I have only been able to trace Dabney's origins back to Caroline County, Virginia. I have learned that he was born about 1825. Freeman's Bureau records show that he was married in 1858 to Silvia Johnson. Part of the work of the Freedman's Bureau was to help former slaves get official papers and standing after they were free. This record shows that this couple were together in 1858 (during slavery) and had an "official" ceremony performed in 1866 when they were now being assisted by the Freedman's Bureau. This was the case with all the others in this record page. The minister was listed as M.V. Wright, who we now know served as Assistant superintendent of marriages for the Freedman's Bureau.
Recall that it I mentioned earlier that Dabney's lot in Hillsdale Anacostia was immediately next to the lot of one Randall Johnson. We speculate that Silvia Johnson Dabney's wife, was related to Randall. Also, in the Freedman's Bureau records, on the same page where we see that Dabney was recorded as being married to Sylvia, we also see an entry for one Milton Johnson who was married to a Jane Taylor. Milton, we later learned also had very close contact with Dabney (Abner). This is why we think that Silvia was related to Randall Johnson and Milton Johnson. At any rate, it is evident through other records that Randall as well as Milton were close to Dabney, and they possibly fled from the exact same slave holder. All were from Caroline County, Va. and show up in the Freedman's Bureau records at the same time. The cited records for Dabney and Milton are below.
Of note is that near the right side of this record there are comments relating to most of the persons entered therein. The notes beside Dabney and Sivia Flemming say this: "Are industrious. Were aided last winter but not since". This was recorded in 1866. See below. The Bureau's goal was to assist freed slaves and to allow them to segway into independence and self-sufficiency.
Randall Johnson's and Betty Baylor's Freedman's Bureau Marriage record.
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