Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Month: March, 2013

March 12, 2013

Licensed to carry.

Free Negroes licensed to carry guns 12 months

Date of license June 1852 – Loftin Chance, Richard Morris, George Lewis, Ezekiel Chance, Theophilus George, William Cully

September 1852 – Israel Pettiford, John Gaudet, John A. Wiggins, James Gaudet, Wright Pettiford, Will. Gaudet, George Roberson, Ben. Banton

Dec’r 1852 – Kelso Davis, Rufus Chance

March 1853 – Sylvester Gaskins, John Fenner, Thomas Fenner, Elijah George

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

In the 1850 census of Craven County, the following households:

  • Israel Pettiford, 25, farmer, wife Lucretia, 29, and children Caroline, 14, Willis, 3, and Francis, 2.
  • Loftin Chance, 57, farmer, wife Betsy, 55, and Ezekiel, 20, Rufus, 18, Betsy, 12, and [illegible] Chance, 11.  Also, Rufus Chance, 45, cooper, wife Hannah, Samuel Carter, 10, and Amos Fenner, 9. 
  • Richd. Moore Jnr., 35, laborer, wife Elennor, 25, and Mary, 4.
  • George Lewis, 33, boatman, wife Rebecca, 29, and Amos, 7 months.
  • Thepolus George, 22, boatman, wife Lucinda, 21, and Levery Godett, 55. Also Theop. George Jnr., 46, farmer, Susan, 24, Merinda, 18, Elijah, 16, Deborah, 12, Betsy, 9, James, 6, and Martha, 1.
  • James Godett, 70, farmer, wife Hepsy, 41, and James, 10, Jeremiah, 9, and William Godett, 6.
  • Right Pettiford, 38, farmer.
  • John Godett Jnr., 28, laborer, wife Mary, 24, and Francis, 6, Susan, 2, Nancy, 1 month, and Nancy Harkley, 17.
  • William Cully, 50, farmer, Mary, 40, William, 17, Hepsy, 16, Phebe, 14, and Mary, 3.
  • John R. Wiggins, 64, farmer, wife Julia, 50, and children George,14, Philip,12, Julia,10, Unis, 8, Nelly, 73, and John, 3.
  • John Fenner, 55, wife Ann, 45, and Philip Moore, 12.
  • Thomas Fenner, 50, Penelope, 55, and Thomas Carter, 9.
  • Elijah George, 35, boatman, Sarah, 21, Theopilus, 13, Matthew, 7, and Nancy, 1.
  • Benjamin Banton, 30, farmer, Celia, 70, Elizabeth, 25, Cornelia, 5, and Hepsy, 3.
  • George Roberson, 50, farmer, Betsy, 50, and Sidney Mahonis, 50.
  • George Godett Jnr., 66, farmer, wife Julia, 50, and William, 18, Andrew, 15, Sally, 15, Betsy, 32, and Jesse Ransom, 55.
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March 12, 2013

James Drawhorn Sampson.

ImageNegro History Bulletin, January 1940.

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March 11, 2013

United States Colored Troops, no. 11.

14 H. Art’y. U.S.C.T. Alfred Bailey. Co. A, 14 H. Art’y. U.S.C.T. Reg’t. appears on Company Descriptive Book of the organization named above. Description: age, 24 years; height, 5 feet 10 inches; complexion, light; eyes, black; hair, black; where born, Hertford County, NC; occupation, laborer. Enlistment: when, 2 Aug 1864; where, New Bern; by whom: W.H. Wrigley; term, 3 years. Remarks: Appointed Corp, July 25, ‘65.

14 H. Art’y. U.S.C.T. George Boone. Co. C, 14 H. Art’y. U.S.C.T. appears on Company Descriptive Book of the organization named above. Description: age, 40 years; height, 5 feet 8 inches; complexion, light; eyes, dark; hair, dark; where born, Hertford County, NC; occupation, farmer. Enlistment: when, 1 Mar 1864; where, New Bern; by whom: Lt. Wheaton; term, 3 years.

