ROBERTS FAMILY

Members of the Roberts family in Virginia were

1     i. Mary¹, born say 1664.

ii. Thomas¹, born say 1668, a "mollotta" servant bound by indenture to William Wise of York County, Virginia, who had twenty-seven months more to serve on 26 January 1690/1, but the York County court added another twenty-two months to his time for running away with Wise's Portuguese servant John Sherly between 18 August 1690 and 1 January 1690/1. Wise's account of the charges he had incurred while taking them up included expenses at New Castle and passage to and from Philadelphia. Thomas was the servant of Ralph Walker on 24 November 1693 when his suit against William Wise was dismissed by the court [DOW 8:527-8, 536; 9:269].

 

1.    Mary¹ Roberts, born say 1664, was living in Elizabeth City County on 17 June 1724 when the court granted her petition to be levy free [Orders 1724-30, 34]. She may have been the ancestor of

2     i. Mary², born say 1685.

3     ii. John¹, born say 1710.

iii. Judith, born say 1718, a "Moletto" who Thomas Crips failed to list as one of his tithables in York County in December 1735 [OW 18:245].

4     iv. Margaret, born say 1725.

v. Daniel, born say 1725, a "Mulatto" son of "a Free Woman," who sued Charles Hansford, Jr., in York County court in March 1746 for holding him in servitude, apparently after he had completed his indenture. The court declared him a free man [WI 19:424].

5     vi. Joseph¹, born say 1730.

vii. Esther, born say 1752, a free Negro woman, the wife of Stepney Blue who ran away from his owner, Nathan Yancy of York County, in 1774 [Virginia Gazette of 29 September 1774, Purdie and Dixon edition, p. 3, col. 3].

6     viii. James³, born say 1753.

ix. Joseph², a "free Negro" taxable in Isle of Wight County from 1783 to 1803: taxable on his own tithe, a horse and 2 cattle in 1783; taxable on 2 tithes from 1802 to 1804; called Joseph Rober(t)son in 1791, 1795, 1796 and 1798 [PPTL 1782-1810, frames 36, 93, 153, 251, 399, 422, 500, 664].

x. Elizabeth born about 1761, registered in York County on 20 August 1827: a mulatto woman about 66 years of age 5 feet 3/4 inches high much pitted with the small pox, teeth project a good deal [Guardians' Accounts, 1823-46, end of book, Register of Free Negroes, No. 241].

xi. Hester, born about 1765, registered in York County on 17 September 1810: a dark woman abt. 45 years of age 5 feet 3^1/2" Inches high [Register of Free Negroes 1798-1831, no.56].

xii. Nancy, born about 1765, registered in York County on 16 December 1822: a bright Mulatto woman aged about 57 or 58 years, five feet four Inches and one Quarter high, with woolly hair [Register of Free Negroes 1798-1831, no.176]. She was taxable on a horse in York County in 1795 [PPTL 1782-1841, frame 212] and head of a York County household of 7 "other free" and 2 slaves in 1810 [VA:882].

xiii. Elizabeth, born about 1771, registered in York County on 17 May 1819: a Mulatto person nearly forty eight years of age five feet four & a half inch high, has long bushy hair inclined to curl...Born free [Guardians' Accounts, 1780-1823, following the index, No. 109].

xiv. Patsy², born about 1772, registered in York County on 16 December 1822: about 50 years of age 5 feet 1^1/2" inch high [Register of Free Negroes 1798-1831, no.177].

xv. Elizabeth/ Betsey, born about 1773, registered in York County on 18 August 1823: a Mulatto woman about 50 years of age 5 feet 2 inches high...has bushy hair and is turning grey. Born free [Guardians' Accounts, 1780-1823, following the index, No. 211].

 

2.    Mary² Roberts, born say 1685, was a "Molatto" presented by the York County court on 15 November 1735 for not listing herself as a tithable [OW 18:237, 245]. Her 19 September 1749 York County will was proved on 20 November 1749. She left seven head of cattle, a bed and furniture to her son Matthew, left the same to her daughter Ann Robbards, and divided the remainder of her estate between her children Matthew Robbards, Ann Robbards, Anthony Robbards, Mary Clark, Elizabeth Cannady, Margaret Wilson and Sarah Banks. Her son Anthony Robbards was her executor [W&I 20:163-4]. Her children were

7     i. Ann, born say 1709.

ii. Mary³, born say 1711, presented by the York County court on 17 November 1729 for having an illegitimate child. On 17 May 1731 the court dismissed her petition against John Mundell that he was the father of her bastard children. On 20 December 1731 she was presented for having a bastard child on the information of the churchwardens of Yorkhampton Parish, and on 21 August 1732 her mother Mary Roberts was her security for payment of the fine. She was called Mary Roberts, "a Molatto living at Chiscake," on 15 November 1735 when she was presented by the York County court for not listing herself as a tithable [OW 17:5, 13, 27, 161, 248, 273, 295, 308; W&I 18:237, 245]. She had married a member of the Clark family before 19 September 1749 when her mother made her will.

iii. Matthew, born say 1715, living in Yorkhampton Parish when he was presented by the York County court on 19 November 1770 for failing to list himself as a tithable and on 15 November 1773 for absenting himself from his parish church [Judgments & Orders 1770-2, 105, 337; 1772-4, 438, 443]. He was called a "free negro" on 16 December 1773 when he received a certificate for bounty land for serving as a soldier in the 1^st Virginia Regiment in the French and Indian War [Crozier, Virginia colonial militia, 1651-1776, 28].

iv. Sarah Banks, born say 1717, perhaps the wife of John Banks who was presented by the York County court on 17 November 1735 for not listing his "Molatto" wife as a tithable [W&I 18:237, 245].

v. Elizabeth Cannady, probably the wife of Joseph Cannady who was presented by the York County court on 15 December 1735 for not listing his wife Betty as a tithable [OW 18:245].

vi. Margaret Wilson, born say 1720.

8     vii. Anthony, born say 1723.

 

3.    John¹ Roberts, born say 1710, made his mark as witness to the 14 February ____ Northampton County, North Carolina deed of Philemon and Ann Maurice to Sebastian Squire which was proved in May 1745 [DB 1:189]. He was living in Southampton County on 14 May 1752 when he was sued by the executors of John Person and on 12 September the same year when he was sued by Thomas Tabor. Both suits were dismissed. On 13 June 1754 he was one of fourteen heads of household who were sued in Southampton County court by William Bynum (informer) for failing to pay the discriminatory tax on (his wife?) Martha Roberts and fined 500 pounds of tobacco on testimony of James Kindred [Orders 1749-54, 224, 266, 319, 496, 510-11; Judgment Papers 1752-5, frames 486-7; Orders 1754-9, 24]. He was in Northampton County in January 1762 when he voted in the election. Administration on his Northampton County estate was granted to William Arington in May 1764 on £100 bond with John Dancy and Arthur Hart securities [NCGSJ XII:170, 171; XIV:157]. (Arthur Hart lived on land adjoining Cypress Swamp in the part of Northampton County which is near present-day Greensville County). John may have been the father of

9     i. James¹, born say 1734.

ii. Thomas², born say 1740, taxable in the Lunenburg County list of Edmund Taylor for St. James Parish in 1764 [Bell, Sunlight on the Southside, 257]. This part of Lunenburg County became Mecklenburg County in 1765 and Thomas was counted there in 1782 as a "Mulatto" head of a household of 5 persons [VA:34].

 

4.    Margaret Roberts, born say 1725, left a 6 June 1789 Northampton County, North Carolina will, proved in September 1794, by which she gave 2 shillings to each of her children Ishmael, James, and John Roberts, Mary Roberts, Faitha Scott, Christian Stewart, Phebe Roberts, Hannah Roberts, Milla Anderson, and Elizabeth Roberts and gave the remainder of her estate to her daughter Delpha Roberts. She named her daughter Delpha and (her son-in-law) Jeremiah Anderson executors [WB 2:54]. Her children were

10   i. Ishmael¹, born say 1750.

ii. James⁵, born say 1756, in the roll of Major Hardy Murfree's Company in the 2^nd North Carolina Battalion commanded by Colonel John Patton at White Plains on 9 September 1778. William Faircloth received his final pay of £25 [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XIII:521; XVII:244].

iii. ?Kinchen¹, born say 1758, enlisted in Brinkley's Company of the 3^rd North Carolina Regiment in 1777 for 2^1/2 years and died on 10 March 1778. H. Montfort received his final pay of , 31 [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XVI:1143; XVII:242]. On 29 September 1784 his heir Ishmael Roberts received 640 acres of military bounty land for his 84 months service in the Revolution [N.C. Archives, S.S. file no. 01, http://archives.ncdcr.gov/doc/search-doc].

11   iv. John², born say 1759.

v. Mary⁵.

vi. Faitha Scott.

vii. Christian Stewart.

viii. Phebe Roberts.

ix. Hannah Roberts.

x. Milla Stewart.

xi. Elizabeth Roberts.

xii. Delpha Roberts.

 

5.   Joseph¹ Roberts, born say 1740, was a godparent with Charles Blizzard and Hannah Felts for the 1 March 1752 Albemarle Parish baptism of Stephen Kersey [Register of Albemarle Parish, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/376749, film 30161, image 132]. In 1772 he was paid ,.6 by the Surry County, Virginia estate of Captain William Seward for services, and he paid the estate ,1.13 for sundries from Williamsburg [WB 12:94]. He was head of a Surry County household of 8 free persons in the 1782 census [VA:43] and no "whites" in 1784 [VA:79]. His wife Hannah Banks was the heir of Matthew Banks from whom she received part of 75 acres. She and her husband Joseph and the other heirs sold this land in Surry County on 22 February 1796 [DB 1792-99, 344]. He was security for the 31 May 1786 Surry County bond, 1 June 1786 Isle of Wight County marriage of Faithy Banks and James Wilson. He was taxable in Surry County from 1784 to 1813: taxable on Edwin Roberts's tithe from 1788 to 1791; taxable on Joseph Roberts, Jr.'s tithe in 1793; James Roberts's tithe in 1794, 1797, and 1798; John Roberts's tithe in 1799; listed with 2 "free Negroes & Mulattoes above the age of 16" in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-90, frames 384, 393, 430, 505, 582; 1791-1816, 44, 143, 193, 221, 304, 344, 384, 573, 616, 656, 695, 753]. Joseph and Hannah were the parents of

i. ?Edwin, born say 1771, taxable in Surry County from 1788 to 1794 [PPTL 1782-90, frames 505, 582; 1791-1816, 44, 193]. He married Polly Jones, 7 January 1796 Isle of Wight County bond, Thomas Jones surety, and was a "F.N." Isle of Wight County taxable from 1795 to 1807 [PPTL1782-1810, frames 368, 382, 513, 624, 702, 760] and head of a Norfolk County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [VA:38]. He was called a "F.N." in the Isle of Wight County indenture by which Bowling Charity, son of Peggy Charity by a slave, was bound to him on 6 June 1814 [Charity, Bowling (M, 9): Indenture of Apprenticeship, 1814, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

12    ii. ?Joseph³, born in November 1772.

iii. ?Benjamin, born before 1776, head of a Sussex County household of 3 "free colored" in 1830.

