Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color
March 27, 2013

Burnt to a cinder.

Accident. – At a cornshucking, at Mr. Elisha McDaniel’s, in Northampton county, on Saturday evening last, two persons were burnt to death; one a free man of colour, by the name of Ezekiel Wilkins, about 21 years old, also a negro boy, the property of Edmund Jacobs, Esq., about fourteen. The circumstances are these, as well as I can learn: The hands finished shucking out the corn at one place, and put the shucks in the fodder house, and it is supposed that the two unfortunate individuals had crept in and gone to sleep in the shucks – after this, the hands went to the house to get some refreshment, when these two boys were found missing.  One of the negroes took a light and a small boy with him, and went to the stack in search – the boy held the fire while the others examined the stack, at this instant the shucks and fodder took fire, and it was with difficulty that the boy escaped, who was searching.  The remnant of the bodies was found the next day burnt to a cinder.  Halifax Adv.

Tarboro’ Press, 18 November 1835. 

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March 27, 2013

He has proven it.

William A. Maynor, who was born in Sampson County, is a descendant of Stephen Maynor, who was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, as the records in Washington, D. C., now show. He was also a descendant on mother’s side of the late Nicholas Emanuel. He has satisfactorily proven before the courts of North Carolina and Cumberland County that his wife was at least two-thirds Indian. He has a certificate properly signed by the officials of Cumberland County, certifying these facts.

The Maynors are said to be descendants of Manteo, the friendly Indian chief of historical times. (See McMillan’s History of the Indians of Robeson County.)

From George E. Butler, “The Croatan Indians of Sampson County, North Carolina. Their Origin and Racial Status. A Plea for Separate Schools,” (1916).

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March 27, 2013

She has a free colored sailor for a husband.

$20 REWARD.

Ran away from the Subscriber, on the 7th inst., a negro woman named HAGAR. She is from thirty five to forty years of age, of a slim figure, in delicate health, and has had on one or both of her thumbs what is called a bone film.  She has lived for a number of years in the family of Charles Stewart, — and having a free coloured man, a sailor, for a husband, it is supposed that she has gone off with a view of getting to New York. All masters of vessels are cautioned not to take her away, under the penalty of the law.

The above reward will be paid to any person who will deliver the above named woman to me or secure her in jail so that I get her.    JOHN L. DURAND. June 13th, 1840.

Newbern Spectator and Literary Journal, 13 June 1840.

 

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March 26, 2013

Riley B. Simmons.

ImageRILEY B. SIMMONS was born 4 August 1841 in Duplin or Wayne County to George W. Simmons and Axey Jane Manuel Simmons.  He married  Penny Bryant in 1864; Matilda Graham in 1895; and Tempsey Locus Boseman in 1914; all in Wayne County.  He died 11 July 1924 and is buried in the First Congregational Church cemetery in Dudley, Wayne County.

Photograph by Lisa Y. Henderson, March 2013.

In the 1860 census of Indian Springs, Wayne County: George Simmons, 40, wife Axey J, 38, and children Riley B., 19, Simon, 15, Susan A., 17, George R., 13, Zack, 10, Silvania, 9, Bryant, 7, H.B., 5, and Gen., 2. 

In the 1860 census of Indian Springs, Wayne County: Sally Bryant, 40, Penny, 18, Rich’d, 14, and Caroline Bryant, 10. Sally was white; her children, mulatto.

In the 1850 census of Nash County: Rachel Locust, 29, and daughters Sarah, 10, Tincy, 6, and Tilda, 2.

Artimpsey Locus married James Boseman in Nash County on 11 February 1863.  In the 1860 census of Buck Swamp, Wayne County: Matthew Aldridge, 50, wife Catharine, 28, and children William, 10, John H., 16, Frances, 7, Delia, 3, and Mary A., 1, plus James Bosmon, 20, who was probably Catharine’s brother.

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March 26, 2013

Horrible murder.

HORRIBLE MURDER. – Mrs. Abe Rhodes, wife of B.C. Rhodes, was found dead in Lumber river on Monday last, with her throat cut and head crushed. She had a few days previous eloped with a free mulatto by name of Shad Williams, taking with them $2,500 in money. Williams has been arrested and lodged in jail at Lumberton to await his trial. – Fayetteville (N.C.) Carolinian.

Baltimore Sun, 16 June 1860.

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March 26, 2013

A faithful and affectionate husband.

To the worshipful the Justices of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of the County of Warren. The memorial of Mouring Ivins humbly representing sheweth unto your worships —  that your memorialist is a free person of colour residing in the County aforesaid — that she early in life marryed and connected herself with a negro man that the property of William West — that by him she has eight children — that sometime in the year 1804 your memorialist by her sole care and industry accumalated money enough to purchase her said husband Nat of his then proprietor William West aforesaid and accordingly received from the said William West a Bill of sale which is of record, transfering to her your memorialist the absolute right & title to the said Negro Nat — your memorialist further states that the said Negro man Nat has ever conducted himself towards her as a faithful and affectionate husband — that in all circumstances as well in sickness and in health he has manifested to your memorialist & her children the most unceasing care & solitude — that by his industry & attention he has enabled your memorialist to support her children free from want and as respectably as any persons in their condition — your memorialist in consideration of the premiss and test upon the death of your memorialist the said negro man Nat should by the policy of the State or her children & their representatives be reduced unto a state of slavery prays that your worshipful body will free & emancipate the said Nat by the name of Nathaniel Ivins & your memorialist as in duty will ever pray

