12 Feb. 1782.
William Petty Sr., gives one Negro girl, Nan, to his daughter, Keziah Dillard and her children. With Nan's increase, if any, to go to the heirs of Keziah.
Sealed and signed with a "W", the mark of Wm. Petty, Sr.
Witnessed by A. Clark and John Jones, and recorded as a deed of gift in open court in Feb. of 1782.
Test. by A. Clark, C.C.

3 June, 1784
Phillip Higdon's sale of one Negro 'wench', named Lyd, age about 23 and her child, to James S. Jones, his heirs and assigns.
Signed by Phillip Higdon with an "X"
Witnessed by Sarah Brantley (her mark a stylized "H")
Lewis Mathis
Test. John Ramsey, C.C.

27 Aug., 1785
Thomas Harrington, Daniel Higdon and Charles Higdon, sale of one Negro "wench" named Lyd, aged about 23 years & her child.
Thomas Harrington signs his name, Daniel Higdon makes his mark "M" and Charles Higdon and "X"
Witness:
J.C. Brantly
John Brantley "X"
Test. John Ramsey
(Editor Note: This is obviously the same slave sold by Phillip Higdon in 1784 (notice she hasn't aged a year) But, the important thing is... These men could not be selling her, legally unless they inherited her from Phillip. Which means that Daniel, & Charles are Phillips sons, whereas, Thomas Harrington, is probably a son in law.

21 Nov., 1787
John Chapman, sale of Negro "wench" Juday, to Robert Wallis (Wallace).
Signed with and "X" by John Chapman
Witness
James Scervant Jones
William Drake (Jurat)
Recorded Feb. 1788
Test. John Ramsey.

1 Feb. 1790
Edmund Branch sale of one Negro man, named Roger about "fortsen" (14 ?)  years, to Francis Parham and his heirs.
Signed by Edmund Branch
Witnesed by Jehu (or John) Parham

15 Feb., 1791
Joseph Brantley, John Brantley & Wiliam Brantley, sell one Negro man named Bob, who was left by the L.W.T. of Jno. Brantley, Sr. to Mary Brantley, his wife during her life & then to the persons that now convey by these presents, to John Petty.
All of the Brantley acknowledge the bill of sale by a seal.
Witness:
James Howard
Test: John Ramsey

14 Feb. (year unreadable) but probably 1791
Agnes Harrington 'for love and affection  to her son Sion Harrington, of Moore Co., one Negro boy named Sion.
Witness:
John Dalrymple (Jurat)
Recorded Feb Session 1791.
Test: John Ramsey, C. C.

10 Mar., 1791
James Baker (of Fayetteville, N.C.) sale of one Negro boy named Pompey, & one Negro Fellow named Toney to William Douglass and his heirs.
Signed by James Baker
Witness:
H. Lewis Lutterloh, (Jurat)
Thomas West

22 Dec. 1791
Presley Neal sale of one Negro boy named Isaac, to John Oldham.
Acknowledged by Presley Neal and sealed
Witness:
Nancy Neale
Herbert Haynes

6 Aug. 1798
Edmund Branch "for love and affection, for his Grand daughter, Lucy Minor, Daughter of Joseph Minor and Mary, (my daughter, his wife) give, a Negro girl named Chiney about six years old. The girl Chiney to be delivered to Lucy "after the death of me or my present wife, which may last happen. or pay to the said Lucy $200 in lieu of said Negro. If the said Lucy dies before she is entitled to the said Negro then I give and grant the said Negro girl Chiney for the consideration aforesaid unto my Grand Daughter Polly Minor, daugher of Joseph Minor as aforesaid.
Edmund Branch signs
Wtiness:
John Ramsey
Thos. Stokes
Joseph Mintir

5 Mar. 1798
Edmund Wade sale to Tinsley Wade (of Person Co., N.C.) one Negro woman, Hannah.
Signed Edm'd Wade (Seal)
Witness:
Robert Wade
        Recorded Aug. Term, 1798
Test: John Ramsey, C.C.

