilsey (also seen as Ailsey).
I do not know who the three year old, unnamed, mulatto male could be. I have wondered if he could be the child of George or Jackson. I’ve also cringed at the thought that he may be the child of Eilsey. Considering what is known about the history of slavery, it’s not impossible or improbable. Hopefully, more research and time will reveal his identity.
Skinfolk and Kinfolk 