Robert Hunnicutt II

  General Notes:

Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy: Virginia
[p.93] BLACK WATER MONTHLY MEETING (also called Surry, Burley and Gravelly Run Monthly Meeting before 1800, also Sussex and Upper Monthly Meeting; in latter days called Seacock Monthly Meeting).
page 96

This monthly meeting was very slow in advocating the abolition of slaves and its members were most sluggish in taking up and enforcing the recommendations of the yearly meeting on the matter. When the negro child had been seized from Robert Hunnicutt during the War, as a penalty for his refusal to support the conflict; the yearly meeting immediately took the incident as an illustration to press the point of the importance of manumitting all negroes at once. The fact that the child afterwards "suffered sorrowful neglect" while still a prisoner but added to the strength of the appeal. The yearly meeting urged that haste be made by Friends to free all their slaves, "for if they are seized as in the above case their bondage is perpetuated and beyond the power of Friends." Those who delayed would be guilty of neglect. In 1782 it was specified that slaveholders should be forbidden to act as overseers, elders or ministers; yet it took this to rouse this monthly meeting to becoming truly concerned in the issue. It appointed a committee to visit those who were masters. Some members openly defied the church courts and its injunctions and were disowned, while others gave excuses for their continued delay. In 1784 no one could be found who would serve on the visitation committee - "no Friends appear to have a [p.96) Draught on their minds to visit those who hold slaves". These reluctant slaveholders had good reasons for not freeing their negroes, aside from the important economic one. John Hunnicutt felt he was not within the law and would merely be signing his property over to others; Martha Hargrave was willing but her slaves were "such who cannot support themselves"; Nicholas Jarrot was willing to let his have their freedom but he owned them through his wife who was not a Quakeress and objected; still others were bound by wills and legal restraints. Eventually in 1788 there was a firm stand taken and all Friends were allowed so many weeks to take action. At the endorsed of this time many were disowned.

Robert married Sarah Ladd, daughter of William Ladd and Huldah Binford, on 4 Jun 1733 in Henrico MM, Charles City, Virginia.¹ (Sarah Ladd was born about 1714 in Henrico MM, Charles City, Virginia.)

Robert next married Agnes Chappell.