Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Category: Newspapers

Harbored by a free negro woman.

A RUNAWAY SHOT. – A negro man, the property of Mr. Thomas Foust, of Alamance, was shot near this place on Saturday last. He ran away the 15th of May 1861, after threatening his master’s life, and he has been prowling about this neighborhood for some time, and was harbored, it appears, by a free negro woman named Jane Day, living a few miles from this place. Several slaves were in confidence with him, and they often met at Jane Day’s and gambled together, one of whom betrayed him. On Saturday last several gentlemen armed went out to capture him, but he refused to surrender, swore he would not be taken, and threatened to cut his way through if opposed. He had ascended to the top of the chimney, intending to make his egress from the house that way, and was told to stop, or he would be shot. One of the company aimed at his legs, but the negro stooped just at the time to make a leap, and the load lodged in his abdomen. He fell on the outside, and a large bowie knife which he had, fell inside of the chimney. He died in fifteen or twenty minutes. – Hils. Rec.

The North Carolina Argus, 30 January 1862.

Runaway bound boy, no. 10.

Carolina_Watchman_27_Feb_1851_Bound_boy

Carolina Watchman (Salisbury), 27 February 1851.

Worthless wife.

RANAWAY, on Wednesday last, my wife Sally Conrod, a free woman of color, without any just cause. All persons are requested not to harbor said Sally, and are hereby forewarned from trusting her on my account, as I will not pay any debts she may contract. I can produce respectable recommendations as to industry and morality, & wish not to be clogged with the debts of my worthless wife. ABSALOM CONROD, of color. Greensboro, May 8th, 1841.

Greensboro Patriot, 11 May 1841.

A combination has taken place.

There is great cause to suppose (says one of our correspondents) that a combination has taken place between a free mulatto man by the name of Cullen Hudnell, who lately lived on South Dividing Creek, Beaufort county, and some of his white neighbours. He left the neighborhood about the 1st of November last, and a few days afterwards one of his white neighbors went off, and soon returned with a large young sorrel stud Horse, with two white hind feet and a large blaze in his face. This horse being kept secret and disclaimed by the people who have had him in possession, together with the above circumstances, has raised this suspicion.

Weekly Raleigh Register, 31 December 1804

He supposed she had gone to New Bern.

HORRIBLE MURDER.

We learn from Mr. O.F. Alexander, that on the 24th of February last, his negro girl Sarah Jane, left his premises without any cause, and he supposed she had gone to Newbern. On Friday last, the 18th of March, he was informed that a free negro, called John Shavers, had carried her off. That night two of his neighbors and himself went to look Shavers up, and luckily succeeded in taking him. On examining him he said he had carried the girl off to the edge of Onslow county and left her in a piece of woods, in Mr. Seth King’s field, he being at the time hired at some Salt Works near by. Mr. Alexander kept Shavers secure until Saturday morning, when he made his escape, carrying off a trace chain locked around his ankles. Mr. Alexander repaired to the place Shavers had described to him where he left the girl, and about 150 yards from the road, with some friends, found the dead body of the girl covered over with limbs, straw, etc. Her head was separated from the body – by her side lay a lightwood limb, from which most probably the unfortunate girl received the fatal blow.

A jury of inquest was called, and their verdict was, “that Sarah Jane came to her death by a blow or blows inflicted on the back of her head by the hands of John Shavers.”

A reward of $100 is offered for his arrest. Wil. Journal, 26th.

North Carolina Argus (Wadesboro), 7 April 1864.

Armwoods on the lam.

$200 Reward!

Stop the Thieves and runaway Mulattoes.

