DRIGGERS FAMILY

1.    Emmanuel Driggers, "Negroe," born say 1620, was the slave of Francis Pott on his plantation in Magotha Bay, Northampton County, Virginia. On 27 May 1645 when American slavery had not yet fully developed as an institution, he purchased a cow and calf from Pott and recorded the sale in the Northampton County court [DW 1645-51, 82]. He and his wife Frances were assigned as servants to Stephen Charlton in 1649 to pay Pott's debt to Charlton. On 30 December 1652 his former masters, Francis Pott and Stephen Charlton, clarified the status of the cattle he and Bashaw Fernando acquired while they were servants (slaves), declaring that

ye said cattle, etc. are ye proper goods of the sd Negroes [DW 1651-54, 28, 114].

In 1656 he gave a black heifer to a young slave on a nearby plantation. Pott died in 1658 and his widow married William Kendall. Kendall freed Driggers's companion, Bashaw Fernando, declaring in court that it was the verbal request of Pott before he died [DW 1657-66, fol. 106, 57]. There is no record of Emmanuel's manumission, but he was free not long afterwards. On 16 September 1661 he sold a black heifer to Joan, daughter of Peter George [DW 1657-66, fol.123]. By 1 October 1661 he had married his second wife Elizabeth, with whom he made a deed of jointure in which he gave her a three-year-old mare and its increase [Orders 1664-74, fol.75, p.78]. Perhaps as the wife of a newly freed slave she was concerned about her property rights. She was probably white since she was not tithable.

The name Driggers was apparently short for the Portuguese or Spanish name, Rodriguez, since he was called "Manuell Rodriges" in most of his deeds. In 1662 and 1663 he was taxable on 3 tithes, and in 1664 he was taxed on only himself, "Manuell Rodriggs" [Orders 1657-64, 102, 176, 198]. On 7 April 1662 his former master William Kendall leased for 390 years 145 acres between Kings Creek and Plantation Creek to Manuel and his wife Elizabeth and their heirs as well as heirs formerly begotten by Emanuel for 7,500 pounds of tobacco and a mare filly already received. And on 28 December 1765 Kendall voided the lease and made a new lease for 99 years [DW 1657-66, 69, 121]. George Williams, by his 5 October 1667 Northampton County will, proved 28 October the same year, bequeathed Manuell his wages due for eleven months service on a Bristol ship as well as a chest with tobacco for tending him in his sickness [DW 1655-68, pt. 2, 17]. In April 1672 he exchanged his lease from Kendall for 145 acres with a lease of 100 acres from John Waterson. On 29 September 1673 he gave his free chldren Devorick and Mary a bay mare and gave his daughters Frances and Ann who were still slaves a mare, reserving her first mare colt for his "lovinge son in Law William Harman Negro" [D&c 1668-80, 34, 43, 59-60]. He and John Isaac rented land from the estate of Southy Littleton from 1679 to 1685 [OW&c 1683-9, 150-1]. His children were

i. Elizabeth¹, born in 1637, eight years old when she was bound to serve Francis Pott in 1645. She may not have been his natural daughter since her indenture stated that she was "given to my negro (Emmanuel Driggers) by one who brought her up by ye space of 8 years ... " [DW 1645-51, 82].

ii. Frances¹, born say 1640, taxed in Thomas Poynter's household in 1666 and in John Eyre's household in 1675 [Orders 1664-74, fol.29; 1674-79, 75]. As mentioned above, she received a bay mare from her father in 1673, and in 1678 she recorded her livestock mark in court [DW 1651-54, 16 at the end of the volume].

iii. Jane, born in 1644, one year old on 27 May 1645 when Emmanuel bound her to Captain Francis Pott to serve him until the age of thirty-one. Like Elizabeth, she may not have been his natural daughter since her indenture stated that Emmanuel Driggers "bought and paid for to Capt. Robert Shepard." On 24 May 1652 when she was eight years old, Driggers paid Captain Pott for her freedom. In 1663 she had an illegitimate daughter, Sarah Landum, by an Irish freeman, Dennam Olandum [DW 1651-54, 82; Orders 1657-64, fol.179]. She married John Gussal about 1665. He died shortly afterwards, and in April 1666 she was charged in court with failing to prove his will. She had married William Harman by June 1666 when he submitted letters of administration on her first husband's estate [Orders 1664-7, fol.24, p.24].

2    iv. Thomas¹, born about 1644.

v. Ann, born about 1648, ten years old in December 1657 when she was sold to another planter, John Pannell. He left her to his daughter Hannah Penuell by his 18 December 1660 Northampton County will [DW 1655-68, 78].

vi. Edward, born say 1650, sold to Henry Armitrading in 1657 when he was about three years old [DW 1655-68, 74].

vii. ?William¹, born say 1655, married by 28 March 1679 when the Northampton County court ordered that he receive twenty lashes, and his wife Alice fifteen, for killing a hog belonging to their neighbor [Orders 1678-83, 3]. On 3 June 1686 he and a white servant were accused of breaking into the cellar of Captain John Custis. He died, still a slave, before 5 February 1693/4 when Ralph Pigot reported to the Northampton County court that William was indebted to him for 800 pounds of tobacco and that Thomas Taylor was indebted to William for eight pairs of shoes [OW 1689-98, 261].

3    viii. Devorax¹/ Deverick, born say 1656.

ix. ?Mary, born say 1658, bore an illegitimate child in 1674, and that year the parish paid her tax [Orders 1664-74, 254, 273-4]. She may have married Peter George.

 

2.    Thomas¹ Driggers, born say 1644, remained a slave and was taxable in Thomas Poynter's household from 1664 to 1667 [Orders 1657-64, fol. 198; 1664-74 fol. 29]. In 1666 he was presented by the Northampton County grand jury for the sin of fornication with Sarah King, who he married about a year later. In 1668 Lieutenant Colonel William Kendall complained to the court that Thomas was still a slave belonging to him and that he was neglecting his master. "Negroes" John Francisco and Francis Payne complained that he was abusing them. The court ordered that he be given twenty-one lashes and shortly afterwards ordered Thomas's child indentured to John Francisco until the age of twenty-one [Orders 1664-74, fol. 30, fol. 52, 53]. Apparently, Thomas did not pay much attention to the court or Kendall for that same year he was listed as head of a household:

Tho: Rodriggus Negro } 4

Sara Negro

Morgan Thomas

Walter Manington

In 1671 we find that "Sarah Negro" was his wife:

John Hayes } 6

Tho: Driggus

Sarah his wife [Orders 1664-7, 55, fol.114].

Sarah was the daughter of "Kinge Toney Negro" who named her in his Northampton County will which was proved 28 February 1677 [Orders 10:247]. In 1672 the court ordered that Sarah "shall not depart the house of Mr. John Eyres master of the said Rodrigus without the leave of both her husband and Mr. John Eyre. Sarah did not follow the court ruling since she and her husband were listed in separate households in John Michael's Division from 1675 to 1677 [Orders 1664-74, 122; 1674-79, 75, 191]. She was in Somerset County, Maryland, before 23 April 1688 when she, called "negroe Woman & wife to Thomas Griggers Negro," complained to the Somerset County court that Margaret Holder had stolen some of her goods. Peter George, "Negroe" of Wiccocomoco Hundred, posted 5 pounds sterling security for Sarah's appearance. The court heard testimony from Peter George, Mary George, Mary Johnson, and Sarah Driggers, Jr., and found in favor of Margaret Holder. By 14 August 1688 Sarah, Peter George, three unnamed women, and an unstated number of men petitioned the Somerset County court to stop taxing them as slaves since they were free born. The court ruled that for that year the women should be exempt, but the men should pay taxes. The court also ordered that they obtain certificates from where they formerly lived to prove that they were free born [Archives of Maryland 91:47; Judicial Record, 1687-89, 58]. In 1689 Sarah was back in Northampton County where she and "Sarah Landrun free Negroes" (her niece Sarah Landrum) were given twenty-five lashes on their bare backs for stealing some yarn from "a free Negro woman commonly called Black Nanny" [Orders 1679-89, 463]. She was about forty years old when she made a deposition in the case of Peter George in the 29 May 1691 session of the Northampton County court [Orders 1689-98 116]. Thomas died before March 1694 when his widow Sarah recorded her livestock mark in court [DW 1651-4, p.28 at the end of the volume]. On 1 February 1698 she won a suit against A. Westerhouse for 300 pounds of tobacco for curing his arm, and on 28 May 1700 Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Littleton won a suit against her for 83 pounds of tobacco per account of public dues and officers fees [Orders 1689-98, 521; OW&c 1698-1710, 39, 43]. Since Sarah was free, so also were her children. They were

i. Sarah¹, Jr., born say 1667, raised by John and Christian Francisco until she was twenty-one years old. She testified in Somerset County court on 13 June 1688. Her mother sued William Kenny, Jr., in Northampton County court on 28 July 1691 when she heard a report that Sarah Driggers, Jr., was bound "to go to the Southward with him" for two years [OW 1689-98, 121, 125]. He was probably the William Kening, Jr., who sued Sarah Driger for defamation in Sussex County, Delaware court on 3 June 1691 [Court Records 1680-99, 497]. She brought a successful suit against Edward Fadlooks(?) in Kent County, Delaware court on 14 November 1717 [Court Dockets 1680- February 1725, fol. 119].

ii. ?Thomas², born say 1670, living in Somerset County, Maryland in the late 1690s [Judicial Record, 1698-1701, index].

4    iii. Frances², born about 1677.

5    iv. ?Elizabeth², born say 1678.

6    v. ?John¹, born say 1680.

7    vi. ?William², born say 1682.

8    vii. ?Johnson¹, born say 1686.

 

3.    Devorick/ Devorax¹ Driggers, born say 1656, received a bay mare from his father Emmanuel Driggers by a 1673 Northampton County deed, and he was named in the 9 May 1673 Northampton County will of Francis Payne, "Negro," proved 29 September 1763, which stated that Devrox Dregushe was to have nothing [D&c 1668-80, fol.59-60; Orders 1664-74, 220-1]. He moved to Somerset County, Maryland about 1677 when he was one of the headrights claimed by Stephen Cosden in his patent [Maryland Provincial Patents, Liber 15:433]. In 1689 he signed a Somerset County address of loyalty to King William and Queen Mary [Torrence, Old Somerset on the Eastern Shore, 349]. On 12 January 1701/2 he provided security in Somerset County court for Deborah Wildgoose who had an illegitimate child by Samuel Webb. He and several whites were indicted in All Hallows Parish for being drunk on the Sabbath, but he was acquitted after paying court costs [Judicial Records 1702-5, Liber G-I, 21; 1707-17, 16]. He was renting a 300 acre plantation in Pasquadenorton Hundred of Somerset County in 1707 [Somerset County Rent Roll, 1707, Calvert Papers, ms. 174, MHS]. He died in 1709 when his estate was valued at about 37 pounds [Inventories and Accounts, Liber 30:88]. He may have been the father of

i. Devorax², born about 1680, a "Molatto" Accomack County tithable in Jonathan Owen's household in 1696. He was sued in Accomack County court by Robert Houston on 7 August 1704 [Orders 1690-7, 222a, 224, 235; 1703-9, 30a]. He and (his wife?) Arendia Driggas were witnesses with Thomas Purnell to the 24 December 1720 Somerset County will of Henry Hudson, Sr., a wealthy planter [Maryland Wills 16:279; Baldwin, Maryland Calendar of Wills, 5:36]. He was taxable in Thomas Purnell's Bogerternorten Hundred, Somerset County household in 1724 [List of Taxables, 1724]. In 1731 he purchased 75 acres in Somerset County on St. Martins River in present-day Worcester County [Land Records, Liber SH:324]. He and his wife Ann sold this land in 1734 and were renting it in 1748 [Worcester County Debt Book, 1748, 190].

