Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Tag: Guilford County

May 28, 2015

The free people of color would harbor him.

Twenty Dollars Reward.

Ran away from the subscriber in February last, a tall negro man by the name of WILLIS, about thirty-five years of age; he is rather slim built and thin visage; has a down look, speaks slow, and would be very easily confused if strictly interrogated. No particular marks recollected, by which he could be described. It is probable he has obtained a free pass by some means or other, and may be in the employment of some person under a pretence of being free. He has some relations on the Hickory Mountain, in this county; he was very intimate in the family of Peter Chavas (a free man of colour,) who has left this country, and is now living in or near the Hawfields, Orange county, and also with the Carters‘ free persons of colour, who now live in Guilford county; he also had some connexion with the Hathcocks, who ran away from Clintham, a year or two since, and are now living in Davidson county. I have good reason to believe the Hathcocks, Carters, or Chavas would harbour him, and render any assistance in their power. The above reward will be given to any person or persons who will apprehend and confine in Jail the said fellow, so that I get him again; and all other reasonable expenses paid, if delivered to me in Chatham county, on New-Hope.  THOS. BELL, Sen.  May 23, 1827

The North-Carolina Star (Raleigh), 21 June 1827.

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July 24, 2013

He ill-treated, whipped and abused her, then took up with a slave.

North Carolina, Guilford County    }   Superior Court of Law, To Fall Term, A.D. 1866.

To the Honorable, the Judges of the said Court:

Mary Hubbard, of said County, by her petitioner, respectfully showeth unto your Honor, that she was born free and was intermarried, about twelve years ago, with a free man of color of the name of John Hubbard; that they obtained a license from the Clerk of the County Court of Alamance County and the rites of matrimony were solemnized between them by a Justice of the peace in said county; that your petitioner and her said husband, John Hubbard, lived together agreeably, and as man and wife should, for about three years; that during this time she was treated affectionately and kindly; that for some cause, to your petitioner then unknown, the said John Hubbard, her husband aforesaid, began to ill-treat, beat, whip and abuse your petitioner in such wise as to make her life oppressive and burthensome; that this abuse of your petitioner continued from that time, with short intervals when he was less cruel and unkind to her, now and then, up to about the first of September, A.D. 1865; that prior to that time and to your petitioner’s quitting her said husband’s house, her said husband, the aforesaid John Hubbard, became intimate with one Emily, a slave then and in property of one Tobias May, of Alamance, and, as your petitioner is advised and believes, her said husband had habitually illicit and adulterous intercourse with the said Emily; that for these reasons and for the further reasons that her life with him became intolerable and unendurable, she left him and hath not cohabited with him since that time; that she is advised and believes, that the said John Hubbard, her husband aforesaid, hath since kept up his illicit, adulterous and criminal intercourse aforesaid, with the said Emily May, who is now free, and he is illegally and improperly cohabiting with the said Emily at this time, contrary to law and in despite of his vows of chastity and fidelity to your petitioner, made and entered into at the time of their marriage; that your petitioner hath resided in this county for the last twelve years and ever since she was married, and now resideth here; that the course of action hath existed ever since last September, which is about ten and a half months; that your petitioner hath kept her vows of chastity and fidelity to her said husband, both before and since this parting; that she is now leading a correct and chaste life:

Your petitioner, for the reasons aforesaid, most respectfully prays your Honor, that the bonds of matrimony, now existing between her and the said John Hubbard, her husband aforesaid, may be dissolved, and that your petitioner may have such other and further relief as the nature of her case may require and to your Honor may see merit.  She further prayeth, that the said John Hubbard be served with a copy of this libel, and a subpoena, commanding the said John Hubbard to appear at the next term of this honorable Court, to be held for the County aforesaid, at the courthouse in Greensboro; on the Fourth Monday after the Fourth Monday of September next; then and there, to plead, or answer, to this libel, and to stand to, abide by and perform the order, claims and Judgments of this Court. And an in duty-bound she will ever pray.    Scott & Scott, Attos. for Petitioner.

Divorce Records, Guilford County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

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June 26, 2013

Guilty of cohabitation with a slave.

State v. Zadock Roland, 28 N.C. 241 (1846).

