Bessy of Good Hope

The 1817 slave register for John Tharp's Good Hope estate provides the mother's name Bessy for six children: Nancy Bailley (b. 1801), Thomas (b. 1803), John White (b. 1807), Peggy White (b. 1809), Sabina (b. 1812) and Olive (b. 1815). The 1820 return of 'increases' and 'decreases', the only one to provide precise dates, adds Billy (b. 19th of January 1818).

Thomas was described as Sambo, which indicates that one of his parents was of mixed heritage. Nancy Bailley and John White were described as Mulatto, indicating that their father was white. The other children were all described as Negro. 

Two women called Bessy could have been the mother of these children:

1. Bessy (1759-1826), who was born in Africa. She would have been 42 when Nancy Bailley was born and could also have given birth to Thomas, John White and Peggy White by the age of 50. It is progressively less likely that she was the mother of the younger children.

2. Bessy (1781-1822) was the daughter of Lucretia (see 'Cretia and Lucretia of Good Hope'). She would have been 20 when Nancy Bailley was born and 37 when Billy was, and could therefore have been the mother of any or all of these children.



Going down a generation, Nancy Bailley was named the mother of Elizabeth Shellard (b. 15th of February 1818), Maria Shellard (1821-1824) and John Irving (b. 1829). Elizabeth and Maria were described as Quadroon, indicating that their father was white. John was described as Mulatto, which may mean that his father was of mixed European and African heritage.

Peggy White (b. 1809) was named as the mother of Thomas Girdwood (b. and d. 1832), who may have been named after his uncle.


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