Fayette County Slave Mortgage

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Mortgage of a slave woman by Gideon Shryock

Submitted by Lyndon Comstock. lyndon.comstock at gmail.com

Gideon Shryock owed $320.20 to Stephen Swift & Co, merchants, no doubt for purchases from Swift's store. Shryock is mortgaging a 20 or 21 year old woman he owns named Julian (sp?) as security for the indebtedness. September 4, 1833. Recorded September 4, 1833. Fayette County deeds book 9, p. 155.

Whereas Gideon Shryock of the City of Lexington is indebted to Stephen Swift &C Merchants in the Sum of Three hundred and twenty dollars Twenty cents evidenced by note of even date herewith. And said Gideon Shryock being desirous to secure to said Swift & C. the payment of said note and all damages and costs necessary thereon. Now in consideration of the premises and the further consideration of one dollar in hand paid by the said S. Swift & C to said Shryock, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, hath bargained and sold and by these presents doth bargain and sell to the Said S. Swift the one negro woman named Julian aged about 20 or 21 years now in possession of said G Shryock Now if the said Gideon Shryock shall well and truly pay off and discharge said note together with all costs and damages attending the same when it shall be lawfully demanded, then the above conveyance to be void or otherwise to remain in full force and virtue In Witness whereof the said Gideon Shryock hath hereunto set his hand and seal this 4^th Sept 1833.

[signed] Gideon Shryock

I James C Rodes clerk of the County Court...do certify that this deed of Mortgage...was this day produced...and acknowledged by Said Gideon Shryock to be his act and deed...Given under my hand this 4^th day of September 1833 Att J C Rodes Clk FCC

Note by LC: Gideon Shryock was a very prominent architect in Kentucky. Francis Walker worked as a stone mason for Shryock. Shryock guaranteed the mortgage for the Lexington property which Francis and Nancy (Comstock) Walker purchased in 1833. If Shryock had to make good on that $600 mortgage when the Walkers died in the cholera epidemic of summer 1833, it may have created a cash flow problem which he may have been addressing in part with this mortgage in September 1833 of a woman held as a slave.