State of North Carolina
New Hanover County
Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions,
March Term 1805
Upon the petition of Ann Quince & James Walker, Sen’r for the emancipation of a female slave named Charlotte. Ordered that the said Charlotte is emancipated and set free from slavery and that hereafter bear and be known by the name of Charlotte Quince.
A true copy from the minutes.
Anthony B. Toomer, Clk
Wilmington Gazette, 16 April 1805.
STATE LEGISLATURE.
CAPTIONS of the Laws of N. Carolina, passed in 1816.
…
PRIVATE ACTS.
…
96. To emancipate Hannah Howe, Balaam Howe, John Howe and Sally Howe, children of Balaam and Lucy Howe of the county of Brunswick.
…
Star, Raleigh, 3 January 1817
The following are the Titles of the Acts passed at the Session of the General Assembly of the State of North-Carolina, held at the city of Raleigh, on the 1st of November, 1795.
…
To emancipate a mulatto boy by the name of Gustavus Adolphus Johnston, in the county of Chowan; and also a mulatto girl by the name of Amy Philips, in the county of Brunswick.
…
North-Carolina Journal, Halifax, 12 December 1795.
NOTICE.
Application will be made to the ensuing General Assembly of North Carolina for the passage of a law to emancipate Peter Turner, of Fayetteville.
Oct. 10, 1854.
Fayetteville Observer, 23 October 1854.
LIST OF ACTS Passed by the General Assembly of North-Carolina, at their late Session.
PRIVATE ACTS.
…
14. An act to confirm the claims to freedom of Kitty, the wife of John Carruthers Stanly, and of Eunice Carruthers Stanly, Kitty Green Stanly, and Alexander Stewart Stanly.
…
16. An act to emancipate and set free certain negroes formerly the property of Alexander Worke, late of Iredell county.
…
33. An act to emancipate David, the property of Thomas Trotter, of Washington county.
…
54. To emancipate Ben, a man of colour of Hertford county.
…
Star, Raleigh, 28 December 1809.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
…
Mr. Courts, from the Committee on Propositions and Grievances, reported unfavorably in the bill to emancipate Jno. Good. On motion of Mr. Jones, of Orange, the bill was indefinitely postponed. Also, unfavorably, to the bill to authorize a free colored man of Wayne, to emancipate his wife and children. … Mr. Stanly said this was a case of great hardship, and he had heard the remarks of the gentleman from Wayne, not without being moved by the representation. … The bill was postponed – 56 to 53.
Mr. Courts also reported unfavorably to the bill authorizing Danl. Skein to emancipate his wife. On motion, it was indefinitely postponed.
…
Carolina Watchman, Salisbury, 18 January 1849.
[Sidenote: “A free colored man of Wayne County” was Hillary Croom. — LYH]
October, 10th 1856.
To the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina.
The Memorial of James Newlin of the County of Alamance respectfully represents:
That his slave Sam, commonly called Sam Morphis, desires to be emancipated buy the General Assembly with the privilege of remaining in North Carolina. Your memorialist hereby begs leave to recommend the care of the said Sam to the favorable consideration of your Body. He believes that Sam can present to your Body decisive testimonials of a behaviour upon his part uniformly respectful to whites. Sam has been for several years engaged as a hack-driver and waiter at the University, and, your memorialist is informed and believes, has made himself acceptable to all who have employed him, or in any way had dealings with him. Your memorialist will cheerfully enter into any bond which may be required to secure the State in case of his emancipation; and again asks a favorable consideration for this prayer for freedom.
And will ever pray &c /s/ James Newlin
Appended to Newlin’s petition is a second petition signed by 238 students and faculty members of the University of North Carolina.
General Assembly Session Records, November 1858-February 1859, Box 11, North Carolina State Archives.
