1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Missed in History Class, a production 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: of I Heart Radio. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. 3 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: I'm Holly Fry and I'm Tracy V. Wilson. This episode 4 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: was supposed to be another installment of eponymous Food. Yeah, 5 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:26,639 Speaker 1: it went a different way though it is not. It 6 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 1: is a little, but as I got into the story 7 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: of one of those foods, it really unfurled quite quickly 8 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 1: into a much bigger and much more important story about 9 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: the family of a man who cultivated lettuce in his 10 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: later life. Just as sits up, I promise there's another 11 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: eponymous food coming at some point, but it's not today. Um. 12 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 1: This story is I think really important because it offers 13 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: a snapshot of a very rich person's choice to emancipate 14 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: his enslaved workforce, the way his family received that information, 15 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: and how they're I guessee both good and bad is 16 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: all tied to having enslaved people building their familial wealth. 17 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: Heads up, We're going to read a lot from writings 18 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: that were composed in the eighteen hundred, so of course 19 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: some of the language there is a bit outdated. But 20 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: first we're going to talk about bib lettuce and the 21 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: man who cultivated it. Yes, I love it when episodes 22 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: go in totally different directions from what they were playing. 23 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: Just a hard left. So John Bigger bib who was 24 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 1: born on October nine and Prince Edward County, Virginia. His parents, 25 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 1: Richard Bibb and Lucy Booker bib moved from Virginia to 26 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: Kentucky when John was about nine years old. We're going 27 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: to get back to Richard in a moment and talk 28 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: about him a lot more. They shifted around Kentucky for 29 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: a bit. First they lived in Fayette County and then 30 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: in Bullet, where Richard Bibb purchased Assault Works. Then they 31 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: went to Logan County and established a large and successful farm. 32 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: Bibb's early education was largely under Joshua Fry. That was 33 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,919 Speaker 1: a fellow Virginian who had moved to Mercer County, Kentucky. 34 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: Fry is a pretty interesting figure in Kentucky history because 35 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 1: when he moved there, he didn't think there was an 36 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,239 Speaker 1: adequate educational system, so he opened up a school out 37 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,799 Speaker 1: of his house, and then a lot of prominent people 38 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: in Kentucky's history were educated by Joshua Fry. After his 39 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:32,519 Speaker 1: primary education, John Bibbs studied law under Judge HP Broadnax's 40 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: but before he could get his law career underway, the 41 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:38,799 Speaker 1: War of eighteen twelve began, and the twenty three year 42 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,799 Speaker 1: old bib joined the fourth Kentucky Volunteer Brigade. He began 43 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: as a private and was promoted to the rank of 44 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: major after the Battle of Thames in October of eighteen thirteen. 45 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: Although the war continued into eighteen fifteen, John Bibb was 46 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: discharged just a month after his promotion and returned to Kentucky. 47 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,800 Speaker 1: And it's a little unclear, at least in the documents 48 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: that I had available to me, why he was discharged 49 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 1: so soon after being made major. It very well might 50 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: have been a health issue, though this is supported by 51 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 1: the fact that although he passed the bar right after 52 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: returning to Kentucky and opened his practice, he closed it 53 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: down just a couple of years later in eighteen sixteen, 54 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: due to poor health. In eighteen twenty seven, bib ran 55 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:23,079 Speaker 1: for a seat in the Kentucky House of Representatives as 56 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: a Whig and one. He was reelected in eighteen twenty 57 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 1: eight and then ran for the Kentucky Senate one again. 58 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 1: He served in the state Senate for four years, from 59 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: eighteen thirty to eighteen thirty four. During that time he 60 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 1: also married Sarah py Horseley. Their wedding was on August 61 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: eighteen thirty one. Bib was an amateur horticulturalist, and in 62 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: eighteen forty five he purchased land to support his hobby. 63 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 1: He built his home Gray Gables, on a property in Frankfort, Kentucky, 64 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: on Wapping Street. That's usually touted as he built it 65 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: for his wife, and it included a large green house 66 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: and there was a substantial garden, and today that's known 67 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: as the Bib Burnley House and it has a historical 68 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: marker and it was there that he started working with lettuce. 69 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: Over time, Bib developed something he called Limestone lettuce. It 70 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: was a lettuce that grew well in Kentucky's limestone rich soil. 71 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: It was naturally resistant to a number of pests, including 72 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 1: plant lice. It's also really tender and it grows in 73 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 1: a pretty compact head. And Bib was not cultivating this 74 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: crop for profit. He gave most of it away and 75 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: it actually was not renamed Bib Lettuce and commercially sold 76 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: until decades after his death, which happened in eighteen eighty four. 77 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 1: He had during his late lifetime given away both lettuce 78 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 1: and seeds. That was in the latter half of the 79 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: nineteenth century, and subsequently area farmers had started growing limestone 80 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:56,160 Speaker 1: lettuce for themselves. In nineteen nineteen, the green Wine Greenhouse 81 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 1: of Louisville was the first to sell the lettuce with 82 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: the name bib at match to it. So that's the 83 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 1: pretty benign story of where bib let Us came from. 84 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:08,200 Speaker 1: Now we have to take a look at the deeper 85 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 1: legacy of slavery within the bib family and John B. 86 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 1: Bibbs role within that. To do that, we have to 87 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: go back to his father, Richard Bibb. So there's a 88 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: historical marker outside of Major Richard Bibbs Townhouse in Russellville, Kentucky. 