An outrageous murder was committed about 3 miles from Weldon, N.C, on the evening of the 11th inst., by a free negro, named John Brown, on the body of James Smith, a very worthy young white man. Brown made his escape, but the Petersburg (Va.) Intelligencer understands he has been arrested in that place and taken back.
Baltimore Sun, 17 March 1848.
State of North Carolina, Wayne County } Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, November term AD 1860
The Grand Jurors for the State upon their oath present that Willie Simmons a Free Negro late of the county of Wayne with force and arms at and in Said county of Wayne on the first day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Sixty and on divers other days times, nights as well before or afterwords up to the taking of this inquisition a Shot Gun did keep in his house and he the said Willie Simmons did wear keep and Carry the aforesaid Shot Gun without having obtained a license therefor from the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Wayne County within one year next preceeding the time of keeping wearing and carrying the aofresaid Shot Gun contrary to the form of the Statute in Such case made and provided and against the Peace and dignity of the State. Everitt. Sol.
Records of Slaves and Free Persons of Color, Wayne County Records, North Carolina State Archive.
State v. Thomas S. Jones, 20 NC 120 (1838).
This case arose in Chowan County on a charge of petit larceny of four pigs. Two were found in Thomas Jones’ possession, and two in the possession of a free person of color who bought them from Jones after he branded them with the mark of a long-dead uncle. Jones lived with his father, whose pigs were differently marked. A week after he was indicted, Jones left for Tennessee and did not return to Chowan County until the week before the next court term. Jones called his brother-in-law Dennis, who testified that Jones asked him to come to Edenton on a Sunday morning to hunt for some lost pigs, which he described particularly. After looking two or three places, they stopped at a free colored woman’s house and found the pigs. Jones took them, sold two, and took the rest to his father’s house. A Mrs. King and Jones’ brother William Jones also testified that Jones told them he had lost some pigs. Mr. Smith, a merchant in Edenton, testified that on Saturday night Jones asked him to help look for some pigs and the next morning told him he had found them. Witness McNider testified that “about a half an hour by sun” on Sunday, Jones told him he had found all his pigs in a negro woman’s possession. Jones was convicted.
“The presumption arising from possession of stolen goods is stronger or weaker as the possession is more or less recent. A recent possession raises a reasonable presumption of guilt.” Judgment affirmed.
A ROBBERY. In the night of the 31st of December last, my son William Sugg, was robbed on the Road between Raleigh and Joshua Sugg’s, supposed by a free black man named JOHN BLACK, who is well known in this neighborhood, and who has since escaped. The money taken consisted of one or two ten dollar Bank Notes, one five dollar note, and three forty shilling Bills of State Currency. With the money was taken my pocket knife, a small part of both blades of which had been broken. Black is about 25 years old, low and well made – is a Carpenter by trade, and had with him a copy of his former masters will, (Moses Parker,) of Franklin – Any person apprehending said Black, so that he may be brought to justice, shall be well rewarded for their trouble. WM. SUGG. Wake county, January 5, 1815.
Star, Raleigh, 6 January 1815.
DAVID VALENTINE, a free man of color, convicted at the late Term of Guilford Superior Court, of the murder of Mrs. West and her grand son, in Davidson County, was sentenced to be hung Friday, the 19th instant.
Raleigh Register, 6 November 1847.
[Sidenote: is this the same David Valentine as in the linked post? — LYH]
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.
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.
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.
State of North Carolina Chatham county
We Lucretia Evans & Philip Hartsoe, acknowledge ourselves indebted to the State of North Carolina in the sum of Fifty pounds each, to be levied on our goods & chattles, Land & tenaments, But to be void on condition that the said Lucretia Evans makes her personal appearance at the next county Court for Chatham to be held on 2nd Monday of August next, and not depart the said court without leave, and to answer the within charge – This 25th June, 1826. Lucretia X Evans {Seal}
Teste. Jon: Haralson , Philip Hartso
———-
State of North Carolina, Chatham County
Thos. Lasater, one of the Justices of the peace for the said County To the keeper of the common Jail of the County af’d.
Whereas Lucretia Evans a free woman of the County af’d. hath been arrested by the lawful authority of the af’d County and brought before me charg’d with entering the house of Vicy Mason and feloneaus stealing and carrying away a web of cloth for which offence she has been duly examined before me and the presumption is she is guilty thereof.
These is therefore to command you the keeper to receive the said Lucretia Evans in your Jail there to remain until she shall be delivered by due course of law, given under my hand this 26th of June 1826 Thos. Lasater
Records of Slaves and Free Persons of Color, Chatham County Records, North Carolina State Archives.
Halifax, April 16.
Murder. – On Tuesday last, an inquest was held in this town on the body of Samuel Horne, a free colored man, who died the preceding day. From the Coroner’s report it appears that on Sunday last Edward Jones, a shoemaker, residing in this place, saw two chicken-cocks fighting near his house; he caught one and threatened to shoot the other, which Samuel Horne, the deceased, begged him not to do; upon this Jones ordered him out of the house, and swore if he did not go he would kill him, and immediately looked about for his shoe knife; the deceased went off, was pursued and stabbed by Jones. The wound was afflicted just above the collar bone on the left side of the neck, passing obliquely across the breast, cutting the windpipe, puncturing the swallow, and dividing important blood-vessels. Jones was immediately taken in to custody, and is now in jail awaiting his trial. Free Press.
Hillsborough Recorder, 28 April 1824.
Fourth Generation Inclusive 