Whereas at the Autumn Term in 1833, of the Superior Court of Anson county, upon the petition of Benjamin Pratt, praying for the emancipation of Chaney Moreman, a slave, the property of said Benjamin Pratt, for meritorious services, such proceedings were had, that the said court, upon due proof of the matters stated in the said petition, did grant the prayer thereof, and did order, adjudge and declare the said Chaney to be emancipated, and entitled, by the name of Chaney Moreman, to all the privileges of a free born negro; and whereas the said petition and the memorial and record of the said proceedings have been lost or destroyed, and from the length of time since the said judgement was entered, doubts are entertained whether the said court can order the same to be now entered up as of the said term; and whereas, also, from the nature of the case, it is doubtful whether suit can be properly instituted for relief in a court of equity; and whereas the case is one of hardship and likely to result in injustice, without some provision by law in that behalf; for remedy whereof,
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 it shall and may be lawful for the said Superior Court of Law, either at the next succeeding spring or autumn term, upon the application of the said Chaney Moreman, to receive evidence of the contents of the said petition and the proceedings and judgment hereupon, and of the loss or destruction of the papers or other memorial thereof; and upon satisfactory proof of such loss or destruction and of the contents of the said petition and other proceedings, to order and direct the said petition, proceedings and judgment to be enrolled in the said court, as a record of the term when the said proceedings were had and the said judgment rendered.
II. Be it further enacted, That upon sufficient proof being made, either by parol or record, that a decree of emancipation was ordered by the court agreeable to the petition of said Pratt, and that the clerk of the court shall have neglected to enter the same on record as ordered, that upon the said proof being made, the judge of the court shall order the decree to be entered nunc pro tunc as aforesaid.
Chapter X Page 157, Public and Private Laws of North Carolina 1833-34, North Carolina State Library.
State of North Carolina, New Hanover County } Know all men by these presents that we John Waddell, Francis N. Waddell, & John Waddell Jr. are held and firmly bound unto Edward B. Dudley Esqr. Chairman of the County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, for the County of New Hanover, and to his successors in office, for the use of the poor of the County of New Hanover, in the sum of one hundred pounds to which payment well and truly to be made we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents Sealed without seals and dated the 26th day of July – A.D. 1827
Whereas the above named John Waddell has obtained an order of the Superior Court of the County aforesaid for the emancipation of a certain negro slave named Solomon Nash, the condition of this obligation is such, that if the said negro slave Solomon Nash shall not, at any time hereafter, become chargeable on the Parish of St. James, or on the County of New Hanover then this obligation to be void, otherwise to be and remain in full force and effect. /s/ John Waddell, F.N. Waddell, John Waddell Junr.
New Hanover County Records, North Carolina State Archives.
Richard Arnolds, Will
In the name of God, Amen, I Richard Arnold of Caswell County, North Carolina being of sound and perfect memory (blessed be God) do this nineteenth day of April in the year of Our Lord Eighteen hundred and thirty, make and publish this my last will and Testament in manner following, that is to say –
1st first, I give to my well beloved wife Mary Arnold, my bed and furniture, my chest and gold-ring; also my desire is that my wife Shall Live with my family as She has always done as long as She lives –
2nd. My will is that all my personal property Should be equally divided, between my three daughters (to wit) Elizabeth, Rachiel & Mary White Arnold –
3d. My desire is that when Ann Patterfoot shall be of age Shall have her freedom recorded in Caswell County at the Expense of my estate –
Now I, Richard Arnold do to this my last will and Testament leave my trusty friends the Rev. John Stadler and Thomas Prendergast my Sole Executors to this my last will and Testament. In Witness Whereof I have set my hand and affixed my Seal the date above written. /s/ Richard Arnold {seal}
Signed Sealed and delivered by the said Richard Arnold as his last will and Testament in the presence of us Tho Prendergast, Isham X Turner, James X Turner.
Proved October Court 1830. Will Book L, page 567.
———
Evidence of the Freedom of Ann Paterfude, a free Woman of Colour –
Caswell County, North Carolina, January 4th, 1837 –
The following is a description of a free Woman of Colour named Ann Paterfude, Who Served Richard Arnold Decd a term of years, the said Decd, in making his last Will and Testament, requested that the Said Ann’s freedom should be Recorded at the expense of his Estate, saying that she was a good Girl, which will more appear, reference being had to the Will She is about Twenty-four years old, five feet, seven Inches and a half high, of dark complexion, black Eyes, Tolerable Slender made, remarkable thick lips, Nose flat, speaks fluently, hands & fingers remarkably long — a scar on her left hand between the Wrist and Thumb. Taken by Thomas Prendergast Executor to the last Will and Testament of the said decd. /s/ Tho Prendergast, Exc’r.
Returned April Court 1837.
Will Book M, page 51.
North Carolina Probate Records 1735-1970. https://familysearch,org. Original, North Carolina State Archives.
Fourth Generation Inclusive 