Forgotten Names

Names for Those in Slavery

Those who we have names for:

Robert Rowan: Dick, Phillis, Ceasar, Jim, Hollis.[1] At some point: Sampson, Kit, and Ben (sold to John Hay).[2]

George Fletcher: His step-daughter, Mary Brownlow, received Cloe and Sall. Rebecca Brownlow had Ben and Cloe’s eldest daughter (not named).[3]

Theophilus Evans: Ota, Adam, Hannah, Sarah, Matt, John, Old Lucy, Venus, Beckey, Mors, Julius, Adam, Joe, Mariah, Bob, Mary.[4]

David Evans: Oliver (sold to John Ingram in March 1794)[5].

Robert Carver: Priss, Jimmy, George, Jack, Rachel, Lucy, Pompy, Nancy, Brite, Dick, Phillis, Abrim, Anney, Primus, Pate, Tommy and Venus.[6]

James Emmet: Harry[7]

Thomas Moody: Sip[8]

Charles Stevens: Caesar[9]

Thomas Cabeen: Lucy, James, Doll, Charlotte, Nam, Jane, Minda.[10]

John Carraway: Balaam and his wife Jude, their children: Grace and Joshua; Ben, Phoba, Peter, Isabella, Lucy and her children Charity and Rhody; Frank, Sam, Satna [Satina], Isaac, Simon, Sylva.[11]

Maurice Nowlan: Lupia, Maria, Elice and Phillis.[12]

Samuel Carver: John, Jim (from Sarah Willis)[13]

James Pearl: Buzza (sold to Duncan McFarland in November 1786, unless Pearl could pay McFarland back £50 8s. within two months as “redemption” for Buzza; deed was proved in July 1787).[14] Juby (sold to Peter Blue in November 1786, unless Pearl could deliver a girl between seven and ten to Blue within two months as “redemption” for Juby).[15]

William Bathgate: Norfolk, York, Davy, Beck and her child Sam, Mytilla and her children Polly & Ben, Patience;[16] [older] Will, [younger] Will, Mathew, Simon, Affa, Dina [Dianna][17]

Thomas White: Bob[18] , Nelson, Jack, and Peggy[19]

William Herrin: Purchased a 3-old boy named Handy in June 1799.[20] In his August 1820 will (filed February 1821) he lists Handy and a woman named Delsy.[21]

Joseph Greer: Frank (a weaver) bequeathed to him in his father’s will, proved 1783.[22] Inventory of his estate in 1790 probate file lists “an old negro fellow” (Frank?).[23]

[1] Cumberland, “Wills,” microfilm, roll 7, “Original wills Reeves, William J. - Waddill, Thomas,” FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9G4-SBXW.

[2]William Fields, Abstracts of Minutes, vol. 2, April 1779-January 1791 (Cumberland Co Bicentennial Commission, 1981), 182-183.

[3] William Fields, Abstracts of Minutes of Cumberland County, 1:251.

[4] “Evans, Theophilus 1822,” in Cumberland, “Wills,” microfilm, roll 3, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9GW-BNH7

[5] Carolyn Gibbons, “Cumberland County Deed Book 13 (1794-98),” NCGS Journal 47, no. 4 (2021): 343.

[6] Carver, Robert 1797,” in Cumberland, “Wills,” microfilm, roll 2, “Original wills Belk, Mary - Crow, Harriet E.,” FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89GW-BRMG

[7] Cumberland, “Wills,” roll 3, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9GW-BJ25

[8] “Ran Away,” The Wilmington Gazette, January 27, 1807, Newspapers.com, https://newspapers.com/article/the-wilmington-gazette/167447940/

[9] Deeds, 5:155, Charles Stevens to Ferqd. Campbell, 20 April 1772, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99DC-XNMH.

[10] Chester County, SC, “Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964,” (Genealogical Society of Utah, 1988), microfilm, roll 4962, “Probate Court Files,” FamilySearch, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-FN5G-1?cat=koha%3A277791&i=7&lang=en

[11] Carraway, John 1795,” in Cumberland, “Wills,” microfilm, roll 2, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89GW-BYC8

[12] Great Britain Audit Office, American Loyalists: Transcripts of the Manuscript Books and Papers of the Commission of Enquiry into the Losses and Services of American Loyalists, Volume 47, (1783-1790, transcribed 1900), 191.

[13] “Bladen County deeds 1738-1790, 1797-1869; indexes, 1770-1920,” County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions (Bladen County), Vol. 1, pp. 465-466 (handwritten), Images 494-495, FamilySearch, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L98M-FG1?lang=en&i=493.

[14] Richmond County, NC, Record of Deeds, B:175, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1‌:3QS7-998Q-S6CN; Richmond, Minutes, Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions [transcribed], 1:128, https://‌familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTM-SSCM-B; Richmond, Minutes [original], 1:55, https://family‌search.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLZ-BS7F-9 .

[15] Moore County, NC, Wills, Etc., vol. A, 1783-1818, p. 312, Bill Sale James Pearl to Peter Blue, 15 November 1786, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-LGHG-1NV.