In the 1860 census of Hertford County: Geo. Boone, 38, wife Francis, 33, and Susan Boone, 11.

14 H. Art’y. U.S.C.T. Giles Lewis. Co. C, 14 H. Art’y. U.S.C.T. appears on Company Descriptive Book of the organization named above. Description: age, 20 years; height, 5 feet 8 inches; complexion, light; eyes, black; hair, black; where born, Hertford County, NC; occupation, farmer. Enlistment: when, 1 Mar 1864; where, New Bern; by whom: Lt. Wheaton; term, 3 years.

Giles A. Lewis. Died 18 June 1915, Ahoskie, Hertford County. Colored. Married. Farmer. Born February 1844 in Hertford County to Elby Lewis and Fannie Manly. Buried near Ahoskie. Informant, Devanie Lewis, Ahoskie.

14 H. Art’y. U.S.C.T. Elvey Lewis. Co. C, 14 H. Art’y. U.S.C.T. appears on Company Descriptive Book of the organization named above. Description: age, 21 years; height, 5 feet 8 inches; complexion, light; eyes, dark; hair, dark; where born, Hertford County, NC; occupation, farmer. Enlistment: when, 1 Mar 1864; where, New Bern; by whom: Lt. Wheaton; term, 3 years.

37 U.S.C.T. William Lewis. Co. B, 37 U.S.C.T. appears on Company Descriptive Book of the organization named above. Description: age, 26 years; height, 5 feet 10 1/2 inches; complexion, mulatto; eyes, hazel; hair, black; where born, Hertford County, NC; occupation, farmer. Enlistment: when, 29 December 1863; where, Plymouth; by whom: Capt. H.L. Marvin; term, 3 years. Remarks: Mustered in January 30, 1864 at Norfolk, Va by Capt. J.R. Gould.

37 U.S.C.T. James Lewis. Co. B, 37 U.S.C.T. appears on Company Descriptive Book of the organization named above. Description: age, 24 years; height, 5 feet 8 1/2 inches; complexion, mulatto; eyes, d. hazel; hair, black; where born, Hertford County, NC; occupation, farmer. Enlistment: when, 29 December 1863; where, Plymouth; by whom: Capt. H.L. Marvin; term, 3 years. Remarks: Mustered in January 30, 1864 at Norfolk, Va by Capt. J.R. Gould.

In the 1850 census of Southern District, Hertford County: Ebbe Lewis, 38, laborer, wife Francis, 32, and children William, 12, Alfred, 10, Elvey, 7, Jiles, 5, Martha, 1, and 87 year-old Alexander Saunders, laborer. 

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March 11, 2013

39 lashes for preaching to slaves.

[1831, chap. 4, sec. 1. Slaves and free negroes not to preach in public.]

36. It shall not be lawful under any pretence for any slave, or free person of colour to preach or exhort in public or in any manner to officiate as a preacher or teacher in any prayer meeting, or other association for worship where slaves of different families are collected together; and if any free person of colour shall be thereof duly convicted on indictment before any court having jurisdiction thereof, he shall, for each offence, receive, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes on his bare back; and where any slave shall be guilty of a violation of this act, he shall, on conviction before a single magistrate, receive not exceeding thirty-nine lashes on his bare back.

No. 105, An Act Concerning Slaves and Free Persons of Color. Revised Code of North Carolina, 1855.

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March 11, 2013

Shuffer Tonies was free issues and part Indian.

MEMORIES OF UNCLE JACKSON, John H. Jackson, 309 S. Sixth St., Wilmington, N.C.

