Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Tag: Hillsborough

April 18, 2013

No victuals-selling or butter-buying.

TOWN ORDINANCE.

At a meeting of the Commissioners of the Town of Hillsborough, held on Tuesday evening, August 3d, it was ORDERED, That the Ordinance of March 13th be so altered, that the Magistrate of Police shall not be authorized to issue any new licence to any slave or free negro, to sell victuals at the Depot, after this date, or to any white person without the payment of five dollars per month.

And it is further ordered, That no slave or free negro shall be permitted to buy chickens, butter, eggs, or other provisions, for the purpose of selling again, under the penalty of twenty lashes, if a slave, or a fine of ten dollars if a free negro, for every offence.   Teste, DENNIS HEARTT, Town Clerk.   August 5.

Hillsborough Recorder, 5 August 1863.

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April 17, 2013

Runaway bound boy, no. 8.

NOTICE.

Ran away from the Subscriber on the 13th of September last, a bound boy of color, by the name of WILLIAM HAITHCOCK, eighteen years of age, weighing about one hundred and fifty pounds. I hereby forewarn all persons from harboring or employing said boy under the penalty of the law. WM. P. McDANIEL. October 21.

Hillsborough Recorder, 21 October 1863.

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April 8, 2013

For the suppression of disorderly conduct.

Town Ordinance.

At a meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the town of Hillsborough, held on the 3d of February, 1849, it was ordered that the following Ordinance be published in the Hillsborough Recorder and North Carolina Democrat:

Sect. 18: And be it further ordained, That is shall be the duty of the Town Constable, and the Captain of each company of patrol, to disperse all collections or assemblies of negroes and mulattoes, in the streets, and to quall all rioting, quarrelling, loud and profane cursing and swearing, whether by free persons or slaves, and to suppress all disorderly behavior of every kind, by whomsoever done; to effect which purpose, they shall have it in their power to call to their assistance any citizen of said town, who, on refusing to give his assistance, shall be fined, not exceeding four dollars; and the Magistrate of the Police shall fine not exceeding ten dollars, or imprison at his discretion, all free persons behaving in such riotous and disorderly manner, and commit him, her or them to jail, until such fine and costs thereon be paid.

It was also ordered, that the officers of the town be especially required to enforce the above ordinance, and also the following, viz: the ordinance to prevent shooting within the limits of the town; the ordinance to prevent galloping, or riding or driving immoderately through the streets; the ordinance to prevent the throwing, pitching or flinging of stones, sticks, bricks, &c., within the limits of the town; and also the ordinance to prevent the carrying of fire, unless covered, through the lots, streets, &c. of said town.

By order of the Board, E.A. HEARTT, Town Clerk. February 5.

Hillsborough Recorder, 7 February 1849.

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March 19, 2013

He gave the last and final vote.

Hillsboro.

I am indebted to my uncle Alex Smith for the following short history of Hillsboro, written by Lawyer Joe Turner over twenty years ago, thinking it may interest some of the readers of the leader, I send same for print if you see fit. – F.W. Nelson.

…

Hillsboro was one of the five towns entitled to a representative (see Wheelers history if it be five or seven). Governor Graham and Chief justice Nash were Borough representatives. Traditions says it was a tie between Gov. Graham and his competitor when Hazekiah Revels an old issue free negro was sent for and gave the last and final vote for Graham, dropping this speech with his vote, “Ki Revels always votes for a gentlemen.” Before the next election the constitution was amended and the free negroes with old Ki Revels were disenfranched. …

Mebane Leader, 13 July 1911.

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March 8, 2013

Free Colored Inhabitants of the Town of Hillsborough, Orange County, 1850.

#286. Green Caudle, 33, cabinet maker, born in NC, and Catharine Strudwick, 24, born Orange County.

#287. Henry Evans, 33, cabinet maker, born Hillsboro, wife Henrietta, 22, born NC, and children Lizzy, 6, Julia, 4, Matthew, 2, and Sarah, 10 months, all born in Hillsboro, plus Fanny Evans, 65, born in Virginia, and James Allison, 66, cabinet maker, born Delaware.

#288. Martha Day, 25, Mary Day, 5, and Susan Day, 2, all born in Orange County, in the household of Anderson Vanderford, carpenter.

#289. Alexander Webb, 53, saddler, and Judy Webb, 55, both born NC.

