SOME DOCUMENTARY RECORDS OF SLAVERY IN OREGON
By Fred Lockley.
Though Oregon is far north of the Mason and Dixon line, yet slaves were held in Oregon in the days of the Provisional Government. Officially slavery never existed in Oregon, but actually some of the Oregon pioneers held slaves. Hidden away in the dry-as-dust records of the county court when what is now Multnomah County was a part of Washington County and when Hillsboro was the county seat, and in consequence put on airs over its humble neighbor, Portland, you will find some interesting documents. While looking through one of the early day volumes of records recently I came upon this unique record (this is presented not as an instance of actual slavery in Oregon, but to show that the registration of a document of manumission was considered advisable in Oregon):
"Know all men by these presents, that for and in consideration of five hundred dollars, to me in hand paid by Jane Thomas, late Jane Snowden, a free woman of color, the receipt whereof is hereby confessed and acknowledged, I David Snowden, of the County of Ray, in the State of Missouri, have bargained, sold and delivered to her the same Jane Thomas, late Jane Snowden, a free woman of color, one certain negro boy slave named Billy, aged about eleven years and the son of the said Jane Thomas, late Jane Snowden, a free woman of color. This sale is made to gratify the said Jane Thomas the mother of the said negro boy Billy, as she is about to emigrate to Oregon and wishes to take the boy with her. Given under my hand and seal this 17th day of December, A. D. 1852. David Snowden (seal).
"Received for record April 10th and and recorded this thirteenth day of April, A. D. 1854. W. S. Caldwell, Auditor and Recorder, Washington County, Oregon Territory."
Look over the early records of Clark County, then a part
