Page News & Courier
Heritage and Heraldry
In the wake of Nat Turner: Controversy over slavery in Page
Article of November 6, 1997
By the time of Page's founding as a county, politically, the nation's representatives were very near to greater disagreements over the issues of slavery and states' rights. Slavery in the Shenandoah Valley, though low in size in comparison with several other Virginia counties, was on the decline. Page numbered lower percentage-wise than some surrounding counties such as Clarke, Warren and Augusta each numbering 50 and 20 percent respectively. Slave owning whites in Page numbered less than 19 percent.
Perhaps the start of the most controversial issues in Page County regarding slaves took place in 1831. Following the "Nat Turner Rebellion" during that summer in Southeastern Virginia, Page may have felt some degree of "after shocks." The events that followed may have either been a result of concern over the potential slave uprisings or the slaves in the area may have developed ideas of "rebellion" from the Nat Turner incident.
In Page County on November 10, 1831, "Joe," a slave owned by Mark Beasley, was accused to have plotted the murder of Vincent Wood and Jacob Hochman. Wood was a laborer living near Cedar Point. The end verdict of "not guilty" made it easy to believe that perhaps the white citizens may have become threatened by the recent Turner rebellion, and in fact, started on a "witch hunt." Nevertheless, Beasley was required to enter "into a recognizance in the sum of $2,000" to insure that "Joe" kept the peace for the following twelve months.
Fifteen days later another case was brought in front of the Page County court concerning a slave owned by Enos McKay known as "Dan." The charge in this event was that "Dan" had "willfully and maliciously" assaulted and beaten Mary McDaniel with the intent to kill her. Unlike the trial of "Joe," "Dan" had been witnessed in his assault upon Ms. McDaniel. Two such witnesses had been "Frankey" and "Rose," slaves apparently of the same household. After lengthy testimonies, "Dan" was found guilty. As a result he was to receive thirty lashes "upon his bare back to be well laid on."
Worse yet, or perhaps in the better interest of "Dan," he was to be banished from the United States altogether, with full reimbursement to be made to Mr. McKay for the loss of his "property."
In the years that followed, there were several slaves freed by their masters through self- purchase, including Mann Page. In his will of December 1831, Phillip Rudacille saw to the freedom of Page for $600 raised by his own labor to other people in the area. In turn, Mann Page turned over a great deal of personal property he had accumulated, to include livestock and his own crop of wheat, for the freedom of his wife Elizabeth. Furthermore, if enough money were left over, it would be applied to the freedom of his son, James. Again, this was one of many instances in the years following 1831 where slaves began to purchase their own freedom in Page.
Following 1831, there was clearly a distinct concern regarding the slave population in the county. As records show, as early as 1833, there had been formed a local militia for reaction against civil disturbances of any sort. Despite the formation of the militia, in both 1835 and 1836 fear of uprisings was still apparent. Because of such fears there were fines against owners of slaves for letting their "colored folks to run at large." A $10 fine per owner was assessed against seven citizens of Page in November 1836 for that exact infraction.
The last great "scare" in Page County apparently came with the murder of 29 year-old John Wesley Bell by his slaves, "Captain" and "Martin" on February 14, 1842. More of this event will follow in yet another article.
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