Simmons | Fourth Generation Inclusive

October 20, 2012

A very respectable woman and a worthy one.

Elsie Drake filed claim #15804 with the Southern Claims Commission. She was 79 years old and lived near Fayetteville. “I lived on my own land. I have 3 acres all cultivated. Nursing was my occupation.”

“I had one grandson in the Confederate Army as a drummer. His name is Warren Drake. He is living in Montgomery Al. I did not furnish him with anything while in the Rebel servace. He was carried off against my wish. He ran away from the Army and came home. He was a boy of about 14 years old.”

“My feeling was with the union. My language was for the union.”

“I am a widow. My husband has been dead about 15 years. I have 3 children living Thos. Drake … Robt. Drake … Warren Drake. Neither of them was in the confederate servace. They were slaves.”

“I was free at the beginning of the war. My husband was a free man. He bought me about 20 years ago. … I bought some of my property and raised some. Got the money to pay for it by cooking and nursing. John H. Cook was my former owner. I am not and have not been in his employ since my husband bought me.”

Though Elsie Drake appears in neither the 1850 nor 1860 census of Cumberland County, in 1870 she is listed as “Elsey Drake,” age 77, in the household of her son Thomas in Cross Creek township.

Union soldiers took bacon, hogs, corn, flour, coffee, cooking utensils, soap, turkeys, geese, water buckets, bed quilts, tubs, blankets, a shawl and some sugar from her. Witnesses to the theft were Jenette Smith, Mollie Stephens and Ellen Simmons.

Special Commissioner John J. Minor noted: “Her husband … was always free and his wife lived with [him] since I first knew them up to his death. She was a slave belonged to John H. Cook. I presume her husband hired her time up to the time he bought her — She is a very respectable woman and a very worthy one … Her witnesses are all very respectable col’d people.”

Though she appears in neither the 1850 nor 1860 censuses, in 1870, 70 year-old “Elsey” Drake is listed in her son Thomas’ household in Cross Creek township, Cumberland County.

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October 20, 2012

She was always cold a free woman.

State of North Carolina Wayne County June 15 1853 Winney Huff after being Duly Sworn Deposith and says as follows (viz) that she has seen Fareby Simmons Mother a Colord Woman living in the County of Birtie and State aforsaid and it was stated to her in the neighborhood that she was a free person and said hir Daughter Fariby Simmons was indentured to one Sertain William Burnham and Said Burnham Emigrated from the County of Birtie to the County of Wayne and said fariby Simons lived with Burnham as an apprentice and fariby Simmons in the time of her apprenticeship had a child Bornd Named Hannah which was Bound to Betsey Burnham a Daughter of Said William Burnham and that Fariby Simons was always cold a free woman and has pased for a free woman Ever since my Recollection which would be Seventy or Seventy five years furthe the Deponant sayeth Not June the 1st 1853 then was the above Written certificate of Winney Huff sworn to Before me George Flowers J.P. Winney X Huff

This is one of three sworn statements by whites attesting to Fereby Simmons’ freedom. Their purpose is not clear. It seems likely that Fereby and Hannah Simmons were the matriarchs of the sprawling free colored Simmons clan — with branches by mid-19th century from southeast North Carolina to Canada — but relationships between the various lines remain undetermined.

Records of Slaves and Free People of Color, Wayne County Miscellaneous Records, North Carolina State Archives.

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October 20, 2012

I was free born, I got my property by way of work.

Bryant Simmons filed claim #12254 with the Southern Claims Commission. He was 40 years old and lived near Dudley, Wayne County, where we worked as a wagonmaker. He lived on his own land, consisting of 51 1/4 acres, of which half were under cultivation. During the war, he worked on his farm and in a blacksmith shop.

“I was employed, or rather pressed into service, for about 2 years by the Rebels, they made me go and work on breastworks and fortifications [in Kinston NC], they guarded me during the night.” Also, “I worked on the railroad a few days while the Union army was in here.”