 

4.    Frances² Driggers/ Drighouse, born about 1677, was presented by the Northampton County court for the sin of fornication on 28 May 1694 for which she received thirty lashes and an extension of her indenture by two years. On 28 May 1695 she was presented by the court for bastard bearing and named her master John Brewer as the father, but the court accepted his testimony that he had been over a hundred miles from home when the child had been conceived [OW 1689-98, 274, 279, 314, 322]. She was called the daughter of Thomas and Sarah Driggus on 18 September 1695 when she petitioned the Accomack County court for her freedom, stating that she had attained the age of eighteen, was free born, that John Brewer had sold her indenture to Thomas Mills, and that Mills intended to transport her where her freedom could not be proved. Brewer produced a letter from her mother Sarah, but the court ruled that it was not a formal indenture and set Frances free [Orders 1690-97, 158a, 169a-170]. On 28 February 1699/1700 she was "called Frances Driggus Negro" in Northampton County court when she was given thirty lashes for stealing goods from Arthur Roberts. She was also charged with stealing meat from Charles Trelfo. On 29 December 1702 she failed to answer a summons for bastard bearing [OW&c 1698-1710, 35, 36, 122, 129]. On 28 September 1703 she was called "ye daughter of Sarah Drighouse decd., being a free born negro" when she indentured herself and her unnamed three-week-old daughter to Captain Isaac Foxcroft and his wife Bridget in Northampton County, herself for ten years and her daughter (and any children born during her indenture) until the age of twenty-five in consideration of Foxcroft paying a debt she owed Thomas Clark [DW 1692-1707, 348-9]. On 30 November 1703 she complained to the court that Foxcroft's widow had assigned her indenture to Thomas Ward. On 28 January 1703/4 the court ordered Sarah Drighouse, alias Landman, to pay her for attending four days as a witness in a case in which Sarah was sued by Colonel John Custis [OW&c 1698-1710, 176, 178, 182]. Her children may have been

i. Comfort, perhaps the illegitimate child born to Frances about 1695 in Accomack County [OW 1689-98, p.322]. Comfort was presented by the Accomack County court for bastardy on 4 March 1712/3 and on 8 April 1715. Francis Johnson paid her fine for the first child and John Watts was her security for the second [Orders 1710-4, 56a, 58; 1714-17, 7a, 9].

9    ii. Thomas³, born say 1702.

 

5.    Elizabeth² Driggers, born say 1678, appeared before the Accomack County court on 19 November 1695 and identified John Pash as the father of her illegitimate child. On 5 April 1699 she was presented by the court for having another illegitimate child [Orders 1690-7, 169a; 1697-1703, 59a]. She may have been the mother of

10    i. Azaricum, born say 1699.

 

6.    John¹ Drighouse, born say 1680, a "free Mullatto," was living in Accomack County on 3 December 1701 when an Indian named Protestant George accused him in court of beating an Indian named Will who died shortly afterwards [Orders 1697-1703, 122]. On 8 November 1702 the Northampton County court ordered that he, Johnson Driggus and Samuel George receive thirty-nine lashes for abusing and threatening Robert Gascoigne. Gascoigne sued John on 28 August 1707 but neither party appeared [OW&c 1693-1710, 106, 361]. On 20 June 1716 he posted bond to keep the parish harmless from an illegitimate child he had by Ann Beckett [Orders 1710-16, 252]. On 3 December 1717 he was called John Drigus "Mullatto" when he failed to appear in court to answer William Taylor's suit for a debt of 500 pounds. The sheriff reported that he had given the writ to John's wife. On 8 October 1718 the Accomack County court ruled in his favor in his suit against John Justice for 500 pounds of tobacco [Orders 1717-19, 5a, 17a, 22]. He was a "Negro" tithable in Northampton County in his own household in 1721, tithable on himself and Jacob Carter in 1722, and tithable in 1723. He was tithable with "Betty Drighous negro" from 1724 to 1725, tithable with Betty Drighouse and Beck Beckett "negro" in 1726, and tithable with Betty Beckett in 1727. By June 1728 he had married Lydia Carter who was tithable in his household as Lydia Drighouse in 1728 and 1729. Jacob Brown was tithable in his household in 1728, and Lydia Drighouse, Eliza Beckett and (his cousin?) Thomas Landum were tithable in his household in 1729 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 15, 26, 40, 54, 78, 105, 127, 145, 161, 172, 190; OW&c 1698-1710, 504]. John died in 1729 when his estate was valued at about £10 [WD&c 1725-33, 216]. On 10 February 1729/30 his widow Lydia bound out her nine-year-old son Nathaniel and two-year-old son Johnson. She petitioned the court on 10 August 1730 to be allowed 150 pounds of tobacco out of her deceased husband's estate for funeral expenses [WD&c 1725-33, 216; Orders 1722-9, 394; 1729-32, 44]. Lydia Drighouse was taxable in the household of Thomas Savage in 1731 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 228], perhaps serving him for paying her fine for the bastard child she was charged with on 11 May 1731 [Orders 1729-32, 84, 94, 97]. John's children were

11    i. Nathaniel¹, born 1 July 1720.

ii. Johnson³, born about August 1727, two and a half years old on 10 February 1729/30 when he was bound to Benjamin Dunton [Orders 1729-32, 4]. He was listed as one of John Paridise's Northampton County tithables in 1769 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 400] and was charged with his own tax from 1785 to 1797: called a "Mulatto" in 1787 [PPTL, 1782-1823, frames 43, 73, 115, 191, 226]. He registered as a "free Negro" in Northampton County on 12 June 1794 [Orders 1789-95, 358].

iii. ?Solomon, born about June 1728, a "Negroe," fourteen years and six months old on 14 December 1742 when the Northampton County court bound him to Stephen Whitehead. His petition to the court against Stephen Whitehead was dismissed on 13 September 1749 [Orders 1742-8, 36; 1748-51, 130, 147].

 

7.    William² Driggus, born say 1682, was called the "Maletto Servant" of Daniel Neech when he recorded his cattle mark in Northampton County court in 1698 [DW 1651-54, 30 at end of volume]. He was living in Somerset County, Maryland, in April 1708 when he was presented for having an illegitimate child by Mary Winslow. The court ordered that he receive twenty-five lashes when he told the justices that

they had no more to do with sd Woman than his Arse

Edward Winslow and David Hudson were security for him. (Mary also had a child by Daniel Francisco) [Judicial Records 1707-11, 95-6, 103; 1713-5, 5, 26]. William signed his 7 January 1720 Somerset County will which was proved 7 May 1722. He left his 100 acre plantation called "Drigus Adventure" to his son William and mentioned unnamed children under the age of eighteen years and his wife Jane. He specified that his children were to be cared for by their uncle, John Driggus of Accomack County, if his wife remarried. The inventory of his estate included a parcel of old books [Maryland Wills, Liber 17:285; Inventories 8:65]. Jane was called a "maleto widow" in 1724 when Winslow Driggus (William's son by Mary Winslow?) was taxable in her Baltimore Hundred, Somerset County household [List of Taxables]. William's children were

i. William³, born about 1702.

12    ii. ?Winslow¹, born say 1705.

iii. ?John, taxable in Poquetenorton Hundred, Somerset County from 1734 to 1740.

iv. ?Sabra, born say 1722, presented by the Somerset County court on 17 November 1741 for having an illegitimate child [Judicial Record 1740-2, 175].

 

8.    Johnson¹ Driggers, born say 1686, appeared in Northampton County, Virginia court on 8 November 1702 when he, his brother John, and Samuel George were convicted of stealing a hog and then abusing and threatening several whites "in an insolent manner" [Orders 1698-1710, 102, 106]. He probably left the county shortly afterwards as he was not listed as a taxable in the 1720-29 Northampton County lists. He purchased 40 acres in Norfolk County on the north side of the Northwest River known by the name of Horse Pool Point on 15 May 1718. Nathaniel Newton sued him in Norfolk County court on 17 July 1719 [DB 10:18a, 34, 77a]. He was taxable in the Norfolk County district between Great Bridge and Sugg's Mill, called Johnson Drigus, Senr., and in the same district in 1731 with his son Johnson, taxed together as 1 tithe:

Johnson Drigus & his son Johnson Drigus - 1 tithe

and taxed separately as 1 tithe each in 1732, 1733 and 1734 [Wingo, Norfolk County Tithables 1730-50, 28, 55, 81, 131]. On 11 August 1752 he claimed head rights in the Craven County, North Carolina court: Johnston Driggers Came into Court and made Oath that his family consisted of seven Black Persons [Haun, Craven County Court Minutes, IV:103]. His children were

13    i. Johnson² Jr., born say 1716.

ii. ?Mark, born say 1723, received a grant for 100 acres in Craven County, North Carolina, joining a branch of Gum Swamp and Jumping Run on 11 October 1749 [Hoffman, Land Patents, II:256] and sold this land on 18 December 1760 [DB 2:126]. He was granted 100 acres on Reedy Creek near the Little Pee Dee River in South Carolina on 17 February 1767, based on a plat of 2 September 1766 [South Carolina Archives, series S213184, vol. 8, p. 549; series S213019, 14:243]. He was head of a Cheraw District household of 3 whites in 1790 [SC:49] and 7 in Marlboro County in 1800 [SC:59].

14   iii. ?Thomas⁴, born say 1724.

15    iv. ?Matthew, born say 1725.

v. ?Caleb, born say 1730, number 43 in the 8 March 1754 muster roll of Captain Casson Brinson's Craven County North Carolina Company, listed next to Johnston Drigers [T.R., box 1, folder 26].

vi. ?William⁴, born say 1737, purchased 100 acres on Raft Swamp in Cumberland County, North Carolina, in 1758 for 25 pounds and sold this land on 1 March 1764 for 60 pounds [DB 1:333; 2:357]. His improvements on Gum Swamp east of Drowning Creek were named in a 22 July 1769 Bladen County deed [DB:91]. He may have been the William Driggers who was granted administration on the Marlboro County, South Carolina estate of Charles Kirby in December 1788. Perhaps his wife was Mary Driggers whose deed of gift from Sarah Kirby was recorded in March 1788 [Minutes 1785-1808, 52, 35].

vii. ?Winslow², born say 1739, number 12 in the muster roll of Captain Alexander McKintosh's Company of Colonel George Gabriel Powell's Battalion of South Carolina Militia "Serving in the Late Expedition Against the Cherokees from October 11, 1759 to January 15, 1760" [Clark, Colonial Soldiers of the South, 892]. He was a notorious leader of one of the outlaw, back-country communities which were said to be composed of both white and mixed-race men. In the fall of the year 1770 he escaped from jail in Savannah, Georgia, and returned to the area of the Little Peedee River in North and South Carolina where he continued his outlaw career. He was described as: about six Feet; Complexion, black; Visage, pale, being much reduced by Sickness; Hair, black and long, generally cued. The following year a band of ex-Regulators captured him at his hideout near Drowning Creek and used the provisions of the Negro Act as an excuse to hang him on the spot [Brown, South Carolina Regulators, 29-31, 103; Saunders, Colonial Records of North Carolina, IX:725, 771].

 

9.    Thomas³ Drighouse, born say 1702, may have been the illegitimate child born to Frances Driggers in 1702 [OW&c 1698-1710, 122, 129]. He was tithable in 1727 with his wife Jean Beckett, called Jane Drighouse in his household in 1728, and called Jane Beckett in 1729. She was called Jane Drighouse when she was tithable in his household from 1737 to 1744. Other tithables in their household were (her daughter) Sarah Beckett in 1737 and 1738, "Sarah and Comfort" in 1739, (her daughter) Comfort Beckett in 1740 and 1741, Nathaniel Drighouse in 1742 and 1743, and their daughter Esther Drighouse in 1744 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 127, 136, 163, 194, 198, 228, 266, 272, 285, 308, 317, 332, 353, 362]. Jane Drighouse was taken into custody in April 1740 as security for the court appearance of her daughter Sarah Becket to answer for having a bastard child [Mihalyka, Loose Papers II:124]. On 14 May 1751 Thomas was security for Comfort Morris's administration of the estate of her deceased husband Jacob Morris [Orders 1748-51, 377]. He called himself a "free Negro" in his 21 April 1757 Northampton County will which was proved 14 June 1757 [WB 21:281]. He named (his wife) Jane Beckett and her three daughters: Hester, Betty, and Lydia Beckett. Their children were

i. Hester Beckett, born about 1728, taxable in her parents' household in 1744.

ii. Betty Beckett.

iii. Lydia Beckett.

 

10.    Azaricum Drigghouse, born say 1699, may have been the illegitimate child Elizabeth Driggers had by John Pash in Accomack County in 1699 [Orders 1697-1703, 59a]. He was a "negro" bound apprentice in Northampton County to Richard Carver from 25 February 1714/5 to 25 December 1717 in exchange for 6 months schooling, a horse, his food, clothing and taxes [WD&c 1711-18, 83]. He was a "Negro" Northampton County tithable in Jonah Batson's household in 1721, in his own household in 1722, tithable with his wife Margaret Drighouse in 1724, tithable in 1725 and 1726 with his wife Margaret Drighouse and Tabitha Copes. On 8 June 1725 he paid Tabitha's fine and posted bond to keep the parish harmless from her bastard child [Orders 1722-9, 189]. This suggests that his wife may have been the daughter of Margaret Copes who had a "Maletto Barstard" child in 1699 [OW&c 1698-1710, 36]. He was a "negro" tithable with "malatto" wife Margaret Drighouse and "mallatos" Jacob and Tabitha Carter in 1727, tithable with wife Margaret in 1728, tithable with wife Margaret and a slave named Stephen in 1731, and tithable with his wife Margaret in 1737 [L.P 1721-1727; Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 16, 34, 47, 65, 115, 127, 165, 167, 213, 221, 254]. He was committed to the stocks on 16 April 1726 for misbehavior before the court. He sued Jeremiah Townsend for assault and battery on 14 February 1726/7 and sued Thomas Downs for trespass and assault on 11 March 1731/2. His suit against Jacob Carter was agreed on 12 March 1728/9. He was presented for profane swearing on 10 December 1734 [Orders 1722-9, 240, 273, 279, 377; 1729-32, 138]. He had acquired a slave named Bridget by 13 July 1736 when her age was adjudged at nine years and a slave named Harry before 13 September 1737 when his age was adjudged at twelve years [Orders 1732-42, 142, 146, 222, 275]. He wrote his 2 June 1738 will which was proved 12 September the same year. He left two slaves to his son Isaiah and named sons Jacob and Josiah [WB 18:279]. His two page inventory, including a bible, was presented in court on 14 December 1742 by Mark Beckett "who Intermarried with the said Decedent's Widow & Executrix" [Orders 1742-8, 33, 56]. Margaret Drighouse was tithable in Henry Japson's household in 1738 and in her own household with her son Isaiah Drighouse and William Carter in 1739. She had married Mark Beckett by June 1740 when she was taxable in his household [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 277, 292, 305]. Azaricum's children were

16    i. Isaiah, born say 1720.

ii. Jacob, born about 1728, fourteen years old in December 1742 when he chose Mark Beckett as his guardian [Orders 1742-48, 38], taxable in Mark Beckett's household in 1744. John Millard's suit against him was agreed in Northampton County court on 15 February 1748/9 [Orders 1748-51, 42-3].

iii. Josiah.

