Infanticide. – We learn that an inquest was held on the body of an infant child found in a branch in Robeson county on the 6th inst. The result was a verdict that the child was willfully murdered by its mother, a free woman of color named Arrah Carter.
Fayetteville Observer, 10 October 1853.
North Carolina, Edgcombe County } To the Sheriff of Edgcombe County Greeting; You are hereby commanded that, you Summon Thomas Hodges of your said County if to be found in your Bailiwic personally to appear before the Justices of the County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions to be held for the same on the fourth monday in November next then & there to shew Cause by what Right title or claim he holdeth in Slavery, a young Woman of mixed Blood named Bet (Elizabeth) who by Thomas Hall her Attorney Suggests that she is of free Parents & entitled to freedom — And have then & there this Writ; Witness Edward Hall Clerk of sd. Court, the [blank] Day of [blank] ann Dom’o 1780, in the 5th year of Independency Edw’d Hall C.C.
Edgecombe County Records, North Carolina State Archives.
LEVI WINN was probably born in northern Duplin County. Elizabeth, called “Betsy,” last name unknown, was his second wife. They are buried at First Congregational Church in Dudley, Wayne County.
Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, March 2013.
In the 1860 census of Buck Swamp, Wayne County: Levi Winn, 47, blacksmith, wife Elizabeth, 39, and children Henry, 21, David, 20, Pinkney, 19, George, 17, Charles, 15, Mary, 13, Martha, 11, John, 9, Elizabeth, 7, Susan, 5, and Levi, 3.
“I remember the first election held here after the negroes were given the right to vote. The negroes were corralled in Little Washington by J. E. O’Hara, a West India negro, and formed in two lines and marched to the Court House. I was standing on the piaza [sic] of the old Griswold Hotel, when they turned down Walnut Street, and as the last of the line passed where I was standing, the head of the column was turning into the court house square near where Col. I. F. Dortch’s office stands. The election lasted for three days and the votes were sent to Gen. Canby’s headquarters at Charleston, S.C. to be counted. At the first election held after the adoption of the Canby Constitution, one negro, Green Simmons, was elected on the Board of County Commissioners. Negroes were appointed on the police force of the town. A Yankee, J. H. Place, who came here with the army, was elected mayor. The finances of the town and county both got into bad shape, county orders getting down as low as forty cents on the dollar.”
From J.M. Hollowell, “War-Time Reminiscences and Other Selections,” Goldsboro Herald, June 1939.
In the 1850 census of South Side of the Neuse, Wayne County: Green Simmons, 33, cooper, wife Betsy J., 26, and children Needham, 5, Cicero, 3, and Mary, 1. All were born in Wayne County, except Betsy, born in Sampson.
Born in 1844 in New York of West Indian and Irish parentage, James E. O’Hara migrated to North Carolina after the Civil War with African Methodist Episcopal Zion missionaries. He served as clerk for the 1868 state constitutional convention and was elected to the North Carolina State House of Representatives in 1868 and the United States House of Representatives in 1882. O’Hara died in New Ben in 1905.
One Hundred Dollars Reward. Ranaway from the subscriber in April, 1800, a negro man named ZIBE, about 25 years of age, 5 feet 7 or 8 inches high, well made, handsome features, and dark complexion – I do suppose he is in or about Norfolk, as his mother and some of his other connexions live in that place. I have lately understood he has a mulattoe indenture and certificate, and goes by the name of the mulattoe, which is James Turtle, which if he has the indentures was executed in Bertie county North Carolina, to Mr. Jesse Brown, of county and state aforesaid, and the certificate was granted to said Turtle, by said Jesse Brown. The above reward will be given to any person apprehending said negro and confining him to that I get him again, or delivering him to me in Hertford county North Carolina, and all reasonable expences paid. Eli Moor.
N.B. He is a tolerable shoemaker.
Norfolk Herald, 1 July 1802.
