Fourth Generation Inclusive

April 18, 2013

No victuals-selling or butter-buying.

TOWN ORDINANCE.

At a meeting of the Commissioners of the Town of Hillsborough, held on Tuesday evening, August 3d, it was ORDERED, That the Ordinance of March 13^th be so altered, that the Magistrate of Police shall not be authorized to issue any new licence to any slave or free negro, to sell victuals at the Depot, after this date, or to any white person without the payment of five dollars per month.

And it is further ordered, That no slave or free negro shall be permitted to buy chickens, butter, eggs, or other provisions, for the purpose of selling again, under the penalty of twenty lashes, if a slave, or a fine of ten dollars if a free negro, for every offence. Teste, DENNIS HEARTT, Town Clerk. August 5.

Hillsborough Recorder, 5 August 1863.

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April 18, 2013

Yankees and negroes.

YANKEE RAIDS IN NORTH CAROLINA – ARREST OF CITIZENS – STAMPEDE OF NEGROES

During the past three or four weeks, those counties in North Carolina bordering upon the Virginia lines of the Federal army, have been subjected to a series of the most dastardly and vindictive guerilla raids that have yet characterized the war in that quarter. The counties of Pasquotank, Camden, Currituck and Gates have suffered the most severely, from arrests of many of their principal citizens, robberies and burnings of property, and the excitement of negroes to revolt and escape.

…

About two weeks ago, ninety-four slaves and a party of free negroes, through the medium of Yankee inducement, stampeded from the upper part of Pasquotank and fled into the Dismal Swamp. The comprised whole families – old and young, male and female. One of the free negroes, who was doubtless dictator of the whole party, was an “aristocrat” at home, and worth some four or five thousand dollars. A number of the inhabitants of the county immediately followed in pursuit, and recovered fifty or sixty of the slaves, and found a considerable quantity of ammunition in their camp.

On the following night, a young and estimable man, named Joseph Williams, in company with two others, went on patrol to the halfway house on the Dismal Swamp Canal, and kept watch for the runaways. They soon perceived a party of negroes, about thirty in number, approaching, led by white men, supposed to be Yankees, and upon hailing them, they were fired upon by the approaching party, and young Williams was mortally wounded. He, however, raised his gun, took aim, and together with his companions, fired upon them, wounded one negro and killed two others. The rest fled, and the wounded negro was captured. Young Williams died on the spot from the effect of his wound.

… Richmond Enquirer, 31^st.

Carolina Observer, Fayetteville, 4 August 1862.

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April 18, 2013

On the 5th came a traveling black man.

Notice. On the night of the 5^th inst. came a travelling Black man, and took up for the night in one of my Negro houses; after my having notice of it, I took him under examination, and he called himself Willie Trip, and produced a free pass under the signature of John Jones, Esq. and John Harris, of Craven county, N.C. with a good recommendation, stating that he was to travel to the Indiana; the matter seemed somewhat suspicious, in consequence I took from him his knapsack, with several articles of clothing, in it also a Red Morocco pocket book, with some cash, together with his pass; intending to further examine next morning, but in the morning he was gone, leaving the effects with me, induces me to believe him a runaway slave. Now this notice is that the owner may have knowledge of his route. He is a stout black sensible fellow, a small scar is on his left cheek, stated in his pass; and very little doubt with me but that he came from Craven county, not far from Newbern. GEO. BRASSFIELD, X Roads between Raleigh and Hillsborough. January 6, 1820.

Star, Raleigh, 4 February 1820.

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April 18, 2013

Susan Mozingo Ward Lewis.

SUSAN MOZINGO WARD LEWIS (1809-1860), great-great-granddaughter of Edward Mozingo, an African indentured servant in 17th-century Richmond County, Virginia. Susan was born in Wayne County to Sarah “Sally” Mozingo and died in Georgia.

Photo courtesy of Melicent Remy.

[Sidenote: Edward Mozingo, “a negro man,” successfully sued for his freedom in 1672. DNA testing of his patrilineal descendants has confirmed his African origin, but by the late 18th century, many if not most of his descendants were considered white. For a fascinating exploration of the Mozingo family, see Joe Mozingo, Fiddler on Pantico Run: An African Warrior, His White Descendants, a Search for Family. — LYH]

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April 17, 2013

Acts to emancipate Silvia and Violet.

An act to emancipate a Negro called Silvia.

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 a certain Negro girl named Silvia, belonging to the estate of Abraham Bass, late of the County of Nash, be, and she is hereby emancipated and made capable of taking, holding and possessing property of every kind, and of enjoying all such priveleges as all other free persons of color.

And be it further enacted that the above named girl shall be known and called by the name of Silvia Spears: Provided always, that this act shall not affect the right which any person or persons may have to the service of and property in said girl Silvia, except such person or persons as may claim by, from or through the said Abraham Bass.