 

11.    Nathaniel¹ Drighouse, born 1 July 1720, was bound to Benjamin Dunton in Northampton County on 10 February 1729/30 [Orders 1729-32, 4]. He was taxable in Northampton County in Thomas Westerhouse's household in 1739, in Thomas Drighouse's household in 1742, and in the household of John Custis Matthews in 1743 and 1744. Jonathan Tilney sued him for trespass on 12 June 1744, but the case was dismissed on agreement of the parties. Thomas Marshall, Gent., sued him for minor debts on 10 July 1750 and 10 June 1752 [Orders 1742-8, 162; 1748-51, 241; 1751-3, 243]. He was head of a household with (his wife?) Bridget Drighouse and Rebecca Reed in 1765, with Bridget in 1769 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 354, 371, 399], and taxable from 1782 to 1801: called Nathan, Sr., in 1794 and 1801 [PPTL, 1782-1823, frames 4. 95, 172, 193, 306]. Perhaps Bridget was the Bridget Drighouse who registered as a "free Negro" in Northampton County on 12 June 1794 [Orders 1789-95, 358]. Nathaniel may have been the ancestor of

i. Sarah, born 11 June 1743, a four-year-old orphan bound apprentice to William Holland in Northampton County on 13 October 1747 [Orders 1742-8, 463],

taxable in the household of Edmund Custis in 1765 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 379].

ii. Elizabeth, born say 1760, mother of Esther Drighouse who was nine years old the 15^th August next when she was bound by the Northampton County court to William Simkins, Jr., on 9 June 1789 [Minutes 1787-9, 285].

iii. Nathan², born 10 May 1768, two years old when he was bound apprentice to Francis Costen in Northampton County on 15 August 1770 [Minutes 1765-71, 382]. He was taxable in Northampton County from 1790 to 1813, called Nathan Driggers, Jr. [PPTL, 1782-1823, frames 115, 172, 191, 306, 533]. He married Elizabeth Bingham, 23 January 1794 Northampton County bond, Reubin Reed surety; and second, Polly Jeffry, 24 July 1810 Northampton County bond, Abraham Lang surety.

iv. Leah, registered as a "free Negro" in Northampton County on 12 June 1794 [Orders 1789-95, 358], married Lightly Collins, 3 January 1795 Northampton County bond, Thomas Lewis surety.

v. George, born say 1777, registered as a "free Negro" in Northampton County on 13 June 1794 [Orders 1789-95, 364], married Peggy Land (Lang), 2 March 1798 Northampton county bond, Abraham Lang surety, and was taxable in Northampton County from 1795 to 1798 [PPTL, 1782-1823, frames 193, 245].

vi. Jacob, registered as a "free Negro" in Northampton County on 13 June 1794 [Orders 1789-95, 364] and was a "free Negro" taxable in Northampton County from 1796 to 1797 [PPTL, 1782-1823, frame 208].

vii. Dilly, registered as a "free Negro" in Northampton County on 12 June 1794 [Orders 1789-95, 358], married Revel Morris, 7 September 1801 Northampton County bond, James Smith surety. She was still called Dilly Driggus when she was a "Negro" listed in the Indian town of Northampton County in 1813 [PPTL 1782-1823, frame 533] and head of a Northampton County household of 7 "free colored" in 1820 [VA:216A], called Dilly Drighouse on 22 June 1824 when she consented to the marriage of her daughter Sukey Drighouse to Littleton Sample.

viii. Elishe, married Daniel Liverpool, 25 June 1799 Northampton County bond, Josias Liverpool surety.

ix. William⁸, born say 1780, married Ann Bingham, 25 September 1802 Northampton County bond, Samuel Beavans surety. He was taxable in Northampton County from 1796 to 1809, a "N"(egro) living in the Indian town in 1809 [PPTL, 1782-1823, frames 208, 469]. Ann Drighouse was a "Negro" living in the Indian Town of Northampton County in 1813 [PPTL 1782-1823, frame 533].

 

12.    Winslow¹ Driggers, born say 1705, was taxable in the Baltimore Hundred, Somerset County, Maryland household of Jane Drigus in 1724 and in the household of Isabee Parkins in 1725 [List of Taxables]. He may have been identical to ___ Drigers who was taxable in William Beckett's Little Creek Hundred, Kent County, Delaware household in 1727 and ___ Driggers who was taxable in the Murderkill Hundred, Kent County household of ___ Perkins (Isaac Perkins) in 1729 [Kent County Assessments, Film RG3535, reel 1, frame 354, 364]. He may have been the ancestor of

i. Drake, taxable in Indian River and Angola Hundreds, Sussex County, Delaware, from 1770 to 1787 [Assessments, Delaware Archives film RG 2535]. Administration of his Sussex County will was granted to John Wiltbank on 2 September 1788. He named his sister Rhoda Hodgskin [de Valinger, Calendar of Sussex County Probate Records, 195].

ii. Rhoda, sister of Drake Driggers, married Jonas Hodgskin.

iii. Richard, taxable in Kent County, Delaware, in 1773 [Kent County Assessments, frame 0183].

iv. Luke, taxable in Lewes and Rehobeth Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware, in 1774.

v. Benjamin, taxable in Little Creek Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware, in 1777.

vi. William⁵, born say 1765, a delinquent taxpayer in Little Creek Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware, in 1787, taxable in Dover, Kent County in 1788, and head of a Sussex County, Delaware household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [DE:425].

vii. Betty, married Peter Beckett on 27 November 1788 at Lewes and Coolspring Presbyterian Church [Wright, Vital Records of Kent and Sussex Counties, 132].

viii. Noval, head of a Sussex County, Delaware household of 3 "other free" in 1800 [DE:425].

 

13.    Johnson² Driggers, born say 1716, was taxable in 1732 in Norfolk County, Virginia [Wingo, Norfolk County Tithables 1730-50, 55]. He was listed with Caleb Drigers at the end of the 8 March 1754 muster roll of Captain Casson Brinson's Craven County, North Carolina Company [T.R., box 1, folder 26]. On 21 December 1760 he called himself "Johnson Driggers, free negro, son of Johnston Driggers" in the deed by which he bought 75 acres in Craven County on the east side of the head of Lower Broad Creek [DB 2:84]. In 1764 he was taxed in Beaufort County on himself and his wife:

Driggott, John & wife 2 Black tithes [SS 837].

He was living near the Bay River when he sold 60 acres of his Lower Broad Creek land on 31 August 1793 [DB 32:301]. Since he was not living there when he sold it, he may have been the subscriber who placed the following ad in the 10 April 1778 edition of the North Carolina Gazette of New Bern:

Broad Creek on Neuse River, April 9. On Saturday night, April the 4^th, broke into the house of the subscriber at the head of Green's Creek, where I had some small property under the care of Ann Driggus, a free negro woman, two men in disguise, with marks on their faces, and clubs in their hands, beat and wounded her terribly and carried away four of her children, three girls and a boy, the biggest of said girls got off in the dark and made her escape, one of the girls name is Becca, and other Charita, the boy is named Shadrack ... [Fouts, NC Gazette of New Bern, I:65-66].

He was head of a Craven County household of 4 "other free" in 1790 [NC:134]. On 20 January 1800 he and (his son-in-law?) Joshua Lindsey sold his 40 acres on the south side of Bay River [DB 34:361] after which he moved to Beaufort County where he was head of a household of 10 "other free" in 1800, called "Johnston Griggers Senr" [NC:8]. On 28 November 1801 he and his wife Mary sold 80 acres in Beaufort County on the north side of Bay River [DB 2-3:209]. He purchased 50 acres on the north side of Bay River and west side of Campbell's Creek in Craven County on 5 February 1803 [DB 36:161], and was taxable on 150 acres and no polls in Craven Count in 1815 [T&C, Box 1, p. 29]. On 4 October 1826 he, Peregrin Driggers and Churchwell Driggers for $100 sold 175 acres in Craven County on the north side of Bay River at the head of Chapel Creek which had been devised to his wife Mary my her father Maximillian Fulsher [DB 47:373]. His children were

17    i. Elizabeth³, born say 1745.

ii. Eleanor, born say 1750, a "Black" taxable in Craven County in 1769 [SS 837].

18   iii. Ann, born say 1755.

iv. William⁶, born before 1776, head of a Buncombe County household of 3 "other free" in 1820 [NC:79].

vi. Sucky Drigg, married William Godett, 25 May 1806 Craven County bond, Elijah George bondsman.

vi. Johnston³ Jr., born say 1775, head of a Beaufort County household of 4 "other free" in 1800 [NC:8]. He married Mary Driggers, 15 July 1801 Craven County bond with Shadrack Driggers bondsman.

vii. ?Max, born before 1776, head of a Craven County household of 5 "free colored" in 1830. The sheriff sold 60 acres of his land on the north side of the Neuse River and north side of Northwest Creek for $40 in order to satisfy a debt of $25 with interest from 1 January 1813 which Max owed Nathan Smith [DB 49:32].

viii. Peregrin, born about 1800, head of a Craven County household of 4 "free colored" in 1830. He and Churchill Driggers sold 200 acres on Chapel Creek on the north side of Bay River on 21 October 1833 for $10, being land descended to them by the death of their mother Polly Driggers [DB 55:303].

ix. Churcwell/ Churchill.

x. Sena, purchased land on the west side of Muddy Street at the northeast corner of Lot 398 in New Bern on 6 October 1829 [DB 47:188].

 

14.    Thomas⁴ Drigggers, born say 1724, was sued in Chowan County General Court in March 1745 by Susannah Lister but "was not to be found" [Chowan County General Court Dockets, 1742-45, Actions Returnable to March 1745 General Court, Docket #102]. He purchased 100 acres in Craven County known by the name of Branches Ridges from Thomas Philips on 20 September 1748 for 100 pounds and was a resident of Craven County on 18 December 1770 when he sold this land known by the name of "Braun Ridges" [DB 4:277; 19:103]. He entered 100 acres in Bladen County south of Drowning Creek on 31 August 1759 [Philbeck, Bladen County Land Entries, no. 1147] and may have been the Thomas Driggers who was in Bedford County, Virginia, on 27 July 1779 when he proved in court that he had served as a regular soldier among the new levies under the command of Col. Byrd in the Year 1760 (in the French and Indian War) [Minutes 1774-82, 241]. He may have been the father of

i. Ephraim, born before 1755, a "Molato" taxable in Bladen County in 1776 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:64, 77], head of a Liberty County, South Carolina household of 14 whites in 1800 [SC:798].

ii. Matthew², head of a Cheraw District household of 5 whites in 1790 [SC:49] and 12 "other free" in Marlboro County in 1800 [SC:59].

iii. Naomi, head of a Marlboro County household of 9 "other free" in 1800 [SC:59]. Administration on her estate was granted to Gilbert Sweat on 3 May 1815 in Marlboro County court on $250 bond, Benjamin and Solomon Sweat bondsmen [Minutes of the Court of Ordinary, 123].

iv. Thomas⁵, taxable on 1 "Mullators & free Negroes & other slaves" in Prince Frederick Parish, South Carolina, in 1784 [S.C. Tax Returns 1783-1800, frame 45], counted as white in 1790, head of a Cheraw District household of 2 males over 16, 4 under 16, and 5 females [SC:49] and head of a Marlboro County household of 8 "other free" in 1800 [SC:59]. Thomas⁵, taxable on 1 "Mullators & free Negroes & other slaves" in Prince Frederick Parish, South Carolina, in 1784 [S.C. Tax Returns 1783-1800, frame 45], counted as white in 1790, head of a Cheraw District household of 2 males over 16, 4 under 16, and 5 females [SC:49] and head of a Marlboro County household of 8 "other free" in 1800 [SC:59]. He recorded a plat for 200 acres in Craven County, South Carolina, near Bucks Swamp on 27 January 1767 [S.C. Archives, Series S213184, 9:149], and he and his wife Betty (both signing) were in Prince George Parish on 20 October 1778 when they sold this land for £3,000 with James Shoemake as witness [Marion County DB F:108].-

v. John², head of a Marlboro County household of 7 "other free" in 1800 [SC:59].

