Petitions | Fourth Generation Inclusive

January 17, 2013

Her complexion is an act of the Almighty, not her crime.

Pasquotank County } To the Worshipfull the Justices of the Inferior Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of the County of Pasquotank County now in Court sitting. The humble Petition of Ruth Tillet a free born, coloured Woman, Humbly sheweth unto Your Worships, that she was born of a Free woman named Ann Tillet, The daughter of the Wife of one [blank space] Tillet of Powel’s Point, supposed by a Black Man; That your Petitioner’s mother moved from Currituck to a Neighborhood on Little River, and was delivered of your Petitioner at the House of one Timothy Mead, where she remained until the Death of her Mother and the said Timothy, at whose [illegible] she was sold to one Blackstock who she verily believes was not ignorant of her Condition and Rights to Liberty, and sold her to a distant Merchant called Barny Coffoo of Newbern. At which place, she had eight, Several Masters, each getting rid of her, as soon as thgey could, on hearing of her Story, and her Resolution to regain her Liberty. That in the lifetime of her last Master John Bishop, she made her escape, and came to her native County, to which Place the said Bishop followed her and sold her to one Zachariah Jordon, (and he, as she has been informed gave no Purchase Money for her, and that the said Bishop enjoin’d the said Zachariah to inquire into her Rights and if true, to let her enjoy them, and if otherwise to send him payment, which was like the common Honest behaviour of his Life) who she believes, noways ignorant of the Premisses, still detains her in Slavery and Duress. Your Petitioner humbly begs to inform Your Worships, That she has been so happy to find reputable and honest Evidence alive, although at the Distance of forty Years, of her Birth and of her Civil and Social Rights.

Whereupon your Poor and Distressed Petitioner humbly prays (Altho’ her Complection, which is an Act of the Almighty Not her Crime) Your Worships will, of your Mercy, take her Case under your Guidance and Consideration, and to render her such Redress as to Your Worships in your great Wisdom and Justice you shall seem Meet. And Your Poor Petitioner as in Duty bound and ever Pray &c, Ruth Tillet by Will Cumming her Att’y

Ruth Tillet vs Zachariah Jordon} Petition

Records of Slaves and Free Persons of Color, Pasquotank County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

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January 17, 2013

The blessing of liberty.

To the Worshipfull the Justices of Onslow County Court. The petition of Kilby Jones & William Ferrand, Executors of Edward Starkey, esquire, respectfully, Sheweth, That the Said Edward was owner of the following Slaves, Viz: Affe, Susanna & daughter Franky, Old Woman Pleasant, Nancy, Rachael, her son Solomon & David a Molattoe, whose faithfull and meritorious services he was desirous should be rewarded with the blessing of liberty, and the said Edward by his last will directed your petitioners his Executors to obtain the emancipation of said negroes, and by his said will made such provisions for their Support, as will enable the said negroes with their accustomed industry & Honesty to maintain themselves in a respectable though humble station in life. Your petitioners pray that they may be permitted by the licence of this worshipfull Court to carry into effect the benevolent wish of their testator, and to emancipate the said negroes. And as in duty bound they shall ever pray. October 6th 1809 /s/ Kilby Jones, Wm. Ferrand

On the petition of the executors of Edward Starkey Jun’r Dec’d Ordered that they have leave to make free the following slaves to wit Aff. (see petition) The said petitioners entering into bonds with securities to be approved of agreeably to law.

Slave Records, Onslow County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

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January 17, 2013

They have hunted with dog and gun and have never done any injury.

We the undersigned having understood that Benjamin Morgan and his Son George Morgan who lives in our Neighbourhood have lately had their Guns taken away By Patrols agreeably to an Act of the General Assembly we also certify that we have known the said Benjamin and George Morgan for about Fifteen years during which time they have lived directly in our Neighbourhood and hunted with Dog and Gun and we never have heard neither have we any reason to believe the said Morgans have done any Injury to any person for and by reason of their having been priviledged to hunt. We therefore pray the Worshipful County Court of Craven now siting to grant the said Benjamin Morgan and his son George Morgan the priviledge to keep their Fire arms and also the Said Court to restore their Guns to them again. Nov 8^th 1841. /s/ Wm Simmons, John Harris, John Fearrand, Obed Palmer, Burton Carson, James M. Beasley

Records of Slaves and Free Persons of Color, Craven County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

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January 15, 2013

Justly entitled to the privileges of a free citizen.