4 Aug., 1797
John Gunter, Sr. (of Moore Co., N.C.) to Gideon George (of Warren Co., GA), one Negro girl named Roda.
Signed John Gunter Sr. (Seal)
Witness:
Thos. Stokes,
W. Willis Polson (Folson?)
Ben. Gunter
Test: John Ramsey, C.C.

20 Jan. 1797
Moses Bledsoe, (of Cumberland Co., N.C.) to David Mims, two Negro slaves, named Sall & Dick.
Signed Moses Bledsoe (Seal)
Wintess John Siller
Richard Leaven?
Recorded Feb. Term, 1797
Test: John Ramsey, C.C.

8 Aug., 1795
Gideon Goodwin, Sr. to John Oldham, one Negro boy, named Nathan.
Signed Gideon Goodwin (Seal)
Witness:
William Goodwin
Jesse Tatum
Recorded Feb. Term., 1796
Test: John Ramsey, C.C.

12 Dec., 1794
Edmund Branch to Francis Parham, on Negro boy about 6 years of age, named Isaac.
Signed, Edmund Branch (Seal)
Witness
Richard Drake
Recorded May Term, 1795
Test: John Ramsey, C. C.

12 Dec., 1794
Edmund Branch, to Francis Parham, one Negro boy about 3 years of age, named Peter.
Signed Edmund Branch (Seal)
Witness:
Richard Drake
Recorded May, 1795
Test: John Ramsey, C.C.

29 Dec., 1794
Elisha Cain, to James Cain, one Negro boy, named Jack about 17 years old.
Signed Elisha Cain (Seal)
Witness:
Dempsey Cain
G. Dudley
Stephen Straughn (Jurat)

24 Mar. 1794
William King, to John King (of King William Co., VA), one Negro Man named, Isaac, about 45 years of age.
Signed William King (Seal)
Witness:
Robt. Edwards
John Daniel (Jurat)
Rec. Aug. 1794
Test: John Ramsey, C.C.

18 Oct., 1794
James Olive, to Abel Olive, one Negro woman named Phillis.
Signed James (his "X" mark) Olive (Seal)
Witness:
Abel Crow
James Olive, Jnr.
Rec. Nov., 1794
Test: John Ramsey, C.C.

9 Aug., 1790
Mary Knott, of one part and John Queen, her son of the other part. Mary, holding right and title to three Negroes and their increase, devised to her by John Queen, deceased of the Co. of "Nancymon" (Nansemond)  VA., Mary gives and makes over the whole right and title to aforesaid Negroes, named Joseph, Patience & Rachel to John Queen, the surviving son of John Queen, deceased.
Signed Mary (her "X" mark) Knott
Witness:
William Hatley
Benjamin (his "X" mark) Caudle
James Powell
Rec., Feb., 1793

6 Mar. 1797
John Montgomery, for natural love and affection to beloved Daughter, Deborah Debrutz, of Fayetteville, N.C.,  give Two Negores, One named Simon, of a Blackish complextion, and one Mulatto girl named Leah.
And it is herby agreed and declared that Gabriel the husband of the said Deborah, shall not intermeddle therewith, neither shall the same be liable or subject to his contract, debts or engagements during his natural life...
Signed John Montgomery (Seal)
(Acknowledged)
Witness:
Thomas Gordon
Elizabeth Gaines
Rec. Feb., 1798

25 Aug. 1798
Frances Clark (female) to William Burns, one Negro girl named Sarah, about the age of twelve years.
Signed Frances (her "X" mark)
Witness:
Will. Scurlock
Rec. Nov., 1798 Test: John Ramsey, C.C.
{Editor's Note: William Burns above is probably the father of Frances' son in law, John Edward Burns who married Mary Clark, the daughter of Frances & William Clark.
William died in 1795 and Frances is his widow and the step-mother of my ancestor, Alexander Clark}

15 Feb., 1798
Joseph Hackney, Sr., to Daniel Hackney, one Negro boy named Sam.
Signed Joseph (his "X" mark) Hackeny
Witness:
Wm. Carroll
Test: John Ramsey, C.C.

