Monday, April 4, 2011

Amanuensis Monday: G W Tapley Petition



                  "Ordinary Court at Chambers
                               October 10th 1868

State of Georgia                     To the Court of Ordinary of
Johnson County                                             said County

Petition of                           The petition of G W Tapley
G W Tapley                of said County respectfully represents
                                  that Jim and Bose Tay colored of said county
                                  are both minors and without any care and protection
                                  stroling {sic} about the country to the great detriment
                                  of the community and in violatin of law
                                         Wherefore your petitioner prays this Honorable
                                 Court to bind and apprentice the aforesaid
                                 minors Jim and Bose Tay colored to your
                                 said petitioner until they become twenty one
                                 years of age and in duty bounds your
                                 petitioner will ever pray ???
                                Oct 10th 1868                      Erastus O Bostick
               ptr atty

                                Upon hearing the petition of G W Tapley
Order of                 by his attorney E O Bostick
the Court               It is hereby ordered by
                                the court that above named minors Bose and
                                Jim Tay colored be bound as apprentices
                                to the said G W Tapley in terms of law
                                be the said G W Tapley giving bond and
                                Security in terms of law in such cases
                                made and provided.
           J R L Allen
      Ordinary"

(I am not positive that my transcription of Jim and Bose's last name is correct.  It could Tay, as I transcribed, or it could be Say or Jay.)

G. W. (George Washington) Tapley was my great-great grandfather.  He was the father of James Madison Tapley.  

I located the above petition in the court records in Johnson County, Georgia.  I do not know the intent behind the petition:  Was he genuinely concerned about the boys or, based on the time period, was it a way to keep them bound to slavery?  

Based on my research, "Wash" (as he was called) did not have a large number of slaves.  In the 1850 Slave Schedule, he is listed as owning one slave:  a 14-year-old Mulatto Female.  So, again, I do not know his motive for filing the above petition.

Any thoughts or ideas?

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