Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Tag: free passes

May 15, 2013

He has probably gone to his parents; his father is a free man.

$50 Reward.

RAN AWAY from my residence about 14 miles from Newbern on the 1st of July last, a negro boy named POLLOCK. His complexion is jet black – about 19 years old, and 5 feet 8 or 9 inches high. On first looking at any person, he looks straight, but if he continues to look any length of time he squints with one eye. He is probably lurking about J.C. Stanly’s plantation on the Washington road, where his parents reside. I will give the above reward to any person who will deliver him to me, or lodge him in any Jail in this State so that I can get him.  Masters of vessels are hereby fowarned against carrying him away, as it is probable he will attempt to get to a free country. It is possible that he may have a forged free pass, as his father is a free man.   MARY PALMER.  October 5th, 1836.

North Carolina Sentinel, New Bern, 14 December 1836.

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May 12, 2013

He answers very quick; she has a brazen look.

One hundred dollars reward.

RUNAWAY from the subscriber, on the 3rd July 1819, two negroes, one man named Jacob, about thirty five years old, of yellow complexion, about five feet ten inches high, when spoken to, answers very quick. When he runaway from me he carried with him one blue coat and pantaloons of common broad cloth, one pair ditto of green homespun, double wove, and one new furred hat and one pair of boots. The woman Jude, about forty years old, little inclined to yellow, of a thin visage, thick lips, with a brazen look. When she left me she carried off two silk frocks, one of them were black, and the other checked, one bonnet of a red changeable silk. Jacob is a very sensible cunning fellow and will try to pass a free person of colour. I think it likely they have procured free passes, Jacob will likely pass by the name of John Bell, he can read — Jude will pass by the name of Vilet Horn, as she has procured a pass from a woman by that name. I think it most likely they will make for the north. I will give the above reward to any person delivering them to me or securing them in any jail so that I get them again.   EZEKIEL STATON.  Tarborough, July 25, 1819.

Star, Raleigh, 27 August 1819.

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April 9, 2013

They are called Ephram Mitchell.

NOTICE.

Ranaway from the subscriber on Sunday night the 29th instant, two negro slaves, (mulattoes,) by the names  of DUNCAN and JIM the former about twenty four years of age, and the latter twenty one – the said negroes belong to the estate of John Whitted, dec’d, and are hired to the subscribers and probably at this time are lurking in the neighborhood of Haywood (Chatham county, in this State) for the purpose of taking off along with them their Brother, who is also a mullatto, (by the name of Stephen) these boys having calculated on their freedom from their late masters will, and feeling disappointed in their expectation, it is therefore believed that they will make for some part of the country, where freedom is tolerated, and in the mean time pass as free persons of colour, as they are determined to effect their freedom if possible. – Duncan is likely not very stout about five feet ten inches high and has a scar on his neck occasioned by rising, any person or persons who will apprehend the same negroes and deliver them to the subscribers in Hillsborough shall be reasonably rewarded – or if taken up out of the state and secured in any Jail thereof, so that the subscribers get them shall receive a reward of five dollars each.

N.B. It is said these negroes have procured some kind of instrument of writing from a free man of colour by the name of Ephram Mitchell which was given by the Clerk of county some time past, which they will probably make use of to answer their purpose, therefore they will try to pass in his name, Ephram Mitchell.  H. Thompson, John Young. August 29th 1819.

Star, Raleigh, 10 September 1819.

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April 9, 2013

He is called William Wall.

Four Hundred Dollars Reward.

