by Barbie Jones

The Gift of a Soul in 1853: Raburn Gunn

Another genealogical gem has been discovered, courtesy of FamilySearch’s Experimental Lab with AI. This is where AI is being trained to read old handwriting in old, unindexed court records on FamilySearch. So far, the offerings are very limited, but as you might imagine, the possibilities are extraordinary.

I very recently shared HERE about my delight in finding the 1874 last will and testament gift of Thomas Payne Harris to my ancestor, Maria Gay.

Let’s add to the findings. As I looked for more information on my Gunn family members from Taliaferro County, Georgia, I discovered this:

Taliaferro County Court Book Vols. E-F (1850-1874) page 179—- Written Dec 1853-recorded Mar 1854, gift deed from William Gunn to his son, John R. Gunn. The “gift” was my 3rd great-grandfather, Raburn Gunn.

It is a surreal experience to see your ancestor’s name listed in such a way. The duality of wonderment and revilement somehow just touches the surface of feelings. In any case, this is something to see.

This deed documents that Raburn was gifted to John R. Gunn, genetically his half-brother—-culturally and legally, his warden—to remain until the end of chattel slavery. Raburn would be living next to three of John R. Gunn’s spinster daughters, according to the 1920 U.S. Federal Census. Even further, in 1927, Raburn was buried with these Gunns at Crawfordville Baptist Church Cemetery rather than with his wife and children and other kin at Friendship Baptist Church cemetery.

Raburn is buried at Crawfordville Baptist Church Cemetery, while his wife, Jane Shanks Gunn (1830-1914), is buried at Friendship Baptist Church. Additionally, Raburn and Jane’s daughter, Eva Gunn Greason (1881-1965) along with Eva’s husband, Doll Greason (1872-1961) and daughter, Virginia Gunn Peek (1892-1976) were also all buried at Friendship Baptist Church in Crawfordville, Taliaferro County, Georgia. There’s more—-Raburn and Jane’s son, William Gunn (1870-1946) and his wife, Saloma Chapman Gunn (1868-1951), were both buried at Friendship Baptist Church, as well. | The greater point being that Raburn in resting away from his family but is yet buried with his family…

Family is an interesting concept in the context of being literally being appraised by them:

6 Apr 1854 Inventory and Appraisement of Estate of William Gunn, showing Raburn and thirteen more souls 🕊

These valuations are rejected and returned to the sender through the reverberations of time and space. These souls cannot be contained nor “valued,” and yet—-for all intents and purposes, they were for so long.

I would encourage all who are researching ancestors whom they suspect to have been enslaved at some point during “the peculiar institution” to steel themselves, remain encouraged, reject the trauma, and break.down.walls. Find your people.

In the ugliness of chattel slavery, there is beauty in reclamation. Many thanks to FamilySearch Labs for their application of innovation in genealogy. May AI uncover inconvenient truths ad infinitum.

We have a situation. We need to find our people…

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