STATE LEGISLATURE.
CAPTIONS of the Laws of N. Carolina, passed in 1816.
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PRIVATE ACTS.
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96. To emancipate Hannah Howe, Balaam Howe, John Howe and Sally Howe, children of Balaam and Lucy Howe of the county of Brunswick.
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Star, Raleigh, 3 January 1817
MURDER. — On Sunday morning last, the body of a free colored man, named Michael Knight, was found near Sandy Plain church, in this county, under circumstances that lead to believe that he had been foully dealt with. He was entirely nude, excepting socks upon his feet, and his body was horribly mangled, having been badly beaten with a stick, and his neck dislocated. Coroner A. Nixon held an inquest on Monday, before whom evidence was brought to light pointing to two white men as the perpetrators of this deed. The evidence, however, is wholly circumstantial. We suppress the names of the accused for the present, understanding that warrants are in the hands of the proper officers for their arrest. So far as we can understand there are no extenuating circumstances for the perpetration of this horrible deed.
The Argus, Wadesboro, 16 February 1860.
The following surnames are found among free people of color in the 1850 census of Caldwell County: ABERNETHY, ABSHER, ANDERSON, BARNETT, BEARY, BELL, BROWN, CANNER, CONLY, CRISP, DAY, DECKER, FLETCHER, FREEMAN, FURR, HOWELL, JACKSON, LOUGH, LOVE, McCRAVY, POWELL, REEDS, SCOTT, SHEWELL, SMITH, STALLINS, TAYLOR, TURNMIRE, UNDERDOWN, UNDERWOOD and WHITMER.
State of North Carolina, Guilford County } Superior Court of Law In Fall Term 1866
To the Honorable the Judge of said County
Zilpha Ann Goings of the county and state aforesaid by her petition respectfully showeth unto your Honor, that she was born free, that she intermarried in the county of Alamance on 7th of August 1858 with one Barrister Goings, a free man of color, that the said Barrister obtained a license from the clerk of the County Court for said County of Alamance, and the rites of matrimony were solemnized between them by a Justice of the Peace according to Law that the said Barrister lived [with] her about eighteen months, that for the first three months their life was peaceful and happy, that about that time, for some reason unknown to your Petitioner but wholly without Just cause, the said Barrister became Jealous of her, and began to curse, whip, illtreat, and threaten your Petitioner, that this course of conduct was kept up until some time in June 1860, when the said Barrister without cause and against the will of your Petitioner, left her and went to the county of Chatham, that in the autumn of that year, he returned to her, staid three weeks, quarreled with her, abused her threatened to take her life and again abandoned her, that she strove to make him happy and induce him to live with her, but it was all in vain, that he hath never returned to her house since that time, and has wholly and cruelly abandoned her, that he hath never since then helped her, in furnishing her in any thing to subsist, or paid any the least attention to her, whatever, that she is advised and believes that he has led a lewd life, since he quited her, that she is informed and believes, that he after leaving her, visited one Ruth Bass, a free woman of color, had illicit intercourse with her, and that afterwards the said Ruth was delivered [page missing] ly him, that she good reasons to believe and does believe that he has had illicit and adulterous intercourse with persons to her unknown, in the county of Chatham where he lived for some time after he left her, that she has not heard of him for about two years, and does not know now where he lives, or in what manner he is conducting himself, that she has resided in Guilford county over seven years, that the course of action has existed for nearly eight years, that she hath born herself, as a wife should, hath observed her vows, of chasity and fidelity, and regretted no little that she could not induce her husband to continue with her, and observe his own vows of chastity and fidelity, help her to make a livelyhood, and lead with her a correct and upright life, that she hath never given him any cause for the course he has since stronly pursured, your Petitioner therefore prays your Honor that she may be dissolved from the bonds of matrimony with her said husband, the said Barrister Goings, and for further and such other relief, as the nature of her case may require and to your Honor may seem meet. May it please your Honor to grant unto her [illegible] writ of supoena directed to the said Barrister Goings, commanding him to appear at the next Term of the Superior Court of Law to be held for the county of Guilford at the Court in Greensboro on 4th Monday after 4th Monday in September 1866 then and there to plead, or answer the Libel of your Petitioner and stand to, abide by, and perform such orders and Judgments as shall lie made in this case, And as in duty bound will pray Scott & Scott Atty
Divorce Records, Guilford County Records, North Carolina State Archives.