Fayetteville State University, now part of the University of North Carolina system, was the first normal school for African Americans in North Carolina. The university’s founding dates to 1867, when David A. Bryant, Nelson Carter, Andrew J. Chestnutt, George Grainger, Matthew Leary, Thomas Lomax and Robert Simmons paid $140 for a lot on Fayetteville’s Gillespie Street and named themselves into a board of trustees to maintain the property as a permanent site for the education of black children. General O. O. Howard, an early supporter of black education, erected a building on the site, and the school was named the Howard School in his honor.
The education center was chartered by the legislature as the State Colored Normal School in 1877. In 1880 Charles W. Chesnutt was appointed principal of the school after the death of principal Robert Harris. Chesnutt served the institution for three years before resigning and moving to Cleveland, Ohio.
Ezekiel Ezra Smith was appointed as Chestnutt’s replacement in 1883. E. E. Smith had a long and distinguished career at the school. During his span as principal (and eventually president) at the institution, he served in a host of other positions. Smith was appointed Minister Resident and Consul General of the U. S. to Liberia by President Grover Cleveland in 1888. George H. Williams assumed the duties of principal in Smith’s absence. After serving in Liberia for two years, Smith returned to North Carolina to organize the state’s first newspaper for African-Americans, The Carolina Enterprise, in Goldsboro. During Smith’s tenure, he saw the school the school move to its permanent location on Murchison Road in 1907. The high school curriculum was discontinued by the state in 1929 and Smith’s title change to president. He retired in 1933.
Adapted from http://www.ncmarkers.com.
In the 1850 census of Fayetteville, Cumberland County: Angus Carter, 45, boatman, wife Dezda, 38, and children Nelson, 16, Angus, 15, John, 13, Margaret A., 12, Betsy, 10, Jane, 8, Alonzo, 5, Mellissa, 2, and Ann, 2 months.
In the 1850 census of Fayetteville, Cumberland County: John Terry, 13, Ellen Terry, 16, Sally Lucus, 12, and Thos. Lomack, 18, in the household of Jesse W. Powers, merchant.
In the 1850 census of Eastern Division, Cumberland County: Griscilla Simmons, 35, Robert, 12, Samuel, 8, and Mary A., 2.
The following surnames are found among free people of color in Hyde County in the 1850 census:
ALEXANDER, BARBER, BARROW, BERRY, BRACHAM, BRADDOCK, BRAGG, CHANCE, CLARK, CLAYTON, COFFEE, COLLINS, COVEL/COVELL, DAVIS, DYER, ELKS, FREEMAN, GARNER, GORDON, HARRIS, HELLEN, HILL, HUDSON, KING, LONGTOM, LUTTON, MACKAY, MORRIS, POWERS, PUGH, REED, RING, SHELDON, SMITH, SUTTON and TYSON.
I, Thomas Hollowell, of the County of Wayne and the State of North Carolina being in feeble health but of sound mind and memory do make this my last will and testament in manner and form as follows: First – I give to my wife all my household and kitchen furniture, my buggie and harness also I have one note I hold against John Hollowell in the hands of my executors for them to pay to her the amount of interest so long as she may live. My will further is that my two sons Jesse and Thomas shall furnish my wife a bountiful support and in case they shall refuse at any time, I wish for her to have a dower laid off on the lands I leave them. Second – I give to my Levi Hollowell two notes that I hold against him. Item 3rd – I give to my granddaughter Elizabeth A. Stanton one note that I hold against her brother Thomas H. Stanton. Item 4th – I give to my grandson Levi H. Massey one acre of land joining Dudley on the south side of the old road near Levi Winn‘s blacksmith shop. Item 5th – I give to my son John Hollowell two shares in the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad Company. Item 6th – I give to my son Jesse Hollowell all the land I own lying on the east side of my Gin Branch also the upper part in the Big Fork down to where the bend of the Branch comes nearest together, and then down the run of Big Fork to the head of the Gin Branch and then to extend down the Canal to the run of Brook’s Swamp except the privilege of enough land near the Gin House at the end of the Gin Dam to put up a cotton screw also two shares in the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad Company, also two lots in Dudley known as No. 5 and No. 15. Item 7th – I give to my son Thomas L. Hollowell all the land I own on the west side of said Gin Branch from the line marked out for Jesse Hollowell to the aforesaid Brook’s Swamp also one share in the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad Company, two lots in Dudley known as No. 13 and 14, and one note that I hold against the said Thomas L. Hollowell. Item 8th – I wish my executors hereafter named to pay all of my just debts out of my estate not heretofore named and given away. Item 9th – My will and desire is that the balance of the amount due my estate in John Hollowell’s hands after paying the interest to my wife during her life and the balance of my estate after paying my debts to be equally divided between my living children and to those deceased to the heirs of their body. Lastly – I constitute and appoint my son John Hollowell and my grandson Levi H. Massey Executors to this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other wills by me made this 25th of 10th month A.D. 1861. Thomas Hollowell. Sealed in the presence of – Mary E. Hollowell, Jesse T. Hollowell.
