In 1840, U. S. Census records reflect that 23% of Kentucky’s population was enslaved. A decade later it decreased to 21.4%. In 1850 Franklin County had 634 enslavers with 3360 people enslaved.
While Dolly spent her life of over 80 years enslaved to the Callaway family, her son Frederick Hart experienced a labyrinthine journey of enslavement to several interrelated families of prominent early Kentucky settlers.
In 1860, Mason Brown enslaved about 31 people, and one was a little girl around five years old. Recently, we’ve discovered that her name was likely Amanda Preston née Nichols.
Here is the truth about Liberty Hall's Gray Lady... she was a very real person and beloved member of the Brown Family. An Aunt to Margaretta Brown, Margaretta Varick lived in the New York area until she came westward for a visit.
In late August of 1865, Mary Yoder Brown (granddaughter of John & Margaretta Brown) married Union Colonel William T. Scott, and one of the gifts they received was fine silver service set.