The Carlyle "Famely"

Did John Carlyle consider the African Americans that he owned to be a part of his “famely”? Carlyle recorded in December of 1769 that he “lost Ten slaves Young and Old and have had a Very Sickley famely. I thank God myself & my Little folks have been as Well as I could Expect, for which I am thankfull, for Six month together to have Six or eight at a Time Influxes, the hoopin Cough & is very disagreeable & I had one valuable slave drowned.” Carlyle’s writings indicate a paternalistic attitude towards his slaves which was typical for the time. There are no clear-cut records today of how John Carlyle felt about African Americans and slavery, although he was active in importing, buying, selling and owning slaves.