Crusade Against Slavery: Edward Coles, Pioneer of Freedom

Notes

213 Notes “Dust in the Balance”: An Introduction 1. E. Coles, “Autobiography,” n.p. 2. Alvord, Governor Edward Coles, ix. 3. E. Coles, “Autobiography,” n.p. 1. River and Opportunity 1. W. B. Coles, Coles Family of Virginia, 35. John Coles (1705–47) was the grandfather of Edward Coles. 2. Ibid., 35. 3. Langhorne, Lay, and Rieley, Virginia Family and Its Plantation Houses, 6; W. B. Coles, Coles Family of Virginia, 35. 4. Ward, Richmond, 22. 5. Many families of Richmond were intermarried and thus related. Mary Ann Winston’s sister married Patrick Henry Sr., so the Coles’s families counted the Henrys among their in-laws and relations. 6. W. B. Coles, Coles Family of Virginia, 35. 7. Ibid., 40. 8. J. Coles II, Ledger of John Coles, 1780–18 07, Smith-Carter Papers. 9. W. B. Coles, Coles Family of Virginia, 51–57. 10. J. Coles II, Ledger of John Coles, 1780–18 07, Smith-Carter Papers. 11. Ibid. 12. Langhorne, Lay, and Rieley, Virginia Family and Its Plantation Houses, 27. 13. W. B. Coles, Coles Family of Virginia, 52. The children of John Coles were as follows: John “Jack” (1769–73), Walter (1772–18 54), John III (1774–18 48), Mary Elizabeth (1776–1856), Isaac (1778–78), Isaac (1780–1841), Tucker (1782–1861), Rebecca (1784–1849), Edward (1786–1868), Sarah (1789–1848), Elizabeth (17 91–1865), William (17 93–94), and Emily Anne (17 95–1871). Ibid. 14. R. B. Davis, Intellectual Life in Jefferson’s Virginia 1790–1830, 14–1 5. 1 5. “Notes on Edward Coles, 18 63,” E. Coles Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania . See also W. B. Coles, Coles Family of Virginia, 18 ; E. Woods, Albemarle County in Virginia, 290. NOTES TO PAgES 10–15 214 16. Monroe, Founding of the American Public School System, 61–62. 17. “Notes on Edward Coles, 18 63,” E. Coles Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; Woods, Albemarle County in Virginia, 88. 18. Morrison, College of Hampden-Sydney, 131; passport certificate, 1814, E. Coles Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 19. Edward Coles to John Coles [II], 6 December 1805, E. Coles Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 20. Edward Coles to John Coles [II], 5September 1805, E. Coles Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 21.James Madison, “Manifestations of the Beneficence of Divine Providences toward America,” 4. 22. Ibid. 23. See Bailyn, Ideological Origins of the American Revolution and Origins of American Politics; Wood, Creation of the American Republic, 1776–1787, Radicalism of the American Constitution, and Revolutionary Characters; Buel, Securing the Revolution; May, Enlightenment in America; Shalhope, “Toward a Republican Synthesis”; Appleby, “Social Origins of American Revolutionary Ideology” and Capitalism and a New Social Order; Yazawa, From Colonies to Commonwealth; and Diggins, Lost Soul of American Politics. 24. Appleby, Capitalism and a New Social Order, 95. 25. The best discussions can be found in Bailyn, Ideological Origins of the American Revolution, and Wood, Creation of the American Republic, 1776–1787. 26. See especially Crowe, “Bishop James Madison and the Republic of Virtue.” 27. Bishop J. Madison, “Address to the Members of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Virginia,” 22. 28. May, Enlightenment in America, 138 . 29. Crowe, “Bishop James Madison and the Republic of Virtue,” 58. 30. Edward Coles to John Coles, 6 December 18 05, E. Coles Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 31.Edward Coles to John Coles, 6 November 18 06, E. Coles Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 32. E. Coles, “Autobiography,” n.p. 33. Ibid. 34. Ibid. For more on the paradox of slavery and American life, see J. C. Miller, Wolf by the Ears, and Morgan, American Slavery, American Freedom. Miller shows the dilemma Coles faced: his elders agreed that slavery was evil and had to come to an end but shrugged their shoulders about how to achieve its demise. 35. John Coles [II] to Edward Coles, 7 May, 30 April, and 1April 18 07, E. Coles Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 36. John Coles [II] to Edward Coles, 10 June 18 07, E. Coles Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 37 . Ibid. NOTES TO PAgES 15–25 215 38 . Rebecca Coles, copy of memoranda from almanac, 18 03–27, Coles Family Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 39. E. Coles, “Emancipation,” n.p. 2. Man of Property 1. John Coles, will, Will Book 4:289, Register of Wills, Circuit Court, Albemarle County, VA. John Coles lived from 1745 to 18 08. 2. Ibid. 3. Elizabeth...