Zylpha Smith

 

$310 paid by James M. Smith of Asheville

(Alfred Fortune) Given all my interest in right of my wife Jane under the will of her father the late Col. Daniel Smith consisting of ⅕ of the following slaves with their increase which by the terms of the will afore said are subject to division among all her daughters at the death of Mrs. Mary Smith to wit Tom Sukey Robeson Anderson Matilda Sam Alix/Alise Live and Campbell Harrison and the increase of negroe woman Zylpha.

It is possible that Zylpha, who Daniel Smith (James M. Smith’s father) enslaved prior to 1824 is the same woman as Zilpha or Ziepha Smith, who is living with the Baley/Bailey family in the 1870 census. (See the post on Rebecca and Charlotte Bailey.) She likely was enslaved by Daniel’s wife Mary until Mary’s death in 1842, when she may have become enslaved by James M. Smith.

Zlypha may be the mother of James or Rebecca, who were enslaved by James M. Smith until his death in 1856. She was likely then enslaved by one of James M. Smith’s children, potentially Sarah Smith McDowell, who also enslaved James, Rebecca, and their daughter, Charlotte.

Lewis may be her husband.