Slave of William Zeigler who moved to Crawford County, Georgia in 1827 and amassed a fortune from three plantations and owning over 8,000 acres of land. William never married Mary but had three children by her. Upon his death he left his slaves $100,000 and sent them all to freedom in Ohio. Mary apparently stayed behind and is buried on the edge of Oak Ridge Cemetery, as close as she could get to the crypt of her master and father of her children, William Zeigler.Mary was an African-American, enslaved by William Zeigler. They lived together on Williams estate in Crawford County, where Mary birthed their 3 children. Because interracial marriage was outlawed in Georgia, they eloped to Alabama, who's Constitution outlawing mixed-race matrimony wasn't passed until 1901. Mary Jane Thomas married William Zeigler on March 14, 1846 in Autauga County, Alabama.
When William died in 1855, his will instructed that his "Woman slave Mary" and their children be taken to a state where the laws thereof will tolerate their manumission." It further instructed his executors to provide the children with quality education and clothing. He left an inheritance to Mary and each of their children. The youngest, Octavia Zeigler, was three years old at the time of his death.
Mary and their children moved to Ohio and were manumitted in Clermont County. When Octavia came of age, Mary and her daughters returned to Macon, Georgia so that Octavia could receive her inheritance from her father's estate.
Unbeknownst to them, the Trustee had mishaldled the funds, athe estate had been depleted. Octavia's inheritance was no more.
In 1869, Octavia and Mary brought a Claim to Crawford County Superior Court against Trustee Greene Culverhouse. The Claim was heard by a jury, who ruled in Mary and Octavia's favor, in 1875. In 1877, Octavia and her sister Melinda purchased a burial lot for their mother in Oak Ridge Cemetery (inside Rose Hill Cemetery).
Mary and her daughters continued to live in Macon until Mary's death in 1908.
When William died in 1855, his will instructed that his "Woman slave Mary" and their children be taken to a state where the laws thereof will tolerate their manumission." It further instructed his executors to provide the children with quality education and clothing. He left an inheritance to Mary and each of their children. The youngest, Octavia Zeigler, was three years old at the time of his death.
Mary and their children moved to Ohio and were manumitted in Clermont County. When Octavia came of age, Mary and her daughters returned to Macon, Georgia so that Octavia could receive her inheritance from her father's estate.
Unbeknownst to them, the Trustee had mishaldled the funds, athe estate had been depleted. Octavia's inheritance was no more.
In 1869, Octavia and Mary brought a Claim to Crawford County Superior Court against Trustee Greene Culverhouse. The Claim was heard by a jury, who ruled in Mary and Octavia's favor, in 1875. In 1877, Octavia and her sister Melinda purchased a burial lot for their mother in Oak Ridge Cemetery (inside Rose Hill Cemetery).
Mary and her daughters continued to live in Macon until Mary's death in 1908.
Slave of William Zeigler who moved to Crawford County, Georgia in 1827 and amassed a fortune from three plantations and owning over 8,000 acres of land. William never married Mary but had three children by her. Upon his death he left his slaves $100,000 and sent them all to freedom in Ohio. Mary apparently stayed behind and is buried on the edge of Oak Ridge Cemetery, as close as she could get to the crypt of her master and father of her children, William Zeigler.Mary was an African-American, enslaved by William Zeigler. They lived together on Williams estate in Crawford County, where Mary birthed their 3 children. Because interracial marriage was outlawed in Georgia, they eloped to Alabama, who's Constitution outlawing mixed-race matrimony wasn't passed until 1901. Mary Jane Thomas married William Zeigler on March 14, 1846 in Autauga County, Alabama.
When William died in 1855, his will instructed that his "Woman slave Mary" and their children be taken to a state where the laws thereof will tolerate their manumission." It further instructed his executors to provide the children with quality education and clothing. He left an inheritance to Mary and each of their children. The youngest, Octavia Zeigler, was three years old at the time of his death.
Mary and their children moved to Ohio and were manumitted in Clermont County. When Octavia came of age, Mary and her daughters returned to Macon, Georgia so that Octavia could receive her inheritance from her father's estate.
Unbeknownst to them, the Trustee had mishaldled the funds, athe estate had been depleted. Octavia's inheritance was no more.
In 1869, Octavia and Mary brought a Claim to Crawford County Superior Court against Trustee Greene Culverhouse. The Claim was heard by a jury, who ruled in Mary and Octavia's favor, in 1875. In 1877, Octavia and her sister Melinda purchased a burial lot for their mother in Oak Ridge Cemetery (inside Rose Hill Cemetery).
Mary and her daughters continued to live in Macon until Mary's death in 1908.
When William died in 1855, his will instructed that his "Woman slave Mary" and their children be taken to a state where the laws thereof will tolerate their manumission." It further instructed his executors to provide the children with quality education and clothing. He left an inheritance to Mary and each of their children. The youngest, Octavia Zeigler, was three years old at the time of his death.
Mary and their children moved to Ohio and were manumitted in Clermont County. When Octavia came of age, Mary and her daughters returned to Macon, Georgia so that Octavia could receive her inheritance from her father's estate.
Unbeknownst to them, the Trustee had mishaldled the funds, athe estate had been depleted. Octavia's inheritance was no more.
In 1869, Octavia and Mary brought a Claim to Crawford County Superior Court against Trustee Greene Culverhouse. The Claim was heard by a jury, who ruled in Mary and Octavia's favor, in 1875. In 1877, Octavia and her sister Melinda purchased a burial lot for their mother in Oak Ridge Cemetery (inside Rose Hill Cemetery).
Mary and her daughters continued to live in Macon until Mary's death in 1908.
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