Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Category: Kinfolk

Family business.

This indenture made this 29th day of September 1855 between Adam Artis of the County of Wayne & State of North Carolina of the one part and John Wilson of the county and state aforesaid of the other part witnesseth — that the said Adam Artis for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and twenty four dollars to him on hand paid by him the said John Wilson at and before the sealing and delivering of these presents the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged the said Adam Artis has given, granted, bargained and sold and will by these presents grant, bargain and sell unto the said John Wilson his heirs and assigns forever one certain piece of land in said county it being the ten acres of land the said John Wilson sold to the said Adam Artis to have and to hold the above described land and improvements to him the said John Artis [sic] to him and his heirs and assigns — provided nevertheless that said Adam Artis pays or causes to be paid to the said John Wilson one certain note and interest that may accrue thereon said note given for one hundred and twenty four dollars bearing date even with these presents now then if the said Adam Artis pays said note interest within twelve months from the date of this presents then the above obligation to be void otherwise to be in full force and virtue —

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written — Adam X Artis

Signed and delivered the presence of W. Thompson

Wayne County Octo. 2nd 1855. Then was the above deed of Mortgage from Adam Artis to John Wilson duly proved before me by the oath of William Thompson a subscribing witness thereto — and let it be registered   — Benj. Aycock, Clk

Deeds, Register of Deeds Office, Wayne County.

In the 1850 census of Greene County NC, Adam “Artess” and his sisters Charity and Jane appear in the household of white farmer Silas Bryant.  They were probably apprentices, though no apprentice bonds have been found.  Their mother Vicy Artess was next door with additional children.  Adam’s sister Zilpha Artis married John “Jack” Wilson in the mid-1850s.  Adam and John apparently never recorded a deed for the herein-referenced sale that preceded this one.

Louvicey Artis Aldridge.

Image

LOUVICEY ARTIS ALDRIDGE was born in 1865 near Eureka, Wayne County, to Adam Toussaint Artis (1831-1919) and Frances Seaberry Artis (1845-1878.)  In 1879, she married John William Aldridge (1851-1910), son of Robert Aldridge and Mary Eliza Balkcum Aldridge.

Courtesy of Lisa Y. Henderson.

Where are they now? No. 10 and 11.

L.D. was born in the mid-1960s in Kinston NC.  She is descended from:

(1) William Dove? [ca1748-??, Craven County] via Simon Dove [??-ca1820, Craven/Onslow County] via Durant Dove [1810-ca1890, Onslow County] via Lewis J. Dove [1831-ca1905, Onslow/Lenoir County]

(2) Nancy Henderson [ca1790-ca1875, Onslow County]

(3) Elizabeth Whitehurst [ca1780-??, Pitt/Onslow/Jones] via Ann Whitehurst [Onslow County]

R.B. was born in the early 1960s in Tarboro NC.  He is descended from:

(1) James E. O’Hara [1844-1905, NY/Wayne/Edgecombe/Halifax/Craven]

Where are they now? No. 9.

W.C. was born in Washington DC in the early 1960s.  He is descended from:

(1) Robert Aldridge [1819-1899, Duplin/Wayne County] via John W. Aldridge [1851-1910, Wayne County]

(2) John Armwood [ca1800-??, Sampson County] via Louisa Armwood [1830-??, Sampson/Wayne County]

(3) Vicey Artis [1810-ca1868, Greene/Wayne County] via Adam T. Artis [1831-1919, Greene/Wayne County]

(4) Mary Eliza Balkcum [1829-1924, Duplin/Wayne County]

(5) Michael Carter [1824-??, Sampson County] via Marshall Carter [1850-1922, Sampson/Wayne County]

(6) Sarah Greenfield [Wayne County]

(7) Patsey Henderson [ca1795-??, Onslow County] via James Henderson [1815-ca1890] via John H. Henderson [1861-1924]

(8) Jesse Jacobs [1822-1902, Sampson/Wayne County] via Frances Jacobs [1859-1937, Sampson/Wayne County]

(9) Winnie Medlin [ca1810-ca1905, Wayne County]

(10) James Simmons [ca1798-ca1860, Sampson/Wayne County] via Bryant Simmons [1832-ca1900, Wayne County] via Sarah E. Simmons [1862-1930, Wayne County]

(11) Gray Winn [1818-1850, Wayne County] via Elizabeth Winn [1836-??, Wayne County]

Minnie Simmons Budd.

