Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color
May 30, 2014

Barnes, or Burns, or Copage, or Farmer.

$125 REWARD

will be paid for the delivery of the said HARRY to me at Tossnot Depot, Edgecombe county, or for his confinement in any Jail in the State so that I can get home, or One Hundred and Fifty Dollars will be given for his head.

He was lately heard from in New-Bern where he called himself Henry Barnes (or Burns), and will likely continue the same name, or assume that of Copage or Farmer. He has a free mulatto woman for a wife, by the name of Sally Bozeman, who has lately removed to Wilmington, and lives in that part of the town called Texas, where he will likely be lurking.

Master of vessels are particularly cautioned against harboring, employing, or concealing the said negro on board their vessels, as the full penalty of the law will be rigorously enforced. GUILFORD HORN.   June 29th, 1850

Eastern Carolina Republican (New Bern), 20 November 1850.

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May 30, 2014

On trial for the murder of a Swede.

Murder and Arson.

Jesse Holley, a free mulatto, was arrested on last Saturday night, by Mr. A.D. Bordeaux and others, for the murder of a Mr. John Hendrick, and the burning of the house where said Hendrick lived, one night last week. When arrested, Holley had on clothes recognized as the property of the deceased. He was brought to town on Sunday morning and committed to prison, to stand an investigation at next Superior Court, which will be held here next week.

We learn that Mr. Hendrick was a native of Gottenborough, Switzerland [sic], where he has a wife and two children, and was making arrangements to send for them during the present year. He is represented as a man of industrious habits and a good mechanic. He was a shop carpenter by trade, but was in the employ of Mr. Bordeaux, about 2 miles from town, near the Railroad, at the time of his murder.

Wilmington Journal, 9 April 1852.

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…

To-day, Jesse Holley, a free mulatto, is on trial for the murder of John Hendrick, a Swede, who was killed on the night of the 3d inst., in his house on the Railroad, about 12 miles from town. The house was also burned down. – Jour. of yesterday.

The above named Prisoner has been found guilty.

Weekly Commercial (Wilmington), 30 April 1852.

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May 30, 2014

Runaway bound boy, no. 18.

SUPERIOR COURT. – The Term closed on Saturday. The three prisoners from Bladen were refused bail, and were remanded to prison.

Andrew Jackson Evans was tried for the murder of Joseph Williams, (both free colored,) in this town on the 30th ult. The jury rendered a verdict of manslaughter, and the Court sentenced the prisoner to receive 49 lashes and pay a fine of $100. For the State, B.R. Huske, Esq. (the Solicitor being indisposed.) For the prisoner, Gen. John Winslow and Messrs. C.G. Wright and Neill McKay.

A Special Term was ordered, for the trial of Civil Causes, (which were necessarily almost entirely neglected at this Term,) to be held on the 2d Monday in February. – Fay. Observer.

Wilmington Daily Herald, 21 November 1856.

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TO THE PUBLIC.

NOTICE is hereby given to all persons against their employing Andrew Jackson Evans, a free boy of color, as his services belong to me, as Agent. Any one employing him after this public notice, and paying him, will subject themselves to a second payment, besides laying themselves liable for damages. G.S. DEMING, Agt. Jan’y 18.

Fayetteville Weekly Observer, 23 January 1860.

[Clarification: As I learned when I found the top article after posting the bottom, A.J. Evans was not an apprentice at all. Rather, he had been “sold” to Deming for a period of time to pay off his fines. — LYH]

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May 30, 2014

Runaway bound boy, no. 17.

$5 Reward.

Runaway from the subscriber, on the 15th August, a free negro known here by the name of Bill Walker, an indented apprentice to the blacksmith’s trade. He is about 20 years old, and stutters badly. I will pay the above reward for him delivered to me.  D.H. DILL.  Oct. 2, 1850

North State Whig (Washington), 2 October 1850.

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May 30, 2014

Runaway bound boy, no. 16.

Five Dollars Reward.

RUNAWAY from the subscriber on the 24th ult. A free colored boy named Josiah Price, an indented apprentice. He is about 14 years of age, very dark apprentice mulatto, and about 5 feet 2 or 3 inches high. It is believed he is lurking in the neighborhood of Gates Court House, where he has a grandmother, and two brothers named Jim and Peter Price, who will no doubt make exertions to conceal him. I will give the above reward and pay all necessary expenses to any person, who will deliver him to me, or so confine him that I get him again.  LEM’L SKINNER.  Chowan Co. Nov. 9th 1831.

Edenton Gazette, 23 November 1831.

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May 30, 2014

Puking, purging, pains.

From the Washington (N.C.) Whig.

HEALTH OF THE TOWN.

Several cases of malignant cholera have occurred in our town. We deem it unnecessary to say much on the subject ourselves, as our readers will find below the detailed report of the Board of Health. This report was handed to us yesterday at noon, and we have heard of no case since. It is now four days since the last case occurred: our citizens are therefore recovering from the panic with which they were at first struck; and several families who then thought of withdrawing from the town, now deem that step quite unnecessary.

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH.

The undersigned, Commissioners and Physicians, constituting a Board of Health for the Town of Washington, under a sense of what they deem their duty to the community, make publick the following cases and facts and occurrences, relative to the health of this town: —

October 8th. Case 1. – A child of a coloured man, living in a low and wet, though central part of the town, and taken in the night with the following symptoms: – puking, purging, pains in the stomach and bowels. When seen by a physician, there was universal coldness of surface, and no perceptible pulse at the wrist. Died at 12 o’clock, A.M. on the 9th.