 

15.    Matthew¹ Driggers, born say 1725, went to South Carolina where he died in Prince George's Parish before 13 July 1765 when Gideon Gibson, his greatest creditor, was granted administration on his estate [SCH&GM: 23, 35]. His wife may have been Catian Drigers who signed an affidavit in Marion County, South Carolina, on 7 May 1785 swearing that Pilisha Bruinton had always passed as a white woman and was "clar of any Negro blood Indian or Muste" [Marion County DB C:186]. Matthew's descendants may have been

i. Corse, head of a Georgetown District, Prince George's Parish, household of 2 "other free" in 1790 [SC:54].

ii. Devorix³, enlisted in the Revolution in South Carolina on 15 June 1778 [NARA, M853, https://www.fold3.com/image/291771387] and recorded a plat for 200 acres on a branch of Beaver Dam Creek in Ninety Six District near the Tugaloo River on 28 August 1784 [South Carolina Archives, Series S213190, 13:199].

iii. Feriba, head of a Marion District, South Carolina household of 3 "free colored" in 1830.

iv. William⁷ Driggus, born say 1777, purchased land in Charleston District by release proved between 1798-9 [Lucas, Index to Deeds of South Carolina, U-6:408]. He was head of a Sumpter District, South Carolina household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [SC:216a].

v. Lisha, born say 1780, purchased land by deed recorded in South Carolina in 1800 [Lucas, Index to Deeds of South Carolina, A-7:149].

 

16.    Isaiah Drighouse, born say 1720, was executor of the Northampton County, Virginia will of his father Azaricum Drighouse. He married Sarah Drighouse (Jane Beckett's daughter Sarah Beckett) soon after his mother's marriage to Mark Beckett and had a daughter named Leah. Isaiah died before 12 April 1743 when his widow Sarah Drigghouse asked the court to appoint someone to divide his estate. (His mother) Peggy Beckett returned the division of his estate to the court two months later on 14 June. On 13 July 1743 Mark and Margaret Beckett brought a bill in chancery against Jacob Drighouse (Isaiah's brother) and Leah Drighouse (Isaiah's orphan), petitioning for the sale and division of slave Bridget and her son Paul who descended to them by the will of Azaricum Drighouse [Orders 1742-8, 97, 101, 107-8, 112]. Isaiah's widow Sarah Drighouse was taxable in Mark and Margaret Beckett's household from 1740 to 1743 and taxable in her own household in 1744 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 305, 328, 334, 350, 361]. Isaiah was probably identical to Isaac Draghouse who was listed among the soldiers who died on 9 June 1741 while serving aboard His Majesty's ship Princess Caroline [Clark, Colonial Soldiers of the South, 142]. Sarah Drighouse, a "free Negro," received 5 pounds on 21 September 1744 for the services of her unnamed husband who died in the expedition against the Spanish [McIlwaine, Journals of the House of Burgesses, 87, 101]. Sarah died before 10 July 1745 when the sheriff was ordered to pay Mark Beckett 1 pound, 8 shillings from the sale of her estate [Orders 1742-8, 230]. Isaiah and Sarah were the parents of

i. Leah Beckett, born 31 August 1739, a nine-year-old orphan bound apprentice in Northampton County in 1748 to Richard Hanby, a neighbor of Mark and Margaret Beckett. She was probably the illegitimate child for which Sarah Beckett was whipped on 8 April 1740. She petitioned the court against Richard Hanby on 15 February 1758. She was called Leah Drighouse, orphan, when her guardian Mark Freshwater returned an account of her estate to court on 8 August 1749 [Orders 1732-42, 394; 1748-51, 3, 113, 120; 1753-8, 489]. A Leah Beckett was presented for bastard bearing on 13 May 1766, but the case was dismissed--perhaps because she had left the county [Minutes 1765-71, 39, 59]. She was probably identical to Leah Drighouse who was a "free negro" tithable in Norfolk County in 1769. Isaky Drigshews, a Norfolk County tithable in 1778, was probably a close relation [Wingo, Norfolk County Tithables 1766-80, 269, 87].

 

17.    Elizabeth Driggers, born say 1745, was a "Black" taxable in Craven County, North Carolina, in 1769 [SS 837] and head of a Craven County household of 5 "other free" in 1790, called Elizabeth "Griggers" [NC:134]. She may have been the mother of

i. Joshua, born about 1771, a "Mollato Orphan Lad Aged 14 years," apprenticed as a blacksmith to Thomas Clayton by the 18 March 1785 Craven County court [Minutes 1784-86, 13a].

ii. Makey, born say 1788, married Sarah Kelly, 24 December 1809 Craven County bond, Joshua Lindsey bondsman.

 

18.    Ann Driggers, born say 1755, had four of her children stolen from her home on Green's Creek in Craven County, North Carolina, on 4 April 1778 [Fouts, NC Gazette of New Bern, I:65-66]. They were

i. a daughter who escaped, perhaps the Elizabeth Gregers who married Benjamin Mitchell, 27 August 1788 Craven County bond, Benjamin Moore bondsman. Benjamin Mitchell was head of a Craven County household of 3 "other free" in 1790 [NC:130].

ii. Becca.

iii. Charita, born say 1771, married David Johnston, 20 December 1796 Craven County bond, Joshua Lindsey bondsman.

iv. Shadrack, born about 1773, called "Shadrack Lindsay a free Molatto Boy of the Age of 10 son of Ann Driggos" in Craven County court on 9 December 1783 when he was bound apprentice to John Avery to learn the trade of house carpenter [Minutes 1772-78, 62c]. He married Lucy Seat, 15 July 1801 Craven County bond with Johnston Driggers bondsman. She may have been the Lucy Grigus whose lease from William Farris was proved in Beaufort County court in June 1814 [Minutes 1809-14, n.p.].

 

Endnotes:

1.    Several members of the Driggers family were counted as white in the South Carolina census in 1790 and 1800. Ephraim Driggers (11 whites) and Mark Driggers (3 whites and a slave) were heads of Prince George's Parish, Georgetown District households in 1790 [SC:54]. Ephraim Driggers (Liberty County), Elija Driggers (Charleston County), Elisha Driggers (Charleston County), John Driggers (Marlboro County) and Jordan Driggers (Marlboro County) were counted as white in 1800 [SC:52, 60, 61, 798]. Pilisha Bruinton was a member of the Brewington family.

 

DRING FAMILY

1.    Mary Dring, born say 1700, was a "runaway Mulatto woman" who was the servant of Dorothy Price of York County before 16 April 1721 when the York County court approved Frederick Bryan's claim for taking her up [DOW 16:126]. She was probably the ancestor of

2    i. Percival, born say 1740.

ii. Azariah, born say 1745, witness to the 9 October 1782 Currituck County will of Josiah Basnett, proved 10 October 1785 [WB 1:199].

iii. Elizabeth, purchased land of unstated acreage in Currituck County adjoining Stephen Brooks and John Smith on 29 June 1789 and sold 50 acres in Currituck County on Cape Hatteras and the Sound on 17 January 1798 [DB 6:77; 8:80-81].

 

2.    Percival Dring, born say 1740, was a bachelor living in Prince George Parish, South Carolina, on 18 March 1761 when he married Elizabeth Crook of the same parish, spinster, in St. James Santee Parish with George and Ann MackDowll as witnesses [St. James Santee Parish Register]. He purchased two tracts of land in Currituck County, North Carolina: one for 50 acres and another for 60 acres on the Cape Hatteras Banks on the Sound on 14 November 1797. About a year and a half later on 29 July 1799 he sold both tracts of land [DB 7:265; 8:122, 129, 219-20]. He, called Price Dring, was head of a Currituck County household of 4 "other free" in 1790 [NC:20], and called Prissiler Dringe in 1800, head of a household of a white male over 45, 3 males over 26 and 6 white women. On 8 May 1804 he sold 50 acres adjoining his land on Hatteras Banks [DB 3:505]. He purchased 50 acres in Currituck County on Cape Hatteras Banks from Willoughby Basnett for $50 on 7 May 1806 and sold this land on 24 October 1806 for $75 [DB 9:186-7, 294-5]. His 12 March 1807 Currituck County will was proved about 1814. He gave $10 to his brother Azariah Dring, left his wife Amy his houses, lands, stock, schooner, boat and household effects and appointed his wife and friend Willoughby Basnett executors [WB 3:37-8]. His descendants may have been

i. Thomas, enlisted in Allen's Company of the 2^nd North Carolina Regiment in the Revolutionary War and died 11 September 1777 [Clark, Colonial and State Records, XVI:1040]. His only brother and heir James Dring assigned his right to military land warrant no. 3048 of 640 acres for 10 pounds in Craven County, North Carolina, on 16 January 1786 [North Carolina and Tennessee, Revolutionary War Land Warrants, 1783-1843, Roll 04: Revolutionary Warrants, 1783-1799 (Nos. 1895-3085), frame 579 of 619, ancestry.com].

ii. Joseph, bondsman for the 16 April 1792 Craven County, North Carolina marriage of Jesse Moore and Keziah George (called Joseph Dering). He married Hannah George, 18 December 1794 Craven County bond with William George bondsman.

 

Endnotes:

1.  Robert Basnett was a Currituck County taxable in 1779 and head of a Currituck County household of 8 "other free" and 1 white male under 16 years in 1790 [NC:20]. He left a 27 September 1800 Currituck County will, proved 22 June 1806, naming his son Willoughby Basnett. Mary Basnett was head of a Currituck County household of 4 "other free" in 1790. Both Robert and Mary Basnett were counted as white in 1800.

 

DRIVER FAMILY

1.    Susannah Driver, born say 1734, was head of a Gloucester County household of 4 free persons in 1783 [VA:53] and was taxable on 4 cattle in Gloucester County in 1787 [PPTL, 1782-99]. The births of her children Mary ("a mylatto bastard") and Richard ("Sp. son of Susanna Driver") were registered in Kingston Parish, Gloucester and Matthews counties [Matheny, Kingston Parish Register, 46]. Susannah's children were

i. ?Emanuel, born say 1750, listed in the payroll of Peter Bernard's 2^nd Virginia Regiment from 1778 to 1779 (in the same list as William Driver) [NARA, M246, Roll 96, frames 331, 336, 344, 347, 380 of 736; https://www.fold3.com/image/10081035]. He received a discharge from Captain Machen Boswell on 8 April 1784 for serving three years and received bounty land [Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants, Digital Collection, LVA]. He was head of a Kingston Parish, Gloucester County household of 5 free persons in 1783 [VA:53], taxable in Kingston Parish on his own tithe and 2 horses in 1784, 4 cattle in 1787, taxable from 1788 to 1790 [PPTL, 1782-99]. In July 1835 his heirs William Driver and John Driver, son of John Driver, testified that Emanuel enlisted in the 2^nd Virginia Regiment in 1776 and was discharged in 1780 or 1781. He lived in Mathews County and died there on 25 July 1835. The claim was rejected [Revolutionary War Rejected Claims, Driver, Emanuel, Digital Collections, LVA].

ii. ?William, head of a Kingston Parish, Gloucester County household of 3 free persons in 1783 [VA:53], taxable in Kingston Parish from 1784 to 1790: on a horse in Kingston Parish from 1784 to 1789 [PPTL, 1782-99] and head of a Chatham County, North Carolina household of 2 "other free" in 1800. He (or perhaps a younger William Driver) was a "Mulatto" taxable in Gloucester County in 1809 and from 1812 to 1820 [PPTL 1800-20].

iii. ?John¹, born say 1758, the father of John² Driver who deposed that his father enlisted in the 2^nd Virginia Regiment and resided in Mathews County. He was taxable in Kingston Parish, Gloucester County, from 1783 to 1790: taxable on 4 cattle in 1783, 3 in 1785, 5 in 1787 [PPTL 1782-99] and a "Mulatto" taxable from 1801 to 1803 [PPTL 1800-20]. A John Driver was due bounty land for service in the Revolution as a seaman but had not received it by 25 November 1834 [Brumbaugh, Revolutionary War Records, 215].

iv. Mary, born April 1761, "a mylatto bastard, daughter of Susanna Driver." Mary Driver and Mary Driver, Jr. (who lived with James Purcell), were counted in a "List of Mulattoes and Free Negroes" above the age of 16 in Gloucester County in 1813 [PPTL, 1800-20].

v. Richard, born 13 June 1773, "Sp. son of Susanna Driver." He was ordered to post $100 security to keep the peace for one year in Middlesex County on 24 June 1799 and was examined but found not guilty of felony on 26 October 1801 [Orders 1799-1803, 60, 329]. He married Elizabeth Taylor, widow, 27 December 1803 Middlesex County bond, and was taxable in King William County on his own tithe and a slave in 1810, taxable on 1 "Free Negro" and 1 "Free Mulatto" in 1813, listed as a "Free Negro" with a female "Free Negro" in his household in 1814, listed as a "Free Negro" taxable on 2 horses in 1815 [PPTL 1782-1811; 1812-50].

vi. ?Edmund, born before 1776, head of a Mathews County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [VA:453] and 2 "free colored" in Halifax County, North Carolina, in 1830.

vii. ?Thomas, head of a Loudoun County household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [VA:291].