iv. James⁷, born about November 1777, registered in Surry County on 28 April 1801: bright complexion, 5'7^1/2" high, pretty straight & square made, aged about 23^1/2 years, he is son of Joseph & Hannah Roberts free persons of this county [Back of Guardian Accounts Book, 1783-1804, no.129]. He was taxable in his father's Surry County household in 1794, 1797 and 1798 [PPTL, 1791-1816, 193, 304, 344] and was a "F.N." taxable in Isle of Wight County from 1803 to 1805 [PPTL 1782-1810, frames 624, 641, 702]. He was probably the James Roberts who registered in Petersburg on 3 July 1822: 5 feet 7 inches high, 46 years of age, bright complexion...by Trade a Waterman. Born free per certificate of registry from the clerk of the city of Richmond. His wife was apparently Milly Roberts who registered the same day: 5 feet 2 inches high, 40 years of age, bright complexion...Emancipated by the will of W^m Wright of Mathews County recorded in Petersburg. James died before 1 January 1825 when his wife Amelia Roberts's son registered: Joseph Jenkins, sixteen years old March next, rather above 5 feet 6 inches high, light complexion, grisley or reddish brown hair, born free & is a son of Amelia Roberts, a free woman under whose charge he now is [Register of Free Negroes, 1819-33, nos. 1187, 1188, 1362]. He made a Petersburg deed of gift of a half acre lot (no. 27) in the Powhatan section of Petersburg to his wife Amelia Roberts on 1 August 1817. And he purchased lot no. 59 in Petersburg on the beach from the estate of William Calvin for $1,000 on 12 April 1818 and mortgaged this to the estate on 6 May 1818 [DB 5:170, 295, 344]. He was listed as a sailor with Amelia, a laborer, and children Uriah, Joseph, Jn^o, Betsy, James, W^m, Henry and Sally in the 1821 List of Free People of Color in Petersburg [List of People of Color in the Town of Petersburg (p.7), 1821, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. He was a "colored" man who died before 25 January 1823 when his estate was inventoried in Petersburg [WB 2:195]. From 20 June 1828 to 10 September 1828 Amelia sold her property in Petersburg which included lot 59 in the part of the city called Sandy Beach ($130), lot 27 in Pocahantas ($300) and her deed of trust for the lighter The Milton, valued at $300 [DB 8:164, 172, 179]. And in 1829 Amelia (age 45), Joseph (20), and Amelia's other children emigrated to Liberia from Petersburg aboard the ship Harriet [http://fold3.com/image/46670283]. According to Joseph Jenkins Roberts's biography, he was born of free parents in Norfolk County on 15 March 1809. His father (or stepfather) James Roberts died in 1823, and he emigrated to Liberia with his widowed mother, two younger brothers, and two younger sisters in 1829. He established one of the most prosperous trading firms in Liberia. He was Liberia's first African American governor in 1841 and its first president in 1847 [Huberich, Political and Legislative History of Liberia, 1:770-71, by Wiley, Slaves No More].

v. John⁴, born in October 1780, registered in Surry County on 30 April 1802: (son of Joseph Roberts) a mulatto man, who is 5'5^1/2" high, aged about 21 years last October... bright complexion, rather bushy hair, straight and well made and by trade a planter [Back of Guardian Accounts Book 1783-1804, no.137]. He was taxable in his father's Surry County household in 1799 [PPTL 1791-1816, frame 384] and a "F.N." taxable in Isle of Wight County from 1802 to 1807 [PPTL1782-1810, frames 565, 624, 641, 702, 741, 760].

vi. William³, born 5 April 1789, registered in Surry County on 23 February 1808: a son of Joseph and Hannah Roberts late of this county a Mulattoe Man who is of a lite complexion, aged about 19 years the 5 April next, 5'6-1/4" high, stout & well made has long hair [Hudgins, Surry County Register of Free Negroes, 36].

vii. ?Patsy, mother of Edwin and Merit Roberts who were bound to Edwin Roberts by the Isle of Wight County court in October 1829 [Roberts, Edwin (M): Indenture of Apprenticeship, 1830, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

 

6.    James³ Roberts, born about 1753, and his wife Jane, "Mulattoes," were living in Charles Parish, York County, on 20 June 1773 when the birth of their son James was recorded [Bell, Charles Parish Registers, 163]. He was taxable in York County from 1784 to 1814: taxable on a slave in 1795 and 1805, taxable on 3 "free Negroes & mulattoes over 16" in 1813, taxable on 2 free male tithables over 21 in 1814 [PPTL 1782-1841, frames 92, 394, 411] and head of a York County household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [VA:881] and 5 "free colored" in 1820 [VA:159]. He registered in York County on 16 December 1822: a dark Mulatto about sixty-nine years old, 5 feet 2^1/2" inches high [Register of Free Negroes 1798-31, no.151]. His son was

i. James⁶, born 20 June 1773, baptized 1 August in Charles Parish.

 

7.    Ann Roberts, born say 1709, confessed to the York County court on 18 May 1741 that she had an illegitimate child [W&I 19:12-3] and may have been the mother of "poor orphans" named James and Mary Roberts who were ordered bound out by the churchwardens of Bruton Parish on 16 May 1748. And she may have been identical to _____ Roberts (damaged order book page), a "free Mulatto" who was living in Bruton Parish on 19 August 1751 when the court ordered the churchwardens to bind her daughter Patt to John Peale [Judgments & Orders 1746-52, 83, 451]. She may have been the mother of

i. Pat¹, born say 1743, ordered bound apprentice to John Peale in Bruton Parish on 19 August 1751.

ii. James², born say 1745, a "poor orphan" living in York County on 16 May 1748 and 17 December 1750 when the court ordered the churchwardens of Bruton Parish to bind him out [Judgments & Orders 1746-52, 83, 380], perhaps identical to James Maclin, alias Roberts, born say 1745, who was added to the list of tithables in Elizabeth City County on 7 November 1764 [Court Records 1760-9, 262].

iii. Mary⁴, born say 1747, ordered bound out by the churchwardens of Bruton Parish on 16 May 1748.

 

8.    Anthony Roberts, born say 1723, was executor of the 19 September 1749 York County will of his mother Mary Roberts and was granted administration on the 18 November 1751 York County estate of Margaret Jasper, deceased [W&I 20:163-4; Judgments & Orders 1749-53, 483]. He was called "Anthony Roberds Mulatto" when his payment of 5 shillings was entered in the account of the York County estate of John Peters which was recorded in court on 15 September 1760 [W&I 21:20]. The York County court presented him on 20 May 1765 and 17 June 1771 for not attending Yorkhampton Parish Church and on 17 November 1766 for not listing his son as a tithable. He and Francis Peters were sued for debt on 18 April 1768, and he was sued for a debt of 30 shillings on 16 July 1770. He was presented on 19 November 1770, 15 November 1773, and 21 November 1774 for failing to list himself as a tithable [Judgments & Orders 1763-5, 374, 448; Orders 1765-8, 161, 206, 207, 499; 1770-2, 14, 105, 211, 337; 1772-4, 436, 442, 443; 1774-84, 66, 73]. He was listed in the muster of Captain John Camp's Company of the 1^st State Regiment commanded by Colonel George Gibson on 12 November 1777: enlisted for 3 years, and in the payroll of Captain Charles Ewell's Company on May 1779: listed next to Anthony Peters [NARA, M-246, roll 94, frames 67, 418, 671, 677, of 1421]. On 22 April 1783 he received a certificate from Captain Ab. Crump that he had served since January 1777 until his discharge [Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants, Roberts, Anthony, Digital Collection, LVA]. He was taxable on a slave and 2 horses in 1783; presented by the York County court in 1785 for failing to list his tithables; taxable on a tithe, a slave and a horse in 1788; taxable on a horse but exempt from personal tax in 1789; taxable on a free tithable and a horse in 1790; a slave in 1793, a horse in 1801 and 1802, and a free tithe and 2 horses in 1803 [PPTL, 1782-1841, frames 72, 111, 144, 154, 164, 258, 267, 279, 289]. (His son?) William Roberts and he were sued for debt in York County on 19 July 1784. He was awarded £30 in his suit for trespass, assault and battery against Daniel Lyons on 22 November 1796. James Roberts, David Poe and James Ashby were witnesses [Orders 1784-7, 20; 1795-1803, 136-7]. He left a 6 October 1803 York County will, proved 15 July 1805, by which he appointed his son John Robbards his executor, gave his grandson William Robbards all his estate, and by a 6 June 1805 codicil gave a heifer to his grandson Thomas Hunley and a calf to Margaret Robbards [W&I 23:677-8]. He was the father of

i. ?Hannah, born say 1747, presented by the York County court on 19 November 1770 for selling rum without a license and presented on 15 November 1779 for failing to list her tithables. She was sued by John Cary in 1780 [Judgments & Orders 1770-2, 105; 1774-84, 242, 256].

13   ii. William¹, born say 1744.

iii. John³, born say 1763, taxable in York County from 1784 to 1810 [PPTL 1782-1841, frames 92, 195, 267, 308, 329, 356] and head of a York County household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [VA:881].

iv. ___, born say 1765, mother of Thomas Hunley (born about 1786) who registered in York County on 16 December 1822: a light complected Mulatto about 36 years old... blue eyes has tolerable short hair... Born free [Register of Free Negroes 1798-1831, no. 186]. He may have been related to David Hunley who was presented by the York County court on 15 May 1786 for failing to list himself as a tithable [Orders 1784-7, 322].

 

9.    James¹ Roberts, born say 1734, was "a Mulatto" taxable in Lunenburg County in the St. James Parish list of Edmund Taylor in 1764 [Bell, Sunlight on the Southside, 256]. He purchased 100 acres in Northampton County, North Carolina, on the south side of Mockerson Branch adjoining George Jordan's land on 12 August 1765 and purchased 220 acres on Licking Branch adjoining George Jordan on 7 December 1785. He sold 35 acres of his land adjoining Burwell Jordan to Burwell Jordan of Greensville County on 1 March 1790 [DB 3:408; 10:407; 8:227]. He was taxable in Northampton County on an assessment of £1,810 in 1780 [GA 46.1], head of a household of 4 "other free" and 2 slaves in 1790 [NC:73] and 3 "other free" in 1800 [NC:472]. He left a 3 March 1803 Northampton County will (making his mark), proved in March 1809, by which he left a cow, calf, and bed to Willis Scott; left Jonathan Roberts, William Roberts and Mary Scott (no relationship stated) 10 shillings; and left the remainder of his personal estate to Claxton Roberts. He divided his 325 acre plantation between his sons Lyas (Elias) and Claxton who were to provide for their mother Ann Roberts. Jonathan and Claxton were named as executors. Jonathan qualified in March court 1809 [WB 3:14]. Mary was head of a Northampton County household of 4 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:256]. Their children were

14   i. James⁴, born say 1755.

15   ii. Jonathan¹, born say 1759.

iii. William², born say 1760, head of a Northampton County household of 1 "other free" in 1790 [NC:73], 7 in 1800 [NC:473], and 9 in 1810 [NC:743]. Administration on his estate was granted to Silas Long on bond of £500 by the 2 December 1817 Northampton County court [Minutes 1817-21, 60].

iv. Mary⁴ Scott.

v. Elias¹, born say 1760, called Elias Roberts "of Northampton County," when he received voucher nos. 569 and 9938 in Halifax District for a total of £19 on 22 July 1782 and 3 August 1784 for military service in the Revolution [North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, http://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-54DN, Roberts, Elias]. He was head of a Northampton County household of 4 "other free" in 1790 [NC:73], 11 in 1800 [NC:473], and 15 "other free" and 2 slaves in 1810 [NC:743]. On 3 June 1816 he and Stephen Walden were sureties in Northampton County court for a bond of £250 for Elisha Byrd to administer the estate of James Byrd [Minutes 1813-16, n.p.].

vi. Claxton, married Mason Reed, 29 January 1793 Southampton County bond, James Sweat surety, John Brooks witness, and was head of a Northampton County household of 4 "other free" in 1800 [NC:473] and 9 "other free" and a slave in 1810 [NC:743].

