Silas asks a fellow judge for permission to separate a family

 

On November 21, 1842, Silas Burke made a motion in court for “dividing” slaves who had belonged to a deceased woman named Stacy Millan.

 

This process often resulted in members of African American families being separated when they were sold at auction, in order to split the proceeds among several heirs to an estate.

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“On the motion of Silas Burke, Dennis Johnston, John C. Collard, James Compton and John H. Broaders, or any three of them are appointed to divide the slaves of Stacy Millan, dec'd, and make a report to the court.”

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