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Thomas Fitch was an enslaver and lawyer who operated several plantations in South Georgia and East Florida in the early 1800s. When the United States gained control of Florida, Territorial Governor Andrew Jackson appointed Fitch to be the first Judge of the new territorial government in St. Augustine. However, the yellow fever epidemic spread to St. Augustine in 1821, and within days of his appointment Fitch, along with his wife and children, died of the disease.
Summary:
This collection contains correspondence, invoices, agreements, and contracts related to the business and legal activities of Thomas Fitch in South Georgia and East Florida from 1818 until his death in 1821. It also includes papers, dated 1822-1836, related to the settlement of his estate, which include an inventory of personal estate, valuation of enslaved persons, and record of sale of household effects. There is also a contract by Francis Philip Fatio, Jr. paying Fitch to survey and record his land grant along the St. Johns River and to provide Fatio's son with an English education in the United States. The estate settlement papers include a receipt for hiring out 13 acres of land to three free Black men named Sancho, George, and Mingo in February, 1822. The collection also contains two miscellaneous documents: a contract between William Bowen and William Reynolds drawn in St. Augustine in 1823, and an 1836 land grant to Henry Carrs for land in Lee County, Georgia.
The collection contains several items that describe Fitch's activities as an enslaver:
1. An 1818 contract for the sale of 55 enslaved, unnamed African men to Fitch and Benjamin Chaires by Paul Dupon and G. W. Denton.
2. An 1818 affidavit regarding the seizure of Marcus, an enslaved boy around 11 years of age used as a servant by Fitch, who was seized under the assumption that he had been illegally brought to the United States from Africa. The affidavit is signed by William S. Parker.
3. A June 1818 letter from Paul Dupon to Fitch, including a sworn statement claiming that Fitch legally purchased Marcus in April 1818 in St. Augustine from a French enslaver named John Louvel. Louvel brought Marcus and his family with him from Cuba to Savannah, Georgia, after war declarations prompted Spanish colonies to expel French settlers in 1810.
4. An 1819 proposal by Fernando M. Arredondo to sell his plantation and 27 enslaved persons to Fitch. The enslaved persons included in this proposal are as follows: Jeffery, 35; Venus, 34; Noble, 11; James, 2 months; Boatswain, 37; Jane, 34; Bori, 11; Santos, 6; Joana, 3; Jack, 40; Peggy, 22; Manuel, 6; Jack, 2 months; Enrique, 28; Kelly, 40; Peter, 36; Phillis, 34; Collo, 24; Francisca, 25; Harry, 25; Manuela, 20; Maria, 20; Andres, 40; Choe, 30; Esteban, 3; Florentina, 3; Sharper, 80.
5. An 1820 agreement between Fitch and Benjamin Chaires for division of 59 enslaved persons purchased from George Atkinson. The enslaved persons included in this agreement are as follows: Old Mary; Old Joe and wife Nanny, their children Hosia, Moses, Maria, Bob, Isaac and Elsa; Cain and wife, little Mary; Joe Gordon, wife Cumba and their baby David; July, wife long Mary and their children Simon, Judy and Peter; Ned; Tom, wife Louisa and their children Betsey and David; Jim, wife Amaritta and their child Pender; Beauty and wife Big Nancy; Edward; Lua Billy; Joe; Old Charlotte; Bob and wife Dye; Billy and wife Charlotte; Codando; Old Hannah; Mark; Murray; Jenna; Anthony, wife Lucy and their son Jemmy; Abraham and wife Nancy; Scipio, wife Phillis and their children January, Clarissa and Titus; Talbot, wife Cornelia and their children Dolly and Eve; Andrew; George; Big Jim.
6. A valuation of persons enslaved by Fitch, circa 1821. The enslaved persons included in this survey are as follows, excepting duplicates: Bob, 35; Dye, 40; Billy, 25; Char(lotte), 25; Codando, 30; George, 35; Andrew, 34; Jim, 35; Abraham/Abram, 35; Murray, 22; Mack/Mark, 25; Fanny, 17; Jullius(?), 25; Carmelia/Cornelia, 30, and children Sally/Dolly, 6, and Eve, 3; Sipro/Scipio, 35; Phillis, 28, and children January, 8, Clarisa, 5, Titus, 2; Anthony, 35; Lucy, 28; Jim/Jemmy, 10; Old Charlotte, 60; Hannah, 55; (Ebo) Jim, 27; Asa/Hosea, 27; Olada, 27; Harry, 28; (Ebo) Billy, 28; William, 25; Doctor, 28; Arrow/Amelia Billy, 30; Dick, 25; Cesar, 35; Law, 30; James, 18; Tom; Tony; Cato, 35; Caffer/Cuffy, 35; Bunker, 35; Saturday, 24; Sampson, 30; Manuel/Emanuel, 30; Moses, 35; Harry, 35; Bob, 40(R); Monday, 25(R); Francisca/o, 26; Jack, 35; Little Hosea/Hosias, 18; Peter, 45; Hagai/Hager, 35; Dupe, 14; Abigail, 12.
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Folder listing available. 0
Additional Physical Form:
Digital copies on disk also available in collection.
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Donor inherited these records.
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Subject Access Fields:
Fitch, Thomas, d. 1821
African Americans History To 1863. Florida Decedents' estates Florida Land grants Florida Slavery Florida
Contracts. aat Registers (lists) aat Estate inventories. aat
East Florida. Florida History To 1821 Saint Augustine (Fla.) Saint Johns County (Fla.)
Added Entries
Chaires, Benjamin, 1786-1838
Fatio, Francis Philip, 1760-1832 Jr.,
Arredondo, Fernando M.
for detailed listing.