Free-Issue Death Certificates: PETTIFORD.
by Lisa Y. Henderson
Alvarin Pettiford. Died 22 June 1916, Winston, Forsyth County. Resided 9 No. Liberty. Negro. Married. Gardener. Born 2 May 1848 to Henderson Pettiford and Fannie Clarke. Buried Jamestown NC. Informant, Alex Pettiford, Winston-Salem.
Alexander Pettiford. Died 17 February 1914, Jamestown, Guilford County. Black. Widower. Farmhand. Born 1858 to Hence Pettiford and unknown mother. Informant, J.W. Sechrist.
In the 1850 census of Southern Division, Guilford County: Henderson Pettiford, 30, shoemaker, born Wake County; wife Fanny, 30; and children Alverin, 3, John, 1, and Benjmine, 9 months, all born in Guilford; plus Mary Ann Clark, 11, born Davidson County.
Archie Tyner. Died 21 September 1950, Walkertown, Middle Fork, Forsyth County. Colored. Widower. Retired farmer. Born 19 February 1855 to James Tyner and Pollie Pettiford. Informant, C.C. Tyner, Colfax NC.
Mrs. Saluda Tyner Watkins. Died 6 Oct 1952, Bethania, Forsyth County. Colored. Widow. Born 3 September 1857 in Forsyth County to Jim Tyner and Polly Pettiford.
In the 1850 census of Forsyth County: James Tyner, 23, laborer, and wife Polly Tyner, 32.
Enoch Pettiford. Died 30 October 1924, Gilmer, Greensboro, Guilford County. Colored. Resided 532 High Street. Married to Rosa Pettiford. Railroad worker. Born about 1850 in Guilford County to Ransom Pettiford and Mary Ann Scott. Buried Maplewood Cemetery.
In the 1860 census of Southern Division, Guilford County: Ransom Petterfield, 48, laborer, wife Anna, 43, and children Wm. S., 20, Emily, 16, Franklin, 15, Enoch, 12, Stephen, 11, McKeys, 8, Edmond, 6, Henry, 4, E.J., 3, and Nathan Petterfield, 2, plus Louise, 21, Nath, 8, and Betsy A. Haithcock, 3.
Fourth Generation Inclusive 
I believe I am a descendant of James Tyner and Polly Pettiford. I am truly impressed with your dutiful research of your ancestors and family. I traced the Tyner family name back to Forsyth County North Carolina and would like to learn a little bit more about them. Any helpful hints? My name is Justin Tyner and I live in Philadelphia.
Hi, Justin, and thanks for checking out ncfpc.net. I’ve hoped that the blog would be useful to others searching for their free colored ancestors. My FPC lines originate in eastern NC, so I haven’t done any direct Forsyth County research on a specific family. I’m assuming that you’ve exhausted all resources available on the internet, such as Ancestry.com, familysearch.com, and fold3.com, as well as online digitized newspapers and other archives. If that’s the case, the next step is unavoidable. You’ve got to visit the North Carolina State Archives. Visiting the county is useful, too, but I’d make the Archives in Raleigh my first stop. Best of luck, and I’ll keep an eye out for Tyners and Pettifords!
— Lisa
Hello Lisa;
I am a descendant of the Edmund and Sarah Carter Pettiford. I have been doing research on my Pettiford ancestors since 1972 . My branch of the Pettiford migrated from NC to the Midwest and settled in Michigan ,Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. I am currently stuck trying to find the death certificate of Ransom Pettiford the son of Edmund and Sarah Pettiford. My last sign of him was in 1910 in NC living with his granddaughter Josephine and her husband George Lindsey. If you find any information on the death of Ransom Pettiford or his wife Mary Scott I would certainly appreciate it.
Norma, thanks for reading my blog and taking time to comment. I’ll keep an eye out for such a record. Is it possible though that they died in that gap between 1910 and NC’s first death certs in 1913? Two of my FPC great-great-great-grandfathers did. I know their death dates only from church records and estate documents.