Notes

LH Liberia was US colony for freed slaves.

Source for below: []
 * The creation of Liberia (1822-1847) **

In the beginning of the 19th century, groups of free-born blacks, freed slaves and mulattoes from the United States of America emigrated to the west coast of Africa. In 1847, 25 years after the first successful colonisation, they proclaimed an independent Republic, which they named Liberia. At that time they numbered about 3,000: men, women and children.

Idea of sending people back to Africa first came up in USA in 1816. African-American named Paul Cuffee (rich man) send 30 freed slaves to Sierra Leone in 1815 with help of Phila Quakers. Mostly it was the American Colonization Society who did this. []).

MP -- went to the first site above. Found this: When in 1836 the founder of Prospect Hill Plantation, in the State of Mississippi, and slave-owner Isaac Ross died, he stipulated in his will that the plantation should be sold and the proceeds used to finance the transport and installation of his approximately 200 slaves to the west coast of Africa, to the Colony of Liberia. His shocked heirs contested Ross’ will and a long court battle followed. In the end, his will was honored and around 1849 the former slaves were shipped to Liberia. Obviously, it was Ross’ wish to have his former slaves shipped to Liberia and the latter had no say in his decision. It can be doubted whether they opted for this choice - emigration - of their own free will. For slavery still existed in the South and a continued stay in the USA would have meant a continued life as a slave. There were more slave-owners like Isaac Ross who freed their slaves in their last will. In a large number of cases their former slaves’ freedom was linked to their ‘transfer back to Africa’. This was e.g. the case of General Blackburn, of Bath county,Virginia, who died in 1835. By his will, General Blackburn manumitted all his 46 slaves, provided they were sent to Liberia, charging his estate with all the expenses for their trip. Another example is Alexander Donelson, of Davidson county, Tennessee who also died in 1835. Alexander Donelson’s will also stipulated that all his 26 slaves should be freed, on condition that they went to Liberia. Finally, the Niles’ Weekly Register of September 5, 1835, which reported the previous two cases, also mention a family of seven persons in Frederick country, Virginia, preparing to travel to the colony of Liberia, in the same terms. These are just a few examples to illustrate the involuntary background or character of the ‘decision’ of a certain number of American black colonists who made the trip ‘back to Africa’ and settled in the American colony of Liberia.