The Black Terrells of Greshamville, Georgia
Click here for a tutorial video about using this database.
Introduction
During the pandemic, I began researching the ancestry of my 5x great-grandfather, Albert Terrell, of Early County, Georgia. His other descendants have strong DNA ties to descendants of Celia Terrell, who lived about 70 miles away in Lee County, Georgia. Celia’s descendants had oral history of their family being enslaved by David Shelton Terrell of Greene County, Georgia. I unearthed the 1822 estate inventory of his father, Thomas Terrell, which listed the names of the 72 people he held in bondage. Albert and Celia are both on it as young children, hundreds of miles away from where they were found after emancipation.
Click this link to see my Transcription and Annotation of Thomas Terrell’s Estate Inventory.
Thomas Terrell Slavery Records
The white Terrells of Greshamville.
The Thomas Terrell Plantation was located in the “Lower Fork” between the Oconee and Apalachee Rivers in Greene County from 1807 until 1873. Thomas had five unmarried children who stayed together on the plantation. One of them died in 1832, creating various probate records that contain more information about the people enslaved by this family. The other four didn’t die until after the Civil War, stifling the chance of finding details about the people they enslaved throughout the years. They held land in Morgan County, Georgia, Worth County, Georgia, and Louisa County, Virginia, possibly transporting enslaved people between plantations. Three more of Thomas’ family members died in 1852, creating the last batch of detailed slavery records. It is currently believed that all the people enslaved by David Shelton Terrell, Elihu Terrell, and their sisters at the time of the Civil War, were descended from the 72 people on their father’s 1822 estate inventory.
Click here for my Compilation of Thomas Terrell Slavery Records.
The Black Terrells of Greshamville
I determined that these incredible individuals were born enslaved by Thomas Terrell and his heirs through estate records, DNA results, census records, and oral history. There were many more people on the plantation, and they will be added as more information is gathered. The people are listed in alphabetical order.
Here is the full list as of February 26th, 2023: Black Terrells of Greshamville Spreadsheet
Photos, Stories, Obituaries, and Other Records
I only have four photos of people who were enslaved on the Thomas Terrell Plantation. If you have anymore photos, please contact me.
The people in this community have spread far and wide, experiencing a broad range of extraordinary moments. Here are some of their stories.
Obituaries
Marriage Records
Death Certificates and Probate Records
Index of Names Mentioned in Master Spreadsheet
This index is organized by surname and includes the people enslaved on the Thomas Terrell Plantation, as well as their spouses and their various enslavers.
ANTHONY
Emanuel
Polly
ARMOR
Pompey
BAILEY
Nettie
Tom
BLEDSOE
George
Mary Jane
BUTLER
Massey Rice
Zaccheus
John Zaccheus
CARTER
Sidney
CHARLESTON
Henrietta
Wortham
COLESBY
Carrie
COOK
Crawford
Emma
DAVIS
Julia Ann
EDWARDS
Rebecca
Seaborn
FOSTER
Adeline
Anderson
Anna
Ary Ann
Charles
Charles H.
Janie
Julia Ann
Junius
Lewis
Marie
GAITHER
Marie
GATEWOOD
Columbus
John H.
GEORGIA RAILROAD BANK
GRANT
Susan
GREENE
Catherine
GRIMSLEY
Joseph
Richard
HAYES
Amy
HILLMAN
Daniel
HUNGERFORD
Anson
HUTCHINS
Amy
JACKSON
Antonette
Ed
Flora
James Washington
Preston
Winnie
JOHNSON
Columbus
Pompey
Rhoda
Sarah
JONES
Fannie
KELLEY, KELLY
Benjamin
Eliza
John Nick
Nick
Lucy Ann
KIMBROUGH
Caroline
LAURENCE
Ary Ann
John
MALCOMB
Fannie
METCALF
Anderson
Edward Augustus
Georgia
MITCHELL
Addie
Martha
PACE
Lee
PARKS
Edmond
Lula
REID
Alexander
Clara
Cornelius
Neal (see Cornelius)
ROBINSON
Adaline
Daniel
ROGERS
Harriett
Isom
ROWLAND
Mary
Nicholas
SEYMOUR
Eralbon
SHELTON
Brister
Bristo
Bristol
Grace
Sarah
Sidney
SIPLING
Cordelia
Queen
SMITH
Daniel
Evalina
Frances
Henrietta
John
Katie
Lucius
Mary
Rebecca
Sallie (see Sarah)
Sarah
Sidney
STARK (SEE STOCK)
STEPNEY
Evalina
Lewis
STOCK
Matilda
SWEENEY
Frances
TERRELL
Adaline
Addie
Adeline
Albert
Amie
Amy
Anderson
Antonette (see Nettie)
Arian
Betty
Bill (see William)
Billy (see William)
Caroline
Carrie
Catherine
Celia
Clara
Cordelia
David
David S.
David Shelton
Edward
Elihu Lacy
Elihu Terrell
Eliza
Elizabeth
Emily
Emma
Fannie
Flora
George
Georgia
Harriet
Henry
Jack
James
Jefferson
John
Katie
Lucinda
Lucius (see Luke)
Lucy Ann
Luke
Lula
Mary Jane
Massey Rice
Matilda
Mitchell
Moses
Nancy
Nettie
Oscar
Pleasant
Polly
Queen
Rebecca W.
Rebecca Wingfield
Rhoda
Robert
Ruth
Sallie (see Sarah)
Samantha
Samuel
Sarah
Sarah Shelton
Shelton
Solomon
Squire
Stephen
Steve (see Stephen)
Susan
Susannah
Thomas
Thomas Waddy
Ward
William
William
Winny
THOMAS
Anna
Frances
TODD
Mary Jane
Pleas Marion
WARE
Absalom
Absalom H.
Adaline
Bettie Lou
Edward
John Henry
Luke
Mary
Thomas T.
WEAVER
Georgia
William W. D.
WILBUR
Samantha
WILLIS
Eliza
George
