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MARCUS ROYSTER PLANTATION

 Granville County, North Carolina

 Marcus D. Royster married Frances Webb in 1842, and by 1850, he is believed to have built his plantation house on land that he had been acquiring since 1839.  Although Marcus died after the end of Slavery, it is possible to determine some of the names of his slaves from the records of his parents, both of whom had died by 1842 and who had left their children with a number of Slaves. His father's  will, written in May 1818, probated in May 1820, named 18 Slaves, who were listed in the Inventory of his Estate. 

In 1860, Marcus Royster had 31 Slaves, housed in 5 slave houses.  His father, Francis Royster, had 18 Slaves in the 1810 Census; there were 18 Slaves listed in his Inventory in 1820. Following are lists of Slaves in his parents records.

Will of Francis Royster, 1818; lend to wife Elizabeth:
Gilbert
Moses
Charles
Agg
Silency
Rachel
Lucy
Titus
Lize

To son Bannister Royster:
man - Simeon

To son Wiley Royster:
man - Anderson

To daughter Lilly [Letty] Norwood:
girl - Polly

To daughter Martha B. Royster:
woman - Netty

To daughter Stelly Royster:
woman - Dinah

To daughter Mary B. Royster:
girl - Jane

To son Marcus Royster:
boy - James

To Daughter Emily Royster:
girl - Hannah

To son William Royster:
boy - Peter

To wife Elizabeth, after their youngest child comes of age:
Rachel, Lucy, Moses & Titus


Inventory of Slaves in Estate of Francis Royster; 18 Slaves:
Aggy, Silency, Peggy, Bird, Netty, Stephen, Moses, Peter, Rachel, Lucy, Otoway, Charles, Jane, Harrison, James, Eliza, Diner, and Henry.
 

Marcus D. Royster was the son of Francis Royster & Elizabeth Shapard who married in 1789. Francis Royster's will probated in 1820, named a number of Slaves which he left for his wife to be passed on to their children when she died. Their children in his will were Robert Royster, Bannister Royster, Wiley Royster, Marcus D. Royster, William Royster, Lettice Royster (mar: Joseph Norwood), Mary B. Royster (mar: Berrin Oliver), Martha Royster (mar: Thomas J. Farrar), Stella Royster, and Emily Royster. In Sept. 1833, the children petitioned the Court for a division of the remaining property of the estate of their father, Francis Royster.

Researched & transcribed by Deloris Williams