Enslaved by the Hankins family at Bacon’s Castle.
Gave birth to a son, Solomon Travis, fathered by her enslaver John Hankins in 1859.
Nancy was a lady’s maid to Virginia Hankins starting around or before 1862 (2)
Nancy went with Virginia to Mecklenburg County by summer of 1862. They stayed with the Alexander family at their plantation, Lombardy Grove (1,2)
In a letter dated June 2, 1862, John Hankins wrote to his daughter to “tell Nancy howdy & be a good girl.” (2)
During the Civil War, Nancy corresponded with fellow enslaved servant Susan quite often (3, 6, 7)
Although neither Susan nor Nancy could read or write, members of the Hankins family (and sometimes Bobby Wilson, Lou’s nephew who attended school at Bacon’s Castle with the Hankins boys) would take dictation from Susan to help her send messages to Nancy. However, sometimes these letters would be “written over” or rewritten to limit the flow of information between the two women (7)
In June 1862, Lou Hankins warned her daughter against saying anything in front of Nancy about enslaved people in Surry self-emancipating (3)
In a letter dated September 1, 1862, Lou Hankins promises to have a new pair of shoes made for Nancy. Lou notes, “I thought ‘Bob’ promised to get a pair for her, let me know.” (4)
On September 8, 1862, Lou wrote to Virginia that she would be sending Nancy “an elegant pair of gaiters.” (5)
For an upcoming trip to Petersburg with Virginia, Nancy was carefully directed by Lou as to her appearance: “tell her she must do up her bonnet very nicely & starch it stiff to wear to Petersburg & she ought to wear her best calico apron.” (5)
Will need to get family permission to include the story – but I am sure they will agree to it.
