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Appendix D. Slave Witnesses at Trials
- University of Virginia Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
Name Owner Court Prosecution/ Defense Ben1 (36) T. H. Prosser Henrico Prosecution John2 (12) Sally Price Henrico Prosecution Pharoah Sheppard (2) Philip Sheppard Henrico Prosecution Toby John Holeman Henrico Prosecution Daniel John Williamson Jr. Henrico Prosecution Charles William Winston Henrico Prosecution Daniel (2) William Burton Henrico Prosecution Ned Judith Owen Henrico Prosecution Wilshire Benjamin Mosby Henrico Defense Patrick Unknown Henrico Prosecution Billy Unknown Henrico Prosecution Moses Unknown Henrico Defense Davey Unknown Henrico Not clear Bristoe Unknown Henrico Not clear Frank William Burton Henrico Defense Nutty Izard Bacon Henrico Defense Ben Woolfolk3 (ca. 32) Paul Graham Henrico/Caroline Prosecution Unnamed man Parke Goodall Henrico Defense Jack4 Mrs. Riddle Henrico Defense David Anderson Barrett Henrico Prosecution Arch Hezekiah Ford Henrico Prosecution Sam T. H. Prosser Henrico Prosecution Edmund5 (2) Paul Woolfolk Caroline Prosecution Primus6 (3) William Overton(?) Caroline Prosecution Bristol Charles Carter(?) Caroline Prosecution Humphrey7 Edward Garland Caroline Not clear Appendix D Slave Witnesses at Trials slave witnesses at trials { 169 Sources: This list is based on the trial testimony in ExP II, and in the case of the Henrico trials, on the Criminal Informations in Henrico Judgements and Ended Causes. No slave witnesses were identified by name in the single trials in Louisa and Dinwiddie Counties. Notes: “Name” refers to that of the slave who served as a witness. The number in parentheses refers to the number of times they appeared. “Owner” is the name of a slave witness’s owner, while “Court” refers to the place of trial. “Prosecution/Defense” indicates for whom they appeared. 1 Ben testified at thirty-six trials, all heard in Henrico. Of the twenty-five men executed on the order of that court, he had testified against twenty-one of them, against two who were transported, and against two who were pardoned. The court acquitted eleven defendants he had provided evidence against. 2 John testified only in Henrico. All of the men he testified against were found guilty, and all were executed, except for Ben Woolfolk, who was pardoned, and Jack Bowler, who was transported. 3 Ben Woolfolk testified between approximately thirty-one and thirty-three times in the Henrico, Richmond, and Caroline Courts. He testified in each of the nine trials in Caroline . He gave testimony against five men who were executed and six who were transported. Eleven men found guilty solely on his testimony were later pardoned. The court acquitted ten, perhaps eleven, men after Woolfolk presented evidence against them. His was apparently the only evidence in seven of these acquittals. 4 Jack was deemed by the court to have committed perjury in his statement for defendant James and was given thirty-nine lashes. James was later pardoned after questions were raised about Ben Woolfolk’s testimony. Jack may not have been the perjurer in this case. 5 Edmund testified at the Caroline trials of John Fells and Thornton. He said that he saw the accused with Ben Woolfolk and even walked with Woolfolk and Thornton to the preaching near Littlepage’s Bridge, but afterwards left. At the trial of Fells, he stated, “He does not know or ever heard of any Negroes undertaking or engaging to join in the intended insurrection.” 6 Primus was identified by Sam Graham as held by William Overton, who appears on a Hanover tax list in 1800 with seven slaves from St. Martin’s Parish, the area west of the courthouse. He and Bristol, who Graham said was a slave of Charles Carter’s, warned Thornton “to desist” or they would “inform the white people.” The two were threatened and they promised silence. Primus’s testimony was only recorded at the trial of Jack Gabriel, where he said that he left “the preaching” near Littlepage’s Bridge and that he “knew not of any person’s engaging directly or indirectly to join in the conspiracy.” This may have been perjury. Bristol testified at the trial of Ben, who was found guilty and transported, but the testimony at this trial does not seem to exist. 7 Humphrey had been found not guilty before he testified at Jack Gabriel’s trial. Since his testimony was not recorded, though the statements of Ben Woolfolk and Primus were, it may have been given for the defense. [18.206.12.31] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 15:53 GMT) ...