Cicero
It is unknown when Cicero was born. He was the enslaved baker of Richard Kennon, grandson of the Richard Kennon who established the family at Conjurer’s Neck, and his wife, Anne Hunt Kennon. In 1763, he was rented out to Theodorick Bland of Cawsons for the sum of £30, about the equivalent of $7,500 in today’s money. Enslavers liked to name their enslaved people after Greco-Roman characters, heroes, and authors. Cicero was named after the Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, and writer.
Sam
It is unknown when Sam was born. He was enslaved by Elizabeth Worsham Kennon until 1719. In that year, she gave Sam to her son, Richard and his bride to be, Agnes Bolling, as a wedding gift. This was a common occurrence in the colonial era, the gifting of enslaved people as wedding gifts.
Tony
It is unknown when Tony was born. He was enslaved by Elizabeth Worsham Kennon until she gave him to her son, Richard, as a wedding gift for his marriage to Agnes Bolling.
Moll
It is unknown when Moll was born. Moll was used as a shortened form of Molly or Mollie and were diminutives of the name Mary. She was enslaved by Elizabeth Worsham Kennon until 1719 when she gave Moll to her son, Richard, as a gift for his eventual marriage to Agnes Bolling.
Amy
It is unknown when Amy was born. She was one of the enslaved people owned by Elizabeth Worsham Kennon and given to her son, Richard, as a wedding gift just before he married Agnes Bolling in 1719. It was common for a favored enslaved person to be given as a gift. It could be possible that Amy was favored by Richard, or even Agnes. One of the most unfortunate circumstances enslaved people had to endure was being split apart from their families and sent elsewhere.
Frank
It is unknown when Frank was born. He was an enslaved man owned by Elizabeth Worsham Kennon when she gave him as a gift to her son, Richard and future daughter-in-law, Agnes Bolling. When slavery was an institution in our country, it was common for children of the white plantation owners to be assigned their own enslaved person. The enslaved person assigned to the white child would usually be around the same age. They would grow up together and play with each other in younger years. As the white child and enslaved person grew up, things would change as the roles both would play began to become apparent, one as the enslaver, the other as the enslaved. The enslaved person would be expected to wait on their young master and accompany them wherever they went. In many instances, this enslaved person would stay with the child they were assigned to for much of their life. Frank could have been assigned to Richard Kennon when he was in his youth.
Jenny
It is unknown when or where Jenny was born. Jenny was enslaved by Elizabeth Worsham Kennon until she was deeded to Richard Kennon in 1719 as a wedding gift.
Tom Boy
It is unknown when Tom boy was born. He was enslaved by Elizabeth Worsham Kennon and deeded to her son Richard in 1719, just before his marriage to Agnes Bolling. From the name he was listed as in Elizabeth’s deed of gift to Richard, it is possible that Tom was a young boy at the time that he was given to Richard, or it could have been a nickname.
Harry
Harry was born in January, 1720. He was enslaved by Richard and Agnes Bolling Kennon. He is one of a number of enslaved people listed in the Bristol Parish Vestry Birth Register who were enslaved by the Kennon family. Unfortunately, the parents of the enslaved children listed in the register are not listed, only who their enslavers were. Hopefully in the future more information will come to light to allow us to find out who these children’s parents were.