Archive of North Carolina Debt Bonds Using Enslaved Persons as Collateral, 1820s

[Slavery] Archive of three manuscript debt bonds placing liens on enslaved persons as property. Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, 1820s. Three partially printed documents, each approximately 12" x 8", completed in manuscript and bearing signatures of involved parties. Both documents illustrate the legal framework that upheld slavery as an economic institution, using human lives as collateral for financial obligations.

The first bond, dated June 27, 1822, states that John Blanks, Edward Tillotson, and James Turney are "held and firmly bound unto Stephen P. Pool & Robert O. Courby" in the amount of "ninety-five dollars and seventy-four cents." (truncated) The document specifies that the debt is secured against "one land horse," and that should the debtors fail to meet their obligation, legal recourse would be taken to seize the property. The reverse contains a notation stating that the debt has been "settled by a payment of five dollars and twenty-two cents," reinforcing the transactional nature of the arrangement.

The second bond, dated March 21, 1823, is of greater significance as it explicitly lists an enslaved individual as collateral. It binds Charles Carter and John P. Bullock to Thomas Howerton and John F. Howerton, stating that the debtors owe "$2,214.67" for a "Writ of Fieri Facias" issued against the estate of Charles Carter. The bond is secured by "one Negro man named Manuel Jack," meaning that if Carter and Bullock defaulted, Manuel Jack would be seized and sold to satisfy the debt. Such writs were common in the antebellum South, as enslaved persons were legally classified as chattel and frequently used in financial transactions.

A third bond, dated April 23, 1823, further underscores this practice, as Charles Lenton binds himself for "$337.42" to James & John H. Irwin for the benefit of Michael Newton. In this case, the bond is secured against "one Negro boy by the name of Peter," demonstrating how even children were subject to the financial mechanisms of slavery. Lenton, "being desirous of keeping the aforesaid property in his possession until the day of the sale of the same," agreed to forfeit Peter should he fail to deliver him "at the place and on the day of sale, agreeable to law."

These documents provide chilling evidence of the legal infrastructure that supported slavery in the antebellum South. Enslaved persons were frequently mortgaged, used as collateral, and seized in cases of unpaid debts. The practice of using enslaved individuals as financial instruments was a cornerstone of the Southern economy, allowing slaveholders to leverage human lives for credit, much like livestock or land. Writs of "Fieri Facias," as referenced in these bonds, were legal orders issued by courts to enforce debt collection, often resulting in the forced sale of enslaved persons. The naming of Manuel Jack and Peter in these bonds personalizes the historical reality of enslavement, reminding us that behind each transaction was a human being whose fate rested entirely in the hands of financial agreements beyond their control. The documents also highlight how wealth and financial security in the South were inextricably linked to the institution of slavery, demonstrating how even minor debts could result in the sale and displacement of enslaved individuals. Cloth worn with some fraying to spine and edges; foxing and toning throughout, particularly to preliminaries. Folding plate intact with minor wear along folds. Very good condition overall. A significant set of legal documents evidencing the commodification of enslaved individuals within the financial systems of the American South. (Inventory #: 21526)