89 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,359 Speaker 1: It was placed there by the Kentucky Historical Society in 90 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:30,039 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy five, and that marker Reid's quote. Bib a 91 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:34,359 Speaker 1: Revolutionary War soldier, was born in Virginia seventeen fifty two. 92 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:39,160 Speaker 1: He came to Lexington, Kentucky in seventeen moved to Logan 93 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 1: County the next year, where he built Bibbs Chapel. Later 94 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 1: erected this house for his wife. Major bib freed twenty 95 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 1: nine of his slaves in eighteen twenty nine and sent 96 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 1: them to Liberia. He died in eighteen thirty nine, and 97 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 1: his will provided for the release of his other slaves 98 00:05:55,279 --> 00:06:00,359 Speaker 1: and gave them land. Here's the more detailed story. Richard 99 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 1: was born in Goochland County, Virginia, on April thirteenth, seventeen 100 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 1: fifty two. His parents were John Bibb and Susannah Bigger 101 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:11,839 Speaker 1: bib And. During the Revolutionary War, Richard joined the Continental 102 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 1: Army and rose to the rank of major. When Richard 103 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 1: moved his family to Kentucky, he brought with them a 104 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: large number of enslaved people. He had actually been the 105 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 1: second largest slaveholder in Prince Edward County, Virginia. In eighteen seventeen, 106 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: the American Colonization Society was formed in the US. Its 107 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: goal was to provide an alternative to emancipation within the 108 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: US for black enslaved people that when the option of 109 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: being shipped to Africa. This has come up in several 110 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: previous episodes, most recently in our episode on Paul Cuffey. 111 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 1: There were supporters of this idea who believed that it 112 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: would truly be a viable option for free black people. 113 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 1: There were also people who just saw this as a 114 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: solution from a racist standpoint, It would get those black 115 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: people out of the United States. Both abolitionists and pro 116 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: slavery white people used similar rhetoric about free black people 117 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:13,280 Speaker 1: never truly assimilating into white society, So for the pro 118 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: slavery crowd, this was seen as a condition of emancipation. 119 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: The emancipated person would then leave the country, did not 120 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 1: matter if they had been born and raised in the 121 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: United States and had no real ties to Africa at 122 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: this point, and Major Richard Bibbs so again. Lettuce John 123 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: Bibbs father had at some point in his later life 124 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 1: realized that the institution of slavery was wrong. This was 125 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 1: a position that is usually attributed to his religious studies 126 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: and becoming a minister. There are some versions of his 127 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: life story to indicate that one of the people that 128 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: he enslaved had been the one to encourage him to 129 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 1: become a Methodist minister after he had initially been on 130 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: a path to be an Episcopalian minister, and he had 131 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 1: connections to the America Colonization Society. He was friends with 132 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: Henry Clay who was one of the society's founders. Richard 133 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: eventually decided that the plan to relocate emancipated black people 134 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 1: to Africa is a good idea, so in eighteen twenty nine, 135 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: he announced that he was emancipating one third of his 136 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 1: enslaved workforce on the condition that they would be sent 137 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: to Liberia. There is a little bit of fractured logic 138 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: about why only one third we're going to be manumented, 139 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: and it's sometimes cited as Major Bibbs reasoning here. He 140 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: had just short of one hundred enslaved people working for 141 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: him in eighteen twenty nine. Some of those were entire families, 142 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:43,319 Speaker 1: self contained within the bib Families holdings, but many were 143 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: married to enslaved people who were owned by other families. So, 144 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 1: according to this logic, he selected thirty one that no 145 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 1: other white family could claim ownership over, believing that that 146 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: would be better than breaking up families. Yes, there is 147 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: some logic to that, but it also conveniently ignores the 148 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: fact that Major bib almost certainly possessed the wealth to 149 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: purchase and management any number of enslaved people had he 150 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:11,679 Speaker 1: wanted to keep families together. The one exception to this 151 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: whole scenario was a man named Richard Morton. He had 152 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:18,439 Speaker 1: been owned by bibbs son in law, Dr. Bonarogas Roberts, 153 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: and he was married to a woman named Hannah, who 154 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 1: was part of major bibbs enslaved workforce. According to a 155 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 1: number of accounts, the enslaved people that Bibbs selected were 156 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 1: ones who also wanted to go to Liberia rather than 157 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: remain enslaved, although there is no way to verify that, 158 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 1: and sometimes it reads very conveniently in retellings of this story. 