Hello everyone! I am giving the information that I have researched on the Ferguson side of the family. The Ferguson's are on Ethel Ferguson Jones, my grandmother's side. Ethel's grandparents were Madison and Delia Wideman Ferguson. Madison was born in 1819 a slave in Charles county,Port Tobacco, Maryland. He and his sister Mary Jane were slaves there, then sold to other Fergusons' in Georgia and Alabama. The last Ferguson slaveowner brought them to Smith county, Texas near Tyler as slaves around 1857. The first slaveowner of the Ferguson's was Robert Ferguson. He was from Scotland and had a tobacco company in Charles County, Maryland. Ferguson owned two plantations-- in Charles County called Nanjemoy and another named Mulberry Grove. He died in 1812 and gave the slaves in a will to his nephew John Fergusoon. John Ferguson died in 1826 an in the will he wanted Mary and William , slaves to be emancipated, but if the law said freed states had to leave the state, then they would not be emancipated. They would be allowed to work for themselves wherever they pleased. I believe this was possibly Madison's parents as our cousin Lonnie said he was told that Madison always said that he was freed before emancipation. Madison most likely said his parents were freed. Here is the will emancipating Mary.

John Ferguson died in 1847 and an inventory of his personal estate including the slaves were listed. They were still in Port Tobacco, Maryland. The slaves worked in the tobacco and corn fields, growing wheat and vegetables and tending to livestock It shows Madison 27 years old worth $600. and his sister Mary 19 years old worth $650. William, their parent may possibly be dead. The mother I don't see listed. Here is the inventory for February 1848.

It appears that by 1855, Madison and his sister Mary have been sold to a relative of slaveowner John Ferguson. They are now owned by Alfred Ferguson. It shows on the 1850 census in Chambers county, Alabama that he has 18 slaves. I know from the 1870 census that a child of Madison's was born in 1855 in Alabama. So Madison was there by 1855 and possibly the 1850 Slave census. I found a male 32 years old which may be Madison. Also a female 16 years old, that may be Delia his wife. There is a female 22 years old that may be Mary Jane, Madison's sister. See the attached slave census pg.1 &2.

Hi everyone! I sent the right document for the second page of the records inventory.

 Hello everyone! I have always wanted to share the information I have found on my ancestors. I have been  researching them since about 2003. I have found a lot of information about my ancestors  on my mother's side of the family who were enslaved. I found  information about the Battle/Bunkley ancestors all the way back to 1784 in North Carolina. The Ferguson and Jones family did not have as  much information. This is what I found on the Battle/Bunkley relatives from 1788 court record in Edgecombe county, North Carolina. It shows that Hannah and Charles, my great great great great great grandparents  were whipped but not why. Charles was jailed and whipped.  I have attached that record.

Edgecombe county, North Carolina Aug. 1789 court records

I have information from a  1784 will  that shows my great great great great grandparents Charles and Hannah were slaves of William Battle. When he died he willed the eight slaves to his children in Edgecombe county, North Carolina. The other slave relatives listed were Lucy, great great great grandmother and Jennie who was possibly her sister. This is the will.

Edgecombe county, North Carolina 1784 William Battle slaveowner's will

One of the slaveowners' children died and in 1785, the will is showing only two of the children inheriting the slaves. It appears that Hannah may have had another child during that time named Katie. See the record below.

Edgecombe county, North Carolina 1785 will of William Battle

I have also found a records inventory from slaveowner J. (Jessie) B. Bunkley. It lists the Bunkley ancestors who were enslaved and their value. Albert Bunkley married Selina Battle and she inherited the slaves when her father William S. Battle died in 1828 in Georgia. When Albert Bunkley died he willed them to his sons Jesse and William Bunkley. Our relatives listed are Stephen, Cato, Minerva and child Ailsie, Julia Ann and child Ben, Matilda. Stephen is Phoebe my great great grandmother's son. Cato is Phoebe's brother. Both of them are Lucy's children.  Minerva and child are Cato's wife and child. Julia Ann may be Lucy's child or Phoebe's child. Matilda may be Lucy's child and Phoebe and Cato's sister.  The inventory is attached.

Chambers county, Alabama 1863 records inventory J. B. Bunkley slaveowner

The second page of the inventory lists our relatives Allen, Eveline, Mariah, Milly, Francis and Phoebe. Allen, Eveline, Milly and Francis are Phoebe's children. Mariah is Allen's wife. Phoebe is an invalid and is given no value. Document is attached.

Chambers county, Alabama 1863 Inventory record of J. B. Bunkley slaveowner

Ethel Jones is  my grandmother. Her  mother is Lucy Bunkley. Lucy Bunkley lived in Chambers county, Alabama in 1880. She moved to Fannin county, Texas (Bonham) with her brother Stephen around 1890. Stephen is Stephen's son that was listed on the inventory. Stephen changed his name to Ike and married grandmother's father's sister Mary Jane. William Ferguson, grandmother's father married Lucy Bunkley in Bonham, Texas.

Here is a picture of Ike Bunkley, Lucy's brother. I have no picture of the others.

Ike (Isaiah) Bunkley