…

My mother was the laund’ess for the white folks. In those days ladies wore clo’es, an’ plenty of ’em. My daddy was one of the part Indian folks. My mammy was brought here from Washin’ton City, an’ when her owner went back home he sold her to my folks. You know, round Washin’ton an’ up that way they was Ginny (Guinea) niggers, an’ that’s what my mammy was. We had a lot of these malatto negroes round here, they was called ‘Shuffer Tonies’, they was free issues and part Indian. The leader of ’em was James Sampson. We child’en was told to play in our own yard and not have nothin’ to do with free issue chil’en or the common chil’en ‘cross the street, white or colored, because they was’nt fitten to ‘sociate with us. You see our owners was rich folks. Our big house is the one where the ladies of Sokosis (Sorosis) has their Club House, an’ our yard spread all round there, an’ our house servants, an’ some of the bes’ artisans in Wilmin’ton lived in our yard.

…

I mus’ tell you’ bout Gov’ner Dudley’s election, an’ the free issue niggers. They say Mr. Dudley told ’em if they’d vote for him he’d do more for ’em than any man ever had. So they voted for him an’ he was elected. Then he ups an’ calls a const’utional convention in Raleigh an’ had all the voting taken away from ’em. An’ that the big thing he done for em.

From Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves (1841).

In the 1860 census of Wilmington, New Hanover County: carpenter Jas. Sampson heads a household that includes his wife Francinia, 49; James, 30, shoemaker; Joseph, 28, carpenter; Eliza, 19; Jannie, 15; and Susan Sampson, 8; carpenters Ben Freeman, 19, and Wm. Campbell, 18; and “sv’t in house” Melinda Green, 72, Dave Miller, 30, Lucy Miller, 27, Virgil McRae, 60, and Maria McRae, 55, all mulatto. Sampson reported owning $26,000 real estate and $10,000 personal estate.

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March 11, 2013

Wayne County Apprentices, 1830-1831.

John Reed, 4, Isaac Reed, 2, and Patty Reed, 6, were bound to Jesse Bogue in 1830; John as a shoemaker, Isaac as a farmer, and Patty as a spinster.

In the 1850 census of North Side of Neuse, Wayne County: Rhody Read, 60, and children John, 27, and Isaac, 22, farmers, and Zana Reid, 21.

Betsey Burnet and Micajah Burnet, both age 9, were bound to Lovet Stephens in 1830.

George Ward, 12, was bound to Nathan Davis, in 1830.

John Hagans, 2 ½, was bound to James Martin in 1831.

James Wiggins, 6 months, and Jordan Wiggins, 2, were bound to Robert Langston in 1831.

In the 1850 census of North Side of Neuse, Wayne County: Jorden Wiggins, 23, farmhand, wife Pricilla, 28, and Zilpha, 6. In the 1860 census of Goldsboro, Wayne County: Jordan Wiggins, 30, stiller, wife Priscilla, 35, washwoman, Mary, 18, Robert, 8, George P., 7, Francis, 5, Wm. Jordan, 3, and Bettie, 1.  But also, in Nahunta, Wayne County: Jordan Wiggins, 35, laborer, in the household of W.W. Barnes, turp’t distiller.

Rufus Lane, 5, was bound to James Forehand in 1831.

In the 1850 census of North Side of Neuse, Wayne County: Rufus Lane, 22, farmhand, in the household of Lucy Hall, 45, a free woman of color.

Willie Hagans, 9, was bound to Stephen Woodard in 1831.

Phereba Hagans, 5, was bound to Matthew Copeland in 1831.

Lawrence Hagans, 12, was bound to Edwin Bryan in 1831.

Apprenticeship Records, Wayne County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

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March 11, 2013

An Act to Emancipate Certain Negroes.

CHAPTER XXXV.

An Act to Emancipate Certain Negroes Therein Mentioned.