159 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 1: We're going to talk about the only account of bibbs 160 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 1: emancipation of an announcement by a person who was there 161 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:48,839 Speaker 1: in just a moment. First, though, will pause for a 162 00:09:48,920 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: quick sponsor break. So there is an account of that 163 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: announcement that this group of enslaved people would be an emancipated, 164 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: and it is the only firsthand account that we have. 165 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:11,319 Speaker 1: It is not without problems, and we'll talk about that 166 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,319 Speaker 1: in a moment. Uh. This account was given by a 167 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: formerly enslaved man named Andrew bib who related to a 168 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:22,679 Speaker 1: reporter in late eight Andrew would have been seventy three 169 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 1: at the time, and he would have been five in 170 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: nine when the events that he recounted took place. And 171 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:31,200 Speaker 1: we're going to read this account, but before we do, 172 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: please know that it is really very romanticized. It puts 173 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: Major Bib in a very very kind light. So this 174 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 1: account reads in part quote in the center of the 175 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: yard stood an old gentleman with uplifted hands, and beside 176 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 1: him was a barrel on end, on top of which 177 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 1: was placed a Bible and a hymn book. In front 178 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 1: and around him were nearly one slaves. Twenty nine of 179 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 1: these were about to start as freemen and women in 180 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 1: the land of their fathers in far off Africa, after 181 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: several generations of servitude in America. The old man asked 182 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:10,319 Speaker 1: a divine blessing upon them. Since his youth he had 183 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 1: cared for them, and before that they or their parents 184 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: had belonged to his father. He believes slavery was wrong, 185 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:20,479 Speaker 1: and was taking the initial step toward putting into execution 186 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 1: a long cherished plan. He was about to send one 187 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,680 Speaker 1: third of his slaves to Liberia. The others he intended 188 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 1: to liberate at his death. He had read a chapter 189 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 1: in the Bible and had given out a him and 190 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 1: when his prayer was finished, many a black face was 191 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 1: based in tears, and the slaves gathered about and shook 192 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 1: old Master's hand for the last time and heard the 193 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:45,320 Speaker 1: accent of his kindly voice. This goes on to say 194 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: that the people chosen for the journey were quote shiftless 195 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 1: and refractory, obstinately resistant to authority or control, unruly. So 196 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 1: that last quote, of course, contradicts the framing that bib 197 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 1: was selecting the people who wanted to go to Africa. 198 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:03,680 Speaker 1: Uh So. Andrew bibbs story was published in the Career 199 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: Journal of Louisville, Kentucky. It was written by a reporter 200 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: named M. By Morton. Sometimes this story, as it's relayed, 201 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 1: is told as though it's a direct quote from Andrew. 202 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: I don't think that was ever the intention. It's a 203 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: direct quote of M. B. Morton about the story as 204 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 1: told to him, And we don't know if the account 205 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: was edited or altered, although it certainly seems likely. I 206 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 1: don't know anybody who speaks in such prosy, you know 207 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:37,439 Speaker 1: what I mean? Nobody um M B. Morton, we should say, 208 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: kind of made a career out of talking about slave narratives. 209 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:44,440 Speaker 1: He went on to write extensively about Kentucky's enslaved population, 210 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 1: including in a book he wrote called Kentuckians Are Different 211 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: that didn't come out until almost forty years later. That's 212 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 1: also a book that he dedicated to the states enslaved 213 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:58,560 Speaker 1: population as his educators. So there's a lot to unpack there. 214 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: I just want to acknowledge sort of what was going 215 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 1: on with it. We do know that it took several 216 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: years for the plan to move all of those people 217 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: to actually be executed. They were taken to Clarksville, Missouri 218 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:15,680 Speaker 1: by wagon, then boarded a steamship for New Orleans. In 219 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 1: New Orleans, they were taken aboard a brig called the 220 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:23,839 Speaker 1: Ajax on April thirty three. The oldest member of the 221 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:26,959 Speaker 1: group Bib sent was a man in his thirties named Andrew, 222 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 1: and the youngest was just a little over six months old. 223 00:13:30,880 --> 00:13:34,080 Speaker 1: All of them, according to research done by Michael Morrow, 224 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 1: museum director for the Sikh Museum that now exists on 225 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: bibbs former property, all the people Bib emancipated for this 226 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:46,080 Speaker 1: journey where the direct descendants of enslaved people known by 227 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: the names Lucy and Keziah. That couple had been enslaved 228 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:54,440 Speaker 1: by the Bib family. Going all the way back to Virginia. 229 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 1: We also don't know exactly why it took two and 230 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 1: a half years to get them onto this ship after 231 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,679 Speaker 1: the announcement. That's all a little unclear in these retellings, 232 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 1: and there doesn't seem to be like a journal or 233 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 1: anything kept by any of the wagon drout anybody that 234 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: explains why that took two and a half years. Even then, 235 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: that seems like an extraordinarily long time. The voyage of 236 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 1: the Ajax was paid for with funding from the American 237 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: Colonization Society and the Kentucky Colonization Society. And in addition 238 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: to Lucy and Keziah's family from the bid properties, there 239 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: were one hundred eighteen other enslaved people being emancipated through 240 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: this journey. They were mostly from Kentucky. There was also 241 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: a white missionary and an agent of the Tennessee Colonization 242 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 1: Society named H. D. King. This journey was really rough. 