Iredell County | Fourth Generation Inclusive

December 22, 2024

The last will and testament of Jane Graham (1844).

I Free Jane known by the name of Jane Graham (a Woman of Coler) of the County of Iredell and State of North Carolina do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in the maner foloing I give and bequeath all my Estate Real and personal To Elizabeth Graham a Woman of Colour and her heirs and assings for Ever frealy to be possessed and enjoyed. and I do hereby utterly disallow Revoke and disannul all and Every other former Testaments by me made and I do here by nominate and appoint Robert S. Colvert (He consenting thereto) my hole and sole Executor of this my Last Will and Testament. in witness whereof I hearunto set my hand and seal this ninth day of November one thousand Eight hundred and forty four Jane (X) Graham {seal] Test James L. Nesbitt, Wm. Nesbitt

Iredell County, North Carolina, Wills 1663-1978, http://www.familysearch.org.

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September 15, 2016

Praying for the emancipation.

Notice!

Is hereby given to all persons, that I shall proceed to file a petition in the next Superior Court to be held for the County of Iredell, at the Court-House in Statesville, on the Sixth Monday after the Fourth Monday in August, A.D. 1859, praying for the Emancipation of the following slaves, to wit: Lindsay and his wife Lucy, and their two children, Lindsay Walton and Louisa and her child Lucy Adelaide. ABNER FEIMSTER Aug. 22, 1859

Iredell Express, 26 August 1859.

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February 22, 2015

Full and entire liberty.

In the name of God Amen I Rebekah Black of the County of Iredell & state of Northcarolina being Sound in mind & memory but of old age & mindful of mortality do make ordain & declare this my last will & Testament as follows.

…

My negro man London I allow to be disposed of as follows for one year after my death I give & bequeath his servises & labor to my son Wm. the next year to my son James the next year to my son William & the next year to my son James after the sd. London shall have served my two sons affoursaid four years from the day of my death I give & bequeath to the sd. London his full & intire liberty this I do consideration of the faithfullness & meritoreous good servises of the sd. London as a servant to me during twelve years I have lived a widow & I do soncearly hope & trust in the fidelity of my executor & in the Justice & human sentiment of the legislature to confirm as far as may be necessary this my bequeathment to my faithful & trusty servant above named.

… I do hereby constitute & appoint my son Jas. Black & Richar H. King executors of this my will hereby declaring all former Will or Wills by me made to be null & void & confirming Publishing & declaring this & none other to be my last will & testament this 4th Day of May in the year one Thous’d eight hundred & Eight Signed Sealed & Published & declared in Presence of Sam King, Cyntha King {seal} Rebekah Black

Will Book 1, page 125-126. Office of Clerk of Superior Court, Iredell County Courthouse, Statesville.

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January 19, 2015

Sentenced to be sold.

Bill, a free negro, indicted for an assault upon the person of a colored female child, was tried for the offense at the late term of Court, convicted, and sentenced to be sold to pay costs. He was sold into slavery for the period of 4 1/2 years, R.F. Simonton, Esq., being the purchaser.

Iredell Express (Statesville), 20 April 1860.

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June 12, 2013

One that was free in the days of slavery.

The road at that time turned down the first branch and crossed the second one about where Tradd Street now crosses it. This second branch is alluded to in old deeds as Buffalo Branch, in later times and to our older citizens it was Free Nancy branch, from the fact that a free negro – one that was free in the days of slavery – lived near it.

P.F. Laugenour, “A History of Iredell County,” date unknown.

[Sidenote: There is now a Free Nancy Avenue in Statesville, a dead-end commercial street that runs for a short stretch just south of Interstate 40 at Sullivan Road. Free Nancy Branch itself, which appears from on-line photos to be little more than a trickle, has been the subject of recent clean-ups and restoration. http://www.keepiredellclean.org/news.htm It is a branch of Fourth Creek. – LYH]

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