Fourth Generation Inclusive

Historical Documents of Genealogical Interest to Researchers of North Carolina's Free People of Color

Tag: Wayne County

October 23, 2012

In an entire manner contrary to the law.

State of North Carolina    }     Court of Pleas &

Wayne County                    }      Quarter Sessions       May Term 1833

The jurors for the State on their oaths present that on the eight of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three a certain woman named Darcis Darden late of the County aforesaid with force and arms at and in the County of Wayne aforesaid did take into the house wherein the said Darcis lived and lain one free Fellow of colour named Ellic James a Sawyer by trade  they the said Ellic and Darcis not being legally married together and then the Said Ellis and Darcis had one or more children without Seperation in an entire manner Contrary to the Act of the General Assembly in Such case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the State

And the jurors aforesaid and do further present that the Said Ellic and Darcis aforesaid on the time aforesaid (to wit) on the eight of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three and on [illegible] days and times both before and since at and in the County of Wayne aforesaid with force and arms did bed and cohabit together as man and wife they the said Ellic and Darcis not being lawfully married together Contrary to the Act if the General Assembly in Such case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the State

W Farmer County Attorney

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October 22, 2012

Taxables.

List of taxables, Indian Springs District, Wayne County, 1856 —

Green Simmons, 10 acres, valued at $50.

George Simmons, 95 acres, valued at $425.

Charles Winn, 92 acres, valued at $480.

Box 5, Wayne County Tax Records, North Carolina State Archives.

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October 21, 2012

Where are they now? No. 5.

B.J. was born in the mid-1970s in New York.  She is descended from:

(1) Robert Aldridge [1819-1899, Duplin/Wayne County] via Amelia Aldridge [1855-1895, Wayne County]

(2) Mary Eliza Balkcum [1829-1924, Duplin/Wayne County]

(3) Hannah Brewington [1775-1850, Sampson County] via Raiford Brewington [1812-1896, Sampson/Wayne County] via Joshua Brewington [1847-??, Sampson/Wayne County]

(4) Abraham Hardin [??-??, Sampson County] via Sion Hardin [??-??, Sampson County] via Zilpha Hardin [1794-1860, Sampson County]

(5) Ephraim Manuel [1730-??, Sampson County] via Nicholas Manuel [1752-1835, Sampson County] via Shadrach Manuel [1775-1870, Sampson County] via Bathsheba Manuel [1818-??, Sampson/Wayne 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

We believe her to be a worthy woman.

To the General Assembly of North Carolina

The undersigned, Respectfully Petition, the Legislature, to pass an act, in favour of Sucky Borden (a woman of color) vesting in her, all the rights and privileges, of a free woman.  Your petitioners have long known said Suckey, and believe her to be a worthy woman, who will duly appreciate all her privileges — and your Petitioners will Ever pray &c

Wm. H. Washington, Richard Washington, N. Washington, Jno. Wright, Raiford Hooks, M.A. Borden, John Everitt, John C. Slocumb, Wton Thompson, W.C. Bryan, Woodard Howell, Wm, Hollowell, Josiah Howell, C. Hooks, Wm. Robinson, Jere. A. Green, Jno. N. Andrews, O. Coor, Thomas B. Cox, Joseph E. Kennedy, John W. Davis, Chelby Langston, Hinton J. Best, A.H. Langston

Records of Slaves of Free Persons of Color, Wayen County Miscellaneous Records, North Carolina State Archives.

[Sidenote: The petition was granted: Susan Bordan, age 70, black, is listed in the 1860 federal population census of Goldsboro, Wayne County.  She worked as a baker and reported owning $500 real property and $100 personal property, placing her among the wealthiest free people of color in the county.  She shared her household with 60 year-old mulatto “sewer,” Angia Capps, and 7 year-old mulatto Catharine Carroll.  Borden’s petitioners were a collection of Wayne County’s most solid citizens — planters, a hotel proprietor, the local newspaper editor, two clerks of court, the sheriff and a Methodist clergyman.  Nearly all were slaveowners. — LYH]

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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 18, 2012

Where are they now? No. 3.

K.L. was born in the mid-1960s in Wilson NC.  She is descended from:

(1) Garry Rowe [1805-ca1865, Wayne County] via Samuel Rowe [1832-??, Wayne County]

(2) Dicey Bass [1814-??, Wayne County]

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October 18, 2012

Surnames: Wayne County, 1850.

