Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Tag: Stokes County

May 29, 2014

Interesting cases.

STOKES COUNTY COURT.

…

… On Wednesday there was a case which excited considerable interest, the case of the State vs. Enoch Going. The State was represented by Mr. Solicitor Masten, and Going was defended by J.R. McLean and A.H. Joyce, Esquires. This was an indictment against the said defendant, who was charged in the bill as being a free negro, for migrating into this State from Virginia, contrary to our Act of Assembly. The defendant, through his counsel, denied that he is a free negro, and alleged that he is of Indian extraction. The Jury, on the testimony before them, acquitted him.

On the same day, Rowan Stewart and Harston Stewart, free negroes and brothers, were arraigned on a charge of having gambled with a slave, Calvin, the property of Alexander Martin. The State was assisted by J.R. McLean, Esq., and Mr. Morehead appeared for the defendants. The testimony showed that the free negroes and slaves played at a game of cards on the Sabbath day and directly on the side of a public road; that the three had liquor and were drinking; and that, after they were discovered by the witness, much abusive language passed between them, and that this ended in a fight. It was an aggravated case. The defendants submitted to a verdict of guilty and endeavored to beg; but the court, and very properly too, sentenced them to thirty-nine lashes each, a fine of $20 a piece,and to be hired out for the cost and fines, if not secured. These, however, were secured.

The Greensboro Times, 24 March 1860.

——

In the 1850 census of Stokes County, Harston Stewart, 15, in the household of white farmer Hugh Martin.

5 Comments
April 5, 2013

Runaway bound boy, no. 7.

COMMITTED to the Jail of Rowan County, on the 4th of August, a negro boy named Edward Bailey, who says he is free, and bound to Newsome Westmoreland of Stokes county. Said boy is of dark complexion, about 13 or 14 years of age. N. ROBERTS, Jailor. Salisbury, Aug. 16, 1845.

Carolina Watchman, 18 August 1845.

Leave a comment
December 27, 2012

He induced a free negro to go over the mountains.

Condemned.  At Surry Superior Court, last week, Abram Weaver, who has been confined in the jail of this county for some eighteen months, was tried and convicted of selling a free negro.  An appeal was taken to the Supreme Court.  People’s Press.

Carolina Watchman, Salisbury, 30 September 1852.

———

ABRAM M. WEAVER.

This notorious individual, we learn, was tried for kidnapping, at the recent term of the Superior Court of Surry county – Judge Ellis presiding.  He was found guilty, and condemned to be hung on the first Friday in October; but appealed to the Supreme Court.

We understand it was in evidence that in the Spring of 1848 Weaver induced a free negro, Jim Corn, to go with him from Stokes county over the mountains into Virginia, on a trip to sell guns; that they stopped at the house of one Lowder, in Burke’s Garden, soon after which the prisoner, sold the said free negro into bondage, who was carried to Louisville, Kentucky, where the negro sued for and obtained his freedom.  Greens. Pat.

Carolina Watchman, Salisbury, 7 Oct 1852.

Leave a comment
December 20, 2012

He calls himself John Blair.

TAKEN UP & COMMITTED TO JAIL. In this place on the 6th day of November last, a Negro Man, between 30 and 35 years old, 5 feet 5 inches high, a dark mulatto, he has a small scar under his chin, he has lost two of his upper front teeth: he had with him when taken, a great many clothes, three coats of homespun, 6 or 7 shirts, 6 or 7 pairs of pantaloons, and 5 or 6 vests, a rifle gun, a Lapine Watch, and two gold breast pins.

He calls himself John Blair, and says he is a free man, and was raised in Charleston S.C.  JOHN M. VANHOY, Jailor. Germanton, Stokes Co. N.C. 1837

Carolina Watchman, Salisbury, 18 Mar 1837.

Leave a comment
December 15, 2012

He has a wife, a free woman.

$50 REWARD.  ABSCONDED about the last of October, from the subscriber, at that time residing in Stokes County, N. Carolina, my Negro man COLEMAN, about 27 and 28 years of age, and of a very bright complexion.  He is a Shoemaker by trade, has a very bushy head of hair, a thin visage, is spare built and weighs from 135 to 140 pounds.  He has a very large scar on one of his legs near the ankle, believed to be on the right leg, also a scar on each arm just below the elbow occasioned by a burn.  His heels have been frosted, which injury has left scars upon them.  Coleman has a wife (a free woman) near Blakeley, N. Carolina, and it is probable that he may be in that direction, although many persons believe that he was decoyed off by a white man, named Joshua Young, who left the neighborhood about the same time for Indiana.  I will give a reward of Fifty Dollars to any one who will deliver Coleman to me near Brook Neal in Campbell County Va. or will confine him in jail, so that I get him in my possession.   RICHARD OVERSTREET.  Brook Neal, Campbell cty, Va. December 21, 1838

Carolina Watchman, Salisbury, 24 January 1840. NC Newspaper Digitization Project, North Carolina State Archives Historic Newspaper Archive.


Leave a comment
November 13, 2012

Surnames: Stokes County, 1850.

ASHE, BEAZLEY, BOWDEN, BON, CARTER, CHURCHER, COX, EVANS, FOWLER, FRANKLIN, GOEN/GOING, HANKINS, INGRIM, KANE, KING, LARTER, MESSENGER, MITCHELL, NELSON, PARR, PETTYFORD, PIKE, RANKLIN, RIDDLE, ROWLEN, SHEPPERD, SPENCER, STEPHENSON, STUART, TENLEY, VERNER, WARDEN, WILLIAMS, WILLS and WILSON.

Leave a comment
October 29, 2012

A dark mulatto missing two teeth.

Taken Up & Committed to Jail.

In this place on the 6th day of November last, a Negro Man, between 30 and 35 years old, 5 feet 5 inches high, a dark mulatto, he has a small scar under his chin, he has lost two of his upper teeth; he had with him taken a great many clothes, three coats of homespun, 6 or 7 shirts, 6 or 7 pairs of pantalons, and 5 or 6 vests, a rifle gun, a Lapin Watch, and two gold breast pins.  He calls himself John Blair, and says he is a free man, and was raised in Charleston, S.C.    John M. Vanhoy, Jailor, Germanton, Stokes Co., NC, 1837

The Carolina Watchman, 18 March 1837.

Leave a comment