Minor Family Slaves, Washington County, PA
From the research of Marlene Garrett Bransom
Submitted by Bill Davison

"1782 Negro (Slave) Register of Washington County, PA.... 
the Negro (Slave) Register Greene County slave-owners 
and slaves:

John MINOR...Greene Township...Slave:  "GEORGE  age 8""

"The Minors and their slaves...
Slavery was introduced into Greene County as early as 1764 
by John Minor, a "prominent native" of Loudon County, Virginia, 
into what is now Mapletown. In Waychoff's articles in the 
Democrat Messenger, we read that "perched up
behind John's blushing bride on horseback all that 
long and rugged way sat George, the little negro servant lad."  

George, however, was not the only slave owned by the Minors. 
They also owned George's mother, Sall, his sisters Sal and Rose, 
and a half-brother, Richard "Dick," (Evans  ).  
These slaves were registered by John and William Minor 
in 1782 in accordance with the Act of 1780 in the following manner:

William Menar of Green Township Gent.
One woman named Sall aged 30 years
One ditto                Rose aged 6
One ditto                Sall aged 4
One ditto                Dick aged 1 1/2

John Minor Esqr of Green Township
One boy named George aged 8 years

From the records, George is shown to be only 8 years of age in 1782;
however, if he were brought into the county as early as 1764, he would 
be at least 18 and not 8 years of age."

There is more but this is enough to indicate that perhaps George and
other other slaves worked in the First Grist Mill in Greene County.

"In 1834, George received his manumission in the will of John Minor which
reads as follows:

    I give and bequeath unto my said wife Jane my negro man George during
her natural life and in case the said George should survive his mistress he
the said George is not at any time to be sold out of my family but by them
to be decently supported and clothed together with his funeral expenses all
at the joint disposal (as regards his place of residence) of my executor or
survivor of them with the privelege of him the said George to choose his
place of residence if practicable, but if the said George be any way
dissatisfied with choice of residence he may choose again and again provided
always that his choice be confined to the members of my family and legatees
in my will. Also it is my will that the said George shall serve them his
choice his master or mistress as the case may be during his natural life.
March 20, 1834"