 

10.    Ishmael¹ Roberts, born say 1750, served in Shepherd's Company of the 10^th North Carolina Regiment, enlisted on 3 June 1777 and was omitted as a casualty in June 1778 [NARA, M881, Roll 784, frame 485 of 837; http://fold3.com/image/21163844]. He received pay for Revolutionary War service from 3 June 1777 to 3 June 1778 as a private in Colonel Abraham Shepherd's Company. Colonel Shepherd gave him a certificate which stated that he was furloughed at Head Quarters Valley Forge to come home with me who was Inlisted in my Regement for the Term of three years - and Returned Home with me [NCGSJ XV:105]. He was head of a Robeson County household of 10 "other free" in 1790 [NC:50], 15 in 1800 [NC:415], and 14 in Chatham County in 1810 [NC:195]. He entered 100 acres in Robeson County on the north side of Saddle Tree Swamp on 5 September 1787, 100 acres on the north side of Five Mile Branch, 100 acres on the east side of Raft Swamp on 14 February 1788, and 100 acres on the west side of Five Mile Branch on 22 January 1793 [Pruitt, Land Entries: Robeson County, I:7, 13, 70]. He was granted 100 acres in Robeson on both sides of a prong of Five Mile Branch on 18 December 1794 [Land Patent Book 86:57, http://nclandgrants.com]. On 11 December 1800 he sold 185 acres on the east side of Saddletree Swamp for $500: land originally patented by Thomas Ivy, Jr., purchased by Ishmael, sold by Ishmael to Ethelred Newsom, and repurchased by Ishmael [DB K:77]. He purchased land by deed proved in Robeson County on 6 July 1803 [Minutes I:256]. On 18 February 1804 he purchased two tracts of land in Chatham County: one of 250 acres on Bear and Bush Creeks for $450 and the second of 100 acres on the waters of the Cape Fear River for $150, and he purchased a further 57 acres on Bush Creek for £75 on 9 January 1805 [DB N:456, 437; M:641]. The sheriff sold 260 acres of this land on 12 February 1808 for a debt of about £16 [DB P:118]. However, Ishmael repurchased this same 260 acre tract for about £17 on 14 August 1811. And he purchased 102 acres on Little Lick Creek on 10 April 1818 [DB S:26; V:131]. On 8 and 12 February 1825 he sold (signing) most of his land to his sons: Richard, James, and Aaron [DB AB:166, 221; AA:275]. By his 12 July 1826 Chatham County will, he left his land on the west side of Bush Creek to his wife Silvey and then to his grandson Ishmael, oldest son of Zachariah. He also left $1 to a list of persons, no relationship stated (who were identified as his children in his May 1829 Estate Papers), willed that his land where John Archie (Archer, his son-in-law) was living was to be sold and divided among his wife and a second list of persons (which included members of the first list), no relationship stated, and left $20 for the schooling of his grandson Thomas Roberts [CR 022.801.16]. When the will was offered for probate in the Tuesday, May 1827 session of the Chatham County court, the jury ruled that it was his will as regards his personal property but not as regards his real estate [Minutes 1822-27, n.p.]. A committee was appointed to settle the issue, and their report was recorded in the Monday, May 1828 session [Minutes 1828-33]. His estate papers listed seventeen persons and called them his children, but at least two of them, Ishmael and Elias, were probably his grandchildren [N.C. Archives Estate Papers, Chatham County]. The fifteen other persons named in his will and estate papers were

16   i. Ethelred, born say 1780.

ii. Zachariah, born say 1782, father of Ishmael² Roberts who was not yet twenty-one years old when his grandfather wrote his July 1816 will. Zachariah's wife Mary Roberts and their son Ishmael were named in the 20 December 1820 Robeson County will of her father Ethelred Newsom [WB 1:325].

iii. Kinchen³, born say 1784, head of a Chatham County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [NC:195]. On 15 August 1821 he purchased 154 acres in Chatham County on the south side of the Cape Fear River near the Ferry Road and Drake's land for $430 and sold this land seven years later on 25 December 1828 for $200. On 3 April 1829 he sold the 150 acres on Bush Creek which he received as one of the heirs of (his father?) Ishmael Roberts [DB X:320; AB:134, 186]. He was head of a Lost Creek Township, Vigo County, Indiana household in 1850: a 65-year-old "Black" man, born in Virginia, with $3,000 estate, living with 58-year-old Nancy Roberts who was born in North Carolina [Household no. 202].

iv. Jonathan², born say 1784, head of a Robeson County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [NC:241]. He entered 100 acres in Robeson County on 1 January 1810 [Pruitt, Land Entries: Robeson County, vol. II, no.162] and was living in Cumberland County when his father's estate papers were proved in May 1829 Chatham County court.

v. Elizabeth, born say 1788, married John Archie, perhaps the Betsey Roberts who had an illegitimate child by Barna Stewart before the August 1805 session of the Chatham County court when Barna was ordered to pay for the child's support [Minutes 1805-10, 41].

vi. Benjamin, born say 1792, married Sally Archer, 30 June 1817 Orange County, North Carolina bond, Jesse Archer bondsman. He was one of the freeholders (or son of one) who was ordered to work on the road from Deep River to Little Lick Creek in Chatham County in May 1817 [Minutes 1811-18, 60]. Benjamin was head of a Chatham County household of 6 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:192] and 6 in Orange County, Indiana, in 1840. He and his wife Sally obtained free papers in Chatham County on 6 November 1824 and recorded them in Orange County, Indiana, on 11 February 1833 [Orange County Recorder Office Deeds D:433-4].

vii. Elias², born say 1793, obtained free papers in Chatham County on 10 February 1823 which stated that he was married to Nancy Archie, the daughter of Thomas Archie, and that they had been living in Chatham County for twenty-three years. Elias recorded his free papers in Orange County, Indiana, on 20 February 1833 [DB D:432].

viii. Aaron, born say 1795, married Jary Teary (Terry), 10 October 1816 Robeson County bond, William Carter bondsman. He purchased 100 acres in Chatham County from his father for $150 on 12 February 1825 [DB AA:275]. On 13 April 1830 he obtained Chatham County "free papers" in which the clerk stated that he was a "free man of color," the son of Ishmael Roberts, an old Revolutionary soldier who served under Colonel Shepherd. Aaron had a wife named Sarah, the daughter of Edward (Etheldred) Newsom, another "free man of color" who served in the Revolution, and a daughter named Candassa [Owen County DB 3:280]. Sarah was named in her father's 20 December 1820 Robeson County, North Carolina will [WB 1:325]. Their daughter Candace married John Harper on 15 December 1842 in Owen County [DB B:179]. Aaron was head of a Washington Township, Owen County, Indiana household of 3 "free colored" in 1830 [IN:19] and 5 in 1840 [IN:33].

ix. Margaret Leucus (Locus), born say 1799, married Isham Lucas, 26 August 1820 Robeson County bond, Ethelred Newsom surety, and was living in Robeson County when her father's estate was settled in May 1829 in Chatham County.

x. James¹⁰, born say 1800, married Polly Stewart, 12 February 1822 Chatham County bond, Thomas Cottrell bondsman. He purchased 62^1/2 acres in Chatham County on the south side of the Cape Fear River on Bush Creek from his father for $150 on 8 February 1825 [DB AB:166] and sold land by deed proved in Chatham County on Wednesday, May 1837 session [Minutes 1833-41].

xi. Richard³, born say 1802, purchased 100 acres in Chatham County on Bush Creek from his father for $400 on 8 February 1825 [DB AB:221]. The Thursday session of the August 1821 Chatham County court ordered him to support his child by Elleky Evans [Minutes 1805-10]. He married ___ Bird, 14 December 1827 Chatham County bond, John Archy bondsman. His wife was probably the daughter of Josiah Bird, head of a Chatham County household of 8 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:211]. He sold land by deed proved in Chatham County on Wednesday, May 1837 term [Minutes 1833-41] and may have been the Richard Roberts who was head of a Ripley Township, Rush County, Indiana household of 5 "free colored" in 1840.

xii. Mary⁶.

xiii. Delphy, born say 1810, married to Henry Trevan before February 1830 when the deed for land they inherited from Ishmael Roberts was proved in Chatham County [Minutes 1828-33].

xiv. Rebecca.

xv. Lewis.

xvi. "Pardon Boin," one of the earliest settlers of the town of Spencer, Owen County, Indiana, where he purchased Lot numbers 251, 261, 119, 105, 228, 126, 5, 52, and 53 between August 1825 and June 1831. He received a patent for 40 acres in Lafayette Township in 1836 and was called Bowen Roberts when he purchased land from the other heirs of Ishmael Roberts by deed proved in Chatham County court in the Monday, February 1830 session [Minutes 1828-33]. Before travelling back to Owen County, he obtained "free papers" in Chatham County on 1 March 1830 and recorded them in Owen County on 31 October 1831. They named his wife Elizabeth and daughter Patsy and stated that he was the son of Ishmael Roberts, Sr., an "old revolutionary" who had been living in Chatham County upwards of twenty years. They also mentioned Ishmael's widow Silvia and her daughter Rebecca [DB 3:279]. Pardon was head of an Owen County household of 5 "free colored" in 1830 [IN:19].

 

11.    John² Roberts, born say 1759, served in the Revolution and had final pay of £145 which was received by H. Murfree [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XVII:244]. He received military warrant no. 3961 of 640 acres for serving in the 1^st North Carolina Regiment from July 1776 to July 1780 and assigned his rights to the warrant to Hardy Murfree on 10 May 1786 [North Carolina and Tennessee, Revolutionary War Land Warrants, 1783-1843, Roll 06: Revolutionary Warrants, 1783-1799 (Nos. 3716-4134), frames 346-7 of 597, ancestry.com]. He was a single man in 1780 when he was taxable on an assessment of £350 in Northampton County [GA 46.1] and was head of a Northampton County household of 8 "other free" in 1790 [NC:73]. He purchased 6 acres on the east side of Cypress Swamp in Northampton County on 9 September 1791 [DB 10:66]. On 20 January 1798 he purchased 400 acres in Chatham County on the south prong of Lick Creek for £140 and sold 222^1/2 acres of this land on 17 January 1819 [DB J:285; X:230]. This was land which bordered the part of Orange County which became Durham County in 1881. He was head of a Chatham County household of 14 "other free" in 1800 and 10 in 1810 [NC:214]. Perhaps his widow was Molley Roberts, born before 1776, head of a Person County household of 7 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:498]. His children may have been

i. Polley, married Moses Archer, 23 April 1813 Orange County bond, Mathias Milton and Moses Bass bondsmen. Moses Archie was head of a Chatham County household of 4 "other free" in 1820 [NC:192].

ii. Joseph³, born 1776-94, head of a Person County household of 4 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:498].

 

12.    Joseph³ Roberts, born in November 1772, registered in Surry County, Virginia, on 17 August 1797: a mulatto man aged 25 years old next Novemr. pretty bright complection, about 5'5" high pretty stout and well made, short hair [Back of Guardian Accounts Book, 1783-1804, no.26] and was taxable in Surry County in 1791, 1793 and 1798: his tax charged to Richard Scammell in 1791 and 1798, listed with Joseph Roberts in 1793 [PPTL, 1791-1816, frames 44, 143, 347]. He married Elizabeth Charity, 17 May 1802 Surry County bond, David Charity, father of Elizabeth, surety, and registered again in Surry County at the age of 61 on 28 July 1834 [Hudgins, Surry County Register of Free Negroes, 117]. He was the father of

i. Nancy, born about 1808, registered in Surry County on 28 June 1830: daughter of Lizza Roberts of Surry County, born of free parents, about 22 years of age, bright complexion, 5'4" high [Hudgins, Surry County Register of Free Negroes, 89].

ii. Josiah, born about 1826, registered in Surry County on 23 June 1828: son of Joseph Roberts and Eliza his wife free persons of this County, bright complexion, 5'6-3/4" high, about 22 years of age [Hudgins, Surry County Register of Free Negroes, 86].

iii. David J., born about 1804, married Ann Cannady, 27 December 1826 Surry County bond, David Debrix surety. He registered in Surry County on 28 July 1834: son of Joseph Roberts and Elizabeth his wife, a bright mulatto man aged about 30 years, 5'8^1/2" high [Hudgins, Surry County Register of Free Negroes, 117].

