Trial of Nat (slave of Edwin Turner estate)

September 3, 1831 – Executed

At a Court of Oyer and Terminer summoned and held for the County of Southampton on the 3d day of September 1831 for the trial of Nat a negro man slave the property of Edwin Turner and Jack a negro man slave the property of William Reese dcsd. both charged for making insurrection.

Present:  Jeremiah Cobb, Benjamin Drewry, William B. Goodwyn, James Trezevant & Ores A. Browne, Gent.

The Court being thus constituted Meriwether B. Brodnax Attorney prosecuting for the Commonwealth filed an Information against the above named Nat and Jack . . .

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Nat a negro man slave the property of Edwin Turner’s Est was then set to the bar in custody of the jailor of this County, and the Court doth appoint William C. Parker Counsel for the prisoner in his defense, and the prisoner being arraigned of the premises pleaded not guilty to the information and

Mary T. Barrow being sworn as witness says that the prisoner was one of the negroes that came to her husband’s home on the day that her husband was murdered and that the prisoner fired off a gun in the yard and threw it down. That she knows the prisoner—he lived at her house the last year—and she was within thirty steps of him when he fired off the gun.

The Court after hearing the testimony and from all the circumstances of the case are unanimously of opinion that the prisoner is guilty in manner & form as in the information against him is set forth and it being demanded of him if anything for himself he had or knew to say why the Court should not proceed to pronounce judgment against him according to law and nothing being offerred or alleged in delay of judgment it is considered by the Court that the prisoner be taken hence to the, place from whence he came there to be safely confined until Friday the ninth day of September instant on which day between the hours of ten o’clock in the forenoon and two o’clock in the afternoon he is to be taken by the Sheriff of this County to the usual place of execution and there to be hanged by the neck until he be dead. And the Court value the said slave at the sum of four hundred and fifty dollars.