by AUDREY CREEL / November 14, 2020
©Audrey Creel, 2020 (All rights reserved.)
Matilda “Tilda” Maney was born in Tennessee in approximately 1827.[i] It is uncertain whether Matilda was enslaved on a Maney plantation or another plantation in Murfreesboro. David D. Maney owned several African Americans who were the same age as Matilda, her husband, and her children, so it is possible that Matilda was enslaved by David Maney.[ii] There also were enslaved African Americans living on Lewis Maney’s plantation (present day Oaklands Mansion) who were the same age as Matilda and her family, so it also is possible that Matilda was enslaved by Lewis Maney.[iii] David Maney had more males than females working his plantation.[iv] If Matilda resided at David’s plantation it is likely that she would have worked in the home as well as in the fields. Matilda left no records to indicate her exact role while enslaved in Murfreesboro.
After the Civil War, Matilda moved into a home with John Maney and four children – Mary, Ferdy, Lucy, and Cherry Maney.[v] It is uncertain if this was the first time all six family members lived under the same roof. There are no legal records indicating that John and Matilda married; however, in 1880, Matilda claimed to be widowed – indicating that Matilda and John had married, likely before the end of the Civil War.[vi] Immediately following the Civil War, Matilda’s occupation is listed as “keeping house,” indicating that Matilda likely took on the role of a housewife, caring for her family.[vii] However, following the death of her husband, Matilda was required to work to support her and her children and found employment as a laundress, though it is uncertain where she was employed.[viii] There are no further records for Matilda Maney. It is uncertain when Matilda died or if she ever remarried.
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References
[i] United States Census, “Maney, Matilda,” 1870 United States Census, 1870, accessed November 9, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7163/images/4275524_00055?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1735&_phstart=successSource&pId=7435376.
[ii] United States Census, “Many, D.D.,” 1860 United States Census – Slave Schedule, 1860, accessed November 9, 2020 from familysearch.org database https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9BSD-FR2?cc=3161105&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AWKT5-VW6Z.
[iii] United States Census, “Manney, L.M.,” 1860 United States Census – Slave Schedule, 1860, accessed November 9, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7668/images/tnm653_1285-0120?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=394ad12e8a2edd8f49f8e0147ce5aea3&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1776&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.149282613.267679452.1604965211-1700215809.1599080803&pId=92225235.
[iv] United States Census, “D.D. Many,” 1860 United States Census – Slave Schedule.
[v] United States Census, “Maney, Matilda,” 1870 United States Census.
[vi] United States Census, “Maney, Tilda,” 1880 United States Census, 1880, accessed November 9, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6742/images/4244656-00431?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=3b61814f6565b08c5f5eb9f5ab0d9db2&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1741&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.115726469.267679452.1604965211-1700215809.1599080803&pId=16588861.
[vii] United States Census, “Maney, Matilda,” 1870 United States Census.
[viii] United States Census, “Maney, Tilda,” 1880 United States Census.
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