The Inventory, Appraisements, and Settlements books consist of a wide variety of record types. They include wills formatted similar to the will books, in which an enslaver would divide and bequeath enslaved people amongst their heirs, general relations, and friends. These wills were typically written when an enslaver was older but while they were still of “a sound mind and body,” according to their own language. Inheritors were not always specified, but may have been referenced implicitly, such as simply saying “[the enslaver’s] wife” rather than giving the wife’s name. The books also include estate appraisements and settlement of estates, in which a deceased enslaver’s whole estate and “possessions” would be cataloged and priced. This would include all household items, livestock, and in the case of enslavers, enslaved people would be listed as well, priced and at times sold to other enslavers. Settlement of estates were also recorded in which someone would list all of their trades, payments, and transactions with other people, including the hiring out of enslaved people to other enslavers. The money from such hires would go to the enslaver and not the enslaved person doing the labor. The information provided on enslaved people was largely dehumanizing and transactional, and the records provided herein are limited by this. It is also important to note that for every valuation of an enslaved person, there were white people who may or may not have been enslavers themselves but were actively involved in this aspect of the slave trade.
A value of $650.00 was placed on Julia. In the record she is described as a girl which likely means that she was still a child at the time this was recorded.
It is recorded in the second IAS book that Brown enslaved multiple unrecorded named individuals, on whom a value was placed of $1036.00 at the time of his death.
In IAS Book 2, it is stated that Cyrus Price and Moses Greer are administrators of the "will annexed of Thomas Fowler, deceased." Under the entry, it is also stated that a claim against John Pitzer "for hire of his negro and lost on account of sickness of negro" with the price of $40.00 also listed.
John Lewis received $1120.00 in the settlement of the accounts of John Thomas and Charles Lewis, by Frederick Johnston, to "equalize with division of negroes." This intent of this was likely to equalize the monetary value of an inheritance.
Joseph Woods' will and testament stated that 13 enslaved people would be divided equally between John Ballard, Harrison M. Ballard, Martha Ansnian, Susan Brown, Elizabeth Wood, Jane Campbell, Polly Ballard.