Monday, July 17, 2023

Noah Putman: Statement of Non-importation of slaves--Christian Co KY (1851)

I'm wondering why Noah Putman made this sworn statement.  Kentucky had a non-importation law(1833) that prohibited people from bringing slaves into the state for the purpose of selling them however I thought they had overturned that by 1850.¹ ² I'm wondering if his move was prior to the overturning of non-importation and he just wanted to go on record.  More than likely there was something else that prompted this.  But what?  I do not have his 1850 Census entry located.  His brother Hiram was in  Williamson County, TN during the 1850 Census and both would die in Kentucky by the mid 1850s.

"Deeds, 1797-1912; index to deeds, 1797-1915"
Christian Co KY Clerk of the County Court
Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah(1968)
Digitized by FamilySearch.org
Deeds, v. 34 1851-1852 Film # 463177  DGS 008338543
Image 51 of 429
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTN-GQD4-1

I Noah Putman do solemnly swear that my removal
to the state of Kentucky was with intention of becoming
a citizen thereof and that I have brought with me No slave
or slaves with intention of selling them so help me God
sworn before me-                  --Noah Putman
May 16th 1851
W S Talbott J P


Commonwealth of Kentucky
County of Christian to wit

I Abraham Stiles the clerk of the county court of Christian County aforesaid do certify that the foregoing affidavit of Noah Putman was on this day produced to me in my office by the said affiant & ordered to be recorded whereupon the said affidavit together with the foregoing certificate hath been duly admitted to record in my office given under my hand the 26th day of May 1851


attest Abraham Stiles CCCC
by A J Stiles DC



  1. Tim Talbott, “Slavery Laws in Old Kentucky,” ExploreKYHistory, accessed July 18, 2023, https://explorekyhistory.ky.gov/items/show/180.
  2. Martin Asa Earl. 1970 1918. The Anti-Slavery Movement in Kentucky Prior to 1850. New York: Negro Universities Press.  Hathitrust Digital Library:  accessed July 18, 2023, https://hdl.handle.net/2027/inu.30000055061109 .

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