#294. Richard Mayo, 29, cabinet maker, Martha Mayo, 40, William Mayo, 17, laborer, Mary Mayo, 12, Jane Mayo, 3, Henrietta Mayo, 3, Betsey Mayo, 60, George Mayo, 18, laborer, and Faddis Mayo, 25, laborer, all born in NC.

#295. Julia Revell, 3, born in Orange County, in the household of James Parks, shoemaker.

#298. James Volentine, 28, barber, born NC, Susan Volentine, 30, born Orange County, Manuel Strudwick, 80, shoemaker, born NC; Jack Strudwick, 24, and Umstead Mayo, both laborers, and Eliza Mayo, 15, the last three born in Orange County.

#303. Samuel Barton, 15, laborer, born NC, in the household of James M. Palmer.

#328. William Freeman, 66, laborer, born Virginia.

#329. Henry Freeman, 32, shoemaker, wife Patsey, 45, Nancy Burke, 20, Edy Mitchell, 11, and Mary Redding, 28, all born in NC.

#332. Peggy Revill, 49, Sally Day, 20, Fanny Chaveous, 10, Wilson Evans, 26, cabinet maker, Coon Chaveous, 26, laborer, James Huckabee, 23, laborer, all born NC.

#335. Waldon Jeffreis, laborer, born Orange County.

#338. Patience Chavous, 28, Polly Burnett, 20, John Burnett, 2 months, Rebecca Chavous, 14, Patsy Revills, 4 months, all born NC.

#343. George Mays, 19, laborer, born Hillsboro.

#344. Eliza Chavous, 40, Leroy Chavous, 10, and Martin Chavous, 6 months, all born NC, in the household of Andrew C. Murdock.

#349. Dicey Winstead, 51, Harriet Wilson, 28, James Wilson, 16, laborer, Egbert Wilson, 9, John Wilson, 10, Mary Wilson, 7, and Thomas Wilson, 3, all born NC.

#352. Ned Cain, 76, laborer, born NC.

#355. Mary Bush, 16, born NC, in the household of William Newman Sr., laborer.

#370. Harry Douglas, 70, laborer, born NC.

#373. “Jail” – James Mitchell, 25, laborer, born NC, “stealing money, and John McAndless, 22, laborer, born NC, “giving his free papers to a slave.”

#378. Robert Mitchell, 50, laborer, Sophia Mitchell, 46, Frances Mitchell, 7, all born NC.

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February 4, 2013

He was in no battle, being a colored man.

Virginia, Powhatan County, to wit;

On this 15th day of June 1820, personally appeared in open court in the county court of Powhatan, in the state aforesaid, being a court of record, Reuben Bird, aged about fifty six years, according to the best estimate that can be made, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the acts of Congress of the 18th March 1818 and the 1st May 1820, that he, the said Reuben Bird enlisted for and during the war of the American Revolution in April or May in the year 1780 in Hillsborough in North Carolina in the Company commanded by Captain James Gunn in the Regiment of Dragoons commanded by Col’o White of Virginia; that he continued to serve in the said Corps until the peace came, when he was discharged from service in Culpepper county, in the state of Virginia: that he was in no battle, he being a colored man, and kept as a Bowman, although he was very near the ground where several were fought; and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services except the certificates of Benjamin Sublett and Larkin Self herewith exhibited:

And in pursuance of the act of the 1st of may 1820, the said Reuben Bird solemnly made oath that he was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th of March One thousand eight hundred and eighteen, and that he has not since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner disposed of his property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby to diminish it as to bring himself within the provision of an act of Congress, entitled “An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War,” passed on the 18th day of March One thousand eight hundred and eighteen, and that he has not, nor has any person in trust for him, any property or securities, contracts, or debts due to him; nor has he any income, other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed, and by him subscribed to wit: Real and personal property, none; he is by trade a Bricklayer, and is not very able to pursue his trade in consequence of a Rupture, which obliges him to wear a Truss of Steel; his family consists of his wife, who is about 37 years old, and one child, a female about seven years old; his wife is healthy, and by her industry somewhat contributes to support the family.  Reuben X Bird.

From the file of Reuben Bird, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, National Archives and Records Administration.

In the attached affidavit, Benjamin Sublett swore that he was a sergeant in Captain William Mayo’s company at the time of General Gates’ defeat at Camden, South Carolina, and “in the same company a mulatto boy appeared to be about the age of 16 or 17 years by the name of Reuben Bird,” who enlisted at “Hilsbury” in about May 1780.

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