12 Mar. 1799
Martin Crutchfield to John Jos. Alston, one Negro man named Natt.
Signed Martin Crutchfield (Seal)
Witness:
William  (his "X" mark) Hamblet (Jurat)
Rec. Aug. 1799
Test: John Ramsey, C.C.

28 Feb., 1799
Phillip Johnson, (of Davidson Co., S.C.) to Parish Self, one Negro boy, named Jack, about 14 years of age.
Signed Phillip Johnson (Seal)
Witness:
Boling Hines ("X")
James Story

10 July, 1837
Haywood, Chatham Co., NC
I do hereby certify that a coloured Boy, by the name of Banks Evans; that was bound to Col. John Farrar, of this county has lived in my employ; for the last three years up to February last; about which time he became twenty one years of age & in a short time afterwards left my employ & hired himself to a man in my neighbourhood, in Rutherford County, N.C. with whom at the time I left in June, past, as a free man & receiving pay for his services as a freeman; after he became free I gave him a copy of his indentures with the certificate of the clerk of the county court of Chatham Co., with the county seal thereto attached, believing that was sufficient evidence of his freedom.
signed, Jno. Smith
Sworn  subscribed to before me this 10th July, 1827 J.?H. Shull, J.P.

12 Mar. 1817
Pendleton Co. S. C.       Affadavit of Mrs. Jane Burdine
Agreeable to a Writ to us Directed by Wm. Scurlock, Esq. Clerk of Chattam County, North Carolina have caused Jane Burdine to come before us this 12th Day march, 1817 and upon being sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God & sayeth that she bout (bought) a parcel of Negroes at a Public sale of her Father's (To Wit) Sarah, Bets, Ned, little Sarah & Grace & that she gave her Bond for the payment of said Negroes to the amount of $1001, which Bond she actually paid of the Bond & lifted it and from the time she purchased said Negroes she further sayeth on her oath that her Father James Wilson never claimed or Pretended to claim or to claim any profits from the Labours of said Negroes, and that she is very certain he never rec'd any, according to her knowledge. She also further sayeth that the Negroes she purchased at the sale of her Father was her own & bona fiday property but did intend when she went to South Carolina, in case of Death, she did intend to divide them amongst her Brothers & Sisters not as any of them had any part of them but only as a relation & sister and in consequence of which she did make an instrument of writing to that effect before she left North Carolina & that Michael Charles & James Essex was called on as Witnesses thereto. Sworn & subscribed before us this Day Date & Year mentioned.
                                                        Jane Burdine
Wm. Edmondson, G.L.
Samuel Burdine

11 Aug., 1832
Austinsville, Wythe County, (W.VA)  This is a postcard with' Austinville' in the left hand corner and the date of 13th Aug. on it. Addressed to, Peter P. Smith, Sandy Grove, Chatham County, N.C.
(evidently Mr. Smith was a slave catcher)

Mr. Smith
Dssor (Dear Sir?)
I wrote you from the X roads reporting the Negro man belonging to McNeal wishing you to state if you thought the man was till in the county and whether you thought he could be caught and that I would pay you for your trouble. Pleas write me on the subject in full and
   Oblige your friend
              Robert Sanders
N.B. I bought the 2 Boys from McNeal at Natchez and got one of them at Greensborough and am anxious to get the other.
R.S.

{ Note: the X roads is where Fayetteville, N.C. is now.}

16 Nov., 1860 - Bond for Good behaviour of Negro slave George, property of Harris.

Know all men by these presents that we, Thomas B. Harris & William Snipes are held & firmly bound unto the State of North Carolina in the sum of One Thousand Dollars ($1000) lawful currency to the which payment will & fully to be made & done we bind ouselves our Executors & Administrators Sealed with our Seal & dated this 16th day of November, 1860.
The condition of the above obligation is such, that whereas by order of the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions of Chatham County at its present (Nov.) term the said Thomas B. Harris hath been required to give Bond for the good behaviour of his man slave George. Now therefor if the said man George shall be of good behaviour towards John Burk & his family in particular & towards all the good citizens of the State in general until the February term, next, of this Worshipful court, then the above obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force & virtue.
                                    T. B. Harris (Seal)
Witness
H. Waddell                William Snipes (Seal)
filed Novr. term, 1860 for 6 months

