by AUDREY CREEL / December 30, 2020
©Audrey Creel, 2020 (All rights reserved.)

Silas Maney was born in approximately 1830 in Tennessee.[i] It is unknown exactly where Silas was enslaved prior to emancipation. Silas testified on behalf of Madison Turner, indicating that he likely had spent time on David D. Maney’s plantation during the Civil War.[ii] Lewis Maney is the only member of the Maney family to have enslaved a man approximately Silas’ age in 1860.[iii] Therefore, Silas likely was enslaved on the Maney plantation (present day Oaklands Mansion) during the Civil War.

In 1868, Silas Maney was taken to court by Lewis Maney (Silas’ assumed former owner) for fraudulent business practices. Lewis first brought Silas to court to repossess a horse that Silas had used to cultivate crops.[iv] Silas claimed that the horse was necessary to properly cultivate the crops on the Maney plantation.[v] The court allowed Silas the use of the horse under the condition that he paid extra after the harvest.[vi] After the harvest, Lewis claimed that he had not received just compensation from Silas for his use of the horse.[vii] The court ruled in favor of Lewis, claiming that Silas’ labor was not his own. Silas was ordered to pay Lewis four additional bales of cotton.[viii]

In 1880, Silas lived in Murfreesboro, Tennessee with his wife, Elizabeth Maney.[ix] It is unknown when Silas and Elizabeth were married. Silas employed a servant as a laundress named Amie Murphy.[x] Silas was employed as a laborer in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.[xi] It is likely that Silas continued working for Lewis Maney’s sharecropping business after his court case was finalized in 1874. Elizabeth worked as a cook, though it is unknown where she was employed.[xii] There are no further known records for Silas Maney. It is unknown what happened to Silas after 1880.

• For more information about “Maney, L.M. et al vs. Silas Maney et. al. c. 1867-1874,” please reference the first chapter of my Honors thesis.

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References

[i] United States Census, “Maney, Silas,” 1880 United States Census, 1880, accessed December 30, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6742/images/4244656-00420?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iaY1204&_phstart=successSource&pId=41825521.

[ii] U.S. Southern Claims Commission, “Petition of Madison Turner,” Disallowed and Barred Claims, Murfreesboro, TN: October 22, 1872, accessed November 19, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1218/images/rhusa1871_102839__0010-00389?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs331&_phstart=successSource&pId=58455.

[iii] United States Census, “L.M. Manny,” 1860 United States Census – Slave Schedule, 1860, accessed December 30, 2020 from ancestry.com database, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7668/images/tnm653_1285-0120?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iaY1133&_phstart=successSource&pId=92225235.

[iv] Letter, “L.M. Maney v. Silas Maney,” filed May 29, 1868, Rutherford County Archives, in folder “Maney, L.M. et al vs. Silas Maney et. al. c. 1867-1874,” Rutherford County Chancery Court, Murfreesboro, TN.  

[v] Letter, “L.M. Maney v. Silas Maney.”

[vi] Court notes, “L.M. Maney et al v. Silas Maney et al Crop Bill,” filed November 5, 1867, Rutherford County Archives, in folder “Maney, L.M. et al vs. Silas Maney et. al. c. 1867-1874,” Rutherford County Chancery Court, Murfreesboro, TN.

[vii] Court notes, “L.M. Maney, et al. v. Silas Maney et al Crop Bill,” filed November 5, 1867, “Maney, L.M. et al vs. Silas Maney et. al. c. 1867-1874.”

[viii] Court notes, “L.M. Maney, et al. v. Silas Maney et al Crop Bill,” filed November 5, 1867, “Maney, L.M. et al vs. Silas Maney et. al. c. 1867-1874.”

[ix] United States Census, “Maney, Silas,” 1880 United States Census.

[x] United States Census, “Maney, Silas,” 1880 United States Census.

[xi] United States Census, “Maney, Silas,” 1880 United States Census.

[xii] United States Census, “Maney, Silas,” 1880 United States Census.