1. "Stephen Tinker to William Gibbons Bill of Sale." 15 July 1785. William Gibbons, Jr. Papers. (Georgia) Special Collections Library, Duke University.
Description: The bill of sale in which Gibbons buys Caesar from the New York mariner Stephen Tinker. [Click on the image for a larger version.]
Description: W. Gibbons empowers J. Gibbons to search out and return a runaway slave, Caesar, that the former believes to be in Connecticut.
"Know all People by these presents, that I William Gibbons of the County of Chatham in the State of Georgia Planter, for divers good causes and considerations me hereunto moving, HAVE made, ordained, authorised, nominated and appointed, and by these presents DO make, ordain, authorise nominate and appoint Joseph Gibbons... to ask, demand, sue for, recover and receive of and from any person or persons a certain negro Man Slave named Caesar who has absented himself from me and is said to be in the State of Connetecutt..."
3. Mitchell, D. Letter to William Gibbons. 11 August 1801. William Gibbons, Jr. Papers. (Georgia) Special Collections Library,
Duke University
Description: Caesar was rumored to be in Connecticut and Gibbons sent a relative there to sue for his return. In this letter from Mitchell (in Connecticut) to Gibbons, Mitchell writes that Caesar offers to return if Gibbons would allow him to work on his own account, that is to buy his time from his owner. [Click on the image for a larger version.]
"Ca[e]sar has been with me, and says if he is under th necessity of leaving you and if he is to be sold, he would rather live with me than with any body else, but he seems to have a wish & thinks you will comply with it, of letting him a certain time [to?] himself to work, and make up... on his own account, altho[ugh] this he says he cannot do on your plantation--if you are not disposed to give him this advantage you may send him back & consider him as....and I will comply with the Terms Agreed on between us--it is as ...earnst request that I have Sent him back to you in order that he may be finally Satisfied of your determination--
I am Dear Sir
your very Ob[idient] Servant"
4. "Shoes Bought of Mr. Alexander Walt to Whom Delivered." n.d. William Gibbons, Jr. Papers. (Georgia) Special Collections
Library, Duke University.
Description: An undated receipt lists the names of slaves to whom shoes were delivered. Caesar is on the list. Therefore if it is post 1801 it means that Caesar is back on the Gibbons plantation. [Click on the image for a larger version.]