 

13.    William¹ Roberts, born say 1744, husband of Milly (Maclin?) Roberts, "free Mulattos," registered the 22 March 1765 birth of their son Macklin in Bruton Parish, James City and York counties [Bruton Parish Register, 29]. The York County court presented him on 6 May 1765 for not listing his wife as a tithable, but the case was dismissed after he paid her levy and the court costs. Robert Evans and Thomas Maclin were his securities on 21 July 1766 when he was sued by the executor of Lawson Burfoot for a 55 shilling debt [Judgments & Orders 1763-5, 370; Orders 1765-68, 91]. He was presented by the York County court on 19 November 1770 for failing to list himself as a tithable and for selling rum without a license, and presented on 15 July 1771 for not listing himself as a tithable. Lucretia Maclin sued him on 17 May 1773 for trespass, assault and battery [Judgments & Orders 1770-2, 105, 337; 1772-4, 273]. His widow Mildred was taxable in York County on 1 free tithable in 1782; 1 free tithable, a slave, 2 horses and 7 cattle in 1783: taxable on a slave named Lewis in 1784 and taxable on the tithe of (her son?) Richard Roberts and Lewis Wilson in 1785 [PPTL 1813-24, frames 69, 72, 92, 102]. William and Milly were the parents of

i. Macklin, born 22 March 1765 [Bruton Parish Register, 29], perhaps identical to Godfrey Roberts (named for his grandfather Godfrey Maclin?) who was presented on 15 May 1786 for failing to list himself as a tithable. On 19 May 1800 the York County court ordered him to stand trial in Williamsburg for stealing a horse belonging to George Morris [Orders 1784-7, 322; 1795-1803, 398]. He was taxable in York County from 1788 to 1814 [PPTL 1782-1841, frames 144, 164, 212, 267, 318, 367, 411] and head of a York County household of 9 "other free" in 1810 [VA:881]. Godfrey was deceased on 21 September 1833 when Anselm Bailey of Henrico County testified that Godfrey enlisted in the Revolution under Colonel Diggs for 3 years and served under Thomas Meriwether. He left daughters Nancy Armfield, Lucy Roberts and Jane Cassaday as well as a son John Roberts, all of York County [Revolutionary War Rejected Claims, Roberts, Godfrey, Digital Collections, LVA]. Godfrey was listed as a landsman on Captain Elliott's pay roll for the galley Safeguard from 1 March 1777 to 16 June 1777 and as a seaman entitled to bounty land for 3 years service [Brumbaugh, Revolutionary War Records, Virginia, 28, 71].

ii. ?Richard¹, born about 1766, taxable in the York County household of Mildred Roberts in 1785, taxable on a horse from 1788 to 1814, taxable on a slave in 1798 [PPTL 1782-1841, frames 102, 144, 164, 239, 258, 279, 299, 318, 342, 367, 394, 411], head of a York County household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [VA:881] and 9 "free colored" in 1820 [VA:159]. He registered in York County on 20 January 1823: light complexion about 56 years of age 5 feet 6-1/4 Inches high...bony face, fine short hair [Register of Free Negroes 1798-31, no.202].

 

14.    James⁴ Roberts, born say 1755, was called the son of James Roberts in a promissory note made on 24 July 1778 by which Jonathan Bowing agreed to pay him £80 for value received. The promissory note was in a small leather-bound notebook which the Roberts family took with them when they moved to Indiana [Roberts Settlement Papers, Library of Congress Manuscript Division; Indiana State Library, MSS: Roberts Settlement #L176]. He was taxable in 1780 in Northampton County on an assessment of £482, including £12.8 cash in hand [GA 46.1]. He purchased 100 acres adjoining James Saul in Northampton County on 20 May 1774 and another 250 acres on the east side of Cates Hole Mill Swamp adjoining George Jordan in 1779. He sold (signing) 215 acres on Cates Hole Swamp adjoining George Jordan to (his brother) Jonathan Roberts on 9 February 1796. He bought another 96^1/2 acres adjoining his own land in 1797 and sold (signing) 125 acres on Cates Hole Swamp on 24 November 1797 [DB 5:321; 6:331; 10:233, 327, 340]. He was head of a Northampton County household of 7 "other free" in 1790 [NC:73], 10 in 1800 [NC:473], 7 "other free" and a slave in 1810 [NC:743], and 8 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:256]. Perhaps his children were

i. Richard², born before 1776, head of a Northampton County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [NC:743] and 9 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:256], perhaps the Richard Roberts who enlisted in Hall's Company of the 2^nd North Carolina Regiment in the Revolution for 3 years on 10 July 1777. He was a wagoner in the roll of Major Hardy Murfree's Company in the 2^nd North Carolina Battalion commanded by Colonel John Patton at White Plains on 9 September 1778 and was a prisoner on 1 June 1779 [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XIII:522; XVI:1142].

ii. Kinchen², born say 1780, head of a Northampton County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [NC:743]. He was among the freeholders of Northampton County who were required to furnish hands for the road from Frederick Stanton's to Nathaniel Stevenson's on 4 March 1816. He was deceased by 3 December 1816 when his wife Lucy was granted administration on his estate with Peter Stewart and Stephen Walden as sureties. On 3 March 1817 the court bound Kinchen's orphans James, Turner, and Harris to (their grandfather?) James Roberts. James Roberts, Drury Walden and Wyatt Taborn were securities for the indenture of the children. Lucy Roberts and Anthony Roberts purchased most of the items at the sale of the estate [North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/457090, film 5187453, image 438].

iii. Katy, married Herbert Scott, 5 January 1816 Northampton County bond, William Sweat bondsman.

iv. Elijah, born 1776-1794, head of a Northampton County household of 3 "free colored" and a female slave under the age of 14 in 1820 [NC:256]. He was one of the freeholders ordered by the Northampton County court to work on a road from Frederick Stanton's to Nathaniel Stevenson's on 4 March 1816 [Minutes 1813-21].

v. Anthony³, born 1795-1806, ordered by the Northampton County court on 7 December 1814 to pay support for a child he had by Elizabeth Walden. He was one of the freeholders ordered by the Northampton County court to work on a road Frederick Stantons to Nathaniel Stevenson's on 4 March 1816 [Minutes 1813-21]. He married Betsey Davenport, 26 March 1816 Northampton County bond, Tom Hughes bondsman, and was head of a Northampton County household of 4 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:256] and 9 "free colored" in Ripley Township, Rush County, Indiana in 1840.

 

15.    Jonathan¹ Roberts, born say 1759, received 18 shillings, 8 pence pay for 7 days service in the Northampton County, North Carolina Militia under Colonel Allen Jones from 1775 to 1776 [Haun, Revolutionary Army Accounts, Journal "A", 20]. He was single in 1780 when he was taxable on a £286 assessment in Northampton County [GA 46.1]. He kept a leather-bound notebook which recorded the birth on 3 June 1782 of Willis Scott, son of Mary Scott, and recorded his payment of £2.9 for schooling for the year 1803 [Roberts Settlement Papers, Library of Congress Manuscript Division; Indiana State Library, MSS: Roberts Settlement #L176]. He may have married Mary Scott because he made a deed of gift to his son Willis Roberts which was proved in Northampton County court on 6 June 1814. However, Jonathan's father James Roberts still referred to Willis as Willis Scott when he left him furniture by his 3 March 1803 Northampton County will [WB 3:14]. Jonathan was head of a Northampton County household of 5 "other free" in 1790 [NC:73], 10 in 1800 [NC:473], and 8 "other free" and a slave in 1810 [NC:743]. He purchased 215 acres on the east side of Cypress Swamp from his brother James on 9 February 1796 and sold (signing) 106 acres of this land on 26 December 1797. He transferred land to his son Willis Roberts by deed filed on 20 July 1814 and to his son Hansel by deed filed on 9 February 1819 [DB 10:233, 362; 17:45; 20:51]. By his 15 July 1820 Northampton County will, proved 4 December 1820, he left his plantation to his wife Mary and then to his son James, and left 5 shillings each to son Willis Roberts, daughter Delila Bass, daughter Delina Demcy, son Ransom Roberts, son Hansel Roberts, and daughter Viny Roberts. He left furniture to his granddaughter Beca Roberts and named son Willis executor [WB 3:241]. His children were

i. Willis, born 3 June 1782, head of a Northampton County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [NC:743] and 11 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:256], received land from his father by deed filed in Northampton County on 20 July 1814, and he transferred land to his brother Hansel by deed filed on 14 December 1833 [DB 17:45; 26:195]. He was head of a Ripley Township, Rush County, Indiana household of 8 "free colored" in 1840.

ii. James⁹, born 1775-96, head of a Northampton County household of 4 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:256]. He married Martha Roberts, 21 November 1824 Northampton County bond, Ransom Roberts bondsman. He died before March court 1826 when Martha received 41 acres adjoining Willis Roberts's land as her widow's dower. (His brother) Ransom was executor of his estate with Hansel Roberts and Cordy Reed as his securities [C.R. 071.508.178].

iii. Delila Bass, perhaps the Delila Bass, born about 1800, who married (second) Benjamin Bass on 7 January 1830 in Owen County, Indiana [DB A:34]. Benjamin was head of an Owen County household of 6 "free colored" in 1830 [IN:22], 9 in 1840 [IN:42] and was living with Delilah in household no. 167 of Marion Township, Owen County, in 1850.

iv. Delina Dempsey.

v. Ransom, born 1775-94, head of a Northampton County household of 4 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:256].

vi. Hansel, married Priscilla Roberts, 25 December 1813 Northampton County bond, Willis Roberts bondsman. received land from his father by deed filed in Northampton County on 9 February 1819, and his brother Willis transferred land to him by deed filed on 14 December 1833 [DB 20:51; 26:195]. He was head of household no. 261 in Jackson Township, Hamilton County, Indiana, in 1850.

vii. Viny.

 

16.    Ethelred Roberts, born say 1780, entered land in Robeson County on 5 March 1801 [Pruitt, Land Entries: Robeson County, vol. II, no.161] and purchased land by deed proved in Robeson County on 8 January 1805 [Minutes I:314]. He was head of a Robeson County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [NC:241], 9 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:321], and was living in Robeson County in May 1829 when his father's Chatham County estate was settled. He was probably named for Ethelred Newsom. He and his wife Dicey were named in the free papers of their son Elias. They were the parents of

i. Elias³, born about 1815, a few months more than fifteen years of age in March 1830 according to free papers which were written for him in Robeson County on 8 June 1834 while he was a resident of Owen County, Indiana. He left Robeson County to go to Indiana with his uncles Aaron Roberts and Pardon Bowen Roberts, the latter of whom resided in Chatham County in 1830. The papers further stated that: the undersigned were well acquainted with the said Elias from his infancy and also with his father Etheldred Roberts... and his wife Dicey... persons of Colour are free born and that they have always sustained the reputation of Honest, industrious persons... he was never indentured or otherwise to either of his uncles [Owen County DB 4:295].

 

Northampton County, Virginia

1.    Elizabeth Roberts, born say 1690, was "a negro" living in Northampton County on 20 December 1715 when she came into court to bind her children John and William Roberts to Thomas Preeson [Orders 1710-16, 235]. Her children were

i. John¹, born say 1708.

ii. William², born say 1710, a "negro" tithable in the Northampton County household of Jonathan Stephens in 1731 and a tithable in John Kendall's household in 1738 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 224, 281]. On 8 October 1734 John Kendall paid a fine for an illegitimate child William had by Elizabeth Carter, "Negroe" [Orders 1732-42, 136]. Perhaps Elizabeth was identical to (his wife?) Elizabeth Roberts who was tithable in his household from 1739 to 1742 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 286, 308, 316, 331]. He won a suit for trespass, assault and battery against Howson Mapp for 5 shillings on 12 November 1740 [Orders 1732-42, 423].

