Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Tag: Locust

He had no marks of violence on his body.

State of North Carolina, Nash County }

An Iquisition indented taken near Mr. Rickes in the said county of Nash on the 29 day of Dec’r A.D. 1838 before A.B. Baines coroner of and in the said county upon the mein of the body of Jams Locust then and there lying dead upon the oaths of Marmaduke Ricks Gideon Stricklen William Cone Saml Wester Griffin Bird Ruben Stricklen George R. Bell Isaac Stricklen Jos. Barnes Richrd H. Dorzier Jerry Perry Merida Whitley good and Lawful men of the county aforesaid who being sworn and charged to engain on the part of the State aforesaid, when, where, how, and often what manner the Said James Locust came to his death do say upon there oath that the said Jas. Locust on the 29 day of Dec’r A.D. 1838 in the county aforesaid to wit in the publick road leading from Raleigh to Tarborough near one Marmaduke Ricks was found dead that he had no marks of violence on his body and died by being intoxicated with spirituous liquors and being unable to escape from the rain and snow [illegible] and by reason of the same died witness where of as well the afore said coroner as the Jury afore said have to this Inquesition put their seals, on the day and date first above written at the place aforesaid

[Signatures of coroner and committee omitted.]

From the file of James Locust, Nash County, North Carolina Estate Files 1663-1979, https://familysearch.org. Original, North Carolina State Archives.

Another colored Confederate.

James A. Locuss, cook, Co. F, 51 Reg’t North Carolina Infantry (State Troops).  Appears on Company Muster Roll of the organization named above for Nov & Dec 1864. Enlisted 31 October 1864 at Richmond, by W. Hamilton for duration of the war.

Next generation marriage.

ImageCandis Locust‘s birth was the subject of a bastardy action by the State on behalf of Waity Locust against Calvin Hagans. Louisa Wilson’s parents were John “Jack” Wilson and Zilpha Artis (herself the daughter of Vicey Artis and Solomon Williams.) Louisa’s brother, William Wilson, stood as witness.

Marriage Records, Register of Deeds Office, Wayne County Courthouse, Goldsboro.

David and Louisa Jane Mills give all.

State of North Carolina, Nash County  }

I, David Mills of the County of the State and County aforesaid, being of sound mind and memory, but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence do make this my last Will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say –

I give, devise and bequeath to my eldest son Mingo Mills forty six and one half acres of land in said State and County. Known as the Piece of land I bought of Parsons Rackley.

I give, devise and bequeath to my son Munro Mills The Joshua Mills tract of land on the north side of the Joshua Mills Spring branch containing about seventy acres.

I give, devise and bequeath to my son Henderson Thomas Mills One tract of land containing about Seventy acres and known as the land I bought from John R. Sutton.

I give, devise and bequeath to my youngest son David More Mills One tract of land containing one hundred acres more or less and known as my home tract where I now live. My will and desire is that my son David More Mills Pay to the balance of my heirs not above mentioned the Just a& full sum of fifty dollars out of the Piece of land that I give him above mentioned. The balance of my land which is the Thomas Mills Piece containing about fourteen and one half. And a part of the Joshua Mills tract lying on the South side of the Joshua Mills Spring branch containing about ten acres more or less is to be sold and the money equally divided among the following named heirs my son Joshua Mills lawfully children which is Wm. N. Mills & Arnal Mills one share. Frances Toney wife of Joseph Toney. Julie Ann Cordel, Manda Lucust, Lahara Wilkins wife of Eevin Wilkins. Nancy King, wife of Willie King Sevarine Jones, wife of Wm. Jones Lutora Hagans, wife of Frank Hagans.

All of the above mentioned heirs shall hold the above mentioned property in fee simple at my death. Provided that they maintain my wife Luizer Jane Mills, out of said property her life time or her widowhood. The balance of my property except my household and kitchen furniture, which I hereby give to my wife Luizer Jane Mills Is to be sold and equally divide among all my lawful heirs. And lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint my trusty son Munro Mills my lawful executor to all intents and purposes to execute this my last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same and every part and clause thereof hereby revoking and declaring utterly void all other wills and testaments by me heretofore made. In witness whereof I the said David Mills do hereunto set my hand and seal this 7th day of August A.D. 1889.    David X Mills {seal}

Witnesses Jas. W. Floyd, W.W. Manning

Proved 18 May 1891. Will Book 5, page 351, Office of Clerk of Superior Court, Nash County Courthouse, Nashville. 