The store of the subscribers was robbed on the night of 24th February last, of three thousand, three or four hundred dollars, by a mulatto fellow named JIM, the property of William L. Thomas, esquire, of Chesterfield District, South-Carolina. Jim is about five feet eight inches high, a little round shouldered, has a large scar on his left arm near the shoulder, and wore a pair of whiskers. His dress cannot with accuracy be described, but had on when last seen a green bombazette coatee – He was seen and pursued on the 2d instant, by a party of men in Moore county, North Carolina, where he had purchased a horse, but was forced to abandon his horse and baggage when pursued. Jim has obtained a free pass or rather certificate of his freedom in which he is called William Wall; but it is not improbable he will again change his name, and procure another pass to prevent detection by the old one, as he is a very artful fellow. It is his avowed intention to go to the state of Pennsylvania or Ohio, but he may be at this time in Chatham county, North Carolina, from whence he was brought some time in the  month of May last year by a Mr. Ramsay. Any person or persons who will apprehend said fellow and confine him in any jail so that the subscribers may get him, shall receive $100 reward m or $120 if deleivered to them at their residence, and ten per centum for all the money restore. The money is in notes on different banks in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia, & one $50 note on the Hudson Bank of New York, which is a counterfeit, and on the back is written “Atwaters,” the man’s name from whom it was received.  GILLESPIE & SANDERS. Chatham, Chesterfield District, South-Carolina, 19th March, 1816.

Star, Raleigh, 31 May 1816.

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March 5, 2013

He has a badly executed free pass.

$25 Dollars Reward. Ran Away from the subscriber, living in Wayne county, 12 miles north of Waynesborough, on the 8th of January last, a mulatto man by the name of EPHRAIM, who has since altered it to JOHN ARTIS. He is between 25 and 30 years of age, nearly 6 feet high, and his foreteeth are somewhat defective. He has a free pass, badly executed, and it is suspected that he will endeavor to go to Indiana with some negroes in Guilford county, who are about starting for that State. The above reward will be given for the apprehension and delivery of said fellow to me, or securing him in any jail in that State, so that I get him again.  PETER L. PEACOCK. July 27, 1827.

The State and North Carolina State Gazette, 16 August 1827.

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January 17, 2013

Counterfeiters for good.

STOP THE RUNAWAY. $75 REWARD. – Runaway from the subscriber on the 17th day of September last, a negro fellow by the name of JOLLY. He is about 5 feet 7 or 8 inches high; broad shouldered, speaks a little slow, dish faced, and has a trembling in his hands when holding any thing; rather bow legged.  I think he can read print. I had another fellow who started off Jolly to Ohio with free passes. Jolly’s was a pass belonging to a free negro by the name of Wilson Smith, who had a genuine certificate signed W. Dismukes, clerk county court of Anson county, and certified by Wm. Johnson, Chairman of said County, certified by the then Governor Edward B. Dudley.  Said pass was found on Jolly in Moore county, and the man thought he was a free negro, and let him go on. About the 18th March last, a friend of mine knowing all about my negroes, pursued Jolly, and came up with him within three miles of Greensboro’, in company with three Virginia Wagoners, and took him. On his way back, Jolly made his escape, and no doubt he will try and get another free pass from the same scoundrel that furnished this with the first.

The other negro was committed to Moore county jail, and I have since got him. His free pass was written, and signed C.Q. Cooley, clerk county court of Montgomery, O. Willie, Chairman – a old paper, entirely counterfeit, though it bore the impress of something resembling a County Seal.  No doubt now remains but Simeon D. Pemberton, of Anson County, is the rascal who procured these passes for my negroes. It may be that the counterfeiter, Geasling, of Rockingham County, who was whipped and imprisoned at Wadesborough, wrote one of the passes.  When he was discharged, he visited his particular friend, Simeon D. Pemberton, and laid at his house for more than a week, fixing a plan to get my negroes off into the hands of this counterfeiting gang.

I will give $25 for the confinement of Jolly and $50 for proof to convict the rascal who took him off.  Simeon D. Pemberton is about the Height of Jolly, (not higher,) large white eyes, black beard, and will weigh from 140 to 150 pounds, a whining voice, very dark complected, and a very ingenuous and cunning fellow. I would warn the public to keep an eye upon him.  THOMAS TOMLINSON, Norwood’s P.O., Stanly Co., N.C.

Carolina Watchman, 18 April 1850.

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