Page News & Courier
Heritage and Heraldry
Clarifying a few details in the narrative of Bethany Veney
Article of August 24, 2000
Some readers may recollect that in previous articles I have mentioned that Page County was among the three counties in the Shenandoah Valley with the lowest number of slaves. It is unlikely that numbers set in documented historical records will change, however, it is then certainly ironic to note that a former resident of Page County offers rare insight into her personal experiences as a slave.
The value of Veney's narrative is apparent. While Weevils in the Wheat: Interviews with Virginia Ex-Slaves (1976) and the WPA Records Group, Virginia Writers' Project files offer sketch-like recollections of slaves in Virginia, according to Weevils' annotated bibliography of slave narratives there are only 29 published narratives that cover the subject of slavery in Virginia between 1784 and 1865. Of that number, there are only three that deal with slavery in the Shenandoah Valley � two being from former Frederick County slaves, and one (Bethany Veney) from Page County. A review of the "Web" reveals that over 30 active sites offer links to one of three or four sites that offer the complete text of Bethany Veney's narrative. Additionally, a handful of university related sites hail Veney's narrative as essential reading when it comes to the history of slavery in the United States.
In addition to reading about the details of her life and experiences, it is also interesting to read into the Bethany Veney narrative for the mention of other Page County residents � specifically the families with whom Bethany Veney had the most contact � those her four owners. All of these families lived near Luray (the 49th District in 1850) and were simple farmers.
While Bethany's last (John Printz, Sr. � born 1807) and second to last (David McKay � born 1806) owners are mentioned in the narrative, it was her early history that offers much more intrigue. It appears uncertain if Bethany's first owner was truly James Fletcher of Pass Run. Taken into consideration as property and inventoried, Bethany and her sister Matilda were passed-on to Lucy (a "spinster" and daughter of James) Fletcher (born ca. 1801) as a "share." Bethany's grandmother and Uncle Peter were given to Nasenath (also a daughter of James) Fletcher. Bethany recalled that Nasenath later married David Kibler (born ca. 1803 and a farmer with $2,500 in real estate in 1850), with whom all of them found a "home" shortly thereafter. However, the 1850 census records and county marriage records indicate that Kibler's spouse (as of August 1837) was Mary Ann Leavill (born ca. 1816) leaving a question as to whether Bethany's mother's owner was a Fletcher or Leavill. David, the son of Martin and Dorothy/"Polly" Kibler, died in 1873 of apoplexy.
It is worthwhile to note that as of the WPA Historical Inventory in Page County in the 1930s/1940s, David Kibler's former residence (3 � miles northeast of Luray) was said to have had one remaining slave cabin which was then being used as a smokehouse.
While not an owner of Bethany Veney, another key character in the narrative was Jonas Mannyfield, the owner of "Jerry," to whom Bethany was first married. However, a search of the 1850 census finds no Mannyfield (or other derivations of the name) listed, leaving the reader to remain curious as to where "from across the Blue Ridge" the Mannyfields came.
The last official purchase of Bethany Veney resulted in her freedom and subsequent move to New England prior to the Civil War.
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