At the Spring Term, 1844, of Guilford County Superior Court, Zadock Roland, a free negro, was found guilty of living and co-habiting with a female slave named Peggy, the property of George Albright.  Two years later, at Spring Term 1846, Roland came into court for judgment. He “resisted the motion, because, as he then said, the master of the slave Peggy had originally given his consent to their marriage and co-habitation.” If true, Roland should have been found not guilty. However, he did not raise the defense at trial and raising it post-conviction was too late. Judgment affirmed.  

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June 10, 2013

A stabbing over work.

MURDER—We learn that a negro man, LAWS, belonging to Mr. FRIES, of this place, stabbed a free negro by the name of MITCHELL, at High Point, causing his death. LAWS is confined in jail. The affair originated in a quarrel about some work they were engaged in.

Peoples Press, Salem, 13 February 1857.

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June 1, 2013

He abused and abandoned her.

State of North Carolina, Guilford County    }   Superior Court of Law In Fall Term 1866

To the Honorable the Judge of said County

Zilpha Ann Goings of the county and state aforesaid by her petition respectfully showeth unto your Honor, that she was born free, that she intermarried in the county of Alamance on 7th of August 1858 with one Barrister Goings, a free man of color, that the said Barrister obtained a license from the clerk of the County Court for said County of Alamance, and the rites of matrimony were solemnized between them by a Justice of the Peace according to Law that the said Barrister lived [with] her about eighteen months, that for the first three months their life was peaceful and happy, that about that time, for some reason unknown to your Petitioner but wholly without Just cause, the said Barrister became Jealous of her, and began to curse, whip, illtreat, and threaten your Petitioner, that this course of conduct was kept up until some time in June 1860, when the said Barrister without cause and against the will of your Petitioner, left her and went to the county of Chatham, that in the autumn of that year, he returned to her, staid three weeks, quarreled with her, abused her threatened to take her life and again abandoned her, that she strove to make him happy and induce him to live with her, but it was all in vain, that he hath never returned to her house since that time, and has wholly and cruelly abandoned her, that he hath never since then helped her, in furnishing her in any thing to subsist, or paid any the least attention to her, whatever, that she is advised and believes that he has led a lewd life, since he quited her, that she is informed and believes, that he after leaving her, visited one Ruth Bass, a free woman of color, had illicit intercourse with her, and that afterwards the said Ruth was delivered [page missing] ly him, that she good reasons to believe and does believe that he has had illicit and adulterous intercourse with persons to her unknown, in the county of Chatham where he lived for some time after he left her, that she has not heard of him for about  two years, and does not know now where he lives, or in what manner he is conducting himself, that she has resided in Guilford county over seven years, that the course of action has existed for nearly eight years, that she hath born herself, as a wife should, hath observed her vows, of chasity and fidelity, and regretted no little that she could not induce her husband to continue with her, and observe his own vows of chastity and fidelity, help her to make a livelyhood, and lead with her a correct and upright life, that she hath never given him any cause for the course he has since stronly pursured, your Petitioner therefore prays your Honor that she may be dissolved from the bonds of matrimony with her said husband, the said Barrister Goings, and for further and such other relief, as the nature of her case may require and to your Honor may seem meet. May it please your Honor to grant unto her [illegible] writ of supoena directed to the said Barrister Goings, commanding him to appear at the next Term of the Superior Court of Law to be held for the county of Guilford at the Court in Greensboro on 4th Monday after 4th Monday in September 1866 then and there to plead, or answer the Libel of your Petitioner and stand to, abide by, and perform such orders and Judgments as shall lie made in this case, And as in duty bound will pray     Scott & Scott Atty

Divorce Records, Guilford County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

In the 1850 census of Southern Division: Barister Goans, 13, in the household of William Workman, 32. In the 1860 census of Eastern Division, Chatham County: Barrister Goings, 30, and Emeline Goings, 28.  In the 1870 census of Pittsboro Road North Side, Chatham County: Barrister Goens, 40, wife Nancy, 35, and children John, 11, George, 7, and Nathan, 5.

In the 1860 census of Alamance County: Stephen Bass, 60, with Ruth, 16, Sarah, 12, Jonathan, 10, and Eliza Bass, 6, and Maria, 23, M.J., 6, and John Dunnan, 2.