2     iii. ?Mary, born about 1714.

3     iv. ?Sabra, born say 1718.

i. ?Rachel¹, born about 1723, a twelve-year-old "Negroe" bound apprentice in Northampton County to Lydia Luke on 8 July 1735, ordered released from servitude to Jonathan Smith on 8 April 1740 [Orders 1732-42, 167, 395].

ii. ?Esther, born about 1725, ten-year-old "Negroe" bound apprentice in Northampton County to Lydia Luke on 8 July 1735 [Orders 1732-42, 167], ordered released from servitude to Jonathan Smith on 8 April 1740 [Orders 1732-42, 395].

iii. ?Susanna, born say 1727, tithable in the Northampton County household of Joseph Delpeach in 1743 and 1744 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 351, 367]. On 14 December 1743 James Delpeech paid her court costs when she was whipped for bastard bearing. Solomon Wilson sued her for debt, but the case was dismissed at his costs on 14 May 1746 [Orders 1742-8, 136, 327].

 

2.    Mary Roberts, born about 1714, a "free Negro," made choice of Jacob Waterfield as her guardian in Northampton County court on 15 May 1728 [Orders 1722-9, 326]. She consented to the indenture of her son Hezekiah to Abel Upshur on 13 November 1739 and was tithable at Mol Upshur's plantation in 1740 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 308]. She was the mother of

i. Hezekiah, born in February 1734/5, bound apprentice to Abel Upshur on 13 November 1739 [Orders 1732-42, 373], presented on 30 May 1775 for failing to list himself as a tithable in 1774, but probably did so before the next court when the case was dismissed [Orders 1774-7, 349, 365]. He was head of a St. George Parish, Accomack County household of 3 "other free" in 1800 (called Kiah) [Virginia Genealogist 2:160]. He received bounty land in 1784 based on his service of 3 years and discharge from Colonel W. Brent in May 1780 [Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants, Roberts, Hezekiah, Digital Collections, LVA].

ii. Rachel², born 28 June 1733, a ten-year-old "Negroe" bound apprentice to John and Mary Luker in Northampton County on 12 April 1743 [Orders 1742-48, 78], perhaps the Rachel Roberts who was presented on 13 May 1777 for bastard bearing [Minutes 1771-7, 370].

 

3.    Sabra Roberts, born say 1718, a "Negroe," was presented in Northampton County on 9 November 1736 for bastard bearing and was called "Sabra a Negroe Servant woman to William Smith" on 11 April 1738 when the court bound her daughter Dorothy to her master. On 12 August 1740 the court ordered her released from her indenture to William Smith but deliberated until 15 October before deciding that she was entitled to her freedom dues [Orders 1722-9, 246, 259; 1732-42, 309, 408, 415]. She was taxable in William Smith's household from 1737 to 1740 and taxable in her own household adjoining William and Betty Roberts in 1741 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 267, 285, 308, 317]. She was the mother of

4     i. Dorothy¹, born 10 November 1735.

 

4.    Dorothy¹ Roberts, born 10 November 1735, daughter of Sabra, was bound apprentice to William Smith in Northampton County on 11 April 1738 [Orders 1732-42, 309]. She may have been the mother of

5     i. Dorothy²/ Dolly, born say 1765.

 

5.    Dolly Roberts, born say 1765, was head of an Accomack County household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [Virginia Genealogist 2:160] and 5 in 1810 [VA:53]. She was the mother of

i. Robin, born about 1778, registered in Accomack County on 29 September 1807: Black, 6 feet 1/4 Inches [Register of Free Negroes, no. 36], called the son of Dol Roberts in the list of tithables for Accomack County in 1799 and was married to Mary Roberts by 1813 when they were in the list of "free Negroes" [PPTL, 1782-1814, frames 403, 834].

ii. ?Southy, born 14 September 1779, registered in Accomack County on 29 September 1807: Black, 5 feet 3-5/8 Inches... Born free [Register of Free Negroes, no. 11].

iii. ?Levin, born in November 1786, registered in Accomack County on 29 September 1807: Black (rather light), 5 feet 4^1/2 Inches, Born free [Register of Free Negroes, no. 13].

 

Other descendants on the Eastern Shore of Virginia were

i. John, born about 1752, drafted from Accomack county on 25 January 1782 to serve in the Revolution for 18 months and sized on 4 May 1782: age 30, 5'3" high, black complexion, born in Accomack County [The Chesterfield Supplement or Size Roll of Troops at Chesterfield Court House, LVA accession no. 23816, by http://revwarapps.org/b81.pdf (p.75)].

ii. Robert, born about 1765, seven years old in July 1772 when he was bound apprentice in Northampton County [Minutes 1771-77, 120]. He was head of an Accomack County household of 7 "other free" in 1800 [Virginia Genealogist 2:14].

iii. Oney, head of an Accomack Parish, Accomack County household of 4 "other free" and a slave in 1800 [Virginia Genealogist 2:14].

iv. Isaac, head of an Accomack County household of 3 "other free" in 1800 [Virginia Genealogist 2:161] and 4 "other free" and a slave in 1810 [VA:52].

 

Augusta, Frederick and Spotsylvania counties

1.    Rebecca Roberts, born say 1730, a "Mulatto" servant, brought a successful suit for her freedom from her master John David Wilpart in Augusta County on 20 May 1761 [Orders 1761-3, 9]. She may have been the mother of

i. Anthony, born about 1753, registered in Petersburg on September 3, 1794: a brown Mulatto man, five feet seven inches high, forty one or forty two years old, born free & raised in Spotsylvania County [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 91].

ii. Edward, born 10 April 1755, a "Mulatto Bastard Child" bound to William Cockran by the Frederick County, Virginia court in August 1755 and bound instead to William Baldwin on 8 April 1767 until the age of thirty-one [Orders 1753-5, 370; 1765-7, 349].

 

Endnotes:

1.    The other householders prosecuted in Southampton County for not listing their wives as tithables were John Porteus, Isaac Young, Thomas Wilkins, Francis Locust, James Brooks, Jr. and Sr., John Byrd, Jr. and Sr., Abraham Artis, Lewis Artis, William Brooks, John Demery, Ann Brooks, and William Tabor. The Brooks and Byrd families were also from York County.

 

ROBINS FAMILY

 

Parker David Robbins. Raleigh, N.C. Museum of History, N.C. Dept. of Cultural Resources

1834-1 November 1917

Parker David Robbins, soldier, legislator, and inventor, born in Bertie County, the son of John A. Robbins. A Mulatto with Chowan Indian ancestors, Robbins was regarded as a free black. He had a common school education and before the Civil War acquired a 102 acre farm, in part with money earned as a carpenter and mechanic. In 1863 he went to Norfolk, Va., and enlisted in the Union army. Robbins attained the rank of sergeant-major in the Second U.S. Colored Calvary. He was one of fifteen blacks elected to the 1868 constitutional convention and one of nineteen blacks elected to the 1869-70 term in the state house of representatives [http://ncpedia.org/biography/robbins-parker-david]. He was listed in the 1850 census in the Gates County household of his parents John and Mary Robbins with younger brother Augustus. In 1870 he and his (first) wife Elizabeth had $500 real estate and $500 personal estate in Bertie County. Theaty Weaver (perhaps his wife's sister?) was living with them. His brother Augustus died in Bertie County on 10 July 1928. His widow reported his parents' names as John Robbins and Polly Lame.

 

1.    John¹ Robbins, born say 1700, was one of the Chowan County Indians who sold their land on Bennett's Creek in 1734 in the part of Chowan County which later became Gates County:

James Bennett, Thos Hoyter, Charles Beasley, Jeremiah Pushin, John Robins, John Reading & Nuce Will Cheif men of the Chowan Indians [Chowan DB W-1, 250].

On 12 April 1790 James Robins, Benjamin Robins, George Bennett and Joseph Bennett sold to Samuel Lewis and Samuel Harrell for $100 the last remaining 400 acres of the original tract of 11,360 acres near Bennetts Creek and Chowan Creek granted to the Chowan Indians in 1724. On 23 October 1790 Lewis and Harrell petitioned the General Assembly for authorization to purchase the land, stating that the Indian men had died,

leaving a parcel of Indian women, which has mixed with Negroes, and now there is several freemen and women of Mixed blood as aforesaid which has descended from the sd Indians...the said freemen...did in the late Contest with Great Brittain behave themselves as good and faithful soldiers.

Their petition was rejected at first but approved on 28 and 30 December 1791 after James Robins noted that the money had been paid and the deed signed by all except six Indian women, descendants of the tribe, who were living on land unaffected by the sale [General Assembly Session Records, Nov-Dec 1790, Box 2; Gates County DB 2:272-274]. John Robins's likely descendants were

2     i. Nan, born say 1743.

3     ii. Lucy, born say 1750.

 

2.    Nan/ Nancy/ Ann Robins, born say 1743, was among eight Indians who purchased 30 acres near the old Indian patent for £5 on 1 August 1782 in Gates County: James, Benjamin, Patience, Sarah, Nancy, Elizabeth, Dorcas, and Christian Robbins. The following year she was identified as their mother in a deed for land adjoining theirs [DB A-2:33, 46]. On 20 August 1821 their land was divided among Sarah, Nancy, Elizabeth, Thaney, Lewis, Treasy, and Judith Robbins [DB 11:40]. Ann Robins was head of a Gates County household of 4 "other free" in 1800 [NC:276], 5 in 1810 (called Nancy) [NC:842], and 7 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:155]. Possible children of Ann named in the 1 August 1782 purchase of 30 acres were

4     i. James¹, born say 1760.

ii. Benjamin, born about 1765, a fourteen-year-old Indian ordered bound by the Gates County court as an apprentice planter to James Garritt, Sr., in November 1779, about seventeen years old in May 1781 when he was bound to Jethro Miltear [Fouts, Gates County court Minutes 1779-86, 10, 32].

5     iii. Patience, born say 1763.

6     iv. Sarah, born say 1766.

v. Elizabeth.

7     vi. Thaney, born say 1770.

vii. Dorcas, head of a Gates County household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [NC:276] and 4 in 1810 [NC:842].

viii. John², born 10 August 1782, son of Nanny Robins, bound as an apprentice house carpenter and joiner to William Lewis in February 1794 by the Gates County court [Minutes 1790-6, 10]. He and James Robbins were called "Indian or Molatto Boys" when they were bound to Henry Lee in February 1796 after William Lewis's death [Fouts, Minutes of County Court, Gates County, vol. I:6, 53]. He may have been the John Robins who married Mrs. Mary Ann Weaver, "free persons of colour," 1816 Norfolk County bond, Robert Barrett surety. He was head of a Gates County household of 7 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:155].

ix. Christian, living in Perquimans County on 23 February 1819 when he sold his rights to 5 acres in Gates County at Indian Town joining lands of Nancy, Elizabeth, and Sarah Robbins [DB 10:366].

 

3.    Lucy Robbins, born say 1750, was the mother of Samuel Robbins, a fifteen- year-old illegitimate boy, no race indicated, who was bound as an apprentice cooper to Jethro Miltear by the Gates County court in February 1787. She may also have been the mother of Elisha Robbins, an "Indian" boy who was bound to Jethro Miltear six years earlier in May 1781. Lucy was the mother of

8     i. ?Mary, born say 1768.

ii. ?Elisha, born about 1770, an eleven-year-old Indian boy ordered bound apprentice to Jethro Miltear in May 1781 and was an insolvent taxpayer in Gates County in 1794 [Fouts, Minutes of County Court, Gates County, 1779-86, 32; 1787-93, 3, 86; 1794-99, 80].

iii. ?Hardy, born say 1770, head of a Gates County household of 1 "other free" in 1790 [NC:23], an insolvent taxpayer in 1791 and 1794.

iv. Samuel, born about 1772, son of Lucy Robbins bound as an apprentice cooper in February 1787, an insolvent taxpayer in Gates County in 1794 [Fouts, Minutes of County Court, Gates County, 1787-93, 3; 1794-99, 40], head of a Currituck County household of 2 "other free" in 1800, listed near Rachel Bennett.

