Person:Jane Unknown (846)

(b. 1807-1815 - d. after 1848) Jane was enslaved by Robert Matson of Bourbon County Kentucky along with her four children. She was a light-skinned mulatto woman, as were three of her four children. It was believed that her father was Robert Matson's brother, James, and that her children were also fathered by white men. She and her mother were probably owned by Matson's their whole lives. Matson had brought her to his farm, Black Grove, two miles east of today's Newman, Illinois in 1845 to keep house. She is a strong and courageous woman, who when her children were threatened, protected them and won their freedom. She and the children endured 58 days in the Coles County Jail awaiting the circuit court trial, then with hope they traveled thousands of miles to Liberia in search of a "free" life. Unfortunately, they arrived in Liberia with little money and became sick in the foreign environment. We do not know what happened to the family as the recent Civil War there caused the destruction of many records.

1.   D. T. McIntyre Report from the Oakland Weekly Ledger, July 17, 1896 and reprinted in the Tuscola Review Sept 7, 1922.
   1896.

   “But to return to the thread of my story, Jane Bryant the slave was about forty years of age, slightly pocked marked and a bright mulatto. She was said to be the daughter of James Matson, elder brother of old Bob Matson. Her mother was a concubine and Jane had a younger brother, Sim who lately died at Tuscola, who was as black as ink. Jane shared the condition of her mother."

2.   Coles, Illinois. Circuit Court Records. (Coles, Illinois)
   1847.

   Writ of Capias ad Respondendum
   17 August 1847
   State of Illinois Ss
   Coles county.
   
   To all sheriff Coronors and constables of said state Greeting whereas
   This day personally appeared before the undersigned a justice of the peace in and for the state and county aforesaid Robert Matson of Bourbon county state of Kentucky and made oath that the following named persons towit, Jane, Mary Catharine, Sally ann, Mary Jane, and Robert Noah colored persons were his slaves in the state of Kentucky that by the request of said negroes or a part thereof, he brought them to this state on a temporary sojourn with the intention of returning to the said last mentioned state, of Kentucky that said negroes by the laws of Kentucky are his slaves and owe to him labor and service in the state of Kentucky for and during their natural lives, and that said slaves refuse to return to said lawful service in the said state of Kentucky and that they are now in the county of Coles and state of Illinois to the best of his knowledge and belief and belief. These are therefore to command you to bring the said named colored persons forthwith before me or some other Justice of Coles county if to be found in said county there to be dealt with according to law and make return hereof given under my hand and seal this 17th August 1847
   William Gilman J[ustice of the] P[eace]
   
   
   Public Notice
   23 August 1847
   Notice is hereby given that on the 21th Day of August 1847 thare was five Negrows taken up and Committed to the Coles County Jail Charleston Illinois thare to be delt with as Runaway Negrows the description of the Negrows ar as follows one Woman a Bright Mulatto 40 years old and calls her Name Jane Briant, one about 14 years old abright Mulatto Named Mary Catherrine, one about 12 years old abright Mulatto Named Sally ann , and one about 5 years old abright Mulatto Named Mary Jane, one about 3 years old Named Robert Noah the four last Named ar the children of the first Named Negro Jane Briant
   
   This August 23th 1847
   L R Hutchason Sheriff. C.C

3.   Stowell, Daniel W. Editor, and Christopher A. Assistant Editor Schnell. The Papers of Abraham Lincoln: Legal Documents and Cases. (University of Virginia Press, 2008)
   2008.

   Jane Bryant, b. c. 1807. Jane Bryant was an African American. Bryant may have been the daughter of one of Robert Matson's older brothers. According to a passenger list published by the American Colonization Society, Jane "Bryan" may have been born as late as 1814. The same publication listed her as being married to Anthony Bryant. A contemporary newspaper report described Jane Bryant as a "yellow woman," referring to her skin color.
   
   
   Jane Bryant had at least five children, four of whom were: Mary Catherine Bryant, b. c. 1833, Sally Ann Bryant, b. c. 1835, Mary Jane Bryant, b. c. 1842, and Robert Noah Bryant, b. c. 1844. The passenger list noted that Jane Bryant and Anthony Bryant were parents of these children, but listed the youngest child's name as "Andrew Todd Ashmun Bryan, age 4...A contemporary account of the case indicates that Jane Bryant had five children and that Matson had previously sent one child back to Kentucky. According to Rutherford family tradition, Bryant "was kept as a concubine in Kentucky, as her mother had been before her." One or more of Jane Bryant's children probably had a white father.