In the 1850 census of Southern Division: Barister Goans, 13, in the household of William Workman, 32. In the 1860 census of Eastern Division, Chatham County: Barrister Goings, 30, and Emeline Goings, 28. In the 1870 census of Pittsboro Road North Side, Chatham County: Barrister Goens, 40, wife Nancy, 35, and children John, 11, George, 7, and Nathan, 5.
In the 1860 census of Alamance County: Stephen Bass, 60, with Ruth, 16, Sarah, 12, Jonathan, 10, and Eliza Bass, 6, and Maria, 23, M.J., 6, and John Dunnan, 2.
I Nathan Small one of the Justices of the Peace for Pasquotank County & State of North Carolina, Certify that Jerry Leonard is the son of London and Edy Leonard, Free People of Colour Residing in this County, Octob’r [blank] 1830 /s/ Nathan Small
Slave Records, Pasquotank County Records, North Carolina State Archives.
State of North Carolina, Wayne County } I, Zilphy Wilson, of the County and State, aforesaid begin of sound mind and memory, but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence to make and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following, that is to say: — That my Executor hereinafter named shall provide for my body a decent burial, suitable to the wishes of my relations and friends, and pay all funeral expenses together with my just debts out of the first money that may come into his hands as a part or parcel of my estate.
Item 1. I give and bequeath to my daughter Bettie Reid 7 acres of land to be cut off the North East corner of the tract of land on which I now reside for and during her natural life, and after her death to be equally divided between all of her children that she may have now, or may have living at the time of her death, the said Bettie Reid not to have possession of said Land until the debts against my estate are paid.
Item 2. I give devise and bequeath to my son Adam Wilson and my daughter Vicey Wilson, share and share alike all of the tract of Land on which I now live, with the exception of the seven acres given away in Item first of this will, with all the priviledges and appertances thereunto belonging for and during their natural like, should they both have heirs, then they to have their mother & Father part, and should Adam or Vicey only one of them leave heirs, then and in that case I give said land to the surviving hairs of that one to them and their heirs in the fee simple forever.
Item 3. I give and devise unto my son Adam Wilson and Vicy Wilson, share and share alike, all of my Household and Kichen furniture of every description Farming implements of every description, Tools of Mechanics &c &c, Stocks of all kinds, and all the poultry of kind to them and their heirs in fee simple forever.
Item 4. It is my will and I so direct, that my son Adam Wilson to retain possession of the whole of my land at yearly rental of seven hundred lbs. of lint cotton which is to be applied to the payment of the debts against my estate, as soon as said debts are paid, I direct that Bettie Reid be put in possession of the seven acres of land given to her in a former Item of this Will. I also desire that my daughter Bettie Reed become an equal heir in my household and kitchen furniture with my son Adam and daughter Vicey. Changes made in Zilphia Wilson’s Will Oct[?] 4, 1893
Item 5. I give and devise unto William and Jonah Wilson children of William Wilson Sixty dollars to be paid to them when they arrive at lawful age.
Item 6. I give and devise unto Johney, Lominary, Levy, Laronzo Locus, Children Louisa Locus Sixty dollars to be paid to them as they arrive at lawful age.
Item 7. It is my will and so direct that the Legacies mentioned in Items 5 & 6 of this Will be assessed by my son Adam and my Daughter Vicy Wilson, and I direct that they pay to each one of the above mentioned heirs, as they arrive of lawful age their proportionable part of said Legacies with interest on the same from the time the debts of the estate are settled.
Lastly, I hereby constitute and appoint my brother Jonah Williams and my son Adam Wilson Executors to this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all the Wills heretofore made by me. Zilphy X Wilson
Signed and sealed in the presence of Fred I. Becton and Thomas Artis, who witnessed the same at her request. /s/ Richard H. Battle, Fred I. Becton
[Proved 17 December 1902.] Will Book 2, page 421. Register of Deeds Office, Wayne County Courthouse, Goldsboro.
In the 1850 census of Bull Head, Greene County: Vicy Artess with children Zilpha, Louis, Jonah, Jethro, and Richard Artis. Next door, Vicey’s children Adam, Charity and Jane Artess in the household of Silas Bryant.
In the 1860 census of Davis, Wayne County: carpenter Jack Wilson, wife Zilpha, and two unnamed “infants.” Jack reported $500 personal property, $300 real property, and the family lived very near Zilpha’s mother, Vicey Artis.
Fourth Generation Inclusive 