243 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: There was a cholera outbreak on the ship which killed 244 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 1: several dozen people. Those numbers are usually quoted as between 245 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: thirty and forty, but it's not a percent clear. A 246 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: Black minister named Able Long visited Liberia years later, and 247 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: he reported that he was unable to make contact with 248 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: any of the people from the Bib group, although he 249 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 1: was told that two of the women had survived and 250 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: had gone into the jungle to live. That account is 251 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: very strange. I read it in one newspaper, and it's 252 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: also very sensationalized. There's language I did not care to 253 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: include here. The rest of the people who went appeared 254 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: to have died when Major Bib died, as was indicated 255 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 1: on that historical marker we mentioned earlier. He did, as promised, 256 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 1: emancipate his remaining enslaved workforce. He once again indicated a 257 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 1: desire for some of them to go to Liberia, and 258 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:39,560 Speaker 1: he also offered an alternate plan. Here's the pertinent passage 259 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: from his will quote, I do hereby emancipate all of 260 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:48,119 Speaker 1: my slaves from and after the first day of January 261 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: next after my death, and desire that all of them 262 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: who have not wives or husbands and bondage be sent 263 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 1: to Liberia. I give to my slaves hereby emancipated five 264 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 1: thousand dollars to be divide it out among them, and 265 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 1: paid out to them from time to time according to 266 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: the discretion of my executors, and all of my stock 267 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 1: of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, farming tools, wagons and carts, 268 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: and crops made the year of my decease, or that 269 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 1: may be on hand, and each slave hired out to 270 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 1: the higher due for the year in which I shall decease. 271 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 1: I also give to said slaves all my lands which 272 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 1: are unsold or undisposed of in the County of Grace 273 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 1: and of this state. The land in the County of 274 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 1: Logan conveyed to me by Benjamin Tompkins, Ralph E. Nurse 275 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 1: and Robert Nurse is to be divided among them at 276 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 1: the discretion of my executors. And also the land in 277 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: Logan conveyed to me by Mark Harden, and about thirty 278 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 1: acres of joining it conveyances to be made by my 279 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: executors or either of them, And they are hereby authorized 280 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: to sell and convey any of the land or either property. 281 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: Here I given to my emancipated slaves, and divide or 282 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:07,119 Speaker 1: lay out the money for their benefit. I give to 283 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:10,359 Speaker 1: my errand the house and lots on which he lives 284 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: in Russellville, and his carpenter tools, as his portion of 285 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 1: the legacies left my emancipated slaves I give to my 286 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 1: woman Clarissa's is that part of most remote from the 287 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 1: dwelling house to include the smith's shop. Major Bib then 288 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 1: included a long list of names of the emancipated enslaved. 289 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,439 Speaker 1: They are listed only by first name. This part of 290 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 1: the will then concludes with quote, I give to my 291 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:39,359 Speaker 1: slaves by this will emancipated my two lots under the 292 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: Knob near mb Morton's and two fractional lots in Saunders, 293 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 1: addition to Russellville near James Bell's stable, and a fractional 294 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 1: lot near William Duncan's and William First near the Public Square, 295 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:55,119 Speaker 1: to be divided and conveyed to them at the discretion 296 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:59,440 Speaker 1: of my executors. When Major Bib died, his son John 297 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: wrote two letters to his older brother, George M. Bib, 298 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: who had been a U S Senator and was serving 299 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:08,920 Speaker 1: as a judge of the Jefferson County Court of Chancery 300 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 1: when their father died. The first letter informed George of 301 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 1: the Major's passing, and then the second asked for Georgia's 302 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 1: thoughts on the will because George's expertise and wills and 303 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:26,359 Speaker 1: trusts was just unmatched. George's response was twelve pages long, 304 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: and he did not agree with his father's wishes, but 305 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:33,399 Speaker 1: he also knew he couldn't really contest the will, although 306 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 1: the advice that he gives to his brother is not 307 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: in the interests of the people that Major Bib named 308 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: for emancipation. We're not going to read this whole thing again. 309 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:46,880 Speaker 1: It is twelve pages long. That would be the whole podcast. Really. Uh. 310 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 1: We'll read some excerpts of it though, to show how 311 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:53,679 Speaker 1: George Bib made the case to his brother that he 312 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 1: could hang on to assets that were mentioned in the 313 00:18:56,280 --> 00:19:00,919 Speaker 1: will for as long as possible. Yeah, this, I have 314 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 1: feelings about this letter. George's letter opens with some niceties 315 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 1: towards John discusses that their father has died, and early 316 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 1: on it includes this passage quote, what effect the experiment 317 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 1: our father has made in sending negroes to Liberia and 318 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,679 Speaker 1: in setting out some to work for themselves near him, 319 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,440 Speaker 1: might have had in changing his mind upon the subject 320 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: of emancipation? I did not know. The will which he 321 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 1: has left shows that his mind was unaltered. It is 322 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: done poor, as I am struggling at my time of life, 323 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,400 Speaker 1: by the most intense application to the duties which does 324 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:38,720 Speaker 1: not afford any surplus at the year's end above the 325 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 1: expenses of my family. Yet I would not for the 326 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 1: property