WHEREAS, sometime ago, Jemima Armwood, a free mulatto woman, for the sum of $200, (to enable her to purchase her husband, named Richard, or commonly called Dick Youngblood, well known in Barnwell District, So. Ca.) bound three of her Girls, named Becky, about 17 years old, Teena, about 14, and Darcas, about 12, to me, to serve as indented servants, and on Thursday, the 8th instant, they inveigled them from my service and removed to parts unknown, taking them my three servants; they besides committed several acts of swindling, theft, outrages, and other rogueries, to myself and others, — such as stealing my sulkey and harness, and selling them in Hamburg, S.C., on the 7th instant; and on the 8th, assaulting and beating a white man, a respectable old gentleman; and many other villainies too numerous to be here inserted.

A reward of $200 dollars will be paid for apprehending the said Jemima, her husband Dick, Becky, Teena, and Darcas, and deliver them to me, or in the Augusta Jail. They have besides five smaller children, one a sucking baby, and may probably have their son, named Daniel, about 22 years of age, all mulattoes, 10 or 11 in number. They started with a cart and a white blind mare; the cart is an uncommon one, it has a very large new body nailed to the shafts, the wheels are from an old gig, originally painted green, but dirty – the axletree of the cart is wood, and the ends that goes in the wheels are iron. Dick is short, about 40 or 50 years of age, illiterate but keen, artful, and well acquainted with the world – most any subject can furnish him with grounds on which to build plausible stories, to secure in his favor the sympathy of others; (and girls are known to be prolific subjects.) Therefore, in order, if possible to counteract his cunning, and as I am not known at a distance, let it be known that I am a married man, with wife and seven small children, the oldest only ten years. I employed the three girls in nursing my small children, and to no other work, and never whipped them; but Dick gave Teena a most unmerciful whipping on the 8th instant, for not robbing me according his directions, and may probably place that whipping too, to my credit, in order to enlist the feelings of others in his favor. – They have been traced to Fayetteville, N.C., and arrived there between the 18th and 26th February. JOHN GUIMARIN, Watch Maker, No. 171, Broad Street. Augusta, Geo. Feb. 23, 1827.

Fayetteville Weekly Observer, 3 May 1827.

Satisfied with his guilt, the spectators immediately hung him.

FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.

MURFREESBORO, N.C., Dec. 16, 1862.

On Saturday 13th inst., Mr. Joshua Ferguson, of this (Hertford) county, left his house, taking his little son along; he soon after told the little fellow to return home and he went on. Mr. F. was not heard from for some days, when his mutilated remains, partially charred, were found near the cabin of a free negro named Artis. Artis was taken into custody and his wife and father informed the captors, that Artis had murdered Mr. Ferguson, first striking him on the head with a hoe, afterwards chopped him to pieces with an axe and attempted to burn the body up. Being satisfied of the guilt of Artis, the incensed spectators immediately hung him. S.J.W.

The Spirit of the Age (Raleigh), 22 December 1862.

She staggered, fell and died.

Coroner’s Inquest.

Coroner Jones held an inquest yesterday on the body of Mary Green, a free mulatto woman. The particulars of her death as we have heard are as follows: She, in company with another woman, started to Green’s Mill, about one mile from town, sometime during the middle of the day on Monday. Just before getting to the mill, Mary was observed to stagger and fall, apparently in a fit. Her companion ran for assistance, and when she returned found that she was dead. The verdict of the jury was in accordance with the above facts.

Wilmington Daily Herald, 27 July 1859.

That greatest curse.

DROPPED DEAD. – A free mulatto named Dick Gee dropped dead in the streets on Thursday last – another victim of that greatest curse of the human race, intemperance, which annually sends so many thousands to the grave. So says the Fayetteville Carolinian.

The Daily Delta (New Bern), 17 May 1859.

Docket report.

Edgecombe Superior Court.

Griffin Stewart, a free negro, charged with the murder of Penny Anderson, was removed on his own affidavit to Nash county, to be tried on Wednesday next.

Alfred Hagans, a free negro, charged with a rape on a white woman, removed on his own affidavit to the Superior Court of Wayne county, to be held on the 1st Monday of April.

Malachi Anderson, a free negro, charged with grand larceny, moved likewise to Wayne, on his own affidavit.

Tarboro’ Press, 17 March 1849.