AFRICAN-AMERICAN FURRS
Tracing African-American Furrs has been a
daunting task. As shown by their wills, the early Furrs definitely owned black
slaves, but I have not been able to trace the lineage of any of these slaves. Also,
it is not clear that later African-American Furrs are descendants of these
slaves. Below is what I have been able to gather concerning African-American
Furrs. Additions or corrections to this information would be greatly
appreciated.
Will of Thomas Furr (1679-1734 -- Loudoun County, Virginia)
Unto my loving wife one servant woman and an orphan boy called by the name
of Thos Mcantier.
John Furr (1752-1827 -- Cabarrus County, NC)
1790 census: 2 males over 16, 6 males under 16, 2 females, and 3 slaves.
Paul Furr (1754-1837 -- Cabarrus County, NC)
1790 census: 1 male over 16, 3 males under 16, 4 females, and 1 slave.
Estate Sales-Moore County,
North Carolina Estate of
Levi Deaton-December 22, 1842
Sold to: Upsher Furr
Negro girl (Sally)
Negro boy (Tom)
Will of Henry Furr (1762-1851 -- Cabarrus County, NC)
6th. I Will and Bequeath unto my son, Paul M. Furr, my negro man, Wilson,
to have the said boy, Wilson, until he, the said Paul M. Furr, arrives to the
age of Twenty-One and then to be sold to the highest bidder and the proceeds to
be equally divided among all my legatees.
Codicil: I give and bequeath to my son, Paul M. Furr, my negro woman, Helena,
until he is Twenty and another year of age. And as soon as he arrives to that
age, my will is that, that her and her increase, if any be put up by my
Executors at Public Sale and Fifty Dollars of the money she brings, to go to my
son Paul M. Furr and the balance of the money she brings, to go to pay for her
if not paid for before my Death.
Christian Jacob Furr (1792-1850 -- Lawrence
County, MS)
Per family history, when he died his estate included 5 slaves was valued
at $20,000.
Wilson Mathias Furr (1804-1860 -- Stanly County, MS)
Per oral family history, he was a very wealthy man who owned many slaves
and a large plantation. He purchased one slave named Patsy, who was caught in Africa by slave traders, for three guns.
1810 US Census Culpepper County, Virginia
Furr?, Lucy (F. Negro)
Will of Paul P. Furr (1814-1876 -- Stanly County, NC)
The date was written as April 10, 1876 in the will, but written as April
10, 1860 when will was proven. Since slaves were mentioned in the will, the year
of 1860 is obviously correct and the year of 1876 must have been a
transcription error by the clerk. Probate Date: September 30, 1876
". . . of the county of Cabarrus . . . being Somewhat avanced in years,
and in low State of health, and weak in boddy . . . that my beloved wife Eve
Furr Shall Sell the black woman Martha + her child Harriett if living to pay my
just debts . . . unto my beloved wife Eve Furr all the remainder of my estate
both Real and personal, under her entire control + dominion as long as She
keeps my name and lives in her widowehood. but in case . . . She Should choose
to intermarry again . . . that all my person-al Estate be put to public sale to
the highest bider . . . and the proceeds of Such sale be all Equally divided
among my beloved wife Eve Furr and all my beloved children then living shear +
shear alike . . . and all my Real Estate, it is my will that beloved wife Eve
Furr is have one third part thereof, and the remaining two thirds is to be
Equally divided among all my children . . . by partition or Sale as it may Seem
most Expedient to the Interest of my Said children . . ."
Civil War Persion Index
Furr, Samuel Union Infantry 39th Regiment,
United States Colored
Infantry Furr, James Union Infantry 53rd Regiment,
United States
Colored Infantry
Abstracts of Loudoun
County Virginia
Register of Free Negroes 1844-1861 by Patricia B. Duncan
NAME: FURR, Catharine
PROOF: free woman as proved by oath of George Head
DESCRIPTION: abt 58y old, black colour, 5'4" tall, scar in the breast by a
burn some 6" long across the breast, a scar on top of her head from a burn
& a large flesh mole on the left side of her neck just below the hair.
DATE: 11 Jun 1844
RECORD #: 1378
PAGE: 1
Ex-slave Interview (Ancestry.com) -- Hall County, Georgia
Anderson Furr, age 87, "Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the
Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938"
States he was born in Hall
County. His parents were Lydia and Earl
Strickland. His siblings were Bob, Abe, Bill, Jim, and Sarah. He married first
Martha Freeman. They had two children Willie and Ida. He married second Mamie
White, but had no children. According to Barbara L. Furr ([email protected]),
"not all the siblings took the surname Furr, some I think kept the last
slave owners name of Strickland. The Slave owners were Earl and Sarah
Strickland. Anderson's death certificate states that his mother, Lydia was born
in Shelby, N.C. Furthermore, the death certificate was signed by a Robert
Strickland who had to make his mark, which leads me to think he was Anderson's brother rather than a son, since Anderson died in 1940,
about 85 years old. Anderson
states in the slave narrative that his two children did not live beyond
childhood"
1860 Census Hungary Neck District, Somerset
County, Maryland, p
16
Levin Furr, 60, Male, Black, Laborer, Personal Estate $50, b. Maryland
Augusta, 50, Female, Black, b. Maryland
John, 20, Male, Black, Laborer, b. Maryland
Albert Furr, born in Georgia
and died in Kentucky
in 1929. Have not found his parents or siblings. He might be the Abe listed as
brother to Anderson
Furr. So far I have found no proof. He married Louisa Bond in January 1881.
They lived in Commerce, Jackson
County Georgia.
They had 4 children: John H. Furr b. December 1881, Luther b. April 1889,
Elizabeth Furr b. 1893, and my grandfather Clinton b. 1900.