Surnames of free people of color listed in the 1850 population schedule of Wayne County:

ALDRIDGE, ARTIS, AVIS, BARFIELD, BASS, BEST, BIRD, BRACEY, BRENTLEY, BROOKS, BROWN, BRUNT, BRYAN, BRYANT, BUNN, BURNETT, BUTLER, CAPPS, CARROLL, COLE, COLEY, CROOM, DALLESON, DANIEL, DAVIS, DUNN, EVANS, FREEMAN, GAINS, GINN, GREEN, GREENFIELD, GRICE, GUY, HAGANS, HALL, HATCHER, HAYS, HAZEL, HERRING, HILL, HOBBS, HODGET(?), HOOD, JONES, KING, LANCASTER, LANE, LISBURN, LUCAS, LYNCH, MANLEY, MARE, MARHAM, MITCHELL, MORGAN, MORRIS, MUNDA, MUSGRAVE, NEWELL, NEWSOM, PILOOT(?), PROCTOR, RADFORD, READ, RICHARDSON, ROBINSON, ROE, SAMPSON, SASSER, SCOTT, SEABERRY, SIMMONS, SMITH, STAFFORD,  STRICKLIN, SUMMERS, TAYLOR, THOMSON, TOLER, TURLEY, TYLER, WALL, WALTON, WARD, WARREN, WATKINS, WIGGINS, WILKINS, WILKINSON, WINN, WISE, WOODARD, VICK and YOUNG.

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October 17, 2012

We, all here, were a proscribed people.

John Herring Jr. filed claim #11519 with the Southern Claims Commission.  He was a 67 year-old farmer living in Dudley, Wayne County.  During the Civil War, he lived in Grantham township on rented land on a two-horse farm (about 45 acres.)  “The claimant being a colored man it is needless to question him as to loyalty.”

“Sherman’s whole army was encamped within about a mile and a half ‘and stayed there longer than I wanted them to!'”

“I was always a free man was born free, all my days a farmer.”

Augustus Blunt, age 38, testifying to Herring’s loyalty, said that he lived in Brogden township and ran a sawmill.  He was Herring’s son-in-law.  He overheard one Union officer remark, “You are making a purty good raise boys.”  Daughter-in-law Kizzie Herring, age 36, living in Grantham, also testified, as well as son Doctor Herring, 24.

John Bryant Capps, age 44, was a boarding house keeper in Goldsboro.  He testified that he had known Herring for 20 years and lived about 7 miles from him.  “Shortly after the outbreak of the war I was carried off by the rebels to serve as a cook.  When I made an effort to get home to my family I was prevented and they gave me 50 lashes.”  I never knew a man of my color who did not wish to see the south get whipped by way of satisfaction for the the many whippings inflicted upon us.”

Wm. H. Thompson, age 27, lived in Goldsboro and had known Herring since childhood.  During the war he lived about 5-8 miles from Herring.  “I have yet to learn of the first colored man who was not in full sympathy with the Union cause.  We, all here, were a proscribed people, and during the war had to keep our mouths shut or they would have been effectively shut for us forever.”

John Herring, age 50, mulatto, his wife Charity and their children (including 2 month-old Doctor) appear in the 1850 census of Wayne County living south of the Neuse River.

Augustus Brunt [sic] is listed twice in the 1850 census of Wayne County, both times south of the Neuse.  He appears as a 12 year-old (probably an apprentice) in the household of William Benton, and as a 13 year-old with his mother, Polly Brunt.  The censustaker noted that Augustus was born in Wayne County and Polly in Johnston.

John Capps, age 22, mulatto, is listed in the 1850 census of Wayne County on the south side of the Neuse River.

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October 17, 2012

47 legitimate children?

It comes from Fremont, Wayne county, that Adam Artis, colored, 75 years old, who lives near there, is the father of 47 legitimate children and that in addition there are 80 or 90 grandchildren.

The Landmark, Statesville, 9 Jan 1906.

Adam Toussaint Artis was born free in 1831 in Greene or Wayne County.  Estimates of the number of his children vary, but more than two dozen have been positively identified.  [Sidenote: I am descended from one of them. –LYH.]

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