25 June, 1826
State of North Carolina, Chatham County
Thos. Lasater, one of the Justices of the peace for the said County to the keeper of the common Jail of the County aforesd.
Whereas Lucretia Evans a free woman of the count aforesd. hath been arrested by the lawful authorrity of the aforesd county and brought before me charged with entering the house of Vicy Mason and feloneaus stealing and carrying away a web of cloth for which offence she has been duly examined before me and the presumption is she is guilty thereof.
This is therefore to command you the keeper to receive the said Lucretia Evans in your Jail there to remain until she shall be delivered by due course of law, given under my hand this 26 of June 1826
Thomas Lasater

State of North Carolina Chatham county
We Lucretia Evans & Philip Hartsoe acknowledge ourselves indebted to the State of North Carolina in the sum of Fifty pounds each, to be levied on our goods & chattles, Land & tenaments,. But to be void on condition that the said Lucretia Evans makes her personal appearance at the next county Court for Chatham to be held on 2^nd Monday of August next, and not depart the said court without leave, and to answer the within charge - This 25th June, 1828.
                                            Lucretia (X) (her mark) Evans          {Seal}
Teste.
Jon: Haralson , Philip Hartso (his signature)

Runaway:
from the subscriber on the 9th of March, last

A Negro Man, of a yellow complection, about 20 years old, straight and well built, by the name of Tapley, but will probably pass for a free man. He has a scar on his chin, occasioned by a fall when young.
Whoever shall give information of the said Mulatto to the subscriber or lodge him in any jaol, so that he may be recovered, shall be well rewarded for his trouble
                      George Herndon  - Wake County, Nov. 30, 1805
I hereby testify that the above is a ture copy of an advertisement which appeared in the Raleigh Register, printed by me, on the 2nd, 9th and 16th  of December, 1805
                      Jos Gales
Raleigh, Sep, 29, 1806

Rec'd Aug., 10-1806, from Mr. Geo. Herndon, one Dollar for advertising his Negro named Tapley, in the Raleigh Register, for three weeks.  Jos. Gales
 

State of North Carolina,
County of Chatham:
Superior court of Law- Fall Term, A.D. 1829

The Jurors for the State upon their Oath present, that heretofore, towit on and before the first day of January A.D. 1829, a certain Thomas Bell was owner of a Negro slave named Willis, the said slave Willis being then a runaway and having left his master's service and that one Jordan Holloman, late of the county of Chathm aforesaid, farmer, on the day and year aforesaid in the County aforesaid, fraudulently and deceitfully did forge make and counterfeit a certain written pass, commonly called " a free pass" for and on behalf of the said slave Willis which said "pass" is as follows, that is to say_
"State of North Carrolina Chatham County this will certify that the Barrer Isaac Evans (an alias) a man of Color is of Free Parrantage, was born'd and Raised in the County afores'd and a person of a Morral Corrector, is about six feet high and served 'is' (his) apprenticeship under me as a farmer and was of age the 15th of December in the year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and nine and the same Registered in the county etc.
                              James O'Kelly
Test:
Lesly O'Kelly

which said "free pass: he, the said Jordon Holloman then and there delivered and caused to be delivered to the said Willis, slave as aforesaid, and then and there well knowing that  the said Willis was a slave and then and there " a runaway" to the great injury of the said Thomas Bell and aginst the peace & dignity of the state.
              John Scott
                Sol'r Gen'l (Solicitor General)

{ Note: The cover for this document says - State vs. Jordon Holloman
Forging a free pass for a slave
Thomas Bell Junr.
Pros. & Wit.
Wm. Rencher, Geo. Williams, Allen Wilson, Henry Moore
Sworn & sub. Sept. Term, 1829 - C. J. Williams, C.S.C.
A true bill - Jno Linth?  Henth? Foreman
 

TO BE CONTINUED:
 
 
 

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