 

4.    James Robins, born say 1760, received voucher no. 681 in Edenton for £6 on 8 April 1782 for military service in the Revolution [North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, http://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-G8BN, Robbins, James]. He was among eight members of the family named as buyers of 30 acres near the old Indian patent line in Gates County on 1 August 1782 [DB A-2:33]. In 1783 this land was called the "line of children of Nan Robbins," but by 1793 it was called James Robins's land [DB 3:167]. On 12 April 1790, he, (his brother?) Benjamin Robins, and George and Joseph Bennett were called "chief men and representatives of Chowan Indian Nation" when they sold for $100 the last 400 acres of the original 11,360 acres which the tribe held by patent of 24 April 1724 [DB 2:153]. He sued John Odom and William Watson in Gates County court for £4 damages in May 1795 [Fouts, Minutes of County Court, Gates County, 1794-99, 35]. He was head of a Gates County household of 15 "other free" and a white woman in 1790 [NC:23], 3 "other free" and a white woman in 1800 [NC:276], and 2 "other free" in 1810 [NC:842]. Perhaps his children were

i. Jacob, born 1776-94, head of a Gates County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [NC:842] and 8+ "free colored" in 1820 [NC:155]. He purchased land by deed proved in Gates County in May 1811 [Minutes 1806-11, 697] and February 1814 [Minutes 1812-17, 827] and was living in Perquimans County on 6 February 1816 when he sold 30 acres in Gates County [DB 10:125].

ii. Josiah, born 1776-94, head of an Orange County household of 5 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:336]. He married Tabitha Shoecraft. They moved with the Shoecraft family from Hertford to Orange and then to Guilford County [Guion Miller Roll, Jeremiah Shocraft claim no. 15914; http://fold3.com/image/22846444]. Josiah's widow Tabitha Robbins, born 1794-1806, was head of a Guilford County household of 7 "free colored" in 1830.

iii. Kinston, one of the "sundry persons of Colour of Hertford County" who petitioned the General Assembly in 1822 to repeal the act which declared slaves to be competent witnesses against free African Americans [NCGSJ XI:252].

iv. Thomas, about 1790, head of a Hertford County household of 4 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:186], 5 in 1830 [NC:404] and a 60-year-old black man in the 1850 census with 44-year-old Mulatto Thomas Robins and his family.

v. ?Nancy, born say 1788, married Jethro Martin, 8 October 1806 Gates County bond, (her brother?) Jacob Robbins bondsman.

vi. Lewis, born about 1790, a 10-year-old "Boy of colour" bound in Gates County to John Lewis to be a cooper in 1800 [North Carolina Apprentice bonds and records Gates County 1779-1805, frame 1902 of 1982, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/766317], head of a Gates County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [NC:842].

 

5.    Patience Robbins, born say 1763, was among eight members of the family named as buyers of 30 acres near the old Indian patent line on 1 August 1782 [DB A-2:33]. She was the mother of

i. Judith, living in Chowan County on 15 May 1820 when she sold land in Gates County known by the name of Indian Town which was descended to her from her mother [DB 10:523].

ii. ?Willis Robins born about 1784, "a Free Mulatto Boy now 13" bound as an apprentice butcher to Charles Roberts in Chowan County on 15 December 1797 [North Carolina Apprentice bonds and records Chowan County 1737-1811, frame 1589 of 1934, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/766317].

 

6.    Sarah Robins, born say 1766, was head of a Gates County household of 2 "other free" in 1800 [NC:276], 4 in 1810 [NC:342], and 10 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:155]. She was the mother of

i. James³, born in August 1784, ten-year-old son of Sarah Robbins bound as an apprentice house carpenter and joiner to William Lewis in Gates County in February 1794.

ii. ?Sealy, married James Reed, 25 October 1808 Gates County bond, James Lassiter bondsman.

 

7.    Thaney Robins, born say 1770, was living in Gates County in February 1794 when the court bound her son Charles as an apprentice cooper to William Hinton of Indian Neck [Minutes 1790-6, 185]. She received her part of the division of 30 acres in Gates County, formerly called Indian Town, on 20 August 1821 [DB 11:40]. Her child was

i. Charles, born about 1787.

 

8.    Mary Robins, born say 1768, was living in Gates County in May 1798 when the court bound her twelve-year-old son Jethro to Richard Rawls to learn house carpentry [Fouts, Minutes of County Court, Gates County, I:97]. Her son was

i. Jethro, born about 1786.

 

Endnotes:

1.    Mary Beasley was probably one of Charles Beasley's descendants. She paid £5 for a 5 year lease on a small house and 1 acre of land in Gates County from David Watson on 2 November 1795 [DB 3:261], perhaps the Polly Beasley ("&d Major") who was head of a Washington County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [NC:795]. See further the Bennett and Hiter histories.

 

ROBINSON FAMILY

1.    Mary Robinson, born say 1730, was living in Fairfax County on 22 June 1749 when the court ordered the churchwardens of Truro Parish to bind her "Mullatto" child to Hugh West to serve until the age of thirty-one and bound her to her master for an additional year [Orders 1749-54, 20]. And on 22 May 1754 the churchwardens bound her four-year-old "Mulatto" son William Robinson to West. Her children were released from their indentures in Loudoun County about twenty-five years later by Hugh's son George West [Emancipation Papers, Loudoun County courthouse, by Townsend Lucas in JAAHGS, 11:122; Fairfax County WB 1752-67, 74]. Her children were

2     i. ?Jane, born about 1747.

ii. William, born about 1750, a "Mulatto boy" valued at £9 in the 29 January 1755 Fairfax County estate of Hugh West [WB 1752-67, 80]. He was listed among the taxable slaves in George West's Loudoun County list for 1772, a "molatto" in 1773, a taxable in 1775 and from 1777 to 1780 [Tithables 1758-1799, 617, 663a, 799c, 817, 837, 917, 986]. He was thirty-one years old when he was discharged from his service to George West on 4 August 1781.

iii. ?James, listed among the taxable slaves in George West's Loudoun County list for 1772 [Tithables 1758-1799, 617].

 

2.    Jane Robinson, born about 1747, was a "Mulatto girl" valued at £10 in the 29 January 1755 Fairfax County estate of Hugh West [WB 1752-67, 80]. She was a "molatto" taxable in George West's Loudoun County list for 1773, taxable in 1775 and 1777 [Tithables 1758-1799, 663a, 799c, 817]. She was thirty-one years old by 17 April 1778 when she completed her apprenticeship to George West in Loudoun County. Her children listed with her in the record of her emancipation were

i. John, born October 1769 at Cameron.

ii. Margaret, born about the middle of January 1771.

iii. James, born 14 February, died 1774.

iv. Mary, born 1 August 1774, discharged from her apprenticeship by Heathy Dade on 1 August 1792.

v. Amos, born 25 December 1777.

vi. William, born 29 May 1780.

vii. Henry, born 1 June 1782.

viii. Lewis, born in June, no year stated.

 

Others in Virginia were

i. Betty, born say 1730, called a "Christian White servant belonging to William Andrews" when she was charged by the churchwardens of Accomack Parish in Accomack County court on 2 June 1748 with having a bastard child by "Jemmy a Mulatto man Slave belonging to James Pettinger." The court ordered that her fine be paid by selling her for another five years when her servitude was completed [Orders 1744-53, 274].

ii. George, a "Free Negro" taxable at G. Church in Nansemond County in 1815 [PPTL, 1815-37, frame 11].

iii. Nancy, a "Free Negro" taxable on 2 cattle in Nansemond County in 1815 [PPTL, 1815-37, frame 11].

iv. Abby, head of a Norfolk County household of 4 "other free" and 1 slave in 1810 [VA:918].

v. Charles, head of a Norfolk County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [VA:918].

vi. Susan, head of a Richmond City household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [VA:368].

vii. Peter, head of a Richmond City household of 2 "other free" and 1 slave in 1810 [VA:346], perhaps the Peter Robertson, "Free mulatto, who was living in Ward 2 of Richmond City in the household of Isaac Armistead, a ship carpenter, in 1782 [VA:112].

viii. Barnett B., head of a Richmond City household of 1 "other free" and 2 slaves [VA:328].

 

North Carolina

Members of a Robinson family in North Carolina were

i. George Robison, born say 1710, taxable with his wife Tiba in Granville County, North Carolina, in 1750 with their sons George (born say 1733) and Frank Robison (born say 1735) [CR 44.701.23].

1     ii. Mary, born say 1735.

 

1.    Mary Robinson, born say 1735, was a "free Molato" woman who petitioned the Onslow County, North Carolina court on 5 January 1756 to order Richard Whitehurst, Sr., to release her unnamed child to her. The court ordered the sheriff to find the child and deliver it to her [Minutes 1749-65, 31c, 37a]. Her children may have been

2     i. David, born say 1753.

3     ii. Zachariah¹, born say 1760.

iii. Manuel, head of a Richland District, South Carolina household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [SC:173a].

iv. Thomas Robison, born say 1760, received voucher no. 3095 on 21 March 1783 in the District of Wilmington for £5 for his service in the militia [North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, Robeson, Thomas, http://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-GNGV]. He was head of a "Molatto" New Hanover County household of 2 polls aged 21-60 years, 3 under 21 or over 60, and 5 females in 1786 in John Erwin's list for the North Carolina state census; called Thomas Roberson in 1800, head of a New Hanover County household of 7 "other free" [NC:311].

v. Joseph Roberson,  born say 1760,  received voucher no. 1371 on 22 August 1783 for £42 in Wilmington District for military service [North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, Roberson, Joseph;  http://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-GDKH]. He was head of a New Hanover County household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [NC:311] and 1 "free colored" man over 45 in 1820 [NC:209].

vi. Edward Robeson, head of a "Molatto" New Hanover County household of 1 poll aged 21-60 years, 1 under 21 or over 60, and 1 female in 1786 in John Erwin's list for the North Carolina state census.

 

2.    David Robinson, born say 1753, was head of a Jones County household of 3 "other free" in 1790 [NC:143]. He may have been the father of

i. Benjamin, head of a Lenoir County household of 4 "other free," 1 white woman, and 1 white boy in 1800 [NC:15].

ii. Charles Robinson, born 1794-76, head of a Lenoir County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:291].

iii. John Roberson, head of a Lenoir County household of 1 "other free" and a slave in 1810 [NC:287].

iv. Lewis Roberson, head of a Lenoir County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [NC:287] and 2 whites in 1820 [NC:291].

 

3.   Zachariah¹ Robinson, born say 1760, was called Zachariah Roberson when he purchased 100 acres in Anson County on Island Creek for $20 on 26 January 1802 [DB H-2:301] but called Robinson when he was head of an Anson County household of 10 "other free" in 1810 [NC:56] and 15 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:12]. He purchased another 91 acres adjoining his land on 20 January 1824 and 50 acres on 29 September 1829, but sold a total of a total of 426 acres for debt in 1823 and 1824 and sold 100 acres on the road leading from Haley's Ferry to Wadesborough for $1,225 on 9 November 1829 [DB U:369, 398, 451; X:422]. He may have been the father of

i. Sarah, born say 1783, married John Demery in Anson County in 1801 according to his recollection [History of Randolph County, Indiana, 137].

4     ii. Zachariah², born say 1785.

iii. Moses, head of a Cumberland County household of 8 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:189].

iv. Thomas, born 1776-94, head of an Anson County household of 6 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:12].

v. Martin, head of an Anson County household of 4 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:12].

