Thanks for the additional information. I went back through the census records to see if I have missed anything. Find the uncle in the 1850 census and after his name as occupation is written what appears to be "Overseer." In the 1850 Slave Census his listing appears to be "Moore & Verdan" which seems to indicate a partnership of some kind. In the 1860 Census he is listed as "Farmer" and the next person in the household is listed as "Overseer". In the 1860 slave schedule he is listed with just his name, Nat [for Nathaniel] Moore. I feel sure I have the correct person each time because he is listed as next door to a man I know to be his brother and family. In checking land records I find he bought 640 acres in Hinds County, MS, with an Alexander Virden in 1846 and then in 1859 he bought by himself an additional 286 acres. So I am not sure what was going on. Will keep digging but I would say there is a good chance he at least began as an overseer if not of someone else's farm and slaves, perhaps for a partnership he had formed with someone else. Interesting anyway and not something I have thought of before. So thanks again for sharing what Elizabeth Shown Mills had to say on this subject. Burnis **************Play online games for FREE at Games.com! All of your favorites, no registration required and great graphics – check it out! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1211202682x1200689022/aol?redir= http://www.games.com?ncid=emlcntusgame00000001)
HATCHER website: http://hatcherfamilyassn.com HALL DNA project: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~nhatcher/hall/HDNAtest.htm "If you can't stand the skeletons, stay out of the closet" - Val D Greenwood Just some thoughts.......he was single (no kids to feed = more $$ in pocket) and went into a partnership, buying a large amount of land (cheaply?), the partner may have provided 2 or more slaves. The land is productive and you have slaves of child bearing age. It's obvious from the 1860 that there were at least 2 or more slave families with many kids between them. So there may not have been too many slaves actually purchased over the years to come up to the number 48. The question then becomes.....what happened to Verden? Was he married with family? Or was he single, dying before 1860? Did he leave everything to your uncle? So maybe some clues to follow here??? Nite, all..... Nel