"I send you the list of the Negroes:" Fr. Grassi arranges the transport of 11 enslaved people to St. Inigoes, February 6, 1817

"I send you the list of the Negroes:" Fr. Grassi arranges the transport of 11 enslaved people to St. Inigoes, February 6, 1817

Slavery; Slave Trade; Transportation; Bequests; Jesuit History-19th Century

Fr. John Grassi, President of Georgetown College, writes to Br. Marshall to inform him of the arrival of eleven enslaved persons to St. Inigoes. This remarkable letter also mentions the case of two men, Charles and Clem, whose marriages were being arranged, and suggests that enslaved families moved between farms. 

The eleven people listed for transport to St. Inigoes were the property of the late Rev. John Ashton, a former Jesuit who in the last years of his life had a contentious relationship with the Jesuits of Maryland and who was sued by members of the Queen and Mahoney families for their freedom.

On November of 1816, the Rev. Notley Young, a Jesuit in charge of the Ashton estate, ordered a valuation of this group of enslaved people, and they were valued at $3675.00

More information on the freedom suits against John Ashton can be found here.

Catholic Historical Manuscripts Collection

Georgetown Slavery Archive

1817-02-06

Elsa Barraza Mendoza

Georgetown University Library

PDF

English

Manuscript

GSA322

P.X.     Dr. Brother in X^{t     G.T. Feby 6 1817.}                                        

I send to you the list of the Nigroes who from R^d Mr Ashton’s place are to come to S^t Inigoes. From this is evident that you acquire a very considerable assistance so that in my and other’s opinion there is no necessity at all to buy any more. I intend to write to F. Cary on the subject for I do not understand hear [sic] what you say, that he intends to send down a family belonging to St. Thomas’s.

I wrote to you sometime ago that I had no objection that our Ch^s should marry, provided there is a prospect that the woman shall not removed, etc etc. Likewise I wrote that the price demanded for Clems’ wife seems quite exorbitant to Fr. Neale, and besides the present want of money does not permit to go now at such an expense.

 

Yr Aft^te Br. In XT

J. Grassi, S.J.

 

 

 

R^d M^r Ashton’s to St Inigoes

Harrison aged 16	Regis                12
Clem               35	Basil                   8
John                14	Venus                40
Michael          12	Nelley sickly  35
Ned                  8
Isaac               14
Bill                 19