 

DRURY FAMILY

1.    Sam Drury, born say 1730, was called "Free Sam Overseer for Mr. Lowther" when he was taxable in the 1763 Bertie County summary list: 1 "free Molatto, 1 negro man over 16, and 1 negro woman slave." He may have been related to a "Negro fellow named Thomas" who William Drury freed (after the death of his wife) by his 6 October 1723 will which was proved in York County, Virginia, on 18 July 1726 [OW 16:400]. Sam and his wife Jenny were "free molatto" taxables in the 1764 summary list for Bertie County (list of whites, free molattos and slaves). He was head of his own household in John Crickett's list for 1766 and listed in William Lowther's household in the 1768 list of Edward Rasor [CR 10.702.1, Box 1]. He was again head of his own household in the 1774 list of George Lockhart, counted as a "free Mollato" with "Negro Women" Jenny and Milly in his household [CR 10.702.1, Box 2]. In August 1774 the Bertie County court agreed to his petition that his daughter Milley, whom he purchased from Young Miller and Co., be set free [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, IV:98]. His 7 January 1782 will was proved in Bertie County in May 1782. He gave his wife, a "negroe woman named Jenny" who he had purchased from Mr. William Louther, to Robert West so that West could obtain her freedom. And he divided his estate between his wife Jenny and daughter Milly, who he had purchased from Mr. Littlejohn and set free by order of the Bertie County court [WB E:173]. Robert West inventoried his estate which included 16 head of cattle, 3 horses and 14 hogs and was valued at , 298 [WB C:41-2; North Carolina Original wills: Cale, Charney-Hopkins, John, frames 664-666 of 1879; North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979: Davidson, James-Early, Asa F., (Samuel Drewry), frame 534 of 1290, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/456755]. Two years later Jenny married Andrew James, 24 February 1784 Bertie County bond. Sam and Jenny's daughter was

i. Milly, married Frederick Wilkison, 15 May 1780 Bertie County bond with William Griffin bondsman.

 

DUNCAN FAMILY

1.    Elizabeth Dunkinton, born say 1693, was convicted by the Princess Anne County court on 1 June 1715 for having two "Molatto" children [Minutes 1709-17, 186]. She may have been the ancestor of

2    i. Sarah Duncan, born say 1732.

3    ii. Betty Duncan, born say 1735.

iii. Luke¹ Duncan, born about 1740, enlisted in the Revolution for 18 months while resident in Norfolk County on 23 September 1780: age 40, 5'8" high, a farmer, born in Norfolk County, Black complexion [Register & description of Noncommissioned officers & Privates, LVA accession no. 24296, by http://revwarapps.org/b69.pdf (p.69)].

iv. Solomon¹ Duncan, born about 1741, enlisted in the Revolution on 22 September 1780: age 39, 5'8" high, a blacksmith, born in Pasquotank County, North Carolina, residing in Princess Anne County, yellow complexion, deserted [Register & description of Noncommissioned officers & Privates, LVA accession no. 24296, by http://revwarapps.org/b69.pdf (p.44)]. He was taxable in Princess Anne County from 1791 to 1811: taxable on a slave over 16, 3 horses and 2 carriage wheels in 1804, 1805, 1809, and 1810; taxable on James Brum's (Brumagum) tithe in 1809 [PPTL, 1790-1822, frames 27, 75, 118, 192, 260, 307, 319, 364, 385, 404, 437]. He was a "Free Black" head of a Princess Anne County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [VA:450].

v. Nanny Duncan, born say 1759, a "free Mullatto" ordered bound by the Princess Anne County court to Sam Nichols on 20 November 1759 until the age of eighteen, to be taught to read, sew, and knit [Minutes 1753-62, 367].

 

2.    Sarah Duncan, born say 1732, was "a free Molatto" living in Norfolk County on 18 October 1754 when her children John and Luke were bound apprentices to Samuel Coverly and on 17 March 1763 when her son Thomas was bound out [Orders 1753-55, 90; 1759-63, 242]. She was a "free negro" taxable in Martha Scott's household on the south side of Western Branch in 1768 [Wingo, Norfolk County Tithables, 1766-80, 72]. Sarah was the mother of

i. John, born say 1750, bound to Samuel Coverly in Norfolk County on 18 October 1754, taxable on the south side of Tanners Creek in Norfolk County in James Godfrey's household in 1773, called John Duncan, Jr. [Wingo, Norfolk County Tithables, 1766-80, 200]. He may have been the husband of Ann Dunkin, the daughter of William Brooks who named her in his 9 May 1788 Southampton County will [WB 4:276].

ii. Luke², born say 1752, taxable in Lemuel Coverly's Norfolk County household in the list for Tanner's Creek in 1765 [Wingo, Norfolk County Tithables, 1751-65, 185]. He was called a "free Mulatto" on 8 April 1782 when the Norfolk County court ordered him released from his indenture to Thomas Lowry. John Warren sued him, but the court dismissed the case on 16 May 1782 at the plaintiff's costs [Orders 1782-3, 9, 20, 31]. He was taxable in Norfolk County in 1782 and 1794 [PPTL, 1782-1791, frame 407; 1791-1812, frame 102].

iii. Thomas, born say 1760, bound apprentice in Norfolk County on 17 March 1763 [Orders 1759-63, 242] and head of a Currituck County, North Carolina household of 5 "Melatters" and 2 slaves in 1800 [NC:168].

iv. Ann, a "free Negro" washerwoman heading a family in Portsmouth, Norfolk County, with Betty and Sukey Duncan in 1801 [PPTLs, 1791-1812, frame 383].

 

3.    Betty Duncan, born say 1735, was taxable in Samuel Smith's Norfolk County household in the district from the Borough of Norfolk to the south side of Tanner's Creek in 1751 [Wingo, Norfolk County Tithables, 1751-65, 14]. She may have been identical to Elizabeth Dungin who was the servant of Mary Wood on 3 October 1765 when the Frederick County, Virginia court ordered her "Mulattoe" son Solomon Duncan bound to her mistress. She was called Elizabeth Duncan, a "Mulatto," on 8 November 1770 when Mary Wood came into Frederick County court and agreed to discharge her from the remainder of her service in consideration that she had not sufficiently taught her to read [Orders 1765-7, 21; 1770-2, 57]. She was the mother of

i. Solomon², born say 1763, bound to Mary Wood on 3 October 1765.

ii. ?Susannah, born 28 November 1768, a two-year-old "Mulatto" ordered bound to John Lawrence in Frederick County on 7 August 1771 [Orders 1770-2, 246].

 

Other members of a Duncan family were

i. Alexander, born say 1770, consented to the 12 March 1813 Fredericksburg marriage of his son Alexander Duncan, Jr., who married Fanny More, a Mulatto girl formerly the property of Edward More, deceased, of Stafford County who was legally emancipated in April 1806 as appears in Stafford Court.

ii. Mary, a "Mulatto" child bound by the Pittsylvania County court to Samuel Walker on 24 March 1774 [Court Records 1772-5, 324].

iii. Abey, head of a Southampton County household of 4 "other free" in 1810.

iv. Nancy, born say 1780, mother of Jack Duncan, a poor boy of colour, bound to John Allen in Bourbon County, Kentucky, on 20 July 1815, recorded in Ross County, Ohio, on 3 July 1816 [Turpin, Register of Black, Mulatto, and Poor Persons, 20].

v. Ridley, born about 1790, obtained a certificate of freedom in Chesterfield County on 10 November 1835: forty five years old, Mulatto complexion, born free [Register of Free Negroes 1804-53, no. 1083].

 

DUNGEE/ DUNGILL FAMILY

 

Thomas Dungee and sister Sarah in the 1880s

children of Richard Dungee & Nancy Pinn

 

1.    Frances¹ Dungee, born say 1707, a servant woman, was the mother of John and Millison Dungey who were bound apprentice to John Douglass by the Brunswick County, Virginia court in December 1735 until they reached the age of twenty-one. Frances petitioned the Brunswick County court for her freedom from servitude to Douglass in October 1740, but her petition was denied in March 1741/2. And the same court session ordered the churchwardens of Saint Andrew's Parish to bind her children Rebecca and John to Douglass [Orders 1732-41, 115, 375, 428; 1741-83, 72, 104]. She was the mother of

2    i. Rebecca, born say 1723.

3    ii. ?William¹, born say 1727.

4    iii. John¹, born 23 June 1729.

iv. Millison, born 12 June 1731, discharged by the Brunswick County court from serving John Macklin in July 1752 when he could not produce an indenture [Orders 1741-83].

 

2.    Rebecca Dungee, born say 1723, was bound apprentice by the Brunswick County, Virginia court in March 1741/2. Her unnamed children were bound apprentice to John Douglass in April 1742 [Orders 1741-83, 108]. She was probably identical to Rebecca Dungeon who was maintained by the Brunswick County estate of John Maclin in January 1773. Maclin was ordered to let her, William Blizzard, and Thomas O'Riley out to the lowest bidder [Hopkins, St. Andrew's Parish Vestry, 93, 94]. She may have been the mother of

5    i. John¹ Dungill, born say 1738.

6    ii. William¹ Dungill, born about 1754.

 

3.    William¹ Dungee, born say 1727, was living in Cumberland County, Virginia, on 28 September 1761 when a presentment against him for tending tobacco seconds was dismissed. He purchased 50 acres in Cumberland County adjoining Henry Scruggs from Henry Scruggs on 25 February 1764 [DB 3:448]. He and his wife Mary registered the birth and baptism of their son Bartholomew in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent County, on 7 September 1767 [NSCDA, Parish Register of St. Peter's, 152]. He was sued in Cumberland County on 25 June 1770, but the case was dismissed on agreement of the parties. He died before 25 January 1773 when his wife Mary was granted administration on his Cumberland County estate, and Mary died before 28 February 1780 when Henry Scruggs was granted administration on William's unadministered estate [Orders 1770-2, 43; 1772-4, 85]. The inventory of the estate totaled about 30 pounds, and included: "1 old negro man named Barcas," 2 horses and other farm animals, a woman's saddle, a flax wheel, a parcel of books, carpenter's tools, a gun, 2 beds and other household furniture and goods [WB 2:92]. He was the father of

i. Bartholomew, born 3 August, baptized 7 September 1754 [NSCDA, Parish Register of St. Peter's, 152]. He sold (signing) 33 acres in Cumberland County on the north side of the main ridge road for 25 pounds on 25 August 1776 [DB 5:463-4]. He served in the Revolution according to a statement made by his brother William [LVA chancery file 1803-002, http://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/chancery]. He was listed in the Company of Captain William Cherry in the 4^th Virginia Regiment commanded by Major Isaac Beall from March to May 1778, sick at Valley Forge and died on 16 July 1778 [NARA, M246, Roll 100, frame 826 of 865; Roll 99, frames 694, 743, 749 of 760; https://www.fold3.com/image/22629177].

7    ii. ?James, born say 1760.

8    vi. William², born say 1761.

iv. Matthew, received 6 pounds pay as bounty for serving in the 4^th Virginia Regiment commanded by Colonel Robert Lawson on 16 February 1778 [NARA, M246, Roll 99, frame 749 of 760].

v. Sherwood, born say 1762, "orphan of William Dungee" bound by the Cumberland County Court as an apprentice to Obediah Hendrick on 27 March 1780. Hendrick was presented by the court on 24 November 1783 for failing to list Sherwood as a tithable [Orders 1779-84, 110, 474]. He was taxable in Cumberland County from 1787 to 1799 [PPTL, 1782-1816, frames 88, 174, 237, 313] and listed in the upper district of adjoining Prince Edward County in 1789 [PPTL 1782-1809, frame 254]. On 23 September 1799 the Cumberland County court ordered him to appear at the next court to show cause why his son Reuben should not be bound out [Orders 1797-1801, 268].

vii. Burwell, "orphan of William Dungee" bound to Samuel Allen on 27 March 1780 [Orders 1779-84, 110]. He was taxable in the upper district of Cumberland County from 1794 to 1806, called a "fM" in 1804 [PPTL, 1782-1816, frames 226, 274, 396, 426, 522]. He was sued for debts totaling 31 pounds on 25 October 1801 [Orders 1797-1801, 465, 466].

