The Stories of the Enslaved Persons at Menokin and Their Descendants
AMANDA BEVERLY and STAFFORD GORDON and THEIR CHILDREN
Written by Judith A. Gordon, direct Descendant of the Gordon Family at Menokin
Cohabitation Record including Amanda Beverly and Stafford Gordon
The Freedman’s Register of Colored Persons of Richmond County, State of Virginia, Cohabiting Together as Husband and Wife, dated 2/27/1866 was the first source of confirmation that this branch of the Gordon family are descendants of Amanda and Stafford and therefore are connected to Menokin. From this record, frequently referred to as the “Cohab Records”, we learn that Amanda was born in Caroline County, Virginia. She was 38 years of age at this recording suggesting her birth year as 1827 or 1828. It indicates she was last enslaved by “Henry Harrod”, believed to be Richard Henry Harwood, who at that time, was the owner of Menokin. While the record lists her husband as “Sofford Godard”, this too is believed to be a misspelling which should read as Stafford Gordon. Other documents which will be referenced later offer validation where misspellings appear or accuracy of information is questioned. Stafford was last enslaved by John C. Mitchell. This is in accordance with oral family history which gave the last name of the enslaver of the Gordons as Mitchell. We also learn that Stafford was born in Richmond County and at the time of this recording was 53 years old. This would make his birth year 1812 or 1813.
The Cohab record lists eight children whose listed ages and probable birth years would be as follows:
Emily: 21 years old; born 1854 or 1855
Daniel: 18 years old; born 1847 or 1848
Jesse: 17 years old; born 1848 or 1849
Stafford: 13 years old; born 1852 or 1853
Harrison: 10 years old; born 1855 or 1856
Andrew: 8 years old; born 1857 or 1858
Shadric: 7 years old; born 1858 or 1859; marriage record gives birth as 1862.
Peter: Age not given in the Cohab record, however the 1870 census list him as 4 years old, therefore born 1865 or 1866.
Two additional children are to be considered as a part of this family.
Leland: Not yet born when the Cohab records were produced. 1870 census lists him as part of the family indicating he was 3 years old, therefore born 1866 or 1867.
Ellick: May be a child of Amanda Beverly, not listed on the Cohab record, but listed in the Virginia Slave Births Index 1853-1865. The informant was Richard Henry Harwood, the mother is listed as Amanda and the birth was in May, 1860.
Family oral history confirms that Daniel had brothers named Stafford and Harrison.
There is unresolved confusion regarding the given name of “Shadric”. Over the years, census records have listed his name as Shadrach, Sedgewick, Sedwick and Shedrick. His marriage record gives his name as Sedwick, his age as 25 years, birthdate as 1862 and his parents as Stafford and Amanda Gordon. Sedwick is the most frequently found spelling of his name.
Stafford remained enslaved by John C. Mitchell until Mitchell’s death in 1860. He is valued in the inventory of Mitchell’s estate at $800.00. Mitchell owned three properties, Cedar Grove (aka Burnt House), Belle Mount and Farmer’s Hall. The inventory does not indicate to which property the enslaved were assigned. Daniel and Elizabeth’s marriage license indicates that they were married at Cedar Grove. It seems logical that Daniel’s father, Stafford and Elizabeth’s father, Solomon Saunders who were enslaved by Mitchell may have resided here.
What happened to the enslaved following Mitchell’s death is not clear. Records do indicate that Stafford and two of his sons were working at Menokin in 1867.
Judith A. Gordon, direct Descendant of the Gordon family, Co-Chair Menokin Descendant Engagement Team, Board of Trustees of the Menokin Foundation at Menokin, 2019