Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color
April 23, 2013

Penalties for gaming and gathering.

ORDINANCES. From and after the 20th Instant, the following Ordinances will be rigidily [sic] enforced. By Order of the Commissioners, NATHAN TISDALE, C.C.

Newbern, June 16, 1827 – ‘82 83.

“In order to prevent as much as possible all indecent, riotous and scandalous behavior of free negros and slaves, It is hereby ordained, that if any negroes or mulattoes shall be found gaming at fives cat, or other games on Sundays, or shall be seen gathering together in the streets, or other places, at any time, in a quarrelsome, riotous, or disorderly manner, each of them shall, for every such offence, on conviction before a Magistrate, or the Intendent of Police, at his discretion, suffer the punishment of twenty four hours imprisonment, or whipping, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes on his or her bare back.  Passed 10th July, 1801.

…

Newbern Sentinel, 16 June 1827.

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April 23, 2013

Runaway redux.

RUNAWAY from the subscriber on Saturday night, the 27th inst. his negro boy TOM, about fifteen years of age, he was clad in dark homespun clothes, has a scar over his right eye near the brow – he rode away a bay mare; she has a star in her forehead.

Said boy Tom runaway some weeks ago and passed in Orange county for a free boy by the name of Tom Pettiford, and will probably attempt to pass for a free boy again. Any person who will apprehend said boy, and confine him in jail so that I get him again, shall be generously rewarded.  J.M. JELKS. Wake County, 9 miles west of Raleigh, February 23, 1820.

Star, Raleigh, 3 March 1820.

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April 23, 2013

Sentenced to be hung.

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]

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April 23, 2013

An act to emancipate Samuel Macky.

An Act to emancipate Samuel Macky, a slave

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 Samuel Macky, a slave, the property of John S. Pearson, of Cumberland county, be, and he is hereby, with the consent and at the request of the said owner, emancipated and set free; and by the name of Samuel Macky, shall hereafter possess and exercise all the rights and privileges which are enjoyed by other free persons of color in this State : Provided nevertheless, That before said slave shall be emancipated, his said master shall give bond and good security to the Governor and his successors in office, in the court of Cumberland county, in the sum of five hundred dollars, that the said slave shall honestly and correctly demean himself as long as he shall remain in the State, and shall not become a parish charge; which bond may be sued upon, in the name of the Governor for the time being, to the use of the parish, and of any person injured by the malconduct of such said slave. [Ratified 7th of January, 1847]

Chapter CLX, Public and Private Laws of North Carolina Passed by the General Assembly 1846-47, North Carolina State Library.

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April 23, 2013

The hut was blown into fragments.

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.

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April 22, 2013

Napoleon Hagans.

ImageNAPOLEON HAGANS‘ grave marker stands about one hundred yards west of his house near Fremont, Wayne County. His wife Apsilla is memorialized on the other side of the stone. Hagans was born in 1840 to Louisa Hagans (ca1824-ca1875) and reared with the help of Louisa’s mother Leasy Hagans (ca1800-ca1855) and husband Aaron Seaberry (1818-ca1905), whom she married circa 1844. Hagans was a prosperous farmer and landowner.

Photo taken by Lisa Y. Henderson, December 2010.

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April 22, 2013

Freedman’s Bank depositor, no. 2.

No. 5467. Record for Geo. Hostler.  Date January 6, 1872. Where born: Fayetteville. Where brought up: ditto. Residence: Chestnut between 5th and 6th Streets. Age 35. Complexion: light brown. Occupation: barber. Works for self. Wife: Marie. Children: None. Father: Joe, dead. Mother: Hannah, dead. Brothers and Sisters: (6) Susie, Mary, Mary Isabella, Caroline, Henry [sic].

Freedman’s Bank Records, National Archives and Records Administration.

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April 22, 2013

He is making for the Western Country.

One Hundred Dollars Reward.

RANAWAY from the subscriber on the 6th day of March last, a mulatto man by the name of JACK, well built, about five feet five or six inches high, 28 years of age, a tolerable shoe maker, and has been much in the habit of driving a wagon – He has a scar on his forehead, and a part of one of his upper foreteeth is broken off, one of his wrists broke and crooked, and his right leg pretty much shot with small shot which will shew very plainly. He has been seen on his way making for the Western Country, and passes as a free man but the name of John Revill, having obtained a pass from a black free man of that name which was written and signed by John Taylor Clerk of the County Court of Orange, (State of North-Carolina) – Any person who will deliver the aforesaid mulatto man to the Subscriber at Hillsborough in the state aforesaid, shall receive the above reward, and all reasonable charges paid from time of his being taken until delivered.  LEVI WHITTED.

Hillsborough Record, April 8, 1812.

P.S. The Subscriber was somewhat mistaken before in a part of the description given of this fellow, that is with respect to his height.

The Editor of the paper at Knoxville, is hereby requested to give this advertisement an insertion in his paper and continue the same about 6 weeks, for which he will be good enough to forward his account to the subscriber living at Hillsborough, and the money shall be duly forwarded.   L. WHITTED.

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April 22, 2013

Sprightly and writes well.

Was committed to Jail of Robeson county, N.C. on the 20th ult. a Negro man who calls himself Joseph Leggan, and says he is free, about five feet seven inches high, dark complexion and bow legged, has a very sprightly look and writes well – He says he was born in Powhatan county, Virginia, and that John Panly, of Buckingham county, raised him, and that his father was a servant of the said Panky, named Ben; that he followed boating in James river for many years, and for eight or ten years he has followed ditching, which has been his occupation since in this county. He is from thirty-four to thirty-five years of age, and is ruptured; he is well-cloathed amd appears to have a variety, a description of which is unnecessary.    ALEX ROWLAND, Sh’ff.  Lumberton, May 4th, 1814.

Star, Raleigh, 13 May 1814.

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April 22, 2013

Wayne County Apprentices, 1838.

Bill Brooks, 6, was bound to John Lewis in 1838.

John Green was bound to Henry McKinne in 1838.

James Carroll, 8, was bound to William McKinne in 1838.

Jacob S. Read, 3, was bound to Jesse Bogue.

John Gray Hall, 5, was bound to John Davis in 1838.

Barna Burnet, 6, was bound to Harris Barfield in 1838.

Jordan Wiggins, 5, and James Wiggins were bound to William Thomas in 1838.

Winnie Hall, Sam Hall, Zany Hall and Benajah Hall were bound to Exum Pike in 1838.

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