bequeathed by the will for all the negroes, nor 327 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:48,920 Speaker 1: the value ten times told, insult the memory of our 328 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 1: father by and attempt to set aside the writing he 329 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:57,400 Speaker 1: has published as his last will and testament. Whoever suggested 330 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: an intention on my part to oppose the will or 331 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:03,080 Speaker 1: to endeavor to break it, did but little understand my 332 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:07,160 Speaker 1: thoughts or temper, spoke at random, without color of authority 333 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: from me, and did me great injustice. Got this point 334 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:14,920 Speaker 1: in his life, George had enjoyed a lot of success, 335 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 1: but he had, for reasons that are kind of nebulous, 336 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:20,320 Speaker 1: gotten to the point where his finances were pretty lean 337 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: by the time his father died. The only reasons he 338 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:27,920 Speaker 1: cites when discussing his financial problems were the banking system 339 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: and quote my own confiding temper. So while you might 340 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:36,439 Speaker 1: understand his dismay at his father giving so much land 341 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: and money towards his emancipation provisions, and why people expected 342 00:20:40,800 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 1: that he would try to contest the will, it's also 343 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:48,480 Speaker 1: reported that Major Bib left his children well cared for financially. 344 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: It was even mentioned in his death announcement. Yeah, I'm 345 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:56,200 Speaker 1: always suspicious of anyone who's like, even though I am 346 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 1: in the worst position, I would never try to do 347 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:02,720 Speaker 1: anything like when you that's are open, I'm gonna lean back. Um. 348 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 1: Aside from insisting that he would never insult his father's memory, 349 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 1: George makes his opinions pretty clearly known in this letter 350 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,440 Speaker 1: about how he believes the will should be executed. And 351 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 1: we're going to dig into all of that after we 352 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:18,359 Speaker 1: first take a little break and hear from the sponsors 353 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 1: that keep stuff he missed in history class going. George 354 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: bib makes clear in his letter that he believed his 355 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: father was wrong in emancipating slaves. He did not side 356 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 1: with abolitionists. This writing is for me infuriating to read, 357 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:45,359 Speaker 1: and it includes the following quote. The emancipation of a 358 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 1: large number of negroes, male and female, helpless and infirm, 359 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: old and young, would provide a nuisance to society as 360 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 1: well as an injury to the negroes, and he hints 361 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 1: that the key to managing the situation in the way 362 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:03,719 Speaker 1: he think would avoid problems is in the executor's hands, 363 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:07,720 Speaker 1: although he also adds quote, the extent of discretionary powers 364 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 1: given to his executors is not clear of difficulty. So 365 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: remember George Bibb was an expert in wills. He had 366 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 1: practiced law, was able to build a case. And as 367 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: he continues with this, it definitely seems like he's trying 368 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:25,240 Speaker 1: to show his brother John that there is just so 369 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:28,000 Speaker 1: much gray area in the will when it comes to 370 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:32,439 Speaker 1: the specifics of the apportionment. So he continues, quote, to 371 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:35,639 Speaker 1: apply these rules to the will. I give to my 372 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 1: slaves hereby emancipated five thousand dollars to be divided out 373 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: amongst them, and paid out to them from time to 374 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:46,200 Speaker 1: time according to the discretion of my executors. The extent 375 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 1: of the discretion which the executors are to exercise under 376 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:55,160 Speaker 1: the clause respects first the division amongst these collegiatearies, second 377 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 1: the time of the payments. The important question is may 378 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 1: the exact geters divide the money in unequal shares? If 379 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:06,160 Speaker 1: the shares are to be equal share and share aliked 380 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:10,640 Speaker 1: each legatary. If the executors cannot exercise a discretion by 381 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:15,159 Speaker 1: giving five shillings to one and eighty dollars to another 382 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 1: from time to time graduated by the incapacities, families, and 383 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:24,160 Speaker 1: infirmities which enter into the question of the respective abilities 384 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: or inabilities to labor for self support. They're the sentence 385 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: would be no more operative by the presence of those 386 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:36,439 Speaker 1: words divided out amongst them. Then if those were expunged 387 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 1: and the Testament left with the words to be paid 388 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 1: to them from time to time according to the discretion 389 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:46,439 Speaker 1: of my executors. By denying a discretionary power to the 390 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 1: executors to make the division amongst the collegiateari's and unequal portions, 391 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:55,160 Speaker 1: the one member of the sentence would be made expletive 392 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: with no effect whatever, contrary to the rule that every 393 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:02,439 Speaker 1: word shall have effect if consistent with the other parts 394 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:07,160 Speaker 1: of the Testament. After this, George invoked a seventeen ninety 395 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 1: four law that Kentucky had passed regarding provisions for emancipating 396 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 1: enslaved people. That law stipulated that anyone trying to manaument 397 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:19,119 Speaker 1: an enslaved person had to quote writing under his or 398 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 1: her hand and seal attested improved in the county court 399 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:26,000 Speaker 1: by two witnesses. That paperwork had to be filed with 400 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 1: the court, and the quote court shall have full power 401 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 1: to demand bond and sufficient security of the emancipator, his 402 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:35,960 Speaker 1: or her executors or administrators, as the case may be, 403 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: for the maintenance of any slave or slaves