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April 23, 2013

Sentenced to be hung.

DAVID VALENTINE, a free man of color, convicted at the late Term of Guilford Superior Court, of the murder of Mrs. West and her grand son, in Davidson County, was sentenced to be hung Friday, the 19th instant.

Raleigh Register, 6 November 1847.

[Sidenote: is this the same David Valentine as in the linked post? — LYH]

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March 9, 2013

Porch detained.

Ordered that Francis McBride be cited to appear at this court tomorrow to show cause if any he can why he detains a mulatto boy named porch in his service when it is supposed he ought to have his freedom.

Minutes, August Term 1781, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, Guilford County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

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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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February 17, 2013

Free-Issue Death Certificates: PETTIFORD.

Alvarin Pettiford. Died 22 June 1916, Winston, Forsyth County. Resided 9 No. Liberty. Negro. Married. Gardener. Born 2 May 1848 to Henderson Pettiford and Fannie Clarke. Buried Jamestown NC. Informant, Alex Pettiford, Winston-Salem.

Alexander Pettiford. Died 17 February 1914, Jamestown, Guilford County. Black. Widower. Farmhand. Born 1858 to Hence Pettiford and unknown mother. Informant, J.W. Sechrist.

In the 1850 census of Southern Division, Guilford County: Henderson Pettiford, 30, shoemaker, born Wake County; wife Fanny, 30; and children Alverin, 3, John, 1, and Benjmine, 9 months, all born in Guilford; plus Mary Ann Clark, 11, born Davidson County.

Archie Tyner. Died 21 September 1950, Walkertown, Middle Fork, Forsyth County. Colored. Widower. Retired farmer. Born 19 February 1855 to James Tyner and Pollie Pettiford. Informant, C.C. Tyner, Colfax NC.

Mrs. Saluda Tyner Watkins. Died 6 Oct 1952, Bethania, Forsyth County. Colored. Widow. Born 3 September 1857 in Forsyth County to Jim Tyner and Polly Pettiford.

In the 1850 census of Forsyth County: James Tyner, 23, laborer, and wife Polly Tyner, 32.

Enoch Pettiford.  Died 30 October 1924, Gilmer, Greensboro, Guilford County. Colored. Resided 532 High Street. Married to Rosa Pettiford. Railroad worker. Born about 1850 in Guilford County to Ransom Pettiford and Mary Ann Scott. Buried Maplewood Cemetery.

In the 1860 census of Southern Division, Guilford County: Ransom Petterfield, 48, laborer, wife Anna, 43, and children Wm. S., 20, Emily, 16, Franklin, 15, Enoch, 12, Stephen, 11, McKeys, 8, Edmond, 6, Henry, 4, E.J., 3, and Nathan Petterfield, 2, plus Louise, 21, Nath, 8, and Betsy A. Haithcock, 3.

 

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December 23, 2012

They left their wives and took up horse-stealing.

Arrested on Suspicion. – On the 28th ultimo, two persons of suspicious appearance, one a white man and the other a mulatto, were arrested in this place, and after a hearing before a Magistrate, committed to Jail.  When first arrested, the white man gave his name as William Carter, and claimed the mulatto as his slave – said that they were both carpenters in search of work, and that they were from Rockingham county, N.C. After their commitment, Carter acknowledged that he had given a wrong name, that his true name is James Oliver, that the mulatto is a free man by the name of Alexander Carter.  They both state that they have wives, whom they left at Bruce’s cross roads in Guilford county. 

Oliver is about 5 feet 6 inches high, 26 or 27 years of age – Carter is about the same in height.

There is reason to believe they have been engaged in stealing horses, a gentleman having stated here that two horses had been stolen in Patrick county, Va., and traded off near Madison, N.C., and two others between Lexington and Salisbury, supposed to have done by two persons answering the description of the above.  They were well armed, each having a Pistol and a Bowie-knife, with plenty of ammunition.  The white man also carried a long Jack-knife, and the mulatto a steel walking stick with a buckhorn head.  – Camden Journal.

Carolina Watchman, Salisbury, 7 Oct 1847.

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