Whereas, it hath been represented to this General Assembly, that Robert Shaw, in his life-time, did receive a valuable consideration for the further services of a certain negro woman named Amelia, and has certified the same and declared her to be free: And by petition of Thomas Lovick, it appears to be his desire that a certain negro woman by the name of Betty, belonging to him, should be set free; also a petition of Monsieur Chaponel, desiring to have set free a mulatto slave belonging to him, by the name of Lucy, of three and half years old: And whereas, it appears by the petition of Ephraim Knight, of Halifax county, that he is desirous to emancipate two young mulatto men, called Richard and Alexander, the property of said Ephraim: And it hath also been represented to this Assembly by John Alderson, of Hyde County, that it is his desire to set free a mulatto boy belonging to him, called Sam: And whereas, it hath been made appear to this Assembly by the petition of Thomas Newman, of Fayetteville, that he hath a mulatto boy belonging to him, which he is desirous to emancipate, and known by the name of Thomas:

I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the said negro women called Amelia and Betty, and the mulatto girl Lucy, and the said mulatto men Richard and Alexander, and the said mulatto boy called Sam, and the negro boy named Thomas Clinch, shall be, and each of them are hereby emancipated and declared free; and the said Richard and Alexander shall take and use the surname of Day, and the mulatto boy Sam shall be known and called by the name of Samuel Johnson; and the said slaves so liberated, and each of them, are hereby declared to be able and capable in law to posses and enjoy every right, privilege and immunity, in as full and ample manner as they could or might have done if they had been born free.

Acts of the North Carolina General Assembly, 1789, Colonial and State Records of North Carolina.

 

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March 11, 2013

Apprentice barber runs away.

DESERTED From my service on the night of the 24th inst. a free man of color named WILLIE ROD, bound to me as an apprentice to the Barbers trade.  He is about five feet six inches high, of a pleasing countenance, and about 24 or 25 years old.  I will give Five Dollars Reward and pay all expense for his delivery to me in Fayetteville or committed to Raleigh Jail. I expect he is lurking about Raleigh.  — EPHRAIM HAMMONS, Fayetteville, Oct. 26, 1814.

The Star, Raleigh, 28 October 1814.

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March 10, 2013

Lurking about John Stanly’s.

20  Dollars REWARD

RAN AWAY, from the subscriber, at Smith’s Creek, on the 23d of July last, his Negro Man SAM, He is about twenty years of age, black complexion, likely appearance, and has a pleasant look, — Has a scar, occasioned by a cut, on or near one of his knees.  SAM was at the late Camp Meeting, at Adams’ Creek, whence he ran away, after having been flogged for stealing several different articles.  It is supposed he is lurking about the plantation of Mr. John C. Stanly and between there and Kinston, near which place he has a sister. — The above reward will be paid on his being delivered at, the Jail in Newbern, or at any Jail, so that I get him.  GIDEON CARRAWAY. August 26th, 1820.

Carolina Centinel, New Bern, 26 August 1820.

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March 10, 2013

He was a soldier of the Revolution.

State of North Carolina

Granville County

On this 8th day of November 18 Hundred and Fortytwo (1842) personally appeared before James Cozart — one of the acting Magistrates and a member of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for said County & State — Abigail Guy the widow of William Guy, a resident of said County & State, aged Eighty years, who having first sworn according to Law, doth on her oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4th, 1836.

That she is the widow of William Guy, who was a Pensioner, that lived in the county of Granville NC, at the rate of Forty Dollars per annum & who was a soldier of the Revolution that served in the Virginia Continental Line that was placed on the pension roll in May 1833.

She further declares that she was married to the said Wm. Guy on the 12th day of June, 17 Hundred and Eighty, and that her husband the aforesaid Wm. Guy died on the 30th day of January 1837.  And that she has remained a widow ever since that Period as will more fully appear above to the proofs here unto annexed.

Sworn and Subscribed before me the day and date first above written before —   Abigail X Guy

James C. Cozart (seal)

The said Abigail Guy is a woman of truth and by old age & and bodily infirmity is unable to attend court to make her Declaration.  James C. Cozart

From the file of William Guy, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, National Archives and Records Administration.

In the 1830 census of South Regiment, Granville County: William Guy, head of a household consisting of one free man of color.  Listed separately, “Mrs. Guy,” head of a household consisting of one 60-70 year-old white woman.

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