To the Worshipfull the Justices of the County Court of Duplin – The petition of William Duncan begs leave humbly to Represent to your Worships that he is in possession of a Mulatto Slave called Adam who has for a number of years past conducted and demeaned himself as a faithfull, honest, and well deserving Servant. Your petitioner conceives the said Negro Slave Adam from his meritorious Services & good conduct is justly entitled to the privileges of a free Citizen, he therefore prays your Worships will extend to him the Advantages which the Laws of the Country extend to him & as in duty bound will ever pray B.H. Martin pro petitioner

Petition of Adam a Negro Slave Concurred and Adam Liberated April Term 1798.

This is possibly the Adam Greenfield listed in the 1800 census of Duplin County as the head of a household consisting of two “other free” persons. In the 1820 census of Wayne County, Adam Greenfield headed a household consisting of two males under age 14, one male aged 14-26, and one male aged 45 or more, 2 females aged 14-26, and one female aged 45 or more.

Petition, Miscellaneous Records, Duplin County Records, North Carolina State Archives. US Population Schedule.

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January 12, 2013

A Cuban petitions in Craven County.

Craven County Js’s. To the Justices of the Peace constituting the Inferior Court of Craven County aforesaid, the Petition of Antonio Muray (a free Negro) humbly Sheweth.

First in this year one thousand Seven hundred and Sixty nine your unhappy Petitioner left a Wife & Children in the Havanah, Shipped himself on Board a Vessel Bound to Jamaica and arrived at Jamaica & from thence to Carthagene, and back to Jamaica, and that he had lent one of the Sailors (John Taylor by Name) a Pistole while at Carthagene and their return to Jamaica a Dispute happened between your Petitioner and the said John Taylor, who refused to repay it, upon which the said John Taylor struck your Petitioner and he returned blows, and your Petitioner being a Black man was taken up at the Instance or Complaint of the Said John Taylor and committed to Gaol, for which Assault he was not prosecuted, and after being Detained three months in the Said Gaol untill as I understood five or Six pounds was due for the Fees of the Gaol, when a Certain Timothy Clear and Capt. Roberts came to the Gaol & talked about purchasing some Negroes that were in the Gaol & at last agreed with the Gaoler to pay the Gaol fees & take out your Petitioner & another free Negro which was in the Same Gaol. Mr. Clear pd. the fees for me, & Capt. Roberts paid for the other, but before we left the Gaol an indenture was made for six or seven years to the said Clear who promised to set me at Liberty as soon as I had earned the value of the money which he paid, and that notwithstanding the fair promises of the said Timothy Clear (that he would use me kindly & not detain me any Longer than sufficient to reimburse him for about the sum of six pounds which was all he paid for me) he hath treated me cruelly, by unmerciful whipping, frequently for six years, and being Satisfied with my labour as a Slave during the said Term, sold me again to my present Master Thomas Parsons, who treats me Very Ill. Your Poor Petitioner Humbly prays that your Worships will take my unhappy case into serious Consideration, and do what Justice and Humanity requires to be done in the premises. And your Petitioner will ever pray, JW Cogdell for the Petitioner.

Petition of Antonio for Freedom. December Court 1775. Read and rejected.

Miscellaneous Records, Craven County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

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January 5, 2013

He was well acquainted with Genl. Washington.

State of North Carolina, Franklin County }

On this the 18^th day of June AD 1841 personally appeared before me one of the Justices of the Peace for the County aforesaid & one of the Justices of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions of the same, Solomon Bibbie, a free man of colour a resident of the County of Franklin & State aforesaid, aged ninety years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7 AD 1832, that he joined the Army under Genl Sumner and served under Capts Pell, Armstrong, & Brickle and others (whose names he cannot now recall) he entered the service in the Spring of the year but what year he does not now recollect, he remained in the service three years from the time he entered as aforesaid as a volunteer, he was at the battles of Eutaw Springs, Camden & Guilford Court House, and attended most of his time to the care of the horses & as protector & guard to the baggage wagons, he was not engaged in any of the said battles, he was a volunteer, & joined & continued as such whilst he was connected with the Army. He was well acquainted with Genl Gates, Greene, and also with Genl Washington & Malbry (he thinks the name was). He has in his possession no documentary evidence & knows of no one who can testify, except one Pope who lives in the western part of the State somewhere, but at what place he does not know. He does not know what year he was born in but he was born in this County (which was then called Bute) & State. He has no record of his age. He was living near Sandy Creek in the County when he volunteered & has lived ever since. He received his discharge from service from Genl Sumner through his aid Capt but he has lost it, or it has been destroyed by age. He states the following as persons living in his neighbourhood who can testify to his character for truth, viz: Presley Parsons, William Ransom, T. Patterson, B. Jones, Jeremiah Perry, Arch’ld Yarbrough, Philemon Hawkins & Nathan Patterson & who can testify also to his good behaviour & most of whom can testify from information received from others of his Revolutionary services, and he hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever, and he makes oath that he served faithfully through his whole time & that he is now very needy & dependent & unable to work.