9th. Case 2. – Winney Pilgreen, a free coloured woman, age not known, but supposed to be about 50 years. When seen by a physician, she was vomiting a glareous fluid, which she said was hot and acid; purging frequent, but small, of a fluid slightly tinged with bile; had pains in the stomach and intestines; spasms of the fingers and in the muscles of the legs and feet; surface of the head, chest and abdomen, below natural temperature; and at the extremities, very cold, shriveled, and inelastic; excessive thirst; complaining of great internal heat; pulse very indistinguishable, being full, soft and feeble; tongue with a thick brown coat upon it. Died on the morning of the 16th.

9th. Case 3. – Philis Brown, mother of the former, sick in an adjoining room. When seen by a physician, had every symptom of preceding case, except that of the pulse; here it was with difficulty perceived, being very small and frequent. Died on the night of the 11th.

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10th. Case 6. Jackson, a free mulatto. Habits not known; in appearance, having a strong healthy constitution; previous health not known; taken at 10 o’clock, P.M. Was seen by a physician in an hour after attack, and found with spasms in stomach and intestines; puking and purging colourless matter; cold tongue; pulseless. Died at 5 A.M., on the 11th.

12th. Case 7. – Isaac Pilgreen, a free coloured man. Habits intemperate; by trade a mason; had been intoxicated for the last week, and exposed day and night in attendance on Nancy, his wife. This patient, when taken, was in a state of inebriety. When seen by a physician, which was in less than an hour, the patient was spasmed in stomach and intestines; cramped in the extremities; had puking and purging of this fluid rice-colored matter; cold surface and tongue; pulse nearly extinct. Survived 5 ½ hours.

…

Newbern Spectator, 24 October 1834.

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May 30, 2014

The worm turns, no. 2.

A WHITE MAN MURDERED BY A FREE NEGRO. – The Murderer Hung. – We learn by a private letter from Wilkesboro that on the 1st instant a number of men in Wilkes county attempted to press a free negro by the name of Fletcher into the army as a servant. The negro fled, was pursued and caught. He then drew a pistol and shot his capturer, a Mr Carrender, through, killing him instantly. He was then carried to Wilkesboro and lodged in jail. On the following Thursday, the 3rd, an excited crowd gathered at the jail, and took the negro out and hung him until he was dead. – Raleigh Register.

The Charlotte Democrat, 22 October 1861.

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May 30, 2014

Diligent search has been made for her.

ESCAPED.

PATTY, a free negro, aged about 60 years, has a dark complexion and stout frame, is insane, though harmless and in feeble health. She left my farm near Hillsborough a few days since, where she has been living several years with her relations. Diligent search has been made for her, but without effect. She was seen near Mr. Parrish’s, and between the race ground and Mr. Huntington’s old place. Any information concerning her will be thankfully received, and any person who will bring her home will be paid for his trouble by the subscriber. C. Jones.  June 17.

Hillsborough Recorder, 18 June 1834.

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May 30, 2014

The worm turns, no. 1.

Murder in Henderson.

Mr. J.T. Henry, of Henderson county, while chastising a free negro named Abe Revels, on the 22d ult., was stabbed twice, and died the next day. The negro has been lodged in Jail in Hendersonville, to await his trial.

Asheville News, 6 August 1857.

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May 30, 2014

He tore up and destroyed his free papers.

KIDNAPPER ARRESTED.

Mr. James Franklin, a blind man, and a resident of Columbia, S.C., was arrested in this city yesterday, having been detected in endeavoring to sell a free negro into bondage. It appears that Franklin, about a week ago, went to Charlotte, N.C., where he made it known that he wished to hire a free negro to go with him and take care of him on a trip to the Virginia Springs. Harmon Proctor, a free negro, was recommended, and accepted the position. Franklin, having made his arrangements, went from Charlotte to Richmond, Va., when he changed his destination, and shortly after left for Greenville, Tennessee, where he has a brother living. After remaining there a few days, Franklin went to Louisville, and thence to Cincinnati, where he chanced to meet a free negro named A.W. Thompson, whom he engaged to accompany him to New Orleans, at which point it was understood that he intended to send Proctor home, taking Thompson for his body servant. In getting as far as Vicksburg, however, Thompson (who is a very bright mulatto, and a fellow of much shrewdness) learned of the disabilities imposed on free negroes by the laws of Louisiana, and prevailed upon Mr Franklin to return, which he did on the Edward J. Gay, which reached here on yesterday afternoon. While the Gay was discharging freight, Thompson prevailed upon Franklin to stop in Memphis for a day or two, and shortly after they made an attempt to sell Harmon Proctor as a slave. Proctor discovered what they were about after they had got him to the slave-dealer’s mart, and showed to the proposed purchaser the evidence of his freedom, which being shown to Mr Franklin, he immediately tore up and destroyed in the presence of the slave-dealer. These facts coming to the knowledge of the officers, the kidnappers, James Franklin (white) and A.W. Thompson (colored), were lodged in jail to await trial, as well also the negro whom they attempted to sell.

James Franklin is said to be a man of means living in Columbia, S.C., and a little fast in his expenditures for a blind man. It is supposed that the wily Cincinnati free negro first conceived the idea of selling Harmon Proctor into slavery, and then inveigled Franklin into it. Fortunately they are all in jail, and the guilty party will be made to suffer the full penalty of the law. – Memphis Enquirer.

The Charlotte Democrat, 9 October 1860.

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In the 1850 census of Cleveland County, Harmon Proctor, 18, in the household of white farmer William H. Cabaniss.

On 22 December 1856, Hermon Proctor married Anny Freeman. Rowan County Marriage Records.

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