?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 5,000 - $ 7,000
THE B. H. MUNDAY FAMILY'S SLAVE BIBLE (SLAVERY AND ABOLITION.) MUNDAY, B. H. The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Testaments. Copious full-page wood engravings. "Family Register" preceding the New Testament, containing seven pages of the births, and deaths of the Munday family's slaves. Large, thick 4to, modern binding of full calf in the style of the period. A few pages with archival repair and backing; light foxing throughout. should be seen. Philadelphia: C. Alexander, 1834
a fine and detailed example of a "slave bible," kept specifically for the use of recording the births and deaths of a plantation's slaves and very possibly for their own use on Sunday. This Bible belonged to Benjamin H. Munday Jr. whose father's birth and death dates appear in the "Family Record," as do the records of B.H. Munday Jr. and Mary H. Harrison's on August 13th, 1829--the only non-slave names recorded therein. B.H. Munday of Essex County, Virginia wrote on the front free endpaper of this Bible "This Bible bought of George S. Gatewood by B. H. Munday for price $7 January 16, 1834." Someone, possibly Munday's overseer or Munday himself has arranged the names of the slaves according to birth and death-date and in some instances where and from whom they were obtained. On one side of the Record he writes "Names of Negroes received of Capt. W. Fisher, Nelson, supposed to be at this time 24 years of age. . . . .with a long list of names and "dittos." On the other side of the page, Munday writes "Names and Ages of Negroes received of B H. Munday--Old Harry--Nelson son of Sary was born Nov 1769--Young Harry was born--Tittes son of Nutty was born 1803--Happy daughter of Nutty was born Oct 6, 1796--Lavenia Daughter of Happy was born 1822--Lucy Daughter of Bathsheba was born Feb 19, 1794--Henry son of Lucy was sold $250 born 1814--Richard son of Lucy was born 1817--Hety daughter of Lucy was born 1819--Malinda Daughter of Lucy was born 1822 died 1823--Fanny Daughter of Nutty was born Nov 1st 1807--Names and Ages of Negroes received at the death of Capt. W Fisher in January 1825 -Delphia supposed to be at this time year old--Minty daughter of Delphia--Robert son of same--Moses son of same--Charles son of George was born--Martha daughter of Happy was born April 15th 1825--Temple son of Lucy was born May 11 1825--Abraham son of Jinny was born July 4th 1825--Rody daughter of Jinny was born June 28th 1827--Patience purchased of MHJ and Wm Jones and two children she is supposed to be at this time 25 years old--Albert son of Patience supposed to be at this time 7 years old--Henrietta died the following year 1826--Mark son of Fanny was born Feb 10th 1826, died July 12, 1828 -Sally and three children purchased of H Hard at Sheriff sale, $400.50 her age at this time 33 years, deceased 1827--Frances daughter of Sally was born January 31 1822--Kitty Daughter of Sally was born Nov 11, 1823--Martha Daughter of Sally was born June 14 1827, 1828 Died--Tom Son of Mint was born Feb 19, 1828, Died July 12 -Leland son of Lucy was born March 16th 1828 died 1828--July daughter of Sally was born Sept 9th 1828--Sharlott daughter or Jinny was born May 18, 1829--Tom son of Lucy was born Sept 2, 1829--Ages of the children of July -Harry Son of July was born June 7, 1849--Benjamin son of the same was born February 20th 1852--Fanny daughter of the same was born July 11, 1856--Jonas son of the same was born Dec 3rd 1858--Felicia daughter of the same was born April 5th 1860--Mary Elizabeth daughter of the same was born May 4th 1862." The value of so--called "Slave Bibles" such as the present Munday Bible lies in the genealogical record found in the pages of the "Family Record." There are a growing number of institutions using information like this to help African American families find their ancestors.