9     ii. ?Nancy, born say 1763.

 

4.    John¹ Dungee, born 23 June 1729, was a "Mulatto" who was convicted of the attempted rape of Frances Kennon in Brunswick County, Virginia, in July 1755 for which he received thirty lashes [Orders 1753-56, 451, 498]. He may have been the John Dungee who was taxable in King William County from 1782 to 1785: taxable on a free tithe, 2 horses and 10 cattle and listed with 4 persons in his household in 1783, taxable on 3 horses in 1784 and 1785 [PPTL 1782-1811]. He was taxable on 2 horses and 5 cattle in the upper district of Cumberland County, Virginia, from 1787 to 1792, called "Sr." from 1789 [PPTL, 1782-1816, frames 88, 107, 122, 144, 155, 174]. He was taxable in the upper district of Prince Edward County from 1793 to 1799: exempt from personal tax in 1798 and 1799 when he was taxable on a horse [PPTL 1782-1809, frames 359, 425, 471, 484, 524]. He signed a promissory note in Cumberland County to Ford & Allen for 185 pounds, dated 9 November 1799, which was also signed by William Dungey and Burwell Dungee. To cover the note, on 17 June 1800 he executed a deed of trust for a wagon and five horses which was foreclosed by Ford & Allen in 1803 [LVA chancery file 1803-002, http://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/chancery]. His descendants may have been

10   i. John², born say 1758.

ii. Hannah, wife of William Peters who named her daughter Mary Dungee in his 8 January 1782 Middlesex County will [WB F:233].

iii. Joseph, born say 1760, taxable in King William County from 1782 to 1799 and from 1811 to 1820: taxable in St. John's Parish on a horse in 1782, listed as a "Mulatto" in 1813 [PPTL 1782-1811; 1812-50].

iv. Frances², married John Stewart, 20 April 1797 Powhatan County marriage, Wade Woodson, Sr., surety [Marriage Register, 34].

v. Isabella, taxable in King William County on a free male tithable in 1802 [PPTL 1782-1811], a "M"(ulatto) taxable on a horse in New Kent County in 1807 [PPTL 1791-1828, frame 430], head of a New Kent County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [VA:751].

vi. Reuben¹, taxable in King William County in 1798 and 1799 [PPTL 1782-1811], taxable in New Kent County from 1800 to 1814: listed as a "M"(ulatto) in 1806 and thereafter; listed with his unnamed wife in 1813 [PPTL 1791-1828, frames 342, 356, 368, 381, 393, 406, 418, 430, 463, 491, 503] and head of a New Kent Count household of 7 "other free" in 1810 [VA:751].

vii. Gideon, head of a New Kent County household of 7 "other free" in 1810.

 

5.    John¹ Dungill, born say 1738, was sued for a debt of 2 pounds in Brunswick County, Virginia court by Archibald Wager, assignee of William Daniel, on 22 May 1759. This suit was called Wager against Dungeon in the Execution Dockets [Orders 1757-9, 349; Dockets 1757-9, 12 (at the end of the court order book)]. He was called John Dungion on 8 July 1765 when he sold goods, furniture and a mare in Brunswick County to Henry Cock [DB 8:235]. He died before 24 January 1774 when Edmund Wilkins was granted administration of his Brunswick County estate on 200 pounds security [Orders 1772-4, 494, 495]. On 23 March 1778 his son John, "heir to John Dungill deceased," purchased 520 acres in Brunswick County. Perhaps his widow was Dicey Dungill who sued Burwell Blizzard for debt due by account in Greensville County, Virginia court on 22 March 1787 [Orders 1781-9, 317]. John was the father of

i. John² Dungill, born say 1760, called an infant and heir to John Dungill, deceased, of Meherrin Parish on 23 March 1778 when he purchased 520 acres adjoining John Robinson in Brunswick County for 30 pounds [DB 13:85].

 

6.    William¹ Dungill, born about 1754, was living in Brunswick County, Virginia, on 25 June 1770 when the court ordered him (and Mason Blizzard) bound apprentice by the churchwardens of St. Andrew's Parish [Orders 1768-72, 289]. He was head of a Greensville County, Virginia household of 7 persons in 1783 [VA:55] and taxable in Meherrin Parish, Greensville County, from 1783 to 1807: taxable on Drury Dungill's tithe in 1800 and taxable on William Dungill, Jr.'s tithe in 1806 and 1807 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 13, 40, 62, 106, 126, 135, 161, 178, 187, 200, 217, 230, 243, 273, 302, 320, 336, 352, 371]. On 1 January 1801 he mortgaged 22 acres in Greensville County to pay a debt he owed Daniel Robinson and Company [DB 3:36]. He registered as a "free Negro" in Greensville County on 7 March 1807: born free, black Complexion, aged about fifty three years...five feet six Inches high [Register of Free Negroes, #14]. On 11 May 1807 the Greensville County court ordered the overseers of the poor to bind to him Dudley Dungil, "natural child of Molley Dungil" [Orders 1806-10, 98]. He was head of a Chatham County, North Carolina household of 8 "other free" in 1810 (called William Dungeon) [NC:195]. William and his family were called "the Dungill people of Colour" when they were among the freeholders ordered to work on the road from Boylan's Mill on Deep River to Little Lick Creek by the Tuesday, May 1823 session of the Chatham County court [Minutes 1822-27]. He was probably the father of

i. Drury, born about 1775, taxable in Greensville County from 1798 to 1803 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 230, 259, 273, 302], registered in Greensville County on 10 October 1803: born free of a dark colour, aged 28 years about 5 feet 7 inches high [Register of Free Negroes, #1].

ii. William², Jr., born about 1781, registered in Greensville County on 9 March 1807: born free of a darkish Complexion, aged Twenty six years about five feet nine & 1/4 Inches high [Register of Free Negroes, #16].

iii. John/Jack, born about 1786, registered in Greensville County on 9 March 1807: born free of a black Complexion aged twenty one years last Christmas, five feet seven Inches high [Register of Free Negroes, #17]. He was granted administration on the 10 June 1831 Chatham County will of Anthony Evans, witnessed by Jarrel Walden. Perhaps John's wife was Noony Dungill whose daughter Sary Betty Ledbetter received all of Evans's property and his plantation [WB C:24].

iv. Fanny¹, born say 1800, married Daniel Wadkins (Watkins), 10 February 1824 Greensville County bond, David Wadkins surety, 12 February marriage by Rev. Nathaniel Chambliss [Ministers' Returns, 93].

 

7.    James Dungee, born say 1760, completed 3 years service in the Virginia State Artillery, was discharged on 12 September 1780, and received bounty land [Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants, Dungy, James, Digital Collections, LVA; Brumbaugh, Revolutionary War Records, Virginia, 336]. He was taxable in Cumberland County from 1787 to 1793 [PPTL, 1782-1816, frames 88, 155, 202]. He married Elizabeth Fears, daughter of Absalom Fears, 2 March 1795 Prince Edward County bond, 5 March marriage. He purchased 200 acres in Prince Edward County from James Hood on 15 October 1798, and he and his wife Elizabeth (both signing) sold 25 acres of this land for 16 pounds on 21 September 1801 [DB 11:253; 12:157]. He (but not Elizabeth) was in the List of Free Negroes and Mulattoes in Thomas Green's District for Prince Edward County: listed on his own land with son John and daughters Beckey and Polley Dungee in 1803; near Martha Dowdy's land with sons Apsa/ Apsey, John, Beckey, and Polley in 1805; with children Apsey, John, James, Betsey and Polley in 1807 [List of Free Negroes, 1803, 180 retd by Thomas Green Cmr 1807, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. He was head of a Prince Edward County household of 7 "other free" in 1810 [VA:562] and a "Mulatto" or "of Col^r" taxable in the upper district of Prince Edward County from 1794 to 1818: over the age of 45 in 1815, listed with his unnamed son in 1816. Perhaps his son was Absalom Dunge, an "of Col^r" taxable from 1818 to 1820. James may have been deceased when Elizabeth Dunge and another unnamed son were listed in 1819. In 1820 Elizabeth was taxable on a horse, and a John Dunge was a "free Negro" taxable with James Fears [PPTL 1782-1809, frames 413, 425, 484, 524, 631, 678, 739; 1809-31, frames 16, 82, 111, 185, 333]. In 1822 his son Absalom sued in Prince Edward County chancery court for a distribution among the heirs of his estate, amounting to 174 acres, between the widow Elizabeth, Absalom Dungey, Polly Dungey, and James Dungey. Rebecca Dungey was deceased when the land was divided [Chancery file 1825-006]. He was the father of

i. Absalom, born say 1796, an "of Col^r" taxable from 1818 to 1820.

ii. Rebecca, born say 1798, "of Cumberland County," married James Fears, 28 December 1822 Prince Edward County bond, James Fears and Theodorick Carter securities.

iii. John, born say 1800, a blacksmith with James Fears at William Cook's in 1820, a 60-year-old farmer with James Dungee, age 50, in Prince Edward County in the list of "Free Negroes" for 1860. He and his wife Frances were in the list of Free Negroes for Prince Edward County in 1858 [List of free people of colour within the upper district of Prince Edward County, 1820; Free Negroes, 1860, List of Free Negroes in the County of Prince Edward, 1858, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

iv. Polly born say 1800, daughter of James Dungee, listed in T. Green's District of Prince Edward County in 1803 [List of Free Negroes, 1803 July 16^th, 1803, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. She and her unnamed child were listed with her mother in 1822 [List of free negroes 1822, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

v. Suckey, born say 1800, listed with in James Dungee's household in the 1802 list of "free people of colour" in Thomas Green's district of Prince Edward County in 1802 [List of free people of color taken in the year 1802 by Thomas Green, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

vi. James, born say 1805, in the List of Free Negroes in 1806 [List Free People in T. Green's District, 1806, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

 

8.    William² Dungee, born say 1762, was called the "orphan of William Dungee" by the Cumberland County court on 25 April 1780 when it appointed Henry Scruggs as his guardian [Orders 1779-84, 116]. He may have been the William Dunge who served in the Revolution in Captain Thomas Young's Western Battalion from December 1781 to January 1782 [NARA, M881, roll 1087, frame 53 of 138]. He and his wife Nancy sold 7 acres on the north side of Randolph's road in Cumberland County for £10 on 10 february 1790 [DB 7:10]. On 30 January 1798 Charles Williams mortgaged slave children David and Mourning to cover a debt of , 96 he owed Dungee. Williams failed to pay, so the court foreclosed and gave the children to William. On 31 October the court appointed commissioners to sell the children to satisfy the debt and court costs [Orders 1797-1801, 255, 296]. In April 1799 he sued Littleberry Scruggs, declaring "that he is oldest brother and heir at law of Bartholomew Dungee who departed this life in the year [blank] being a soldier in the American Army in the late Revolutionary War...at which time the said Bartholomew Dungee had right and title to ten acres of land, which were bought and paid for by him from John Henry Scruggs--that the said Henry (who is now dec^d) made, in his lifetime, on the 24^th day of August 1776, a good & sufficient deed of conveyance to the said Bartholomew...which is recorded...that Littleberry Scruggs has taken possession of the land and will not relinquish it" [LVA chancery files 1799-003, 1803-002]. He was taxable in Cumberland County from 1785 to 1814: charged with 2 tithables in 1786, taxable on a slave in 1797, a wagoner living on his own land with wife Nancy and sons Anderson and Frank in 1810 when he was in a list of "free Negroes and Mulattoes," listed with Nancy, Sally and Richard Dungy in a list of "Free persons of Colour" in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1816, frames 57, 226, 657, 795], and head of a Cumberland County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [VA:114]. He was the father of

i. Anderson.

ii. Frank.

iii. Sally.

iv. ?Richard.