that may 404 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:43,119 Speaker 1: be aged or infirm, either of body or mind, to 405 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:47,400 Speaker 1: prevent their becoming chargeable to the county. So ensure if 406 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 1: someone wanted to manaument a person, they had to promise 407 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:54,120 Speaker 1: and make provisions to ensure that the manumented person would 408 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 1: not become a burden on the state. George wrote of 409 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:01,120 Speaker 1: the law and reminded his brother John the this responsibility 410 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: fell to him as executor, and that it cost money 411 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:07,359 Speaker 1: just to file the paperwork. You noted that for every 412 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:11,199 Speaker 1: certificate of emancipation, the law authorizes the clerk to charge 413 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 1: a fee of five shillings. And there reminds us brother 414 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 1: that there are fifty four people named in the will 415 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:21,160 Speaker 1: for emancipation. Yeah, you can see him building his case 416 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 1: like this is a huge burden on you. We gotta 417 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:27,080 Speaker 1: protect you. Uh. And he follows up by trying to 418 00:25:27,119 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 1: show John that maybe their father really didn't think the 419 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:34,160 Speaker 1: money part through in other ways writing quote but then 420 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:37,639 Speaker 1: again in another part of the Testament, to each slave 421 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 1: hired out. The hired do for such slave for the 422 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 1: year ensuing the death of the Testator is specifically devised 423 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 1: to that slave, which shows the equality of legacies to 424 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 1: each slave emancipated was not in the mind or will 425 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 1: of the Testator, but that emancipation was a general object 426 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:58,400 Speaker 1: of the will, and not the fund of money as 427 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: well as the lands. Placed at the discretion of his executors. 428 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,159 Speaker 1: Was not for the purpose of equality of legacies to 429 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:09,439 Speaker 1: each slave, but an absolute and unconfined discretion to be 430 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: exercised by his executors for support of the many, according 431 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:18,080 Speaker 1: to circumstances, such as he himself would have exercised if 432 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:22,200 Speaker 1: he in this lifetime would have emancipated them and come 433 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:25,360 Speaker 1: under the positive engagement to the courts to keep them 434 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:29,720 Speaker 1: from becoming a charge to the county. Next, George bib 435 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: warns John that being the executor of their father's fortune 436 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:36,440 Speaker 1: is going to bring out the worst in people, adding quote, 437 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 1: you and your brother Richard are to have some trouble 438 00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:43,160 Speaker 1: in the execution of the trust, in all probability by 439 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: reason of the interference of low minded ignorance and interested 440 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 1: knavery by persons who will stimulate the negroes and speculate 441 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:56,760 Speaker 1: upon their interests and poverty. If you do not have 442 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 1: so such, you are fortunate above the condition of society 443 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 1: here in Louisville. Then he talks about how the funds 444 00:27:04,040 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 1: have to be carefully managed in a way the ensures 445 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:09,480 Speaker 1: that all the desires of the test dator have been 446 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: met as the executor sees best, and that if all 447 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 1: the assets are distributed, then the executor is left on 448 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:19,080 Speaker 1: the hook for any additional funds that are needed because 449 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:22,920 Speaker 1: of any emancipated people aging or no longer being able 450 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:27,720 Speaker 1: to work, because that's an injustice. He literally uses that word. 451 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 1: This all sums up to a man urging his brother 452 00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:34,479 Speaker 1: to not distribute everything, but instead to hold the funds 453 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:38,359 Speaker 1: in reserve to manage and dole out over time. The 454 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:41,919 Speaker 1: implication here is that the emancipated people wouldn't handle the 455 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:44,639 Speaker 1: money they were given properly, and then the bib family 456 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 1: would be on the hook to make good financially with 457 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:50,399 Speaker 1: the county and state. He spells this out pretty clearly 458 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:53,680 Speaker 1: in this passage quote the time of payment and applications 459 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:57,240 Speaker 1: of the sum of five thousand dollars specifically denoted being 460 00:27:57,359 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: left by the will uncertain to be judged by the 461 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:04,800 Speaker 1: executors according to the circumstances. The executors cannot be chargeable 462 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 1: for interest, unless for manifest delay and abuse contrary to 463 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 1: the trust. If the executors exercise the power of selling 464 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: the lands, such funds so raised as shall not be 465 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:20,440 Speaker 1: divided or intended to be divided in their discretion presently 466 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:24,399 Speaker 1: after received ought to be put out to interest until 467 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:29,159 Speaker 1: such divisions shall become proper. We're going over this document 468 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:32,639 Speaker 1: and quoting it so closely because it's an important example 469 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:36,040 Speaker 1: of how anti abolitionists could make a case that it 470 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:39,720 Speaker 1: was in everyone's best interests not to give enslaved black 471 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:45,080 Speaker 1: people full emancipation or assets, even when it was somebody's 472 00:28:45,120 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: will that they do so. It's also important because it 473 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:52,720 Speaker 1: informed decisions that shape an entire community and in ways 474 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 1: that are still felt today. John bi Bib did take 475 00:28:57,080 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 1: in this letter h and he did start manumating his 476 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 1: others enslaved workforce in waves, starting in February of eighteen forty. 477 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:08,360 Speaker 1: It's about a month after that emancipation was supposed to 478 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: start according to the will. The first group was ten people. 