The Enslaved as Property

The Enslaved as Property. . , In 1796, John Rowan Sr. was taxed for owning one slave. In subsequent years, Rowan purchased additional slaves as he developed and increased the size of his farm. The highest number of documented enslaved people owned by the Rowan family totaled 39 in 1830. The enslaved were considered to be property and were taxed according the person's assessed value. Age, physical condition, and skill sets such as carpentry or blacksmithing abilities determined the value of a slave. From the late 18th century until the mid-19th century, slaves were brought, sold, and hired to undertake the operations of the Rowan family's Federal Hill farm and their townhouse in Louisville, Kentucky. Rowan, like many slaveholders, sought to maximize his slaves' productivity, health, and natural increase while protecting the value of his capital investment by supplying his slaves with food, clothing and routine medical care including small pox vaccinations from visiting physicians. The will of John Rowan Sr. provided for the distribution of 19 slaves among six of his heirs. He made provisions in his will for the sale of slaves, with the proceeds from their sale to be used to buy slaves for John Rowan Jr. in trust. Four slaves, Andrew and his wife Jenny, their child, and Ben, were to be held in trust for Federal Hill farm., Mack Rowan, Mack Rowan was born into slavery in 1820 with a congenital deformity known as club foot. He was not physically able to meet the requirements necessary to work on John Rowan Sr.'s Federal Hill farm, not in the mansion, due to his handicap. Mack became a boot and shoe maker, eventually honing his craft to become highly skilled at his profession. For handicapped slaves, learning a trade made them of greater monetary value. As specified in John Rowan Sr.'s will, Mack was sold upon Rowan's death in 1843. Mack Rowan was sold to Charles Beeler in 1849. After emancipation, Mack married and according to census records, was still living in the year 1900. , Monetary Value of the Enslaved, In 1830, a tax assessment reported a total of 32 slaves valued at $6,850. The names and values of the enslaved at Federal Hill were: , (name/gender/age/value), Andrew and Jenny's Family , Andrew-M-57-$100 , Jenny-F-40-$200 , Louisa-F-18-$300 , Julia-F-17-$300 , Jane-F-13-$300 , Mary-F-13-$300 , Rachel-F-11-$200 , David-M-7-$200 , Edward-M-4-$150 , Andrew-M-3-$150, Bobbet Family , Bobbet-F-30-$50 , James-M-14-$400 , Lewis-M-12-$400 , Ned-M-8-$300 , Charles-M-5-$200, Jesse and Harriet Family , Jesse-M-27-$400 , Harriet-F-29-$300 , Sam-M-6-$200 , Susan-F-4-$150 , Rosetta-F-2-$10,