Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Tag: firearms

May 5, 2013

Licensed to carry, no. 2.

The licenses authorizing free negroes to carry fire arms are for one year –

Persons Names                                                   Date of license

Loftin Chance                                                      June 1854

Ezekiel Chance                                                    June 1854

John A. Wiggins                                                  June 1854

Jacob Wiggins                                                    June 1854

Richard Brown                                                     June 1854

Willis Lewis                                                          June 1854

Frank Pettiford                                                     September 1854

Israel Pettiford                                                      Sept’r 1854

Wright Pettiford                                                    Sept’r 1854

Ben Banton                                                           Sept’r 1854

Stanly Moore                                                        Sept’r 1854

Jno. Archibald Wiggins                                        Sept’r 1854

James Gaudett                                                     Sept’r 1854

John Gaudett                                                        Sept’r 1854

Rufus Chance                                                        December 1854

Kelso Davis                                                            December 1854

The Licenses to retail spirituous liquors by the small measure are issued by the Sheriff who is required to furnish a list to the grand jury – persons sometimes obtain permission of the Court but fail to pay the Sheriff the State tax & obtain his license.

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

Leave a comment
May 2, 2013

Nights as well as days.

State of North Carolina, Wayne County    } Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, November term AD 1860

The Grand Jurors for the State upon their oath present that Willie Simmons a Free Negro late of the county of Wayne with force and arms at and in Said county of Wayne on the first day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Sixty and on divers other days times, nights as well before or afterwords up to the taking of this inquisition a Shot Gun did keep in his house and he the said Willie Simmons did wear keep and Carry the aforesaid Shot Gun without having obtained a license therefor from the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Wayne County within one year next preceeding the time of keeping wearing and carrying the aofresaid Shot Gun contrary to the form of the Statute in Such case made and provided and against the Peace and dignity of the State.     Everitt.  Sol.

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

Leave a comment
April 6, 2013

License to carry a shotgun.

Ordered by the Court that the following Free Persons of Colour be granted license to carry a shotgun for twelve months next ensuing viz:  Jordan Locklayer, Fed Wilkins, Willie Jones, Jesse Richardson, William Jones, Gideon Richardson, John Smith, Reasa Richardson, Frederick Haithcock, Lem’l Morgan, Aaron Locklayer, Simon Purner, Nicholas Richardson, Richard Conn, Julius Flood, David Reynolds, Robert Mitchum, Ellick Jones, Hardy Richardson, Herrod Scott, Norman Scott. 

Docket, August Term 1848, Court Records, Halifax County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

Leave a comment
March 26, 2013

He deserves a gun.

Agreeably to an act of Assembly passed during the session of 1840-41 Chapter XXX. Hilary Coor free man of color petitions the worshipful Court of pleas and Quarter sessions for license to use a gun for one year from the date hereof.  August 17, 1841

We recommend Hilary Coor as deserving the benefit of the act cited above.

John G. Eliot, J. Martin, Harris Barfield, M.G. Harrell, Saml. Flowers, L. Cogdell, John Manly, Aaron Martin

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

[Sidenote: According to the 1850 census, Coor (who was also known Hillary Croom)’s supporters were a collection of farmers and one school teacher, Eliot. Coor/Croom named Eliot as the executor of his 1843 will, which requested that Eliot free Croom’s wife Hannah and their children Charles, Ann and Tempie.  Lewis Cogdell, J. Martin, David Cogdell and Daniel Cogdell witnessed the will. In 1850, Hillery Crooms headed a household on the south side of the Neuse that included children Annie, 14, Charles, 12, Tempy, 10, and John, 9, as well as two slaves, one of which may have been his wife. Two years later, he filed a petition with the North Carolina legislature seeking to bring his freed wife and children back into the state. — LYH]

Leave a comment
October 16, 2012

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.

Leave a comment