Proved November Term 1865.
Book R14, Page 239, Wayne County Superior Court Clerk’s Office, Wayne County Courthouse.
Committed to Norfolk county jail, a Mulatto fellow, who says he is a free man, but has no papers to prove his freedom, he is a bright mulatto, 6 feet high; he says he is named JOHN MASINS, born in Washington county, N.C., a small scar over his right eye, and one on his right ear. His owner is requested to come forward, pay charges and take him away. CHARLES RUDDER, Jailor.
Norfolk Herald, 1 July 1802.
Adam Winn to Lemuel Cherry
State of North Carolina, Duplin County } This indenture made this 30th of July 1841 Between Adam Winn of the one part and Lemuel Cherry of the other part and both of the same State and County witness that I the said Adam Winn for and in consideration of the sum of twelve dollars to him in hand paid by Lemuel Cherry before the sealing and delivery of these presents the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged hath given granted bargained and sold do by these presents bargain sell and make over unto him the said Lemuel Cherry his heirs executors Administrators & assigns forever a certain ankerage or tract of land lying and being in the County of Duplin and on the waters of thunder swamp it being part of the land that Adam Winn bought of Lucy Win and part of the old Jonson tract of land and I the said Adam Winn doth assign over to the said Lemuel Cherry all the right title interest or claim in the before mentioned land containing ten acres more or less and begins and runs as follows (viz) Begins on main road that runs in Wayne and where thunder swamp branch crosses the main road an runs up said road to a large pine and then corners a new made corner and then runs a strait line of marked trees to William L. Hills line and then with Hills line to said Cherrys line then down said Cherrys line to the beginning and I the said Adam Winn doth my heirs executors & admrs or assigns no warrant and defend the before mentioned lands unto him the said Lemuel Cherry his heirs executors admrs or assigns forever against all other person or persons whatsoever laying any claim to the same in witness whereof I the said Adam Winn have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and date first above written signed sealed and delivered in the presence of Kenan Millard and Wm P. Cherry Adam Winn (seal)
North Carolina, Duplin County Court January term 1852
The due execution of the foregoing deed is proved in open Court by the acknowledgement of Adam Winn the bargainor and ordered to be registered. B.F. Grady Clk
Grantor Book 20, Page 407, Duplin County Register of Deeds Office, Duplin County Courthouse.
In the 1850 census of North Division, Duplin County: Adam Winn, 45, farmer, with William, 13, Marshal, 11, John, 9, Woodard, 7, Woodley Winn, 5, plus Moses Simmons, 18. Adam reported $3800 in real property. [Sidenote: Lemuel Cherry, 71, white, farmer, is listed four households away from Adam Winn in this census. His household included Elender Young, 50, who was white. Elender Young was likely the mother of America Young, who married Adam Winn’s brother Charles Winn. Also, though Adam’s sons are listed as free, they were in fact his own slaves. More about that later. — LYH]
Fourth Generation Inclusive 