Week 3: Champaign County

Week three at Champaign County turned out great. My first stop was at the Champaign County Recorder to search their deed records for Manumission papers.

Champaign County office buildings.

Deed books at the Champaign County Recorder's Office.

Because Black people were considered 'goods', slave owners who came to the northern states to emancipate their enslaved people could pay for their freedom through the County Recorder's office. There were a lot of different ways the Recorder could notate this, and it was usually with a short abbreviation. However, I found an emancipation record in the deed book that clearly stated, "Emancipation from A. Vanmeter." Abraham Vanmeter had noted in his will that he wanted his slaves to be freed upon his death provided there was no crop out at the time. If there was a crop, however, Vanmeter stated, "[T]he said slaves shall be kept together and work as usual until the crop is secured." He also noted that they would receive one-third of the earnings from the crop for their trouble.

Emancipation entry in a Champaign County deed index.

I went through every deed index from between 1803-1863, but that was my only find at the Recorder's Office. Afterward I hit up the Champaign County Library's Local History Room.

Rows of Champaign County history books in the Local History Room.

The Local History Room at the Champaign County Library was great. There is no attendant, so if you need help you have to ask the information desk. It is a small room with lots of local history, microfilm, newspapers, magazine transcripts, and local church and cemetery records. It is a great, quiet place for doing research. While I was perusing the books looking for African American history, I came across a book called "Black Legacy" by Sheila J. Farmer Clay. Ms. Clay made references to Manumission papers found in Clerk of Court minute books. Guess where I headed next?

"Black Legacy" by Sheila J. Farmer Clay.

Champaign County Court House

If you guessed the Clerk of Courts Office, you guessed right! The ladies working in the Domestic Division on the third floor were very nice and let me come in the back to do some research in their index books. In a folder labeled "Index to Estates Prior to 1858" I found three mentions for freedom papers. The individuals for whom the freedom papers were given were William Russell, Eliza Rector, and Daniel Rector. I was incredibly excited to find a trace of these papers. I showed the entry to one of the workers but, unfortunately, she could not locate the actual records. It was quite a bummer not to be able to see the actual case file and papers, but at least there is evidence of these people obtaining their freedom!

Three entries for freedom papers in an estate index.

Sadly, there were no more entries in the estate index for freedom papers. I tried to get access to the physical minute books, but was told they were at an off-site area and that they were heavily damaged. I am going to put in a formal request to see them next week, but for the time being I went back to the Champaign County Library Local History Room.

Microfilm readers at the Champaign County Library.

Back at the Local History Room I discovered that Champaign County's Court of Common Pleas minute books had all been microfilmed. I decided to look through the books page by page, via film, since I was denied access to the original copies. I started with the earliest book, around 1809, and went through six volumes before I decided to head home for the day. I was pleased that I did because within those six volumes, I found five entries! I was elated!

Manumission record for "Barry, a [N]egroe man."

Manumission record for "Lewis, a man of color."

Manumission record for Richard and Gracy Stanup.

Needless to say, I am going to try again to get access to the original records. If not, I can still scan through microfilm until I document them all. I hope everyone enjoyed my findings this week and you all join me next week while I continue my search in Champaign County.
Thanks, and be good!