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Speed's Farm
Slave Burial Ground

Located on the Speed Family Homestead on Level Green Road about one half mile up from the Slaterville Road in the Town of Caroline. Known as the "Spring Farm".  Burial ground is to the left in the hedge of the Old Speed Homestead.
The early homestead of the Speeds from Virginia.
**There is a State Historical Marker in front of the Spring Farm**


Town of Caroline, Tompkins County, NY.
Cemetery is inactive and on private property.

This record is as complete as possible at this time.


Photo of the cemetery
Photo by Cathy Knauff
(larger photo)

Please use Notes as a guide only!


It has been told that this burial ground is around the edge of the Speed Family Plot.
Only field stones mark their graves.  It is unknown what the names of these slaves buried here are.

Slavery in Caroline
Taken from the History of Tioga, Chemung, Tompkins and Schuyler Counties - 1879

By the census of 1820, the last previous to the abolition of slavery in this State, there were 70 slaves in Tioga County, including, as it then did, Chemung County and the present towns of Caroline, Newfield, and Danby in Tompkins County. Of this number 32 were in Caroline, and it is believed were divided up between four or five owners. These were the Boyer, Hyde, Patillo, and the Speeds, all Southerners, who located here permanently in 1805. They brought their slaves with them from the South, - Virginia and Maryland. The number originally brought in was about 20. The abolition of slavery in New York State began in 1817 and became final in 1827. The change had it troubles and excitements at the time, which still live in tradition and in the memories of the older people. One Peter Webb, a slave of John J. Speed, Sr. brought his freedom, and as a curiosity in the shape of record, we quote his manumission as on file in the town clerk's office:


"Speedsville, N.Y., December, 1818.
"This is to certify that I have this day agreed to discharge my man Peter, known by the name of Peter Webb, from all further servitude as a slave; that he is free to act for himself as a free man from this time forward.
Witness my hand with the above date.
(Signed) "Jno. Jas. Speed"
"I certify the above to be a true copy of the original in all respects.
"Moses Cass, Town Clerk"

The consideration was $384, paid by Webb. After his liberation he married, and settled on land near his former master, before the other slaves became free by operation of law.  Mr. Frederick M. Webb, a son of the foregoing, now owns the old Dr. Speed homestead, in Caroline.


Peter Webb was a slave who belonged to John J. Speed. He bought his freedom in 1819.
The Webbs lived in a log cabin up the creek in back of the Speed Mansion.
Peter and his wife had 11 children.
This old Speed homestead is still in the family of Peter Webb, it today (year of 2003) is known as the Bailor Homestead.
The Bailor family are descendants of Peter Webb.


Read about Frederick M. Webb in Landmarks of Tompkins County - Family Sketches


Caroline Grove Cemetery has the following burials of this family, Peter Webb may be one of the bodies buried in this Slave burial ground, no mention of his burial Caroline Grove Cemetery that is located a short distance from the location of the Old Speed Homestead.

Webb, Frederick M. d. Dec. 16, 1893 ae 72y (different dates than above)
Webb, Lucina, w/o Frederick M. 1830-1906
Webb, Simon Peter, s/o Frederick & Lucina 1859- d. Jan. 30, 1932
Webb, James, Feb 11, 1823 - Oct 30, 1919*
Webb, Julia Ann, w/o James Sept 15, 1832 - Dec 12, 1893
Webb, John H. b. Feb. 22, 1843; d.____
Webb, Clara Ann, w/o John H. d. Apr. 23, 1888
Webb, William L., s/o John H. & Clara Ann Oct 7, 1869 - Feb 3, 1891
Webb, Jennie L., d/o John H. & Clara Ann no dates
Webb, Phillias, d/o John H. & Clara Ann no dates


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(Original file created August 28, 2000)
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Thursday, 04-Jul-2019 12:39:51 PDT

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