Sworn to & subscribed the day & year above before me

Thomas Howerton J.P. Solomon X Bibbie

From the file of Solomon Bibbie, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, National Archives and Records Administration.

Solomon Bibby was head of a household of five free people of color listed in the 1830 census of Gills district, Franklin County.

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January 1, 2013

Each of them are hereby emancipated and declared free.

CHAPTER XXXV. An Act to Emancipate Certain Negroes Therein Mentioned.

Whereas, it hath been represented to this General Assembly, that Robert Shaw, in his life-time, did receive a valuable consideration for the further services of a certain negro woman named Amelia, and has certified the same and declared her to be free: And by petition of Thomas Lovick, it appears to be his desire that a certain negro woman by the name of Betty, belonging to him, should be set free; also a petition of Monsieur Chaponel, desiring to have set free a mulatto slave belonging to him, by the name of Lucy, of three and half years old: And whereas, it appears by the petition of Ephraim Knight, of Halifax county, that he is desirous to emancipate two young mulatto men, called Richard and Alexander, the property of said Ephraim: And it hath also been represented to this Assembly by John Alderson, of Hyde County, that it is his desire to set free a mulatto boy belonging to him, called Sam: And whereas, it hath been made appear to this Assembly by the petition of Thomas Newman, of Fayetteville, that he hath a mulatto boy belonging to him, which he is desirous to emancipate, and known by the name of Thomas:

I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the said negro women called Amelia and Betty, and the mulatto girl Lucy, and the said mulatto men Richard and Alexander, and the said mulatto boy called Sam, and the negro boy named Thomas Clinch, shall be, and each of them are hereby emancipated and declared free; and the said Richard and Alexander shall take and use the surname of Day, and the mulatto boy Sam shall be known and called by the name of Samuel Johnson; and the said slaves so liberated, and each of them, are hereby declared to be able and capable in law to posses and enjoy every right, privilege and immunity, in as full and ample manner as they could or might have done if they had been born free.

Acts of the North Carolina General Assembly, 1789. North Carolina Colonial Records.

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December 6, 2012

Petition to free a dutyful wife.

State of North Carolina, Northampton County court, June term 1801.

To the worshipful the Justices of said court, the humble petition Len Kenchen free Negroe humbly complaining Shewing that he the said Len, upwards to ten years ago, purchased of a Mr. Robert Armstead, of Scotland Neck, a negroe woman called Rebecca for the sum of £45 Virg Curcy, and which said negroe, your petr. Len, had as wife, upwards of 15 years previous to said purchase, and until the present day. And your petr. further shews that he the said Len and the said Rebecca previous to said purchase and until this date has always behaved herself as a dutyful wife and as a faithful servant. Your petitioner therefore prays your worships will agreeable to the spirit and meaning of the act of assembly in such case Made, liberate and set free the said Rebecca, and your petitioner as in duty bound will pray /s/ J.H. Keys

Records of Slaves and Free Persons of Color, Northampton County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

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December 5, 2012

Burrell Tabourn, Revolutionary War soldier.

State of North Carolina, Nash County } On this thirteenth day of August Eighteen hundred and Forty four Personally appeared in open Court Hardiman Tabourn a resident of the County of Nash and maketh the following declaration in order to obtain a pension under the act of Congress passed on the seventh day of June Eighteen hundred and thirty two and after being duly sworn according to law doth declare on his oath that he is the son of Burrell Tabourn who Enlisted in the war of the revolution in the year Seventeen hundred and eighty-one For the term of Twelve months under Capt Lytle and after he had served out that time he was drafted for a twelve month tour in the year of Seventeen hundred and eighty two as he has always heard his said father say who will more fully appear by two certificates which he has procured from the Secretary of the State of North Carolina, which he submits as evidence in Connection with his own of his Said Fathers services.

