Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Tag: Craven County

Craven County Apprentices, 1788.

On 14 March 1788, John, a Negro boy son of Negro Phillis, aged about 14 years, was bound to James Carney as a cooper.

On 15 June 1788, Isaac Dove, Negro boy aged 17 years the 5th of May last, and Simon Dove, aged 14 years the 21st of January last, were bound to Bazel Smith as a shoemaker.

On 13 September 1788, George Carter, free Negro boy aged 11 years or thereabouts, was bound to Thomas Ives as a turner.

On 18 December 1789, Sue Powers, a Negro girl aged 10 years next June, was bound to John Bryan of New Bern as a spinster.

Craven County Apprentices, 1784-1787.

On 18 December 1784, Hagar Black, a free Negro girl aged 4 years next May, was bound to Mary Heath, widow, “in the necessary Business Incident to House Wifery.”

On 16 December 1786, Rhoda, a mulatto girl aged 16 years, was bound to William Smith.

On 16 March 1787, Liza, a free Negro girl aged 11 years, was bound to William Good, Esq., for housewifery.

On 12 June 1787, Jim Moore, orphan mulatto boy aged 7 years, was bound to Edward Potter as a carpenter and joiner.

On 12 June 1787, Joseph Drigg, orphan aged 18 years, was bound to John West of New Bern as a carpenter and joiner.

On 12 June 1787, Abel Carter, a free Negro boy aged about 8 years, was bound to Abner Neale, Esq., as a cooper.

On 13 June 1787, an orphan lad named Will, now aged 3 years, was bound to Mary Heath as a servant.  [A second indenture that indicated Will is a “Negroe Boy.”]

On 14 September 1787, Stephen Lewis, a Negro boy, was bound to William Carter as a turner.

Craven County Apprentices, 1762-1783.

On 7 April 1762, Lydia, a free Negro girl aged 13 years; Acey, a free Negro boy aged 11 years; Aaron, a free Negro boy aged 9 years; and David, a free base born Negro aged 7 years were bound to Mrs. Anna Bryan until 18 to learn the house and plantation business.

On 5 July 1764, Ball, a baseborn Negro child 3 years and 10 months, and Hannah, a base born Negro child aged 1 year 4 months, were bound to Peter Rhem as servants until 21 years old.

On 19 June 1775, Thomas, a free Negro, was bound for 6 years to Edward Francks as a laborer.

On 15 March 1777, Abigail, a free Negro aged 11 years, was bound to Peter Rhem to learn to spin and do house work.

On 13 June 1778, Solomon Carter, a free Negro boy aged 5 years, was bound to Richard Neale as a cooper.

On 13 March 1783, George Carter, free Negro boy aged 6 years, was bound to Thomas McLin, Esq., as a cooper.

On 12 September 1783, Edward Black, freeborn Negro boy aged 6 years, was bound to Thomas Heath as a shoemaker.

On 13 December 1783, Betty Spellman, free Negro girl aged 4 years next January, was bound to John Tillman for spinning, weaving, and housework.

On 13 December 1783, Shadrach Lindsay, a free mulatto boy aged 10 years, bound to John Avery as a house carpenter.

She lived to herself and was controlled by no one.

William Brookfield v. Jonathan Stanton, 51 NC 156 (1858)

William Brookfield, whom Jonathan Stanton claimed as a slave, brought the action to try his right to freedom.  Brookfield introduced evidence that for 30 years or more prior to his birth, his mother and maternal grandmother were recognized and admitted to be free people of color.  They were known as the McKim negroes.  His mother had moved from Carteret to Hyde County and lived as a free woman.  She was reported to be the wife of a slave “but lived to herself and was controlled by no one.”

Stanton sought to prove that Brookfield’s mother and grandmother were slaves.  He proffered (1) an attachment made on behalf of an Elijah Cannady against John McKim, who resided in another state, that was levied upon a negro woman named Beck and her children Fan and Olly in 1809 and (2) a bill of sale for the purchase of Bookfield. Both were rejected.

The Supreme Court noted that when a person is black, i.e. dark-skinned, a presumption arises that he is a slave.  Nonetheless, where that person’s mother and grandmother have been treated as free for 30 years, there is an inference that they were lawfully manumitted.  The case was remanded to Craven County court.

There are no free colored Brookfields or McKims listed in antebellum North Carolina census records.

Went a-hunting with white folks.

State v. John Harris, 51 NC 448 (1858)

An indictment against John Harris, a free man of color, for carrying firearms.  Harris had obtained a license from the Craven County court “to keep about his person, and carry on his own land a shot-gun.”  At the time of the alleged offense, Harris, “in company with certain white persons, went a hunting” and carried his gun off his property.  The trial judge found that Craven County had no power to limit Harris’ gun license and judged him not guilty.  On appeal, the Supreme Court disagreed.

Two free black men named John Harris appear in the 1850 census of Craven County, one born in 1785, the other in 1828.