 

9.    Nancy Dungee, born say 1763, was living in Cumberland County on 22 January 1787 when the court ordered her daughter Polly Dungee bound to John Creasy [Orders 1786-8, 210]. She was called a "Mulattoe" when her daughter Frances Dungey married James Stewart in Powhatan County. She was the mother of

i. Frances², born say 1779, married John Stewart, 20 April 1797 Powhatan County marriage, Wade Woodson, Sr., surety [Marriage Register, 34]. She was over the age of twenty-one when she married James Stewart, 8 January 1801 Powhatan County bond, John Moss surety.

ii. Polly, born say 1786, perhaps the Polly Dungee who registered in Cumberland County on 24 April 1804: a native of this County, Born of free Parents, and is allowed the Priviledges of free Negroes and Mulatoes [Dungee, Polly: Free Negro Certificate, 1804, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

 

10.    John² Dungee, born say 1755, was taxable in Stratton Major Parish, King and Queen County from 1783 to 1786 and taxable in the lower district of the county from 1787 to 1802: counted with 5 persons in his household and taxable on a horse and 5 cattle in 1783; taxable on a horse and 4 cattle in 1787; taxable on a horse in 1791, 1794 and 1795; taxable on 2 free male tithes in 1801 [PPTL, 1782-1803; 1804-16]. He was taxable on 110 acres from 1782 to 1801 but was apparently deceased by 1802 when the land was listed as part of his estate. By 1804 Mason Collins was taxable on this land [Land Tax List 1782-1812]. He may have been the John Dungee who was executor of the last will of William Peters of Middlesex County which he proved on 24 June 1782 [WB F:233]. And he may have been the father of

i. John⁴, born say 1775, taxable on a slave over the age of 16 in King William County in 1797 and from 1802 to 1809 [PPTL 1782-1811], a "M"(ulatto) taxable on a slave aged 12-16 in New Kent County in 1807 [PPTL 1791-1828, frame 430] and a "Mulatto" taxable in King and Queen County in 1813 and 1814 [PPTL, 1782-1803; 1804-23]. He was a pilot on the Chesapeake Bay who was "descended from the aborigines of this Dominion" (a Pamunkey Indian) according to the petition which he and his wife Lucy Ann made to the Virginia Legislature from King William County on 19 December 1825. They called themselves "free persons of colour" in this petition which asked the Legislature to allow her to remain in the state after she was freed by her master Edmund Littlepage who was her father by his slave, Sophia. In their testimony supporting his petition, seventy-two white persons from King William, New Kent, Richmond, Hanover, and King and Queen County certified that: Capt. John Dungee...Commander of a Vessel, constantly employed in the navigation of the Chesapeake Bay and the Rivers of Virginia...his loss would be an evol seriously felt by those particularly who ship Grain or other articles from the shores of Pamonkey and Matapond Rivers [Dungie, John & Lucy Ann: Petition, 1825-12-19, King William County, Legislative Petition]. Lucy Ann Littlepage registered in King William County on 24 August 1824: a bright mulatto woman, emancipated by the will of Edmund Littlepage, dec^d, aged Eighteen years, five feet six & a half inches high. Lucy and her children sued the executor of Littlepage's estate for failure to pay her yearly stipend from the estate, stating in her petition that John Dungee died before 2 December 1847 and that she had married ___ Wilson [King and Queen County Chancery Causes, 1885-002, LVA digital image, http://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/chancery/].

 

Other members of the family were

i. John⁵, born before 1776, head of a Davidson County, Tennessee household of 5 "free colored" in 1830.

ii. John³, called John, Jr., when he was taxable in Cumberland County from 1789 to 1793 and from 1800 to 1802 [PPTL, 1782-1816, frames 122, 155, 331, 352, 373]. He was a "Mulatto" taxable in Buckingham County from 1805 to 1809: called John Dungeon in 1805 and 1806, called John Dungy from 1807 to 1809, taxable on 3 free males in 1806, 2 free males and 2 horses in 1807 [PPTL 1804-9].

iii. Reubin, a "FM" taxable in Cumberland County from 1813 to 1815 [PPTL, 1782-1816, frames 739, 773, 816].

iv. Reuben, taxable in the lower district of Henrico County in 1813 and 1814: in a list of "Blacks free" with his unnamed wife in 1813, listed as a "free Negro" in 1814 [PPTL 1782-1814, frames 757, 823]. He was a 37-year-old tanner from Petersburg who emigrated to Liberia aboard the ship Cyrus with Sarah Dongey (age 30), a tailoress, and David Dongey (10) in 1824 [https://www.fold3.com/image/46670220].

v. Polly Dungy, born about 1789, registered in Middlesex County on 23 July 1821: born free; 32 years of age; 5'6"; yellow complexion [Register of Free Negroes 1800-60, p.16].

vi. Agnes, born about 1794, registered in Henrico County on 7 September 1839: about 45 years of age, a mulatto woman, 5 feet 2-1/2 inches, Born free as appears by a certificate of her register from the clerk of Richmond Hustings Court [Register of Free Negroes and Mulattoes, 1831-1844, p.34, no. 936]. Her Richmond City register was based on a register from King William County court [Dungee, Agnes (F, 44), 1835, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

vii. Harry Dungy, born about 1794, registered in Middlesex County on 21 July 1821: born free; 27 years of age; 5'0"; yellow complexion [Register of Free Negroes 1800-60, p.16].

viii. John, in a list of "Free negroes" in Middlesex County in 1818 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 313, 322].

ix. John and Fanny "Dungill or Dungron, children of color," ordered apprenticed as a blacksmith and spinster, respectively, to Beverly Brown in Northampton County, North Carolina, on 7 June 1813 with William Walden providing security [Minutes 1813-21].

 

DUNLOP FAMILY

1.    Mary Dunlop, born say 1717, was living in St. Paul's Parish, King George County, Virginia, in 1735 when the birth and baptism of her son James was recorded. She was the mother of

i. James, born 6 August 1735, baptized September 29, 1735 [St. Paul's Parish Register, 60].

ii. ?Henry, born say 1740, a "Mulatto Boy" listed in the 1 June 1750 inventory of the King George County estate of Peter Nugent [Inventories 1745-65, 62].

2    iii. ?Lydia¹, born say 1745.

 

2.    Lydia¹ Dunlop, born say 1745, registered the 18 April 1773 birth of her daughter Charlotte at St. Paul's Parish, King George County (no race indicated). She was taxable in King George County from 1787 to 1815: taxable on 2 cattle in 1787; a free male and a horse from 1788 to 1793; a free male, a slave and a horse in 1796; a free male, a slave and 2 horses in 1801; a retail license in 1802 and was a "Mul^o" taxable on a horse in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 48, 55, 94, 110, 144, 201, 216, 328, 339]. She was head of a King George County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [VA:197]. She was the mother of

i. Charlotte¹, born 18 April 1773.

3    ii. ?Joseph, born about 1768.

iii. ?Gerard, taxable on a horse in King George County in 1794 and 1795 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 125, 136].

iv. ?Augustavus, born about 1774, registered as a free Negro in King George County on 25 September 1798: a "molatto man about twenty four years old about five feet eight inches high, was free born [Register of Free Persons 1785-1799, no.8]. He was taxable in King George County from 1796 to 1814 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 144, 339, 451] and head of a King George County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [VA:197].

4    v. ?Sarah, born say 1780.

vi. ?Nathan¹, born about 1782, registered in King George County on 11 April 1801: a bright mulatto lad, aged about nineteen years, five feet ten inches high, was born in this county of a free woman [Register of Free Negroes, no.20].

 

3.    Joseph¹ Dunlop, born about 1768, was taxable in King George County from 1794 to 1804: taxable on 3 horses and a retail license in 1800; 2 free males, 4 horses and a retail license in 1803; 2 slaves, 4 horses and a retail license in 1804 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 125, 238]. He registered as a free Negro in King George County on 25 September 1798: a mulatto man about thirty years old and five feet three inches high was born free [Register of Free Persons 1785-1799, no.9]. He moved to Prince George's County, Maryland, before 7 August 1817 when his son George registered there as a "free Negro." He was the father of

i. Winny, born say 1788, registered as a free Negro in Prince George County, Maryland, on 7 July 1819: a black woman about 5 feet 2-1/2 inches tall, and about 51 (31?) years old...free and the daughter of Joseph Dunlap and Lydia his wife free people of color, born in Virginia King George County, who have been residing in Prince George's County for the last twelve months.

ii. George, born about 1796, registered as a free Negro in Prince George's County, Maryland, on 7 August 1817: a dark mulatto man, 5 feet 8 inches tall, and 21 years old...the son of Joseph Dunlop Sr. of Prince George's County, a respectable colored freeman.

iii. Joseph², born about 1797, registered on 14 September 1818: a colored man of dark complexion, about 21 years old, and 5 feet 8 inches tall. He is a free man, being the legitimate son of Joseph Dunlop Sr., a free man of color [Provine, Registrations of Free Negroes, 23, 27, 29].

 

4.    Sarah Dunlop, born say 1780, was taxable on a slave and a horse in King George County in 1809, taxable on 2 horses in 1810 and 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 291, 303, 339]. head of a King George County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [VA:197]. She was the mother of

i. ?Nathan², born about 1802, registered in King George County on 4 February 1819: a dark mulatto lad about 17 years of age.

ii. Charlotte², born about 1803, registered in King George County on 6 October 1819: a dark mulatto Girl about 16 years of age...born free in this County, a daughter of Sarah Dunlop.

iii. Trecy, born about 1807, registered in King George County on 6 October 1819: a mulatto girl about 12 years old, born of a free woman, Sarah Dunlop, in this County.

iv. Lydia², born about 1815, registered in King George County in 1819: an infant Girl 4 years old a dark mulatto...born of a free woman, Sarah Dunlop, in this County [Register of Free Persons 1785-1799, nos.53-56].

 

Other members of the Dunlop family were

i. Mary, head of a Richmond City household of 10 "other free" in 1810 [VA:333].

ii. Naney, head of a Richmond City household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [VA:333], perhaps the mother of Nancy Dunlap who registered in Prince George's County, Maryland, on 7 July 1819: about 5 feet 3-1/4 inches tall, about 22 years old, and of a yellow complexion...daughter of Nancy Dunlap, a free woman of color...born in King George County, Virginia and has been residing in Prince George's County for about a year [Provine, Registrations of Free Negroes, 29]

iii. Patsey, born about 1804, registered in King George County on 1 August 1822: a bright Mulatto Girl between 18 and 19 years of age, 5' 3-1/2 Inches high [Register of Free Negroes, no.65].

iv. Harril, born about 1805, registered in King George County on 1 August 1822: a bright Mulatto Girl between 17 and 18 years of age 5' 3-1/4 Inches high [Register of Free Negroes, no.66].

v. Charlotte³, born about 1807, registered in King George County on 1 August 1822: a dark Mulatto between 15 and 16 Years of age, 5' 3-1/2 inches high [Register of Free Negroes, no.67].

 

DUNN FAMILY

1.    Elizabeth Dunn, born say 1730, was the servant of Sampson Darrell on 8 February 1752 when she confessed to the Fairfax County court that she had an illegitimate child. The court ordered that she receive twenty-five lashes. She was probably the mother of an illegitimate "Mullatto" child named Peter Dunn who the court ordered bound to Sampson Darrell on 26 March 1751 [Orders 1749-54, 128, 186]. She was the mother of

i. Peter, born say 1751.

ii. ?Stephen, head of a Robeson County, North Carolina household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [NC:375].

iv. ?Peggy, born say 1770, a seamstress counted in a list of "Free Negroes & Mulattoes" in Portsmouth and Elizabeth River parishes, Norfolk County, in 1801, living near Norfolk with Mark, Tom, and James Dunn who were probably her sons [PPTL 1791-1812, frame 384].

iii. ?Valentine, born in March 1763, completed his apprenticeship to Angelico Dauge of Currituck County, North Carolina, on 25 March 1784 and obtained a certificate of free birth on 1 December 1792 which he recorded in Norfolk County, Virginia [Dunn, Valentine (M): Free Negro Certificate, 1792, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. He was head of a Norfolk County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [VA:802]. Balentine Dunn was a "free Negro" taxable in Norfolk County from 1807 to 1816 [PPTL 1791-1812, frames 636, 716; 1813-24, frame 172].

v. ?James, a "free Negro" taxable in St. Bride's Parish, Norfolk County, from 1792 to 1809 [PPTL 1791-1812, frames 51, 120, 400, 456, 636, 674]. Perhaps his widow was Mary Dunn, head of Norfolk County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [VA:806].

vi. ?Charles, born before 1776, head of a Mecklenburg County, Virginia household of 7 "free colored" in 1820.

 

DUNSTAN FAMILY

 

Richard Rice Dunston (1835-1924) of Franklin County, North Carolina, and his second wife Mary Eliza Harris Dunston. Richard's first wife was Mary Eliza Manley.

 

The Dunstan family of Virginia was probably related to Ann Dunstan who confessed to having illegitimate "Mulatto" children in Piscataway Hundred, Prince George's County, Maryland, in 1746 and 1748 [Court Record 1746-7, 20; 1748-9, 47].

 

1.    Patience Dunstan, born say 1734, was a "Mulatto" girl belonging to the estate of Peter Brewer of Brunswick County, Virginia, in May 1741 [Orders 1732-41, 444]. She was living in Lunenburg County when the churchwardens of Cumberland Parish were ordered to bind out her son Charles to John Howell in April 1751 and her daughter Lucy in November 1753. In April 1754 the court bound her daughters Lucy and Amey to John Howell, and in October 1759 the court bound Alice, her "Molatto" child, to John Howell [Orders 1746-52, 391; 1753-4, 486, 623; 1755-57, 278; 1759-61, 32]. In August 1766 the churchwardens of Meherrin Parish in adjoining Brunswick County were ordered to bind out her children Isaac and Pheby [Orders 1765-68, 148]. She was called Patience Dunstal, a "mallatto," in Bute County, North Carolina, on 9 November 1778, when the court ordered her children James, Tom, Frank, and Isaac bound as apprentices. She was probably living in John Howell's household since her children were bound to him in Lunenburg County and her son James was bound to him in Bute County [Minutes 1777-79, 136]. She was head of a Franklin County, North Carolina household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [NC:826]. Her children were

2    i. Charles¹, born say 1750.