479 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 1: They went as a group to the Logan County Courthouse 480 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:17,000 Speaker 1: for their freedom papers, and they did get them, and 481 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:20,880 Speaker 1: these were followed by additional groups. None of the emancipated 482 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:24,200 Speaker 1: people chose to go to Liberia. Many of them moved 483 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: to the land that had been set aside for them 484 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 1: in Major bibbs Will It's an area that became known 485 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 1: as Bib Town. That's actually two communities, Upper bib Town 486 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:35,560 Speaker 1: in Lower bib Town. But even so, the actual deeds 487 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,960 Speaker 1: to those lands were not fully granted until the late 488 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 1: eighteen seventies, so nearly forty years after Major Bib had died, 489 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: presumably some of those people that have been emancipated had died. 490 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 1: In that interim forty years other people left the area 491 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 1: and moved to larger cities like Louisville or out of 492 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 1: the state entirely. And it's important to remember that even 493 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:01,560 Speaker 1: once those who stayed had been emancipated, and we're living 494 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:04,520 Speaker 1: on land that had been set aside by Major Bib, 495 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: even if they didn't own that land out right, these 496 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 1: were still free black people living in a slave state. 497 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 1: Before the Civil War, it was not safe for them. 498 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: There was always a risk of being re enslaved or 499 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 1: being targeted with violence. And we have to go back 500 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:26,160 Speaker 1: to the lettuce because in having been left very comfortable 501 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 1: when his father passed, John b. Bib was able to 502 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:33,040 Speaker 1: have leisure time with which to cultivate his plants and 503 00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 1: develop that limestone lettuce. Listen, no shade to bib lettuce, 504 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:40,239 Speaker 1: I like it, but that inheritance that afforded all of 505 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:42,800 Speaker 1: that was possible due to the work of the hundreds 506 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 1: of enslaved people his father had owned over the years 507 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 1: and who had worked on his land, enabling him to 508 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:52,360 Speaker 1: amass a huge amount of wealth. Major bib is often 509 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 1: cited as one of the richest men in Kentucky today. 510 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 1: Major Bibbs Home is a museum, the SEEK Museum, which 511 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:03,480 Speaker 1: stands for Struggle for Emancipation and Equality in Kentucky. It's 512 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 1: actually spread out amongst six buildings on two sites. The 513 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:10,520 Speaker 1: buildings have been restored in The museum's mission is to 514 00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 1: tell the stories of the enslaved people emancipated by Major 515 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:18,720 Speaker 1: Richard bibb In there was a reunion at that museum 516 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:22,040 Speaker 1: and anyone who was related to bib both black and white, 517 00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:24,920 Speaker 1: was invited to attend. And that's because it is highly 518 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 1: likely and widely believed that some of the enslaved children 519 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:31,000 Speaker 1: on the bib property prior to Major Bibb's death had 520 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 1: absolutely been fathered by him. There are quite a few 521 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 1: articles written about that reunion. A lot of them are 522 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:40,600 Speaker 1: very feel good, but I would recommend one by journalist 523 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 1: Lynne O'Neill which was written for the Site and Escape, 524 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:46,239 Speaker 1: and it's titled The Bitter Harvest of Richard bib a 525 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 1: descendant of slavery confronts her inheritance. It is a very 526 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 1: frank piece of writing about the pain of such scenarios, 527 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:56,640 Speaker 1: things like this big feel good reunion for some of 528 00:31:56,640 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 1: the black attendees. There's another reunion plan this ball. This 529 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:04,880 Speaker 1: is in September for Bibbs descendants, and there will be 530 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:09,160 Speaker 1: a new documentary debut at that one, titled Invented Before 531 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 1: You Were Born, which examines the issues of the Bibs 532 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 1: story and its legacy. And you can get more information 533 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 1: about that. It's seek museum dot org. That's see k 534 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 1: museum dot org. Um. Yeah, I'm not about Lettuce. Sort 535 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 1: of about Lettuce. I just it's one of those things 536 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:30,800 Speaker 1: where you realize, like, oh, this this cute story about 537 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:33,360 Speaker 1: food is really about the people that made it possible 538 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:35,240 Speaker 1: for a white guy to have leisure time to make 539 00:32:35,240 --> 00:32:39,600 Speaker 1: that food. I'm gonna switch gears pretty significantly for our 540 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:43,440 Speaker 1: listener mail because I need it. Uh these I have 541 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:47,040 Speaker 1: two listener mails, but they are both about our Sir 542 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:50,240 Speaker 1: Sandford Fleming and time zone discussion. The first one is 543 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:52,760 Speaker 1: from our listener Grace, who writes, Hi, Holly and Tracy, 544 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 1: I'm sure you've gotten many emails from the Halleghonians about 545 00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:59,200 Speaker 1: our park, which was donated to us by Fleming as 546 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:01,479 Speaker 1: an aside. I'd not know that that's what people from 547 00:33:01,520 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 1: Halifax called themselves, and I'm in love with it. Um. 548 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:09,160 Speaker 1: Going back to Grace's letter, Unfortunately it is known by 549 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:11,200 Speaker 1: the name of the tower which now sits in it, 550 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:14,400 Speaker 1: the Dingle Tower. Yes, I am ready to tell you 551 00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:16,920 Speaker 1: that the land which used to have the Fleming's cottage 552 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:19,520 Speaker 1: on it is now known as the Dingle occasionally the 553 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:23,800 Speaker 1: Dingle Park. Is this necessary knowledge to have of Halifax? 