[16] Norfolk (Independent City), VA, Record of Deeds, vol. 3, 1793-1796, p. 248r, FamilySearch, .https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSL6-4QVY-4.

[17] “Will Book 1, 1784-1800, Norfolk (Independent City), Virginia: Norfolk,” FamilySearch, Virginia. Hustings Court (Norfolk (Independent City)), 238, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9PX-X9YM?lang=en&i=237.

[18] “Record of deeds, 1787-1960; indexes, 1786-1966,” FamilySearch, Deed records (another filming) v. G-I 1796-1800, Film #007517687, 363, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-998Q-789Z?lang=en&i=362

[19] “White, Thomas,” Estates Records, 1758-1930 (Cumberland County), C.R.029508.76, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.

[20] https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKW-L9FR-Z

[21] https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9P1-5SDL-1

[22] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9GW-RCJH

[23] Cumberland, “Estate papers,” microfilm, roll 12, “Estates records Geddie, John - Groves, Richard,” FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:2:77TD-JT9Y-L

John Oveler: Owned enslaved individuals based on the 1780 tax list, but more work is needed.[24]

Aaron Vardy: Owned enslaved individuals, but no names known.[25]

Peter Messer: Listed as having enslaved individuals in the 1780 tax list.[26]

William Blocker: Has an enslaved individual in the 1790 census.[27]

William Carver: Has enslaves listed in the census, but we don’t know their names.[28]

Samuel Hollingsworth: Enslaved individuals listed in US census.[29]

David Evans: He owned enslaved people in his 1780 tax list, but we do not have their names.[30]

George Fletcher: Fletcher had two enslaved individuals in the 1780 tax list, but they are unnamed.[31]

John Elwell: Six enslaved individuals, unnamed[32]

Benjamin Elwell: Three enslaved individuals, unnamed[33]

James Gee: Possibly two or three enslaved children, unconfirmed and unnamed[34]

Ann Carver Elwell: Three enslaved persons, unnamed (in Robert (Braswell) Carver’s will after his death)[35]

Robert Greer: Listed on the 1790 census with four enslaved persons.[36] His 1800 probate file lists “1 Negro man” (possibly Frank, the weaver?).[37]

[22] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9GW-RCJH

[23] Cumberland, “Estate papers,” microfilm, roll 12, “Estates records Geddie, John - Groves, Richard,” FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:2:77TD-JT9Y-L

[24] Pruitt, Cumberland County NC Taxables, 34.

[25] Peter Wilson Coldham, American Migrations 1765-1799, (Genealogical Publishing Company, 2000), 652.

[26] Pruitt, Cumberland County NC Taxables, 39.

[27] Heads of Families at the First Census: NC, 51.

[28] 1800 Cumberland Co., N.C. U.S. Census. Pg. 381 and 383, 1810 Cumberland Co., N.C. U.S. Census, Capt. Jacksons Dist., Pg. 248, 1830 U.S. Census, Cumberland Co., N.C. Rockfish Dist. Pg. 41.

[29] Case 1, folder 18: 1785-1786, T. D. McDowell Papers, Wilson Special Collections Library; case 1, folder 20: 1789, T. D. McDowell Papers, Wilson Special Collections Library; “Samuel Hollingsworth,” Population Schedule for Cumberland (excluding Fayetteville), NC, First Census, 1790, NARA microfilm M637, roll 7, p. 92 (handwritten), line 25, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YY8-S21T.

[30] Pruitt, Cumberland County NC Taxables, 38.

[31] Pruitt, Cumberland County NC Taxables, 33.

[32] ”John Elwell,” Population Schedule for Cumberland, NC, Captain Newberry’s (12^th) District, Fourth Census of the United States, 1820, NARA microfilm M33, roll 83, Records of the Census, RG 29, National Archives, line 32, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYYJ-9BG5.

[33] “Benja. Elwell,” Population Schedule for Bladen, NC, Capt. Lock’s 10^th District, Second Census of the United States, 1800, NARA microfilm M32, roll 31, Records of the Census, RG 29, National Archives, p. 153 (handwritten), line 15, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GR8C-5HL.

[34] “The Patriot Gee and His Brave Wife,” Wilmington Messenger, February 10, 1905.

[35] “Carver, Robert 1766,” in Cumberland, “Wills,” https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89GW-BYW7.

[36] “Robert Greer,” Population Schedule for Cumberland (excluding Fayetteville), NC, First Census, 1790, NARA microfilm M637, roll 7, p. 91 (handwritten), line 50, FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YY8-S21T. No records have been found identifying the names of these enslaved persons.

[37] Cumberland, “Estate papers,” microfilm, roll 12, “Estates records Geddie, John - Groves, Richard,” FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:2:77TD-JT9Y-R.

Contact Information


Phone:	910-483-7727	Headquarters Library: 300 Maiden Lane Fayetteville, NC 28301
Fax:	910-486-5372

Email:
Director:	Heather Hall

Contact Information


Phone:	910-483-7727
Fax:	910-486-5372
Email:
Director:	Heather Hall
Headquarters Library:	300 Maiden Lane Fayetteville, NC 28301