And further declares that his said Father Burrell Tabourn died leaving no widow and that his said father Burrell Tabourn died on the Ninth day of January Eighteen hundred and fortytwo and that he was Eighty one years old when he died and that he himself is forty nine years old and that he has three Brothers and two Sisters Namely Larkin Tabourn forty seven years old, Caleb Tabourn Thirtyfive years old, Boling Tabourn twentyeight years old, Beady Tabourn who intermarried with one Berry Locust Thirtytwo years old and Elizabeth Tabourn Thirty years old and he Further declares that his said Father was at the time he entered the Service a resident of the County of Nash and remained as Such up to this death and that he himself and all his brothers and sisters are Residents of the County of Nash and State aforesaid

And he Further declares that he has always heard his Father Say that he served the last Tower under the same Capt as he did the first two and he said Hardiman Further declares that he hims [sic]and he in behalf of his Brother and Sisters do hereby relinquish all Right to a pension whatever Except this

Sworn and subscribed to the day and date before written Before me Francis M. Taylor CCC Hardiman X Tabourn

From the file of Burrell Tabourn, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, National Archives and Records Administration.

In the 1850 census of Nash County: Caleb Tayborne, 51, wife Susan, 50, and children Quilly, 20, Jane, 15, Owen, 15, Martha, 12, Larkin, 12, and Sallie, 10. Also, Larkin Tayborne, 57, Rebecca, 68, Ricks, 24, and Levenia, 15. Also, Berry Locust, 50, wife Beedy, 45, and children Arthur, 25, Eliza, 19, Hepsy A., 16, Ivah, 15, Alsey, 12, Henry, 10, and Leymon, 8. Hardy is not listed, but does appear in the 1860 census of Old Fields, Wilson County, as a 70 year-old living alone.

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December 1, 2012

I was stolen from my parents.

State of Virginia, Southampton County } SS.

On this 7 day of March 1834 personally appeared in open court before the Justices of the county court of Southampton now acting Drewry Tann (a Free man of Colour) a Resident of said county aged about seventy five years who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June the 7^th 1832.

That he enlisted under Capt. Hadley in the County of Wake in the State of North Carolina (and states the manner he came in the service as follows) that being born free in the county of Wake he was stolen from his parents when a small boy by persons unknown to him, who were carrying him of to sell him into to [sic] Slavery, and had gotten with him and other stolen property, as far as the mountains on their way, that his parents made complaint to a Mr. Tanner Alford who was then a magistrate in the county of Wake State of N. Carolina to get me back from those who had stolen me, and he did pursue the Rogues & overtook them at the mountains and took me from them & my parents agreed that I should serve him (Tanner Alford) until I was twenty one years old, when he had served Alford several years (Six years) it came Alfords time to go in the army (or he told me so) and told me if I would go in the army he would set me free on which conditions I readily listed under Capt. Hadley for eighteen months as he was told and marched to Charleston and thence to Jameses Isleand where he served out his term of enlistment that he had a discharge and was about returning home when a Capt. Benjamin Coleman (who told me he lived in Bladen County N. Carolina) took his discharge from him and tried to compel him to remain in the service & be his waitingman – his name is to be found in the Records of the State of North Carolina as he is informed by Mr. Deverieux of the City of Raleigh N. Carolina & the term of his enlistments as well as the fact of his enlisting under Capt. Hadley as state above – he cannot state at what period of the war he entered the service. General Green was the commander in chief, Col Lightly & Capt Lightly. Adjutant Ivy that he served in the N. Carolina Regiment, that he has no other documentary evidence than that refered to in the Archives in the State of N. Carolina at the City of Raileigh and knows of no person living who can testify to his service. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. Drewry X Tann

The said Drewry Tann states that he was born in the county of Wake N. Carolina in what year he does not know, that he has no Record of his age, that he was living in Wake County N. Carolina when he was Enlisted and that he has lived since the Revolution in the countys of Northampton N. Carolina and Southampton Virginia. That he lives in the county of Southampton at this time. That he listed volluntarily in the army under Capt. Hadley. He since as before stated on Jameses isleand near Charleston S. Carolina when there were some English prisoners & he was sometimes stationed as a guard on them, Gen Green was the commanding officer Col and Capt Lightley & Adjutant Ivy are all the names he can at this time remember he does not know what regiments he served with – he did secure a discharge from the service & Capt. Coleman took it from him & what has become of it he cannot say. He is known to Mr. Edwin G. Hart Mr. W. Owens John Hart Col. Clements Rochelle James Maggett Davis Bryant and many others. Drewry X Tann

Sworn to and subscribed in open court this 17 day of May 1834

From the file of Drewry Tann, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, National Archives and Records Administration.

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Category: Petitions