554 00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:27,040 Speaker 1: Probably not, but I have oodles of cousins from Ontario 555 00:33:27,120 --> 00:33:29,600 Speaker 1: who asked about the park just so they can giggle 556 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:32,120 Speaker 1: when I name it. If you have not been to Halifax, 557 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:34,640 Speaker 1: I highly recommend it's a lovely little city and you 558 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:37,440 Speaker 1: can hardly tell it exploded over a hundred years ago. 559 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:40,320 Speaker 1: You have a natural history museum which has a tortoise 560 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:42,880 Speaker 1: named Gus, who is nine years old. He is turning 561 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:45,800 Speaker 1: a hundred this year. She gives us guss web page. 562 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:48,720 Speaker 1: Uh if you, I bet if you do a search 563 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:51,920 Speaker 1: for Nova Scotia and Gus, you'll find it. Our Museum 564 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 1: of the Atlantic is fairly interesting and they have some 565 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:57,200 Speaker 1: boats on display in the harbor, including my grandfather's old 566 00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 1: schooner Hebride, which was built by the same ship build 567 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:02,360 Speaker 1: There is the Blue Nose. I have attached some photos 568 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 1: of Clara, my cat. She's thirteen years old and has 569 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:07,840 Speaker 1: been on a weight lost journey. I have attached a 570 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:11,440 Speaker 1: photo of her sleeping and performing tub inspection. Still not 571 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:14,360 Speaker 1: sure if I passed on that one. Um, this is 572 00:34:14,400 --> 00:34:17,319 Speaker 1: so great grace. I love this because, one it made 573 00:34:17,320 --> 00:34:19,520 Speaker 1: me think about you know, if you go to Ireland, 574 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:22,880 Speaker 1: there's a Dingle peninsula and lots of things called dingle, 575 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:26,480 Speaker 1: and it is very fun to say uh to. This 576 00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:28,480 Speaker 1: makes me want to go to Halifax, but probably when 577 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:31,160 Speaker 1: it's warm, only because I don't handle cold. And three 578 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:35,399 Speaker 1: I am in love in love with Clara. Uh. She's 579 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:37,560 Speaker 1: a great tuxedo, which is one of my very favorite 580 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:40,600 Speaker 1: things in the world. And she's beautiful. She's perfect just 581 00:34:40,680 --> 00:34:43,240 Speaker 1: as she is, although I understand I have had cats 582 00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:46,920 Speaker 1: on weight lost journeys as well. Um, she's so beautiful. 583 00:34:47,040 --> 00:34:49,560 Speaker 1: I love her. Thank you for sharing her with us 584 00:34:49,680 --> 00:34:51,799 Speaker 1: and your story. And the other one is from our 585 00:34:51,840 --> 00:34:56,399 Speaker 1: listener Kristen, who says, Hi, Holly and Tracy, I'm writing 586 00:34:56,440 --> 00:34:58,480 Speaker 1: as a fan of your podcast who was delighted to 587 00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:01,800 Speaker 1: hear the Canadian Institute an appearance on your episode about 588 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:04,839 Speaker 1: time zones and Sir Sandford Fleming. I thought you might 589 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:07,279 Speaker 1: be interested to learn that the Canadian Institute that Sir 590 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:09,920 Speaker 1: Sandford helped found in eighteen forty nine is still an 591 00:35:09,960 --> 00:35:14,000 Speaker 1: active organization. One of the oldest societies in Canada, it 592 00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:16,480 Speaker 1: gained a royal charter in eighteen fifty one and has 593 00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:19,080 Speaker 1: been known as the Royal Canadian Institute since the early 594 00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:22,880 Speaker 1: nineteen hundreds and more recently as r c I Science. 595 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:26,760 Speaker 1: It presents public science events across Canada and still publishes 596 00:35:26,800 --> 00:35:29,200 Speaker 1: a magazine. I had the great privilege of working with 597 00:35:29,239 --> 00:35:32,120 Speaker 1: the Institute as its executive director and had a lot 598 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:34,600 Speaker 1: of fun helping to manage its archive. I bet that 599 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:37,880 Speaker 1: archive is amazing. Uh. There are a lot of interesting 600 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:41,759 Speaker 1: characters associated with our ci science beyond Sir Sandford, in 601 00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:46,200 Speaker 1: particular Captain John Henry Lefroy, who spearheaded establishing the Toronto 602 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:51,319 Speaker 1: Magnetic Observatory. His life is fascinating. Um, maybe he will 603 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:54,120 Speaker 1: be a future podcast subject, so I'm not going to 604 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:57,480 Speaker 1: read all these other details. She also mentions Henry Holmes 605 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:01,160 Speaker 1: Croft as another character who is a chemist who developed 606 00:36:01,160 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 1: forensic techniques to investigate blood and poisons. I love that. Uh, 607 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:08,680 Speaker 1: and some more details, so hide because maybe you know 608 00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:10,560 Speaker 1: we'll talk about him. I think he came up in 609 00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:14,560 Speaker 1: a previous podcast episode by prior hosts. But she goes 610 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:16,560 Speaker 1: on to say, if you're interested, there's more info on 611 00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:18,719 Speaker 1: the two characters below, and there are many many more. 612 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:21,400 Speaker 1: Of course. I love your podcast. Thanks for including a 613 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:24,480 Speaker 1: lot of scientific history. It's fascinating and great job on 614 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:27,279 Speaker 1: the time zone episode. Sir Sandford would not have found 615 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:30,600 Speaker 1: anything to quibble about. I doubt it, just because I'm 616 00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:33,759 Speaker 1: a doubter of things. But Kristen, Kirsten, I think I 617 00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:37,520 Speaker 1: called you Kristen. It's Kirsten Kirsten, thank you so so much, 618 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: or maybe she's a Kirsten. Those names always get a 619 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:42,960 Speaker 1: little different. People like say them differently. I have so 620 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:45,120 Speaker 1: many Christians in my life that I love very much, said, 621 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 1: it's hard not to default to that some of my apologies. UM. 622 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:51,239 Speaker 1: I love both of those emails, and I love I love, 623 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:54,040 Speaker 1: I love that that organization is still doing amazing things 624 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:56,920 Speaker 1: and producing a magazine. So thank you both for sharing 625 00:36:56,960 --> 00:36:59,280 Speaker 1: with us. I'm going to think about Clara a lot today. 626 00:36:59,719 --> 00:37:03,560 Speaker 1: She's okute. If you would like to write to us, 627 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:05,919 Speaker 1: you can do so at History Podcast at i heeart 628 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:08,400 Speaker 1: radio dot com. You can also find us on social 629 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:11,160 Speaker 1: media as missed in History, and you can subscribe if 630 00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:13,640 Speaker 1: you haven't gotten to that quite yet, that's easy enough 631 00:37:13,680 --> 00:37:16,200 Speaker 1: to do on the I heart radio app or anywhere 632 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:23,840 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite podcasts. Stuff you Missed in 633 00:37:23,920 --> 00:37:26,640 Speaker 1: History Class is a production of I heart Radio. For 634 00:37:26,719 --> 00:37:30,040 Speaker 1: more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, 635 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:33,320 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.