He emigrated to Georgia and tried to take her and her children with him.

by Lisa Y. Henderson

State of North Carolina Wayne County June 2nd 1853 Charity Bryant after Duly Sworn Deposith and Says as follows (viz) that She has Been acquainted with Fareby Simmons a free woman of Colour for the last Sixty years or theirabout and She lived with a certain William Burnham as an apprentice and after her time was Expired with Burnham She Still Remaind their with Burnham untwell he Sold out to Emigrate to the State of Georgia and wanted to Stip Said Fariby Simons off and hir children off with him and John Beck Thomas Wright William Gully Sollomon Rouse and Others and Established hir freedom and Burnham went of to the State of Georgia with his own Slaves and left fariby Simons and hir children to enjoy their freedom that was proven Hannah Simons a Daughter of Said Fariby was Bound as an apprintice to Betsey Burnham who afterwords intermarried with Thomas Simpson they Give up Said hanah as a free Girl and they have Remaind and past as free coulerd people ever since further the Deponant Sayeth Not  Charity X Bryant   June the 2nd Sworn to and Subscribed to Before me the Day & date first Written George Flowers JP

Records of Slaves and Free Persons of Color, Wayne County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

Nearly forty years after this statement was made, Charity Bryant’s granddaughter Minta Bryant Brown, a woman of color, sued one of Fereby Simmons’ descendants to take possession of a parcel of land.