To Mr. Nathaniel Macon

———-

To the honorabell gentel men whome this may cum befor — there is a negro man by the name of Natt which said negro I ras’d from a childe until I solde him to Mouring Ivins and she the said Ivins has a disior all togeather to set him free if yor Honner gentel men pleas to take it in to consideraticion I will enform you on my honner the correcton of said negro Natt as wel as I can — he is a engenias hand and common about a plantaticion or as you genrally find and an extrodonary shue maker and verry endusstrus and while he lieved with me I entrusted abundance of buisness in his hands and he proformd his duty verry faithfully to me — so that I entended to sett him free at my deth but his haveing a free wife and childrean I solde him to her for butt trifeling — I am gentelmen your frend — given under my hand this 23rd day of august 1806     William West          

To Mr Nathanial Macon & other gentelmen &c in Warren County North Carolina

Nathaniel Macon Papers, Private Collections, North Carolina State Archives.

Nathaniel Macon (1758-1837) was a United States representative from North Carolina, 1791-1815; speaker of the House of Representatives, 1801-1807; United States senator, 1815-1828; president pro tem of the Senate, 1826-1828; and trustee of the University of North Carolina.

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March 26, 2013

An act to emancipate Isaac.

An Act to emancipate Isaac, 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 Isaac, a slave, the property of Robert Belden, of the county of Cumberland, be, and he is hereby, with the consent and at the request of his said owner, emancipated and set free; and, by the name of Isaac Belden, 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 county court of New Hanover county, 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 mal conduct of said slave. [Ratified 14 December, 1836]

Chapter LXV, Private Laws of North Carolina Passed by the General Assembly 1836-37, State Library of North Carolina.

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March 26, 2013

She lived among free colored people and white people of the lower order.

Ranaway. From the Subscriber, some weeks since, a mulatto Girl Slave named HANNAH, alias Tillah. She is thought to be lurking in the neighborhood of Laurel Hill at present. She has on a former occasion made her way to Robeson County, and lived there among the free coloured people a considerable time, and she has also lived among, and has been employed and entertained by some of the lower order of white people in that County during the last Winter and Spring. I forewarn all persons from harboring, employing, or entertaining said Girl, under the penalty of the law. I will give Five Dollars for her apprehension and delivery to me, if taken in this County, and an additional compensation if caught out of the County, and delivered to me.  JNO. R. BUIE. Near Laurel Hill, Richmond C’ty, N.C., April 16th, 1838.

Carolina Observer, Fayetteville, 25 April 1838.

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March 26, 2013

If any slave is deserving of freedom, he is.

To the honorable the Judge of the Superior Court for the County of Wayne, the Petition of Benajah Herring of said County

Your petitioner sheweth that he is the owner of a negro slave Willis, and is desirous of being permitted to emancipate him. Your Petitioner sheweth that the said slave was raised by Michael Herring formerly of said County and after the death of said Michael belonged for many years to Ichabod Herring now of said County, that the said slave has been from his infancy up to this moment distinguished by his sobriety industry and faithfulness, that his services have uniformly been of the most meritorious kind, that he has been left in charge by his late master for months of his plantation and rural concerns and hath acquitted himself in the most exemplary manner, and that if any slave be deserving of freedom your Petiioner believes that the said Willis is. Your Petitioner saith that the said Willis hath by his industry and economy paid to his late master a considerable sum the price of his freedom and having secured the payment of the residue a conveyance of the said slave hath been made to this Petitoiner for the purpose of soliciting and endeavouring to effect his emancipation          /s/ Benajah Herring

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

The petition is undated, but Willis Herring is listed as a head of household in the 1840 census of Wayne County.

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March 26, 2013

You snooze, you lose.

William Hooks v. William T. Perkins, 44 NC 21 (1852).

This case arose in Wayne County.  Rufus Artis and Thomas Artis were bound to William Hooks in 1845 to apprentices until age 21. At the time, Rufus’ age was reported as 7 and Thomas’ as 18. In 1849, after a determination that Thomas was, in fact, only 15 when indentured, the court ordered his indenture amended. It never happened.  Perkins hired Thomas and helped him resist Hooks’ efforts to enforce the order.  Arguing that Thomas was bound to serve him until his actual age was 21, regardless of the age listed on his indenture, Hooks sued Perkins for damages for the period November 1848 to February 1849 during which Perkins would not turn Thomas over.  The state supreme court held that Hooks should have amended Thomas’ term at the time it expired, per the court order, to reflect his true age.  Having failed to do so, Hooks was not Thomas’ master when Perkins hired him and was not entitled to damages.

Notwithstanding, in the 1850 census of North Side of the Neuse, Wayne County: Rufus, 11, and Thomas Artis, 20, are listed in the household of farmer William Hooks, along with another apprentice, W.H. Hagins, 15. William Perkins does not appear in the county’s census.  In the 1860 census of Nahunta, Wayne County, Rufus Artis has lost more ground, as he is listed as a 17 year-old, along with Polly Hagans, 15, and Ezekiel Hagans, 13, in Wm. Hooks’ household.  [In other words, Hooks learned his lesson well. — LYH]

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