 

4.    Zachariah² Robinson/ Roberson, born say 1785, was head of an Anson County household of 15 "free colored" in 1830. He was a "free man of color" who purchased land in Gibson, County, Tennessee, just before the legislature required free people of color to leave the state. He and several whites petitioned the legislature in 1832 and 1833 to allow his daughters Nancy and Sally and sons William and Elbert who had remained in North Carolina with their families to join him in Tennessee [Schweninger, Race, Slavery, and Free Blacks, Series 1, 193, 196]. He was the father of

i. Nancy.

ii. William.

iii. Sally.

iv. Elbert.

 

ROGERS FAMILY

Francis Jenkins, alias Rogers, a "mustee," purchased 325 acres in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, in 1762 [Minutes 1764-72, 42; DB 1:186]. Prudence Rogers, the mother of "mulattoe" children bound out in Cumberland County, Virginia, in 1775, purchased land in Campbell County bounded by lands of the Jenkins family in 1789, sold this land in 1793 [DB 2:490; 3:207] and moved to Henry County, Virginia, with mixed-race members of the Jenkins family of Cumberland County in 1794 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 403, 406].

Members of a Rogers family were

i. Francis Jenkins alias Rogers, born say 1740. See the Jenkins family history.

ii. Mary, born say 1748, a "free molatto" taxable in the Bertie County summary list for 1764.

iii. Jeffry, born about 1761, a "free Mulato" boy aged four years on 5 October 1765 when the Craven County, North Carolina court ordered him bound to Elizabeth Mason to be a shoemaker. His master Thomas Mason died before 11 September 1770 when the court bound him to Thomas Nelson [Minutes 1758-66, 34c; 1767-75, 154b].

iv. Abraham, born 1776-1794, head of a Beaufort County, North Carolina household of 2 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:33].

v. Celia, born say 1760, one of the Nansemond Indians who sold 238 acres of the Nottoway reservation in Southampton County on 12 July 1792 [DB 7:714] and died in September 1805.

vi. Alexander, born about 1797, an eleven-year-old orphan Indian boy listed in the special census of the Nottoway Indians which was taken in Southampton County in 1808. He was the half-brother of Fanny and Solomon Bartlett (on their mother's side). The three children lived with their relative Celia Rogers until her death in September 1805 when they were taken in by white neighbors [Virginia Archives, Box 154a, Executive Papers June 21 - July 22, 1808, 4-7].

 

Cumberland County, Virginia

1.    Prudence Rogers, born say 1735, was the mother of Sarah, Ann and Jane Rodgers who were bound by the churchwardens of Southam Parish, Cumberland County, to Job Thomas on 27 April 1761. On 23 September 1765 she complained to the court about his treatment of her children. On 27 March 1775 the court ordered the churchwardens of Littleton Parish to bind out her "mulattoe" children Nathaniel, Ansel, and Elizabeth Rodgers to Jesse Thomas [Orders 1758-62, 185, 315; Orders 1774-8, 321]. She was taxable in the northern district of Campbell County on a horse in 1787 and 1789 and taxable on a free male aged 16-21 in 1791 [PPTL, 1785-1814, frames 57, 113, 196]. She purchased 50 acres on Jumping Run of Button Creek in Campbell County bounded by lands of the Jenkins family on 26 October 1789 for £20 with the provision that it pass to her son Ansel at her death. And she sold this land on 20 November 1793 [DB 2:490; 3:207]. She was taxable in Henry County on a male tithe and a horse in 1794 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frame 406]. She was the mother of

2     i. Sarah, born say 1757.

3     ii. Ann, born say 1759.

iii. Jane, born say 1761, probably identical to James(?) Rogers, the mother of a "mulatto" son John Rodgers who was bound to Edward Clements in Cumberland County on 25 October 1779 [Orders 1779-84, 76].

iv. Nathaniel, born say 1768, taxable in the southern district of Campbell County in 1786 and from 1791 to 1794: listed with 3 slaves and 2 horses in 1793, 4 slaves in 1794 [PPTL, 1785-1814, frames 28, 176, 258, 293].

v. Ansel, born say 1765, taxable in Henry County from 1797 to 1814: in the list of "free Negroes & Mulattoes" in 1813 and 1814, listed in 1813 next to Fanny Rogers, no relationship stated [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 442, 469, 495, 641, 656].

vi. Elizabeth, born say 1767.

 

2.    Sarah Rogers, born say 1757, was bound to Job Thomas in Southam Parish on 27 April 1775. She was the mother of

i. Molly, born say 1775, bound to John Johnson by the churchwardens of Southam Parish on 25 March 1776, called Mary Rodgers, a poor orphan, on 26 October 1776 when she was ordered bound by the churchwardens of Littleton Parish to John Montague. She complained to the court on 26 March 1781 and the court cancelled the indenture [Orders 1774-8, 364; 1779-84, 154, 158].

ii. ?David, born say 1782, a "mulattoe" orphan ordered bound to Jesse Thomas on 25 November 1782, no parent named [Orders 1779-84, 293].

 

3.    Ann Rogers, born say 1759, was bound by the churchwardens of Southam Parish to Job Thomas on 27 April 1761. She was the mother of

i. Absalom, son of Ann Rogers bound to Joel Meggs in Cumberland County on 25 February 1782 [Orders 1779-84, 173].

ii. Isham, son of Naney Rogers, ordered bound to Martin Richardson in Cumberland County on 23 February 1784 [Orders 1779-84, 500].

iii. ?Stephen, orphan of Nancy Rogers, bound to William Sanderson in Littleton Parish on 24 January 1785 [Orders 1784-6, 195].

 

Endnote:

1.    Sarah Rogers, William Rogers, and Thomas Swet (Sweat) were the "Negro Children" slaves of Alexander Young who made a 25 December 1726 Isle of Wight County will which was proved 27 January 1728/9. He gave them to his friend John Exum to serve until the age of twenty-one and then to be free on the condition they pay him 30 pounds of tobacco yearly. He also gave Exum a "Negro woman" slave named Fortune who was to serve until her son Thomas Swet reached the age of twenty-one and then she was also to be free. The inventory of Young's estate, taken on 25 March 1729, included "1 Negro woman, 1 Negro girle, 2 Negro Boys" [Inventories & Accounts, 1726-34, 143-4, 181-2]. It is unlikely that this emancipation took place since it would have been illegal by Virginia law of May 1723 which forbade emancipation except for some meritorious services, to be adjudged and allowed by the Governor and Council [Hening, Statues at Large, IV:132]. John Exum owned land in the part of Isle of Wight County which later became Southampton County and adjoined the Nottoway Indian reservation [DB 7:244, 246].

 

ROLLINS FAMILY

1.    Free Moll, born say 1740, was the mother of Sally Rolings who was born free in Port Royal about 1761 [Fredericksburg City Certificates and Registry of Free Negroes, 1790-1862, 16, 90]. She was the mother of

2     i. Jane Rollins, born about 1758.

3     ii. Sally Rolings, born before 1761.

4     iii. Lucy¹ Rawlings, born say 1762.

 

2.    Jane Rollins, born about 1758, registered in Fredericksburg, Virginia: Port Royal, April 4^th 1800, Wee do hearby Certify that Jean Rollins and all her family was free born and that the said Jean Rollins was bound as an apprentice to Mrs. Mary Gillerson and served until she was 18. In the county of Caroline near Port Royal. Molly Parker. I do certify that Jane Rollins is free born served her time with Mrs. Mary Gillerson in the county of Caroline near Port Royal [Fredericksburg City Certificates and Registry of Free Negroes, 1790-1862, 30]. She registered in Petersburg, Virginia, on 8 June 1810: a dark brown Mulatto woman, five feet one and a half inches high, fifty two years old, born free in Fredericksburg [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 578]. She may have been the mother of

5     i. Benjamin, born say 1777.

ii. Charlotte, born about 1779, registered in Fredericksburg on 16 April 1799: The Bearer hereof Charlotte Rollins is of free parentage born and bred in Port Royal. Dorcas Lightburne [Fredericksburg City Certificates and Registry of Free Negroes, 1790-1862, 23] and registered in Petersburg on 6 June 1816: a free woman of colour, five feet one half inches high, dark brown, near black, supposed thirty seven years old, born free in Essex County [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 809]. She (called Charlotte Rollings) was head of a Petersburg household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [VA:120b].

iii. Betsy Jarratt, born about 1782, registered in Petersburg on 8 June 1810: Betsy Jarratt, a light brown Mulatto woman, five feet four and a half inches high, twenty eight years old, born free p. cert. of Registry from the Clerk of Fredericksburg, her name Betsy Rollins [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 569]. She may have been the wife of Richard Jarratt who registered in Petersburg on 11 December 1809: a dark brown Mulatto man, five feet seven 3/4 inches high, thirty years old, born free and raised in the County of Chesterfield [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 500]. He was head of a Petersburg household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [VA:119a].

 

3.    Sally Rolings, born before 1761, registered in Fredericksburg on 26 September 1795: The Bearer Sally Rolings was born free in Port Royal. is a free woman, Born in Portroyal of a free woman called free Moll. I have known Sall ever since the year 1761. John Brand. And she registered again in 1804: This Woman Sally was born free in Port Royal and Lucy Rawlins is her Daughter. Jane Johnson [Fredericksburg City Certificates and Registry of Free Negroes, 1790-1862, 16, 90]. She was the mother of

i. Lucy², born about 1774, registered in Petersburg on 9 June 1810: a dark brown free Mulatto woman, five feet one inches high, thirty six years old, born free p. cert. of Registry of Fredericksburg [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 577] and was head of a Petersburg household of 3 "other free" in 1810 (Lucy Rawlings) [VA:119b].

 

4.    Lucy¹ Rawlings, born say 1762, was head of a Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [VA:110b]. She was the mother of

i. James, born about 1778, registered in Fredericksburg on 9 August 1799: This is certifie that the Bearer James Rawlin is the son of Lucy Rawlins who has lived on my pla_ (now twenty one years) [Fredericksburg City Certificates and Registry of Free Negroes, 1790-1862, 21].

 

5.    Benjamin Rollins, born say 1777, was taxable in St. Ann's Parish, Essex County, in 1800 and was listed there as a "free Negro" in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1819, frame 510]. He was head of an Essex County household of 7 "other free" in 1810 [VA:198] and was probably the husband of Jane Rollins who registered in Essex County on 8 December 1810: daughter of Mary Soleleather by statement of Thomas Brockenbrough always passed as a free born person, 25 years of age, five feet 2-1/4 inches, bright Mulattoe [Register of Free Negroes 1810-43, p.14, no. 30]. She was the mother of

i. Polly, born about 1809, registered in Essex County on 8 December 1810: by statement of Thos. Brockenbrough daughter of Jenny Rollins who always passed as a free born person, 1-3/4 years of age [Register of Free Negroes 1810-43, p.14, no.31].

 

ROSARIO FAMILY

Menbers of the Rosario family were

1    i. Philip, born say 1690.

2    ii. Betty, born say 1695.

 

1.    Philip¹ Rosario, born say 1690, an Indian living in Northampton County, Virginia, had an account with John Abdell, ordinary keeper, in 1722. In July 1724 the court ordered him to pay 4 barrels of corn which he had lost in a card game to David Stott. In November 1730 the court ordered the sheriff to arrest him until he provided security to appear in court to answer the suit of merchant Andrew Walls for a debt of £4. Philip sued William Vawter for £1.12 in February 1730/1 [Orders 1729-32, 70; Mihalyka, Loose Papers, 1628-1731, 59, 90, 232]. He was taxable in Northampton County from 1722 to 1729 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 31, 44, 110, 124, 166, 189]. He died before 16 July 1752 possessed of an estate so small in value that the court ordered its sale by the sheriff [Orders 1751-3, 143]. He was probably the ancestor of

i. Philip², born say 1755, an Indian bound by the Northampton County court to Thomas Barlow on 12 January 1762 [Minutes 1761-5, 4].

ii. Elizabeth Rozario, listed in the town of Williamsburg with 3 "Black" persons in her household in 1782 [VA:45], taxable on a slave in Williamsburg from 1802 to 1807, probably the mother of Caroline and Suckey Rosara who were counted in a list of "Free Negroes and mulattoes" in Williamsburg in 1813. They were in the same list as Kizza Sunket who was probably from Northampton County [Williamsburg PPTL, 1782-1815, frames 408, 411, 418, 462]. See also the De Rosario family.

