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Katie Reed O'Neal family papers, 1800-1972 (bulk 1800-1865).
BANC MSS 2012/117 box 1
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Collection Overview
Title:
Katie Reed O'Neal family papers, 1800-1972 (bulk 1800-1865)Creator/Contributor:
O'Neal, Katie Reed, 1891-1989, creatorCreator/Contributor:
Basham, Barnett, 1799-1874Creator/Contributor:
Downing, William G.Creator/Contributor:
Cecil, Samuel Stewart.Creator/Contributor:
Campbell, Daniel.Abstract:
Contains mostly 19th century handwritten receipts, contracts, deeds, documents, correspondence, food and medicine recipes,
and other miscellany from a Missouri family who relocated to California in 1907. Includes two "bills of sale" for three African-Americans
bought as slaves in Scotland County, Missouri by family member, Barnett Basham. The slaves were originally owned by Daniel
Campbell who was declared "to be a person of unsound mind" by a jury in Scotland County. The envelope containing the bills
of sale for the slaves has handwritten notes on it signed by Katie R. O'Neal on May 30, 1963 with added information including,
"Barnett Basham, step-father of Willam Gray Reed [Katie's father] bought these slaves. My daddy's father, Peter Reed, didn't
believe in selling and buying human beings." Also includes two photographs (4x6, b&w) of family members, an infant photograph
of Oren O'Neal, Katie O'Neal's husband, and a photograph of an unidentified older woman, [Katie O'Neal or other family member?].
Also includes a color snapshot of two framed photographs of a man and a woman (possibly the Mr. and Mrs. Oren O'Neal referred
to on the envelope annotations). Some of the materials include more recent handwritten annotations with added information
about the family and are signed by Katie Reed O'Neal in the 1960's and 1970's.
Sept. 18, 1858. Scotland County, Missouri. William G. Downing, court-appointed guardian for Daniel Campbell, to Barnett Basham
for $700 dollars. "...assigns [to Barnett Basham] the said Negro man Jeff now about the age of forty-five years a dark mulatto
together with all the rights, title, interest and claim of the said Daniel Campbell...."
Aug. 6, 1859. Scotland County, Missouri. Samuel S. Cecil to Barnett Basham for $600 dollars. "A Negro woman named Eliza about
thirty-five (35) years of age of fair or light complexion. Also a Negro girl named Angelina about ten years of age, fair or
light complexion, said to be slaves for life." Originally sold to Samuel S. Cecil on Sept. 28, 1858, by William G. Downing,
court-appointed guardian for Daniel Campbell.
Date:
1800 (issued)Subject:
n-us-mo -- n-us---O'Neal, Katie Reed -- 1891-1989 -- Archives
Basham, Barnett -- 1799-1874
Downing, William G
Cecil, Samuel Stewart
Campbell, Daniel
O'Neill family
Reed family
Gray family
Slaveholders -- Missouri -- Scotland County
Slaveholders -- United States
Slave trade -- Missouri -- Scotland County
Slave trade -- United States
Slavery -- Missouri -- Scotland County
Slavery -- United States
Slaves -- Missouri -- Scotland County
Slaves -- United States
Scotland County (Mo.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Miller (Mo. : Township) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Note:
Katie Reed O'Neal papers, BANC MSS 2012/117, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Gift; of O'Neal family; 1972.
Katie Reed O'Neal (1891-1989), daughter of William Gray Reed and Mary Ellen Bridges, grew up in Miller township, Scotland
County, Missouri. Her family moved to California in 1907 where she married Oliver Oren O'Neal in 1927. The O'Neals lived in
Dinuba, California before moving to north Oakland in Alameda County sometime before 1930.
Barnett Basham (1799-1874) was born in Kentucky and married the widow Nancy Gray Reed in Scotland County, Missouri, on April
7, 1856.
Samuel Stewart Cecil was born in Kentucky and reared in Scotland County, Missouri, attending public schools there and also
Fayette College. On April 10, 1863, he and his family joined a train of 105 wagons en route to California eventually settling
in Yolo County.
William G. Downing was from a wealthy Virginia family. After marrying Mary Jones, the daughter of the first sheriff of Scotland
County, Missouri, he went back to Virginia and returned with 12 slaves (10 men and 2 women) to build his home in 1858. It
is now the Downing House Museum located in Memphis, Missouri.
In English.
Type:
Photographs.Deeds.
Legal instruments.
Legal documents.
Recipes.
Bills of sale.
Physical Description:
print
1 box (0.2 linear feet).
Language:
English
Identifier:
BANC MSS 2012/117 box 1