“I was free at the beginning of the war, I was free born, I got my property by my work. I live on my own land.” In March 1865, the Union army took bacon, lard, corn, pease, meal, fodder and hogs, saying that soldiers needed something to eat after a march. “I think they eat the hog on the premises …” “There were about 500 lbs. of bacon, sound and good, well dried in my dwelling in the loft worth about 20 or 25 cts. per pound, 20 pounds of good lard in my corn crib … four barrels of good sound corn partly husked … 1400 pounds of good sound fodder standing in the field in stacks .. one hog fat in the woods ….” Simmons was literate and signed his deposition.

Jesse Hollowell, a 62 year-old white farmer, testified that he had known Simmons about 25 years and lived within two or three miles of him. He testified that loyal men regarded Simmons as loyal.

James King, age 60, a farmer and carpenter who lived near Dudley, testified that he had known Simmons about 20 years and lived about a mile and a half from him. They often talked about the Union cause, and Simmons said he hoped the United States would put down the rebellion. King signed his name to his deposition.

Wife Elizabeth Simmons and daughter Cornelia Aldridge corroborated Simmons’ account of his property taken by General Kilpatrick’s command in March 1865. Both testified that the closest camp was near Mount Olive, about five miles away. Cornelia Aldridge signed her name to her deposition.

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October 17, 2012

Where are they now? No. 2

D.C. was born in the early 1960s in Indiana. She is descended from:

(1) Margaret Balkcum [1836-1915, Sampson/Wayne County]

(2) Patsey Henderson [ca1795-??, Onslow County] via James Henderson [1815-ca1885, Onslow/Sampson/Wayne County] via Lewis Henderson [1836-1912, Onslow/Sampson/Wayne County] via Ann Elizabeth Henderson [1862-1900, Wayne County]

(3) Axey J. Manuel [1823-1885, Wayne County]

(4) Winnie Medlin

(5) Phereby Simmons [1772-ca1855, Bertie/Wayne County] via James Simmons [1798-1860, Wayne/Sampson County] via George W. Simmons [ca1820-1919, Wayne County] via Hillary B. Simmons [1853-1941, Wayne County]

October 16, 2012

My mother was an Indian woman came from Guadaloupe.

Lewis W. Levy Sr.‘s claim (#16083) with the Southern Claims Commission was submitted to Congress on 4 December 1876. Levy lived in Cumberland County, 3 miles southeast of Fayetteville; was a free-born colored man; and owned 109 acres, of which 40 were under cultivation. He worked as a saddle and harness maker. During the war, he was forced to work in his trade at Fayetteville arsenal, where he was “insulted, abused and molested by the rebels.” He fed 6 Union soldiers on their way to federal lines after escaping from Florence SC, and his son Lewis Levy Jr. and Alexander Jackson, another colored man, piloted them over the Cape Fear River.

The Commissioners noted: “He was unusually well off in property for a colored man, much above the average of colored people. He was nearly white, so much so that the confederates arrested him and tried to force him into their Army, but the surgeon discharged him on the ground of physical inability.”

“A large force of Genl. Sherman’s Army camped near him for 2 or 3 days in March 1865; & we have no doubt from the nature of the case that they stripped him of all he had. … We allow $723.00.”

“I was free born. My mother was an Indian woman came from Guadeloupe France to this country in 1794.”

Alexander Jackson, age 60, testified that he was a colored man and that he resided in Rockfish township, Cumberland County and worked as a saddle and harness maker. He was not related to Lewis Levy, but had known him 30 years and lived about 2 1/2 miles from him. They sometimes worked in the same shop.

Edinboro Scurlock, age 48, testified that he was colored, lived in Cumberland County near Fayetteville and was a wagon maker. He was not related to Lewis Levy, but knew him all his life and lived about 1/2 mile from him.

Lewis’ son Robert W. Levy was a 21 year-old farmer who lived in Rockfish township. His testimony mentioned his mother, brothers Lewis Jr. and Matthew N. Levy, sister Ann Eliza Levy, and Wright Lambert. Matthew N. Levy, age 23, and Lewis W. Levy Jr., 24, also testified. They lived in Fayetteville and worked as coopers.

George D. Simmons, age 39, lived in Fayetteville and worked as a barber and grocer. He had known Levy for 22 years and lived about 5 miles from him.

