Posted on: Bienville Parish Queries Board URL: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/La/Bienville?read=486 Surname: ------------------------- It sounds as if your relative was black. My relatives are all white around this time. They did have slaves that I have listed in my database. I just can't figure out how to pull them out and post them to the net. Surely, their descendants would want to know about them. Unfortunately. they are only listed by first name in wills and deed. One of my relatives did "run off" with one of his father's slaves who is said to have been a "beautiful maulatto from Orleans" I'm pretty sure that started a leg of our black Bailiff's around 1900. The Bailiff were plantation owners and I believe the Watson's were the ship masters. The Bailiff's migrated from Va in 1600's to Orange county, NC in the 1700's and then Alabama, TN in the early 1800's. I did pick up a family in Bienville, LA around 1850 in the land records. Linda