[Sidenote: David Mills was his brother Thomas Mills’ sole heir. See Will Book 5, page 225. Joshua Mills was their father. – LYH]

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North Carolina, Nash County   }

I Luiza J. Mills of the State and County aforesaid, being of sound mind and memory but considering the uncertainty of my earthly existence do make this my last Will and testament in manner and form following — That is to say

(1)  That my executor hereinafter named shall provide for my body a decent burial, and pay all funeral expenses together with my just debts howsoever and to whomsoever owing out of the moneys that may first come into his hands as a part or parcel of my estate —

(2)  I give and bequeath to my son D.M. Mills at my death the following personal property, one bed now in his possession, one under & upper sheet one bed quilt, one blanket one pillow one bolster now in his possession one double barrel shot gun, known as his fathers gun. The balance of my household & kitchen furniture at my death is to be sold at highest bidder & money divided among the following named persons, Nick and Arnel Mills one share Amanda Lucas, one share – Lutora Hagans, one share – Lahara Wilkins, one share, Isaman S. Jones, one share – Nancy Ellen King, one share – Endy F. Toney, one share – July Ann Cordell one share.

I give & devise to my son D.M. Mills one a[illegible] named Ben now in his possession. The balance of my property if any at my death, including all notes & papers & land if any, is to be sold or collected as the case may be, and the money equally divided among my four sons which is Mingo Mills, Munro Mulls H.T. Mills and D.M. Mills.

And lastly I do hereby constitute & appoint my trusty son, Munro Mills my lawful Executor to all intents & purposes to execute this my last will and testament according to the true intent and meaning of the same and every part and clause thereof hereby revoking and declaring utterly void all other wills and testiments by me heretofore made. In witness whereof I the said Luizer J. Mills do hereunto set my hand and seal, This 28th day of Feby. A.D. 1898    Luiza J. X Mills

Signed sealed published and declared by the said Luiza J. Mills to be her last will & testament in the presence of us who at her request and in her presence do subscribe our names as witnesses thereto.  J.W. Floyd, J.L. Floyd

Proved 27 October 1900, Will Book 6, page 121. Office of Clerk of Superior Court, Nash County Courthouse, Nashville. 

David Mills married Jane Spears on 12 August 1847 in Nash County.  In the 1860 census of Mannings, Nash County: David Mills, 57, farmer, wife Jane, 34, and children William J., 12, Frances, 10, Julia, 8, Amanda, 6, Lahary, 3, and Minger, 2. [Sidenote: Louisa Jane Spears was a daughter of Silvia Spears. In summary, David and Louisa Jane’s children were William Joshua Mills, Frances Mills Toney, Julia Ann Mills Cordell, Amanda Mills Locust, Laharia Mills Wilkins, Mingo Mills, Isaman Sevarine Mills Jones, Munro W. Mills, Henderson Thomas Mills, Nancy E. Mills King, Lutora F. Mills Hagans, and David More Mills. – LYH]

He is carrying a dead man’s free papers.

$30 REWARD. – I will give the above reward of Thirty Dollars to any person who will apprehend and deliver to me, or confine in jail so that I can get him, my negro man TOM, who ran away from me about the 9th of February last. TOM is about forty-two or forty-three years old, about five feet five or six inches high, rather light built, of light complexion, almost of the Indian order, lank or hollow jawed, wears his hair combed up in front, when spoken to has a down look, no particular mark recollected, except a scar from a severe cut on his right fore finger. It is believed he has with him Free Papers belonging to James Lucas or Locust, who froze to death in January last in the neighborhood; since which his Free Papers have not been found or heard of; and I have no doubt TOM is now passing himself as James Lucas or Locust as a free man. I have reason to believe that he is occasionally lurking about Louisburg, as I bought him of Mr. JOSIAH BRIDGES of that vicinity.

All persons are cautioned against employing, harboring, carrying away, or assisting him to get away, as the law will in every case be rigidly enforced.  RICHARD SHORT.

Vicksville P.O., Nash county, N.C. August 21, 1839.

North Carolina Standard, Raleigh, 4 September 1839.

Frances C. Aldridge Randall.

Image

FRANCES C. “Fannie” ALDRIDGE RANDALL, born 1872 in Wayne County, married Robert H. Locust (1859-after 1930, later known as George Randall) in 1890, and died in Washington DC in 1917. She was the daughter of Robert and Mary Eliza Balkcum Aldridge, and sister of, among others, Mathew W. Aldridge and George W. Aldridge.

Photo courtesy of F.R. Randall.

He is supposed to be lurking.

$25 Reward.

