Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Month: June, 2014

Wheelwright shop destroyed by fire.

Fire Last Night.

Last evening about half past seven o’clock, a fire broke out in wooden building on Seventh Street, between Market and Dock Street, occupied as a Wheelwright Shop by SAM HOOPER, a free negro. The Wheelwright Shop, with an adjoining Blacksmith Shop, and some small outhouses were destroyed. We have no estimate of the amount of loss. The buildings destroyed were, we should think, of very little value. – Daily Journal, 18th.

Wilmington Journal, 24 March 1864.

Jail break, no. 7.

$50 REWARD!

BROKE the jail of Currituck County and made his escape on the 2d day of June, 1852, a free colored man named GATLING BOWYER, confined there for larceny. He is about five feet eight or ten inches high – black – about 21 or 22 years old – and has made occasional voyages by sea. It is supposed that he is lurking somewhere in the neighborhood of Roanoke Island, in Currituck County.

The above reward will be given for his apprehension and delivery at the jail of Currituck county.   THOMAS GRIGGS, Sheriff and Jailer. Currituck Co., N.C., June 22, 1852.

The Democratic Pioneer (Elizabeth City), 5 October 1851.

With the intention of holding her as a slave.

HABEAS CORPUS CASE. – Yesterday forenoon, His Honor Judge Person, had Elizabeth Post, a free woman of color, brought before him on a writ of habeas corpus, the facts as we learn them, being, that Elizabeth was sold or hired out for a term of years, by the court of Cumberland county, and her term of the balance of it, was assigned by the original hirer or purchaser, to James Bryant of Bladen county. Day before yesterday said Bryant brought the woman down to Wilmington on board one of the steamboats, on the Cape Fear, and during the passage down she overheard some conversation, leading her to believe that it was designed to carry her out of the State with the supposed intention of holding her as a slave. On a representation of the facts to His honor, he issued a writ for the production of the woman, when upon an examination of the case it appeared beyond question that she was a free woman, and she was consequently set at liberty. We believe she was found on board the Manchester cars. No one appeared to contest her claim. – Wilmington Journal.

Weekly Raleigh Register, 9 December 1857.

In payment of Confederate taxes, no. 4.

Form of the estimate and assessment of agricultural products agreed upon by the assessor and tax-payer, and the value of the portion thereof to which the government is entitled, which is taxed in kind, in accordance with the provisions of Section 11 of “an Act to lay taxes for the common defence and carry on the government of the Confederate States,” said estimate and assessment to be made as soon as the crops are ready for market.

Rice — Quantity of gross crop. — 5 bush. Quality — #2. Tithe or one-tenth. — 1/2 bush. Value of one-tenth. — $2.00

Cured Fodder — Quantity of gross crop. — 700 lbs. Quality — #2. Tithe or one-tenth. —  70 lbs. Value of one-tenth. — $280

Ground peas — Quantity of gross crop. — 7 1/2 bush. Quality — #2. Tithe or one-tenth. — 3/4 bush. Value of one-tenth. — $4.50

I, Durant Dove of the County of Onslow and State of N.C. do swear that the above is a true statement and estimate of all the agricultural products produced by me during the year 1863, which are taxable by the provisions of the 11th section of the above stated act, including what may have been sold of consumed by me, and of the value of that portion of said crops to which the government is entitled. /s/ Durant X Dove

Sworn to and subscribed to before me the 28th day of November 1863, and I further certify that the above estimate and assessment has been agreed upon by said Dove and myself as a correct and true statement of the amount of his crops and the value of the portion to which the government is entitled. /s/ F. Thompson, Assessor.

The Confederate Papers Relating to Citizens or Business Firms, 1861-1865 (NARA M346), often called the “Confederate Citizens File,” is a collection of 650,000 vouchers and other documents relating to goods furnished or services rendered to the Confederate government by private individuals and businesses.

The “Citizens File” was created by the Confederate Archives Division of the Adjutant General’s Office from records created or received by the Confederate War and Treasury Departments that were in the custody of the U.S. War Department. The Citizens File was created to aid in determining the legitimacy of compensation claims submitted for property losses allegedly inflicted by Union forces. The records were used by the Treasury and Justice Departments, Southern Claims Commission, Court of Claims, and congressional claims committees to determine whether the claimant had been loyal to the Union or had aided the Confederate government and thus not eligible for compensation.