And be it further enacted, that nothing in this act contained shall be construed so to authorise the emancipation of the said girl Silvia, until Thomas Hamilton shall have entered into bond with sufficient security, in the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds, make payable to the Chairman of the County Court of Nash and his successors in office, to be void on condition that the said Silvia will never become a charge or burthen to any of the counties of this State.

Chapter XCVII, Public and Private Laws of the State of North Carolina, 1803-1816, North Carolina State Library.

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An act to emancipate a Negro girl named Violet.

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 a certain Negro Girl named Violet, late the property of Abraham Bass, late of the County of Nash, daughter of Silvia, who was emancipated by an act of the Legislature at its last session, be, and she is hereby emancipated and made capable of taking, holding and possessing property of every kind, and enjoying all such privileges as all other free persons of colour.

And be it further enacted, that this act shall not affect the right of which any person or persons may have to the service of, and property in said Girl Violet, except such person or persons as may claim by, from, and through the said Abraham Bass, deceased.

And be it further enacted, that nothing in this act contained shall be so construed as to authorise the emancipation of the said Violet, until Thomas Hamilton shall have entered into bond with sufficient security in the sum of two hundred and fifty pounds, made payable to the Chairman of the County Court of Nash, and his successors in office, to be void on condition, that the said Violet never become a charge or burthen to any of the Counties in this State.

And be it further enacted, that the above named Negro Girl called Violet, shall be known and called by the name of Violet Spears.

Chapter LXL, Public and Private Laws of the State of North Carolina, 1803-1816, North Carolina State Library.

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April 17, 2013

Expediency.

Legislature of North-Carolina.

SENATE. Wednesday, Nov. 23.

…

Mr. Montgomery, of Hertford, submitted the following resolution, which was adopted:

Whereas much inconvenience and unnecessary expenditure of public money has been the result of trying free negroes and mulattoes by a jury: to remedy which,

Be it resolved, That the Judiciary committee be instructed to inquire into the expediency of passing a law to constitute three justices of the peace to try free negroes and mulattoes for all offences against the State, other than capital, without the intervention of a jury; and that they report by bill or otherwise.

Star, Raleigh, 3 December 1829.

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April 17, 2013

Runaway bound boy, no. 8.

NOTICE.

Ran away from the Subscriber on the 13^th of September last, a bound boy of color, by the name of WILLIAM HAITHCOCK, eighteen years of age, weighing about one hundred and fifty pounds. I hereby forewarn all persons from harboring or employing said boy under the penalty of the law. WM. P. McDANIEL. October 21.

Hillsborough Recorder, 21 October 1863.

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April 17, 2013

Sentence of death was pronounced.

Superior Court. – The week was occupied by several highly interesting causes, Judge Settle presiding. This is the first time the Judge has visited this section of the State, since his promotion to the Bench, and we speak the sentiments of our community, when we say, no Judge has ever given more satisfaction for his prompt and enlightened decisions as well as the urbanity of his manners. The criminal Elijah Hawkins, was put upon his trial for killing Green Mills, both free persons of color, and found guilty of murder in the first degree. Sentence of Death was pronounced upon him by Judge S. in a truly feeling and appropriate manner. The day for carrying into effect the sentence of law, is fixed on 23d May next. Halifax Adv.

Tarborough Free Press, 9 May 1834.

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April 17, 2013

Letters remaining.

LIST OF LETTERS

Remaining in the Post Office at Fayetteville, N.C., July 7, 1862. When called for please say they are advertised. … Jordan T. Artice … John Cowan … Jo Hagans … Sophia Martin … JAS. G. COOK, P.M.

Carolina Observer, Fayetteville, 7 July 1862.

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April 17, 2013

Northampton County Free Colored Heads of Households, 1790.

Saul Scott, Werling Scott, Stephen Scott, Edward Harris, Randol Scott, Ezekiel Groves, Robert Brown, John Hattaway, David Scott, Lemon Land, William Morgan, Odam Poythress, John Morgan, Hardiman Poythriss, Mark Morgan, Jno. Brown, Drury Walden, Newman Hathcock, Jonathan Roberts, William Roberts, Isaac Scott, Nathan Tabon, Jeremiah Anderson, Elias Roberts, Allen Tabor, James Roberts, Jr., Isaac Tabor, John Roberts, Abraham Artis, Cannon Cumbo, Peter Stewart, Lyson Lewelling, Hardy Scott, Jesse James, Jeremiah James, David James, John Waldin, Jubalough, Booth Newsom, Moses Newsom, Amos Newsom, Nath’l Newsom, John Hathcock, Drury Tann, Arthur Byrd, George Artice, James Newsom, Arthur Allen, Silas Banks, Daniel Demory, Wm. Bittle, Jeremiah Bittle, Jethro Bass, Council Bass, Robert Fuller, Jacob Smith, Littleton Manly, Benjamin Hawley, William Manly, Ann Welk, Jarrot Doby, Phil Byrd, Michail Walden, Christo. Stewart, Joyce Mitchell, Ruth Byrd, Charity Cunningham, Obediah Plumbly, Nathan Byrd and William Dales.

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