ImageMINNIE SIMMONS BUDD was born in 1887, near Dudley NC, to Hillary Bunn Simmons (1855-1941) and Ann Elizabeth Henderson Simmons (1861-1900).  Her father’s parents were George W. Simmons (ca1820-1919) and Axey Jane Manuel Simmons (1823-1885); her mother’s were Lewis Henderson (1836-1912) and Margaret Balkcum Henderson (1836-1915).  She married Jesse Manuel Budd (1884-ca1960), son of John Budd and Alice Jones, and they migrated to Philadelphia before World War I.  Minnie died there in 1961.

Original in possession of Lisa Y. Henderson.

Jesse & Sarah Henderson Jacobs.

ImageJESSE ADAMS JACOBS JR. and wife, SARAH HENDERSON JACOBS SILVER.  Jesse was born in 1858 in Sampson County to Jesse A. Jacobs and Abigail Gilliam.  His first wife was Sarah “Sally” Bridgers.  His second wife, depicted above, was born in 1874 in southern Wayne County to Lewis and Margaret Balkcum Henderson.  After Jesse’s death in 1926 in Wilson NC, Sarah married Rev. Joseph Silver (1857-1958) of Enfield, Halifax County.  Sarah died in 1938 in Selma NC.

Sarah’s father, Lewis Henderson, was born in 1836 in Onslow County to James Henderson and an unknown free woman of color whose surname was probably Skipp.  He, his father and siblings migrated to Sampson County in the 1850s and Wayne in the 1860s.  He died near Dudley in 1912.

Original in possession of Lisa Y. Henderson.

Margaret Balkcum Henderson.

ImageMARGARET BALKCUM HENDERSON, “Mag,” born 1836 in Sampson County, died 1915 near Dudley, Wayne County.  She was probably the daughter of Nancy Balkcum, a white woman.  She married Lewis Henderson (1836-1912) circa 1855, most likely in Sampson County.

Original tintype lost.  Copy in possession of Lisa Y. Henderson.

In the 1860 census of Westbrooks, Sampson County: Lewis Henderson, 25, mulatto, turpentine laborer, wife Margaret, 26, and children Lewis T., 4, James L., 3, and Isabella J., 4 mos. 

Where are they now? No. 5.

B.J. was born in the mid-1970s in New York.  She is descended from:

(1) Robert Aldridge [1819-1899, Duplin/Wayne County] via Amelia Aldridge [1855-1895, Wayne County]

(2) Mary Eliza Balkcum [1829-1924, Duplin/Wayne County]

(3) Hannah Brewington [1775-1850, Sampson County] via Raiford Brewington [1812-1896, Sampson/Wayne County] via Joshua Brewington [1847-??, Sampson/Wayne County]

(4) Abraham Hardin [??-??, Sampson County] via Sion Hardin [??-??, Sampson County] via Zilpha Hardin [1794-1860, Sampson County]

(5) Ephraim Manuel [1730-??, Sampson County] via Nicholas Manuel [1752-1835, Sampson County] via Shadrach Manuel [1775-1870, Sampson County] via Bathsheba Manuel [1818-??, Sampson/Wayne County]

Where are they now? No. 2

D.C. was born in the early 1960s in Indiana.  She is descended from:

(1) Margaret Balkcum [1836-1915, Sampson/Wayne County]

(2) Patsey Henderson [ca1795-??, Onslow County] via James Henderson [1815-ca1885, Onslow/Sampson/Wayne County] via Lewis Henderson [1836-1912, Onslow/Sampson/Wayne County] via Ann Elizabeth Henderson  [1862-1900, Wayne County]

(3) Axey J. Manuel [1823-1885, Wayne County]

(4) Winnie Medlin

(5) Phereby Simmons [1772-ca1855, Bertie/Wayne County] via James Simmons [1798-1860, Wayne/Sampson County] via George W. Simmons [ca1820-1919, Wayne County] via Hillary B. Simmons [1853-1941, Wayne County]

47 legitimate children?

It comes from Fremont, Wayne county, that Adam Artis, colored, 75 years old, who lives near there, is the father of 47 legitimate children and that in addition there are 80 or 90 grandchildren.

The Landmark, Statesville, 9 Jan 1906.

Adam Toussaint Artis was born free in 1831 in Greene or Wayne County.  Estimates of the number of his children vary, but more than two dozen have been positively identified.  [Sidenote: I am descended from one of them. –LYH.]