Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Month: April, 2013

April 23, 2013

The hut was blown into fragments.

Outrage. – At Swift Creek, in this county, a few days ago, a most shocking and murderous attempt was made by some inhumane wretch, as yet undetected, to destroy the lives and property of a free man of colour and his family. It appears that the man had offended some one of his neighbours, who in order to be revenged, placed a keg of gunpowder under the poor fellow’s house, set fire to it, and blew it up, while its unsuspecting inmates were wrapt in sleep! The hut was blown into fragments, and the unfortunate man, his wife and child, were seriously injured. We sincerely hope that the miscreant who perpetrated this horrid deed will be discovered and punished.  Newbern Spect. 

Tarboro’ Press, 16 January 1835.

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April 22, 2013

Napoleon Hagans.

ImageNAPOLEON HAGANS‘ grave marker stands about one hundred yards west of his house near Fremont, Wayne County. His wife Apsilla is memorialized on the other side of the stone. Hagans was born in 1840 to Louisa Hagans (ca1824-ca1875) and reared with the help of Louisa’s mother Leasy Hagans (ca1800-ca1855) and husband Aaron Seaberry (1818-ca1905), whom she married circa 1844. Hagans was a prosperous farmer and landowner.

Photo taken by Lisa Y. Henderson, December 2010.

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April 22, 2013

Freedman’s Bank depositor, no. 2.

No. 5467. Record for Geo. Hostler.  Date January 6, 1872. Where born: Fayetteville. Where brought up: ditto. Residence: Chestnut between 5th and 6th Streets. Age 35. Complexion: light brown. Occupation: barber. Works for self. Wife: Marie. Children: None. Father: Joe, dead. Mother: Hannah, dead. Brothers and Sisters: (6) Susie, Mary, Mary Isabella, Caroline, Henry [sic].

Freedman’s Bank Records, National Archives and Records Administration.

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April 22, 2013

He is making for the Western Country.

One Hundred Dollars Reward.

RANAWAY from the subscriber on the 6th day of March last, a mulatto man by the name of JACK, well built, about five feet five or six inches high, 28 years of age, a tolerable shoe maker, and has been much in the habit of driving a wagon – He has a scar on his forehead, and a part of one of his upper foreteeth is broken off, one of his wrists broke and crooked, and his right leg pretty much shot with small shot which will shew very plainly. He has been seen on his way making for the Western Country, and passes as a free man but the name of John Revill, having obtained a pass from a black free man of that name which was written and signed by John Taylor Clerk of the County Court of Orange, (State of North-Carolina) – Any person who will deliver the aforesaid mulatto man to the Subscriber at Hillsborough in the state aforesaid, shall receive the above reward, and all reasonable charges paid from time of his being taken until delivered.  LEVI WHITTED.

Hillsborough Record, April 8, 1812.

P.S. The Subscriber was somewhat mistaken before in a part of the description given of this fellow, that is with respect to his height.

The Editor of the paper at Knoxville, is hereby requested to give this advertisement an insertion in his paper and continue the same about 6 weeks, for which he will be good enough to forward his account to the subscriber living at Hillsborough, and the money shall be duly forwarded.   L. WHITTED.

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April 22, 2013

Sprightly and writes well.

Was committed to Jail of Robeson county, N.C. on the 20th ult. a Negro man who calls himself Joseph Leggan, and says he is free, about five feet seven inches high, dark complexion and bow legged, has a very sprightly look and writes well – He says he was born in Powhatan county, Virginia, and that John Panly, of Buckingham county, raised him, and that his father was a servant of the said Panky, named Ben; that he followed boating in James river for many years, and for eight or ten years he has followed ditching, which has been his occupation since in this county. He is from thirty-four to thirty-five years of age, and is ruptured; he is well-cloathed amd appears to have a variety, a description of which is unnecessary.    ALEX ROWLAND, Sh’ff.  Lumberton, May 4th, 1814.

Star, Raleigh, 13 May 1814.

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April 22, 2013

Wayne County Apprentices, 1838.

Bill Brooks, 6, was bound to John Lewis in 1838.

John Green was bound to Henry McKinne in 1838.

James Carroll, 8, was bound to William McKinne in 1838.

Jacob S. Read, 3, was bound to Jesse Bogue.

John Gray Hall, 5, was bound to John Davis in 1838.

Barna Burnet, 6, was bound to Harris Barfield in 1838.

Jordan Wiggins, 5, and James Wiggins were bound to William Thomas in 1838.

Winnie Hall, Sam Hall, Zany Hall and Benajah Hall were bound to Exum Pike in 1838.

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April 22, 2013

Valuable property.

VALUABLE REAL ESTATE AT AUCTION.

The following valuable property will be sold on SATURDAY, 9th of MAY, at Eleven o’clock, at the Market House in Fayetteville: …

Dwelling House on North side of ____ Street, joins Abel Payne.

…

Fayetteville Observer, 11 May 1863.

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April 22, 2013

They found him in a contuse situation.

COMMUNICATION.

HORRID MURDER. – An atrocious murder was committed near New-Market, Bertie county, on Saturday the 26th ult. on the person of Mr. James Hayes – It appears that Hayes went in the morning in the field in which his servants were at work, and did not return as usual. – His family could not learn the cause of his unusual absence, & on Thursday they suspected he must have been put to death. The neighbourhood was alarmed and a general search was made for him. They had been gone but a few minutes before they found him scarcely covered, and in a very contuse situation – The servants were immediately apprehended and examined – One of them, a woman, said that Anthony Wiggins, a mulatto, had murdered him and in conjunction with two others had deposited him away, and declared if she ever told they would take her life. Wiggins is a free man, but in consequence of some incident had given his indentured to Hayes for life, and it is supposed it was a preconcerted plan in order to recover his freedom – The whole of them are in Windsor jail, and undubitably will receive death as an atonement for their enormous crime.   New-Market, June 1, 1810.

Star, Raleigh, 7 June 1810.

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April 22, 2013

To enforce payment of taxes.

The General Assembly of this State adjourned sine die on Saturday last. The following is a list of the Public Acts passed during the Session.

…

3. More effectually, to enforce the payment of taxes from free Negroes and Mulattoes. [Provides, that the owners of land, on which free negroes and mulattoes reside, with their permission, shall be liable for the public county and parish taxes of said negroes and mulattoes; and for refusal or neglect to give them in as free polls, in their list of taxables, to be liable to the same penalty as for a neglect or refusal to give in their own list.]

…

North Carolina Sentinel, New Bern, 17 January 1829.

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April 22, 2013

Mare missing; free negro suspected.

NOTICE. $10 REWARD. Stolen from the subscriber on the night of the 23d inst., a small bright Chestnut Sorrel MARE, about 3 years old, with a star on her face. Supposed to have been stolen by a Free Negro by the name of Penn Walden. Said Walden is a bright mulatto, about 35 years of age, about 5 ½ feet high. I will pay the above Reward for the delivery of the Mare at Carthage, N.C., or $5 for sufficient proof to convict him of the theft.  JOHN CAMPBELL.  Aug. 24, 1860.

Carolina Observer, Fayetteville, 27 August 1860.

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