In the 1850 census of Fayetteville, Cumberland County: Lewis Levy, 30, saddle and harnessmaker; wife Sarah C., 25; children Robt., 6, Eliza, 8, Lewis, 4, and Matthew, 6 months; plus Abel G. Stuart, 20, apprentice saddlemaker; Paul Jones, 23, painter; and Wm. Dunstan, 34, painter. All were described as mulatto.

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October 11, 2012

Free-Issue Death Certificates: ARMWOOD

Penny Armwood. Died 27 Apr 1925, Little Coharie township, Sampson County. Resided 4 miles south of Roseboro. Widow of Henry Armwood. Black. Born 1 Sep 1829 in Sampson County to Richard Armwood and Mary Faircloth, both of North Carolina. Buried W.R. McKenzie Col. Cem. Informant, James Armwood.

Penny’s husband Henry appears as a 16 year-old in the household of John and Susan Armwood in the 1850 census of the Northern Division of Sampson County.

Martha Armwood. Died 7 May 1927, Faison, Duplin County. Colored. Widow of William Armwood. Born 16 May 1831 to Jim Simmons and Winnie Medley, both of NC. Buried in Sampson County. Informant, Everett Armwood, Faison.

Eleven year-old Martha Simmons appears in her parents James and Winney Simmons’ household in the 1850 census of Northern Division of Sampson County.

Kilbey Armwood. Died 2 Feb 1855, Faison, Duplin County. Colored. Widower. Farmer. Born 5 Feb 1855 in Sampson County to William Armwood and Martha Brewington. Buried family cemetery in Faison. Informant, Almond Armwood, Faison.

William (26) and Martha Armwood (21) appear in the 1860 census of Turkey township, Sampson County with children, including Mary Ann (1).

William Armwood. Died 23 Oct 1926, Faison, Duplin County. Colored. Age 97 years, 6 months, 7 days. Married to Martha Armwood. Farmer. Born in Sampson County to Major Armwood and Liza Armwood. Buried in Duplin County. Informant, Wilsy Armwood, Faison.

In the 1850 census of the Northern Division of Sampson County: Major (53), Eliza (42) and William Armwood (14).

Polly Ann Simmons. Died 5 July 1940 at Duke Hospital, Durham. Resided in Clinton, Sampson County. Indian. Widow of Cisroe Williams Simmons. Born 1 May 1856 in Sampson County to William Armwood and Mattie Simmons. Informant, E.J. Simmons, Clinton.

October 7, 2012

1 grubing hoe, 1 irone Square, 1 saw & drawing knife

The “Account of the Sale of the property of Ablassom [sic] Artis decest Sold by Jesse Hollowell Admr for Confederate money this March 9th 1864” chronicled the disposal of Absalom Artis‘ possessions. His estate included household goods, farm implements, carpenter’s tools, a cow and calf, and 5 “chickings.” Most of the buyers were Absalom’s free colored neighbors and kin: Green Simmons, Jacob Artis, Patrick Artis, Joseph Artis, John Artis, Edwin Artis, Oliver Guy, Edmond Artis, Charity Hagans and Levi Winn.

Records of Wills and Estates, Wayne County Records, North Carolina State Archives.

[Sidenote: The Civil War is raging. Absalom Artis has died of old age. Folk gather at the sale of his estate, hoping for a good deal on a harness or maybe a hammer. The crowd, standing shoulder to shoulder to peer at each item, is unusually mixed. Of the 21 buyers listed in the account, only ten were white. The others, 10 men and a woman, were members of Wayne County’s resilient little free colored community. Most were desperately poor, clinging to their precarious toehold on liberty. Others, like Absalom Artis and many of his kin, had managed to achieve a measure of comfort (material, anyway) that equalled or bested that of their white neighbors. They stepped up and laid down their Confederate dollars like the next man.

I am an Artis, but not descended from Absalom. The connection between him and my Artis forebear is lost to time, but the Artises collectively comprised one of the largest free colored families in antebellum North Carolina. They had been freed generations before in southside Virginia. — LYH]

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