The History of Enslaved People at UA, 1828-1865

Binkey

Item

Name

Binkey

Birth Date

March 23, 1840

Basil Manly Diary II (1834-1846) image 186, March 23, 1840

"Mon Mar 23 This morning at half past four, our servant Mary was delivered of a female child named Binkey"

Sex

Female

Freedom Status

Enslaved until the end of the Civil War when she made an arrangement with Manly to continue to work on his plantation before seizing her independence

Basil Manly Diary VI (1858-1878) image 83, June 20, 1865

"This day, at the plantation made an arrangement with my negroes to work on my place, being declared freedmen & freedwomen, by the Yankees. The arrangement includes my house – servants at home. They are to have the productions of ten average acres of corn. The following is a copy of the contract, and the names of the signers.
“We, the undersigned, declared “freedmen & freedwomen’” by the U.S. military authorities, and residing on the plantation of B. Manly, near Foster’s ferry, Tusk. Co. Ala do hereby agree to continue to work on the said plantation, under the direction of said Manly or his agent; to use due diligence during the customary number of hours, daily; to take care of all the stock, implements, or other property on the place or committed to us severally; and to act faithfully as laborers and employees on said plantation in all respects, until the close of the present year, on pain of being dismissed there from by said Manly or his legal representative by his desire. And we do also hereby agree to receive as full compensation for said services, the food, clothing, house-room, fuel and medical attendance in actual sickness, of ourselves and families; and further, that we receive the productions of a lot of ten (10) acres of land, to be selected as an average of the crop of corn; to be divided raticebly among us at the close of the year.
As witness of our freely & voluntarily agreeing here unto we have affirmed our mark opposite to our names, to this paper, before witnesses, at the said plantation, this 20th day of June, A.D. 1865.
Winter, Wood, Peter, William, Archy, Andrew, George, Robert, Alick, John, Henderson, Edmond, Oliver, Levi, Judy, Rose, Patsey, Martha, Sabra, Rebecca, Priscilla, Lydia, Binkey, Ann, Old Sabra, Julia, Morris, Arthur

U, B. Manly as named in the preceding instrument, do hereby express my agreement to employ the persons whose names are thereunto attached, according to the terms thereof.
Given, under my hand, the day & date before written.
B. Manly"

Basil Manly Diary VI (1858-1878) image 84, Aug 26, 1865 (Binkey claiming freedom and independence from Manly)

"Yesterday, James informed me, by letter, that a fire had broken out, on E. Collier Foster’s land; & that several of the negroes had gone home from the fire to dinner, contrary to his express order. He came home intending to punish them. Meeting with Binkey first, he began upon her; who resisted & fought. She left the plantation, & James sent her children & things, by a cart to town. But Binkey had reached town, her mother’s house, before the cart arrived with her children. I saw the man who attends to the freedmen’s affairs this morning; he promises to send a man down there this afternoon to see to the matter.
We will not suffer Binkey to appear on the place again. She left, of her own accord on frid. afternoon. Aug 25. The boy Henderson had left the fodder field nearly 3 weeks ago, after being very insulting to James. It is my wish that as many may depart as have a mind to.
The man did not go down, as he promised & pretended he would. My mule, sent to James Hutchins, to go down to the plantation, was not returned, but the yankee teamsters had him in a wagon on sunday morning, & had started off to Greensborough. But thro the watchfulness of my boy Levi, the intended theft was discovered & we obtained the mule: - took him out of their wagon.
The man, Hutchins, came to my house on Sunday morning, and pretended he had been to the plantation & lost all his money; and wished to levy a contribution on me. "

Basil Manly Diary VI (1858-1878) image 85, Sept 2, 1865 (Confirmation that Binkey and 24 other recently freed people have left Manly's plantation)

"I have ascertained that 24 of my negroes have left me, & taken their freedom, under the late military order of the U.S. Authorities – viz. Mary & her family, Binkey & her three children (Elizabeth, [Julia Ann?], & Larrey), Arthur, Oliver, & John. William, his wife Sabra, & their two children (Alice & Margaret). Archy or Tom & his wife Priscilla, & their two children, (Richard & Willis). Rebecca & her two children (Somerset & Dennis) Andrew (father of Binkey’s children) Alick (Alexander) & Ann. = 22 Patsey, Henderson (son of Patesey) = 24 to this date."

Original Location

Tuscaloosa

Living Location

Tuscaloosa

Child of

Mary

Larry/Larrey

Sibling of

William/Boysey

Arthur

Unnamed Boy

Morris

Oliver

Spouse of

Andrew

Parent of

Larrey

Julia Ann

Elizabeth

Work Location

Tuscaloosa

Enslaver

Basil Manly

Leaser

Mrs. Hopkins

(First leasing aged 9) Basil Manly Diary V (1847-1857), image 131, Dec 22, 1849

"Sat Dec. 22. This afternoon I sent my little girl, Binkey, to Mrs. Hopkins, wife of G. Hopkins Mercht. to be hired there for a year. He is to clothe her, lodge her, pay her taxes, and give me $24 for her year's services.
Binkey was discharged, for theft, March 2"

Mr. Boyle

(Second leasing aged 10) Basil Manly Diary V (1847-1857), image 136, March 12, 1850

"Tues March 12 Binky was sent to Mr. Boyle this morning early - she is to be hired to him at $3 a month - we are to find her in clothes. My only hope of pay from Boyle is to find him work, & retain his pay to the amount of his debt to me.
April 1. Boyle sent her home, for stealing & fighting"

Mrs. Hill

(Third leasing aged 10) Basil Manly Diary V (1847-1857), image 185, Dec 31, 1850

"Dec 31. This day Binkey went to stay a year with Mrs. Hill."

Mrs. C. E. Clitherall

(Fourth leasing aged 11) Basil Manly Diary V (1847-1857), image 254, Jan 23, 1852

"At the request of Mrs. C. E. Clitherall, now in Mobile, I have hired my little girl Binkey, to her, for the year; and with the understanding that she may keep her longer than a year. She departs on the Isabella, for Mobile, under the care of Capt. Kirk today."

Illness

Basil Manly Diary V (1847-1857) image 304, May 17, 1853

"On Tues. May 17. 1853 Binkey was taken sick, and was brought home on Wed. Morning; and did not return to Eliza Somerville’s service, till"

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Their Names

Binkey