Hill, Elizabeth G.
    by Julia Munro

JUEL ID/KEY: P47935

Elizabeth Govan Hill (P47935) (signed E.G. Hill), slaveowner, is known through her correspondence with John Staige Davis (P43680). Several items in the John Staige Davis Papers mention Miss Hill (see links below for digitized transcripts). 

The "List of Miss EG Hill's Servants Jan 13th 1862," lists her as owner of 29 slaves total, female and male, ranging in age from one month to 60 years old.

The "Deed of Sale of Agnes to J.S. Davis," August 14, 1862 documents Hill's sale of the slave Agnes (P47934) and her four children to Davis. Agnes's children are: Randall (P47936), Peggy (P47937), Jarratt (P47938), infant boy ANON0060 (P47939).

The 24 servants recorded in the "List of Servants" are: Henry (P47941), Randall (P47940), Bennett (P47942), Lucius (P47943), Carter (P47944), Susan (P47945), Jarratt (P47964), Elvira (P47946), Edmund (P47947), Harriett (P47948), Richard (P47949), Julia (P47950), John (P47951), Ann (P47952), Aaron (P47953), Lucy (P47954), May (P47955), Robert (P47956), John (P47957), Harry (P47958), Queen (P47959), anon0061 (P47960), anon0062 (P47961), anon0063 (P47962). 

Additional identifying information includes the Louisa County Birth Records for 1858, which confirm Hill as the owner of Peggy (P47937), one of the four children of Agnes (P47934) later sold to Davis. The entry states: Peggy, b. February 23, 1858. Colored, Slave, Female. Owner Elizabeth G. Hill, additional owner Dr. Jno. S. Burruss (P44330) and mother Agnes. The birth date of 1858 confirms Pegg's stated age of four in the 1862 Deed of Sale document to Davis. 

Elizabeth Hill and her servants are also mentioned in earlier correspondence between John Staige Davis and H. B. Bibb, dated January 13, 1860 and January 17, 1860. On January 13th, Davis responds on behalf of him and E. G. Hill, or "Betty," regarding employment arrangements for Agnes and her children (to be close to her unnamed husband). 

On January 17th, Davis writes to Bibb (P47976) about his finding a "suitable home" for Agnes. It appears from the letter that Hill and Davis both have some kind of ownership position over Agnes, and that Bibb was to procure employment for her. 

In Davis's letter to James Crawford (December 17, 1861), Davis writes, "I hope you will not consider Miss Hill too urgent in applying again for the hires of her servants, Harry & John, now due nearly twelve months. She is in much need of the money." 

PRIMARY SOURCE INFORMATION 

1. References to the Individual in the JUEL Digitized Transcripts

(Links below are to JUEL's full-text digital transcripts of primary sources that refer to the individual. If no links display, this indicates that either the JUEL digitized texts have not yet been tagged with the individual's ID/Key, or, that no reference is made to the individual in any JUEL digitized texts, or, that the primary source has not yet been digitized).   

"JS Davis to H. B. Bibb," January 13th, 1860

"JS Davis to H. B. Bibb," January 17th, 1860

"JS Davis to James Crawford," December 17, 1861

"List of Miss EG Hill's Servants," Jan 13th, 1862

"Deed of Sale of Agnes to John Staige Davis," August 14th, 1862

- "Hill to Effinger," January 5, 1864

 

2. Library Call Numbers/Bibliographic Records/Additional Sources

Papers of John Staige Davis [Manuscript], 1839-1885. Special Collections, University of Virginia Library MSS 3247

Papers of John Staige Davis, Professor of Anatomy [Manuscript], 1840-1888. Special Collections, University of Virginia Library MSS 1912/2842

"Master Louisa County Birth Register 1853-1865” Piedmont Virginia Digital History: The Land Between the Rivers, 1858 birth (Last updated 2015-09-21 at 0930 minor formatting)  

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