Sixteen acres for $66.

This Indenture made and entered into this day between Hardy Laster Jr. and Green Laster both of the County of Edgecomb and State of North Carolina, witnesseth that I Hardy Laster, have bargained and sold unto Green Laster for sixty six dollars Sixteen acres of Land in the County and State aforesaid adjoining B. Simms, Lemon Ruffin and others beginning in Ruffin’s line thence across the Piny woods thence in a direct line with the Crop fence and then with said fence to the Mill Pond with said line out in the piney woods to the beginning a stake containing sixteen acres more or less together with all the appurtenances thereon and I Hardy Laster do forever warrant and defend the right and title unto Green Laster forever free ad clear from any and ever person or persons whomsoever claiming the Same in witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this day 16th September 1854.  Hardy X Laster Jr. Witness J.W. Farmer, Josiah Farmer

Deed Book 1, page 56, Register of Deeds, Edgecombe County.

Two Washington Tabourns?

Horse Stealing. — Washington Taborn, a free coloured man, has been committed to the jail of Moore county, charged with having stolen the horse of Mr. Isham Sims, of this county — the same that was recently advertised in this paper. Taborn having been once tried and found guilty of a similar offense, a second conviction will sibject him to the punishment of death!Ral. Register.

Fayetteville Weekly Observer, 30 September 1830.

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Washington Taburn, a free negro, who was sentenced to be hung in Granville county, and who effected his escape last Spring, has been apprehended in Northampton county, and committed to jail.

The North-Carolina Star, 27 September 1833.

Impostors.

The Subscriber is a free colored man, and some persons a few days past stole his Pocket Book, containing his papers of freedom, signed by John Taylor, Clerk of the court of Orange county – should any colored person attempt to pass under the said papers, the public are hereby cautioned and warned to have them immediately arrested as impostors. MACKLIN REVELS. March, 22.

Fayetteville Weekly Observer, 3 April 1823.

Blame it on the grog shop!

Attempt to Murder. – On Monday evening last, the citizens of the heart of our town were alarmed by loud cries of Murder! On repairing to the spot, it was found that a coloured man named Ephraim Hammond, had been struck on the head with a brick, by which his skull was shockingly fractured. Suspicion having attached to two white men, named Frederick Jones and Allen Rowell, they were taken up, and after examination, fully committed for trial. There is little or no hope of Hammond’s surviving the injury.

It would be improper to detail any of the circumstances connected with this horrid affair, except to state, that it appears to have been produced by an occurrence on the same evening, at a gambling table at one of those sinks of iniquity, a Grog shop! kept by one of the prisoners, and in the same building recently occupied by Wm. M. Anderson, who, only six weeks ago, vacated it to take up his abode in Jail for the murder of Madison Allen.

When will our County Court do its duty towards the suppression of these nuisances? – Fayetteville Observer.

The People’s Press (Wilmington), 2 February 1838.

Carried off by a mulatto hauling corn.

Two Hundred Dollars Reward.

RANAWAY on the 18th September, my negro woman JENNY, aged about 28 years, abot 5 feet high, dark complexion, looks surly unless spoken to, at which time she is very pleasant. She ranaway sometime previous and was taken up in Robeson county, N. Carolina, in the neighborhood of Shoe Heel Depot, working about under the pretence of being free. She was carried off by one Lewis Oxendine, a mulatto who was hauling corn at that time, from my plantation. I will give the above reward for her delivery to me or in any Jail so that I get her. I will give one hundred dollars more for proof sufficient to convict any person of harboring her.

My address in Brownsville Post Office, Marlborough District, South Carolina. JOHN A. HODGES. Dec. 6, 1863.

Fayetteville Weekly Observer, 28 March 1864.

One harbored slaves, the other drove away with them.

A negro named Noah C. Hanson charged with harboring two runaway slaves last summer, the property of the Hon. Walter Colcock, was tried in the criminal Court at Washington on Saturday and found guilty. He was fined 1000 dollars and to stand committed until the same was paid.

The Old North State (Elizabeth City), 15 March 1851.

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Warner Harris, free colored, for driving away Chaplin’s carriage containing the two slaves belonging to Messrs. Stephens and Toombs, was ordered to pay a fine of $150 in each case.

The Old North State (Elizabeth City), 15 March 1851.