Diary of Edward Bates, May 24, 1859

To day, Sarah Bates, by one single deed, set free all her remaining slaves — being 32 in number. The deed was proven in Court, by John. S. McCune and Edward Bates, two of the subscribing witnesses — the witness being C. Woodson Bates.⁶¹

She has long wished to accomplish this end but was never quite ready to do it till now.

In her late severe sickness, the though[t] of leaving her slaves to be held as property and to serve strangers after he[r] death, seemed to give her great distress. She talked of it painfully, sleeping and waking.

Having executed the deed, and then fulfilled her long-cherished wish, she seemed relieved of a burden, and greatly cheered and lightened.

The negro[e]s are very good-looking generally, and are worth at least $20,000.

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⁶¹ Mr. Bates's youngest son. See supra, " Introduction."

SOURCE: Howard K. Beale, Editor, Annual Report of The American Historical Association For The Year 1930, Vol. 4, The Diary Of Edward Bates, pp. 17-8