RANAWAY from the Subscriber, on the 1st day of last July, my negro man JACKSON, aged about 25 years, light complected, 6 feet 3 or 4 inches in height, weighing about 165 pounds – the little toe of his right foot is off, and the middle finger on one of his hands is crooked and stiff in the first joint.  He is supposed to be lurking in Nash county, near Vicksville, with a free mulatto woman named Mary Locust.  The above reward will be given for the apprehension of Jackson, if confined in any jail so that I get him again, or if delivered to me, in Edgecombe county, near Upper Town Creek meeting house.  All persons are forbid harboring, or carrying off said negro under penalty of the law. JAMES J. TAYLOR.  August 17, 1844.

Tarboro Press, 5 Oct 1844.

Burrell Tabourn, Revolutionary War soldier.

State of North Carolina, Nash County  }   On this thirteenth day of August Eighteen hundred and Forty four Personally appeared in open Court Hardiman Tabourn a resident of the County of Nash and maketh the following declaration in order to obtain a pension under the act of Congress passed on the seventh day of June Eighteen hundred and thirty two and after being duly sworn according to law doth declare on his oath that he is the son of Burrell Tabourn who Enlisted in the war of the revolution in the year Seventeen hundred and eighty-one For the term of Twelve months under Capt Lytle and after he had served out that time he was drafted for a twelve month tour in the year of Seventeen hundred and eighty two as he has always heard his said father say who will more fully appear by two certificates which he has procured from the Secretary of the State of North Carolina, which he submits as evidence in Connection with his own of his Said Fathers services.

And further declares that his said Father Burrell Tabourn died leaving no widow and that his said father Burrell Tabourn died on the Ninth day of January Eighteen hundred and fortytwo and that he was Eighty one years old when he died and that he himself is forty nine years old and that he has three Brothers and two Sisters Namely Larkin Tabourn forty seven years old, Caleb Tabourn Thirtyfive years old, Boling Tabourn twentyeight years old, Beady Tabourn who intermarried with one Berry Locust Thirtytwo years old and Elizabeth Tabourn Thirty years old and he Further declares that his said Father was at the time he entered the Service a resident of the County of Nash and remained as Such up to this death and that he himself and all his brothers and sisters are Residents of the County of Nash and State aforesaid

And he Further declares that he has always heard his Father Say that he served the last Tower under the same Capt as he did the first two and he said Hardiman Further declares that he hims [sic]and he in behalf of his Brother and Sisters do hereby relinquish all Right to a pension whatever Except this

Sworn and subscribed to the day and date before written Before me  Francis M. Taylor CCC  Hardiman X Tabourn

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

In the 1850 census of Nash County: Caleb Tayborne, 51, wife Susan, 50, and children Quilly, 20, Jane, 15, Owen, 15, Martha, 12, Larkin, 12, and Sallie, 10.  Also, Larkin Tayborne, 57, Rebecca, 68, Ricks, 24, and Levenia, 15.  Also, Berry Locust, 50, wife Beedy, 45, and children Arthur, 25, Eliza, 19, Hepsy A., 16, Ivah, 15, Alsey, 12, Henry, 10, and Leymon, 8.  Hardy is not listed, but does appear in the 1860 census of Old Fields, Wilson County, as a 70 year-old living alone.

The Robbers carried off two of their Children.

FREE NEGRO STEALERS.

On the 29th Instant, about Mid’Night, four Men came to the House of VALENTINE LOCUST, an aged Free Negro, who resides on Leek Creek, in Wake County, and calling at the Door to gain Admittance, as soon as the Door was opened, Two of them entered with Clubs, and instantaneously knocked down the old Man and his Wife, and beat them to such a Degree as scarcely to leave Life; and whilst they were in that Situation, the Robbers carried off two of their Children, a Boy named Absalom, aged about twelve Years, of a yellowish Complexion, who is just able to read and write; a Girl, named Polly, aged about five Years, of a Complexion more yellow than her Brother.

The Father of the Children is a respectable and industrious old Man, who has hitherto made ample Provisions for himself and Family; and it is hoped, from the peculiar Circumstances of his Case, arising from hisIncapacity to bear Witness, except against his own Colour, added to the distressed Situation he must be place in after the Loss of his two Children, will awaken the Feelings of the Humane, and that they will contribute every Thing in their Power that may tend to the detecting and punishing of such vile Offenders.

It is supposed the Perpetrators of this Offence, will endeavor to convey their Prey to the State of Georgia, in the Character of Slaves, for the Purpose of Traffic.  Wake County, N. Carolina.  Sep. 30, 1801

The Printers in the U. States who are desirous of detecting the Offenders, will give this a Place in their Papers.

Raleigh Register, 6 October 1801