Ephraim Edmonson (abt. 1816 - 1888)

Born about 1816 in Montgomery, Maryland, United States

Husband of Mary (Banister) Edmonson — married 1 Feb 1860 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Died 2 Jan 1888 at about age 72 in Washington, D.C., United States

Biography

Ephraim Edmonson is a part of US Black heritage.

Ephraim was the son of Paul and Amelia Edmonson. He married Mary Banister on 01 Feb 1860 at Washington, D.C.^[1] Among their children are:

• Oliver
• Narcissa
• Elizabeth
• Christopher
• Walter
• Marie, b. abt 1875; m. Mr. Horsford; d. 23 Feb 1914 in Manhattan, New York.^[2]

Quoting from ^[3], Ephraim Edmonson was born into slavery in Montgomery County, Maryland circa 1818 to Paul Edmonson, a free black, and Amelia, a slave belonging to Rebecca Culver. Ephraim was one out of fourteen children born to Paul and Amelia Edmonson. Ephraim like his siblings was hired out to work in Washington, DC, by Francis Valdenar the executor of Rebecca Culver's estate.

Ephraim was the oldest of the Edmonson brothers to board the Pearl, a merchant schooner belonging to Captain Edward Sayres, and attempt to escape slavery in 1848. After the Pearl was captured Ephraim and his siblings were jailed and later sold down to New Orleans. On May 13, 1848 he was listed along with 5 of his siblings as one of the slaves to sail aboard the brig Union from Baltimore to New Orleans. He was 30 years old at this time and was described as being 5'8" and brown. It is not clear how long Ephraim was a slave in Louisiana, but by 1860 he was back in Washington, DC living with his parents, Paul and Amelia. At this time Ephraim was married to Mary Jane Bannister and was employed as a coachman.

By 1870 Ephraim Edmonson was living in Washington D.C. with his wife Mary Jane and their four children: Oliver, Narcissa, Elizabeth, and Christopher. The family resided on H. Street in the SW quadrant of the city. Edmonson was employed as a carriage driver in Washington and his wife Mary was a laundress. By 1880 Edmonson has another child, a son named Walter who is listed in the household according to the census of that year. Ephraim Edmonson dies sometime before or during 1890 when his wife Mary Jane is listed in the Washington City directory as the widow of Ephraim Edmonson.

Slave Owners

1. William Henry Culver (-1826), birth-1826
2. Rebecca Culver (abt.1785-aft.1860) 1826-1848
3. Joseph Bruin (abt.1808-abt.1882) and Henry Hill, slave dealers of Alexandria and Baltimore- sold to slave traders in 1848 and taken to New Orleans 1848-?

Sources

1. ↑ District of Columbia Marriages, 1811-1950
2. ↑ New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949
3. ↑ https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc5400/sc5496/047800/047820/html/047820bio.html

• United States Census, 1860
• United States Census, 1870
• District of Columbia Deaths, 1874-1961

• "The Fugitives of the Pearl", p. 10: "The Edmondsons were owned by an estate. The administrator, who was approached by John Brent,9 the husband of the oldest sister of the children, agreed to give their friends an opportunity to effect their purchase, as he was unwilling to run any further risk by keeping them. He failed to keep this promise and when Mr. Brent went to see them the next day he was informed that they had been sold to Bruin and Hill, the slave-dealers of Alexandria and Baltimore, and had been sent to the former city. A cash sum of $4,500 had been accepted for the six children and when taxed with the failure to keep his promise, he simply said he was unwilling to take any further risk with them. Bruin also refused to listen to any proposals, saying he had long had his eyes on the family and could get twice what he paid for them in the New Orleans market."

• Slave Manifest for the Brig Union, departing Baltimore 13 May 1848, Ephraim Edmonson (entry #9), "New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., Slave Manifests, 1807-1860," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (Ancestry Record 1562 #47377 : accessed 29 November 2022), Name Ephrim Edmondson [Ephraim Edmonson], Gender Male, Race Black, Arrival Age 30, Birth Date abt 1818, Departure Place Baltimore, Maryland, USA, Arrival Date 18 May 1848, Arrival Place New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, Ship Name Union, Complexion Brown, Slave Owners or Shippers Joseph S Donovan; citing The National Archives in Washington, DC, Washington, DC, Slave Manifests of Coastwise Vessels Filed at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1807-1860, Microfilm Serial M1895, Microfilm Roll 12.