3    ii. Lucy, born say 1752.

iii. Amy, born say 1753, "daughter of Patience Dunstan," bound by the churchwardens of Cumberland Parish, Lunenburg County, to John Howell, in April 1754 [Orders 1753-54, 623].

iv. William, born about 1755, one of the "Molatto Children of Patience Dunstan," bound apprentice to John Howell by the April 1757 Lunenburg County court [Orders 1755-57, 278]. He was in the roster of enlistments for 9 months from Bute County on 3 September 1778: Born Virg^a, 5'2", 24, Black Hair, Black Eyes [T. R., Box 4, Folder 35]. He married Fanny Bibby, 11 July 1778 Bute County bond. He received voucher no. 479 for ,31.6 in Halifax District for service in the war [http://familysearch.org/search/collection/1498361, Dunston, William, image 242. Image 241 is for Charles Dunston as a substitute].

v. ?Wallace, born say 1757, a soldier from Halifax County, Virginia, who deserted Captain Shem Cook's 2^nd Georgia State Battalion. On 27 October 1777 Cook placed an advertisement in the Virginia Gazette offering "mulattoes" Wallace Dunstan and James Smith of Halifax County (and ten other soldiers, including a sergeant) a pardon if they returned [Virginia Gazette (Purdie), p.3, col. 1].

vi. Alice, born say 1759, "a Mulatto Girl daughter of Patience Dunston," bound out to John Howell in Lunenburg County in October 1759 [Orders 1759-60]. Alcey was head of a Franklin County, North Carolina household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [NC:826].

vii. Phebe, born say 1760, bound apprentice in Brunswick County, Virginia, in August 1766.

viii. Isaac¹, born say 1762, ordered bound apprentice in Brunswick County in August 1766 [Orders 1765-68, 148].

ix. James, born about 1764, fourteen-year-old son of Patience Dunstal, bound apprentice to John Howell in Bute County on 9 November 1778 [Minutes 1777-79, 136], head of a Franklin County, North Carolina household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [NC:826].

x. Tom, born about 1769, a seven-year-old bound apprentice to Peter Tatum in Bute County on 9 November 1778.

xi. Frank, born about 1773, five-year-old bound apprentice to Peter Tatum in Bute County on 9 November 1778.

xii. Isaac², born about 1776, a two-year-old bound apprentice to Peter Tatum in Bute County on 9 November 1778 [Minutes 1777-79, 136].

 

2.    Charles¹ Dunston, born say 1750, son of Patience Dunston, was bound apprentice to John Howell in Cumberland Parish, Lunenburg County, in April 1751. He was called "a poor soldier in the service of the United States" on 8 May 1780 when the Mecklenburg County, Virginia court allowed his wife Elizabeth Dunston a barrel and a half of corn and 50 pounds of bacon for the support of herself and two children [Orders 1779-84, 34, 53]. He purchased 230 acres in Wake County, North Carolina, on both sides of Little Lick Creek on 21 September 1787 and sold 105 acres of this land to William Evans, Sr., before 21 June 1798 when Evans sold this land [DB H:221; Q:76]. He was head of a Wake County household of 9 whites in 1790 [NC:105]. He was a substitute in the Revolution from Wake County [http://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9W8-NYD] and was in Orange County when he received his final settlement for his service in the war [The North Carolinian VI:755]. He may have been the father of

i. Phillis, born say 1800, married Solomon Locklear, 19 January 1818 Wake County bond, John Phillips bondsman.

 

3.    Lucy Dunston, born say 1752, daughter of Patience Dunstan, was bound apprentice to John Howell in Lunenburg County in April 1754, and she was one of the "Mollatto Children of Patience Dunstan" bound to John Howell in April 1757 [Orders 1753-54, 623; 1755-57, 278]. She was living in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, on 13 April 1772 when her son Charles, no age or race mentioned, was bound an apprentice to William Murphy [Orders 1771-73, 184]. Her children were

i. Charles², born say 1771, married Sally Bass, 21 November 1814 Wake County bond, Mark Beasley bondsman.

ii. ?Winny, head of a Wake County household of 7 "other free" in 1800 [NC:760] and 6 "free colored" in 1840 [NC:16].

iii. ?Richard Miles, married Nancy Stewart, 18 February 1802 Mecklenburg County, Virginia bond, Thomas Spence surety. He, Robert Brannum, Thomas Spence, William Stewart, Humphrey Wilson, Joseph Stewart, Frederick Ivey, and Pompy Mayo were ordered to work on the road which Benjamin Edmundson was surveying in Mecklenburg County on 10 October 1803 [Orders 1803-5, 45].

 

Other members of the Dunston family were

i. Margaret Dunson, born say 1751, sued by her master Hugh Bartly in Botetourt County court on 12 November 1771 for having a "Mullato" bastard. The court ordered her to serve Bartly another twelve months and ordered her child bound to him until the age of twenty one [Orders 1770-1, 490].

ii. Joseph, born about 1765, a soldier who was born in James City County and enlisted there in the Revolution on 1 September 1780: age 15, 5'3/4" high, a farmer, yellow complexion [Register & description of Noncommissioned officers & Privates, LVA accession no. 24296, by http://revwarapps.org/b69.pdf (p.44)]. He was taxable in James City County from 1783 to 1812 [PPTL 1782-99; 1800-15].

iii. Mary, taxable on a free male tithe aged 16-21 in James City County in 1787 [PPTL 1782-99].

iv. John, born say 1770, taxable in James City County from 1797 to 1813: a "cold. man" who was head of a household of 2 tithables and 3 "free persons of color" in 1813 [PPTL 1782-99; 1800-15].

v. James, taxable in James City County from 1797 to 1813, a "cold. man" listed with 2 "free persons of color" (probably his wife) in 1813 [PPTL 1782-99; 1800-15].

vi. William, taxable in James City County from 1797 to 1803 [PPTL 1782-99; 1800-15].

vii. Nathaniel, taxable in James City County from 1800 to 1805 [PPTL 1800-15].

viii. Tarlton, taxable in James City County from 1801 to 1813: a "cold. man." taxable in 1813 [PPTL 1782-99; 1800-15].

ix. Stephen, born say 1782, a "cold. man." taxable in James City County in 1813 [PPTL 1782-99; 1800-15].

 

DURHAM FAMILY

The Durham family was not free during the colonial period, but the family history is included here because several family members had relations with free African Americans. Members of the Durham family were

1    i. Hannah, born about 1746.

2    ii. Squire, born about 1769.

 

1.    Hannah, born about 1746, a "Negro" slave, was thirty-six years old on 12 October 1782 when Thomas Durham Madkins freed her and nine "Negro" children by Mecklenburg County, Virginia deed, the boys at age twenty-one and the girls at age eighteen. They may have been her children or near relations [DB 6:256]. Perhaps she was the mother of

i. Charles, born 15 February 1765, called "Charles late the property of Thomas Durham Madkins" when he testified on 20 January 1787 at the trial of Dick who was also freed by Madkins by 12 October 1782 deed of emancipation. Charles testified that he was living at Billey Stewart's when Dick asked him to accompany him to Mr. Joseph Royster's where Dick shot and killed a slave named Tom who belonged to James Hester. Dick was sent for trial at the General Court in Richmond [Orders 1784-7, 648]. He was probably the emancipated slave named Charles who was taxable in Ephraim Drew's Mecklenburg County household in 1790 and 1792. He married Mary Fortune, 10 March 1794 Warren County bond, Randolph Row surety. He called himself Charles Durham when he witnessed (making his mark) the deed for 50 acres of land from John Chavis Walden to Susannah Mayo on 25 December 1797 [DB 9:431-2]. Charles Durham was a "Free Negro" taxable in Mecklenburg County from 1810 to 1820 [PPTL, 1782-1805, frames 318, 441; 1806-28, frames 161, 235, 259, 335, 386, 503, 702] and head of a Mecklenburg County household of 2 "free colored" in 1820 [VA:165a].

ii. Dick, born 15 November 1766, probably executed at Richmond City where he was sent for trial in 1787 for murdering a slave named Tom [Orders 1784-7, 648].

iii. Bett, born 7 July 1768.

iv. Beck, born 17 January 1771.

v. Peg, born 15 September 1773.

vi. Jacob¹, born 9 February 1776.

vii. Ben, born 25 May 1778.

viii. Ann, born 11 March 1779.

ix. Maria, born about 1779, a "Negro" woman about thirteen or fourteen years old on 3 November 1792 when Thomas Durham Madkins emancipated her by Mecklenburg County deed [DB 8:246-7]. She was probably the mother of Henry Durham who was bound by the Mecklenburg County court to Alexander Gillespie on 19 September 1814. On 20 February 1815 she complained that Gillespie was misusing Henry. She may also have been the mother of Hannah and Nancy Durham who were bound to Thomas Gillespie and his wife on 19 September 1814 [Orders 1813-15, 270, 281, 329]..

 

2.    Squire Durham, born about 1769, was a "Negro" slave about twenty-three years old on 3 November 1792 when Thomas Durham Madkins emancipated him and Maria, a "Negro" woman aged about thirteen or fourteen years old, by Mecklenburg County, Virginia deed [DB 8:246-7]. He was taxable in Mecklenburg County from 1806 to 1820: taxable with his son Stephen in 1810, identified as a "Free Negro" from 1811 to 1820 [PPTL, 1806-28, frames 7, 109, 187, 235, 335, 386, 702]. He was head of a Mecklenburg County, Virginia household of 2 "free colored" in 1820 [VA:165a]. He was the father of

i. Stephen, born about 1794, head of a Mecklenburg County household of a "free colored" man with 3 female slaves in 1820 [VA:159b].

 

Other members of the Durham family were

i. Sarah, married Charles Hood, 28 June 1786 Mecklenburg County, Virginia bond, James Willis surety.

ii. Thomas, born say 1796, a "Free Negro" taxable in Mecklenburg County from 1813 to 1815 [PPTL, 1806-28, frames 335, 503].

iii. James, married Mary Pettiford, 31 December 1813 Granville County bond, head of a County Line, Granville County, North Carolina household of 5 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:35].

iv. Jacob², born 1794-1806, head of Halifax County, North Carolina household of 2 "free colored" in 1830.

v. John, married Mary Pettiford, 30 December 1822 Granville County bond.

vi. Rosa, married William Pettiford, 30 December 1822 Granville County bond.

 

DUTCHFIELD FAMILY

1.    Elizabeth¹ Dutchfield, born say 1728, was the white servant of John Gibbon of Yorkhampton Parish on 21 November 1748 when the York County court presented her for having a "Mulatto" child. She confessed to the offense and the court ordered that she pay a fine of 15 pounds currency or be sold for five years [Judgments & Orders 1746-52, 141, 146, 157, 365]. She may have been the mother of

i. Jane, born say 1748, a "poor orphan" living in Yorkhampton Parish on 21 February 1763 when the court ordered her bound as an apprentice [Judgments & Orders 1759-63, 470].

ii. James, born say 1750, head of a Williamsburg household of 1 white (free) person in 1782 [VA:46].

iii. Elizabeth², born about 1767, bound out by the churchwardens of Yorkhampton Parish by order of the York County court on 21 December 1772 [Orders 1772-4, 171]. On 7 May 1793 the Hustings Court of Petersburg dismissed her complaint that John Majeville was refusing to maintain her five bastard children which she alleged he was the father of, and the court ordered her children John, Polly and Jenny bound out as apprentices. On 6 January 1794 the court bound her son John as a baker to John Dudgeon, and on 9 May 1795 Sarah Nicholas's slave named Alley was charged with breaking and entering Elizabeth's house and stealing a trunk and 15 dollars [Orders 1791-7, 79, 105, 145a]. Elizabeth registered in Petersburg on 18 August 1794: a light brown Mulatto woman, five feet two inches high, about twenty seven years old, born free in York Town. re-recorded 13 June 1810 with her three children. Her son John Majeville Dutchfield registered on 14 January 1802: a light brown Free Mulatto man, son of Betty Dutchfield, a free Mulatto woman, five feet seven and a half inches high, twenty one Christmas last, born free & raised in the Town of Petersburg [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, nos. 27, 221]. She was apparently married to Samuel Brown, a cooper in Petersburg in 1803 when she was listed in his household as Betsy Brown with her children [List of People of Color in Petersburg 1803, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. Samuel Brown registered in Petersburg on 19 June 1810: a dark brown Mulatto man, five feet four inches high, forty years old, born free in Charles City County [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 614].

 

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