 

2.    Betty Rosairy/Rosarrow, born say 1695, was said by tradition to have been an Indian with copper-coloured complexion and long straight hair. She fled the Indian Wars and came to Accomack County where she lived as a free person according to the testimony of her great-grandson Cyrus in his suit for freedom from Southy Satchel [Cyrus, Freedom Suits: Accomack County, 1802, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. According to the testimony, Betty was the mother of

3    i. Lydia, born say 1715.

 

3.    Lydia¹ Rosairy, born say 1715, was held in the service of Captain Henry Satchell (1683-1747) for the expenses attending the bearing of her children [Cyrus, Freedom Suits: Accomack County, 1802, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. She was the mother of

4    i. Sybil born say 1740.

 

4.    Sybil Rosairy,born say 1745, was apparently still living when John Mears testified on 21 October 1802 in the suit for freedom of his slave Lydia, "a Black woman," that he would immediately free her when her mother Sybil and brother Cyrus obtained their freedom [Lydia: Freedom Suit, Accomack County, 1806, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. There is a notation in the suit of Cyrus for his freedom that (his mother) Cybil Rose Airy won her freedom suit against Toby Cropper on 10 May 1802 [Cyrus, Freedom Suits: Accomack County, 1802, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. She was the mother of

i. Cyrus Rosarrous, born about 1762, registered in Accomack County: Born about the year 1762, a light Black inclining to yellow, Emancipated by a deed of manumission from Mary Griffin recorded in Accomack County Court [Register of Free Negroes, 1785-1863, no. 192].

ii. Lydia², perhaps the mother of Rose Rosary who registered in Accomack County: born 1800, black, 5'1-3/4, born free in Accomack County [Register of Free Negroes, 1785-1863, no. 192].

iii. ?Sarah Roseairy, born in June 1776, registered in Accomack County: born in June 1776, a very dark yellow approaching to a light black, 5'4-3/4, Emancipated by Robertson Rodgers by a deed of Manumission of Record in Accomack County Court [Register of Free Negroes, 1785-1863, no. 90].

 

ROSS FAMILY

1.    Jane¹ Ros, born say 1717, was living in Caroline County, Virginia, on 9 May 1735 when she was presented by the grand jury for having a "mulatto" child at William Oliver's house. The presentment was dismissed on 13 February 1735/6 [Orders 1732-40, 291, 326]. She was probably the grandmother of

i. Reuben, born say 1755, on the pay roll of Captain Richard Stephen's Company of the 10^th Virginia Regiment commanded by Colonel Edward Stephens from 28 March to 1 June 1777 [NARA, M246, roll 108, frame 785 of 1044, ancestry.com]. He married Sally Terrel, 25 October 1791 Culpeper County bond. On 3 June 1799 Catherine Tearel (Terrell), George Tearel, Reuben Ross and his wife Sally, and Jonathan Ross and his wife Eleanor sold two lots in the town of Stevensburg which was probably land inherited from his father-in-law [DB U:468]. He was a "Mulatto" taxable in Culpeper County from 1782 to 1802 [PPTL 1782-1802, frames 23, 83, 195, 336, 417, 496, 609, 693, 823, 867] and a "F. Mo." head of a Culpeper County household of 9 "other free" and a white woman in 1810 [VA:68]. He purchased property in Culpeper County on 29 March 1796 and 19 March 1810 [DB T:210; EE:15] and he was taxable on 1/2 acre in Stevensburg from 1797 to 1813 and another two lots of 5 acres each in 1813 [Land Tax List 1782-1813]. They were probably the parents of George Ross who registered in the Corporation of Staunton: A bright mulatto man said to be 20 years of age the 10th day of May last. About 6 feet high, free born of a white woman in the county of Culpeper [Free Negro Register, 1810-64, no.28, http://valley.lib.Virginia.edu/VoS/govdoc/fblack.early.html].

ii. Jonathan, served as a fifer in the Revolution and received final pay of £61 which he assigned to Samuel Ferguson on 11 October 1784 [NARA, M881, Roll 1095, frame 680 of 2014; http://fold3.com/image/23614799]. He was a "Mulatto" taxable on a horse in Culpeper County from 1782 to 1802 [PPTL 1782-1802, frames 23, 83, 195, 336, 417, 496, 609, 693, 823, 867]. On 3 June 1799 Catherine Tearel (Terrell), George Tearel, Reuben Ross and his wife Sally, and Jonathan Ross and his wife Eleanor sold two lots in the town of Stevensburg [DB U:468].

iii. Jane², head of a New Kent County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [VA:766].

 

ROUSE FAMILY

Members of the Rouse family were

1     i. Peter¹, born say 1738.

ii. John¹, purchased 100 acres on Panther Branch in Bladen County, North Carolina, on 31 May 1762 with Peter Rouse as witness (signing) [DB 23:87]. He was a "Molato" taxable in Bladen County, North Carolina, with (his brother?) Neil Rouse in 1771 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:61]. He died before 8 June 1790 when Neal Rouse was granted administration on his Marlboro County, South Carolina estate [Minutes 1785-1808, n.p.].

2     iii. Cornelius, born say 1740.

3     iv. Jane, born say 1755.

4     v. Peter², born 22 December 1760.

5    vi. Altha, born say 1762.

vii. Tristram, a "free Negro" taxable in Winton, South Carolina, in 1800 [S.C. Tax Returns 1783-1800, frame 301, 313].

 

1.    Peter¹ Rouse, born say 1738, was listed in the muster of Captain Paul Demere's Company of Independent Foot on duty in South Carolina and Georgia from 25 August 1756 to 24 October 1756 [Clark, Colonial Soldiers of the South, 989]. He was head of a South Orangeburgh, South Carolina household of 11 "other free" in 1790 [SC:99]. He recorded a plat for 136 acres near the Upper Three Runs in Winton County, Orangeburg District, on 5 August 1793 and a plat of 500 acres on the Upper Three Runs in conjunction with Nathaniel Walker, Sr., on 31 March 1795 [S.C. Archives Series S213190, vol. 29, page 52, item 2; vol. 32, page 355, item 3; http://archivesindex.sc.gov]. Perhaps his widow was Charity Rouse who was head of a Barnwell District household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [SC:65] and taxable on 150 acres in Winton in 1800 [South Carolina Tax Returns, 1783-1800, S.C. Archives microfilm no. AD-941, frame 301]. Peter was deceased by 13 November 1800 when his heirs Mary Jones and her husband Richard, Kesiah Williams and her husband Carrol, Peggy Scott and her husband William, Frederick Rouse, John Rouse, Priscilla Bing and her husband William sold two tracts of land on the Upper Three Runs of Barnwell District: one of 250 acres granted to Peter Rouse and the other of 150 acres which was part of a tract of 300 acres held in conjunction with Nathaniel Walker [DB 2:83-4]. Peter was apparently the father of

i. Mary, wife of Richard Jones.

ii. Kesiah, wife of Carrol Williams

iii. Peggy, wife of William Scott. William Scott, Sr., was head of a Barnwell District household of 3 "other free" in 1800, and William Scott, Jr., was head of a Barnwell District household of 5 "other free" in 1800.

iv. Frederick,

v. John.

vi. Priscilla, wife of William Bing.

 

2.    Cornelius Rouse, born say 1740, was a "Molato" taxable in Bladen County, North Carolina, with (his brother?) John Rouse in 1771 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:61]. He was a "Negroe" head of a Cheraw District, South Carolina household of 2 "other free" males above the age of 16, 2 "other free" males under 16, and 7 "other free" females in 1790 [SC:358], 15 "other free" in Barnwell District in 1800 [SC:62], and 9 in Abbeville District in 1810 [SC:84]. He was called Neale Rous when he received pay for 30 days duty in the militia in 1782, perhaps identical to Cornelius Rose who was listed in the payroll of the 4^th Company of the 3^rd South Carolina Regiment commanded by Colonel William Thomson in July 1779 and March 1780, listed as waiting on Colonel Thomson in 1779 [NARA, M246, roll 89, frames 121, 246, 249; S.C. Archives Accounts Audited For Revolutionary War Services, AA6636, frame 466, roll #128]. He was granted administration on the Marlboro County, South Carolina estate of John Rous on 8 June 1790 [Minutes 1785-1808, n.p.]. He may have been the Cornelius Ross (born before 1776) who was head of an Abbeville District household of 5 "free colored" in 1820 [SC:5a]. And he may have been the father of

i. Edmond Rouce, head of an Abbeville District household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [SC:82] and 12 "free colored" in Rutherford County, Tennessee in 1820.

ii. John², head of an Abbeville District, South Carolina household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [SC:82].

iii. Isaac Malone, alias Rouse, in the Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina jail on suspicion of robbery on 2 April 1779 with Sherwood Chavis, and Joseph and Elijah Locklear. They were released when no evidence appeared against them, and they were willing to enlist in the Revolution. [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XIV:287].

iv. Charles, born before 1776, head of an Abbeville District household of 6 "free colored" in 1820 [SC:5a].

 

3.    Jane Rouse, born say 1755, was the mother of six-year-old Ann Rouse who was bound to Mrs. Norris by the Petersburg Hustings Court on 2 March 1785 [Minutes 1784-6]. She was the mother of

i. ?Nancy, born about 1775, registered in Petersburg on 13 February 1798: a dark brown Mulatto woman, five feet high, twenty three years old, born free in the County of Dinwiddie & raised in the Town of Petersburg. Feb. 27, 1817: Reentered by name of Nancy Johnson alledged to have been married [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 135]. She married "Isaac, a free black man," 25 December 1802 Petersburg bond, John Rose bondsman.

ii. Ann, born about 1779, bound to Mrs. Norris on 2 March 1785.

iii. ?Samuel, a "free" taxable in Dinwiddie County in 1792, 1796, 1797 and 1798 [PPTL, 1791-9 (1792 B, p.11), (1796 A, p.12), (1797 A, p.13), (1798 B, p.13)].

 

4.    Peter² Rouse, born 22 December 1760, a "free man of colour," was about 57 years old on 4 November 1818 when he applied (signing) for a pension in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. He stated that he enlisted in the 2^nd Virginia Regiment under Captain William Campbell in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, in 1778. His application for a pension included a pass from J. Nicholas dated 27 April 1807: Peter Rouse is a free man, that his parents & relations resided in this County. That I knew him in the capacity of a soldier in the regiment commanded by Col^o George Gibson and one from William Campbell of Orange County, Virginia on 15 September 1807: he and his parents also were born free. He was described as a "yellow man" [NARA, S.23880, M805-706, frame 0545; http://fold3.com/image/15535547]. He was taxable in St. Andrew's Parish, Brunswick County, Virginia, in 1787 [PPTL, 1782-98, frame 193] and married Sarah Lawrence, daughter of Robert Lawrence, deceased, 19 October 1786 Brunswick County bond, Woody Lawrence surety. He was head of a Northampton County, North Carolina household of 9 "other free" in 1800 [NC:473] and posted £1,000 security for Jane Stewart's Northampton County suit against Francis Stewart on 3 June 1805 [North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, ancestry.com database online, Stewart, Peter]. He was probably the ancestor of

i. Isaac, a "free boy of Colour," who was bound to William Moore to be a farmer by the 2 September 1822 Northampton County, North Carolina court [Minutes 1821-25, 123].

 

5.    Altha Rouse, born say 1762, was a "free negroe" taxable on a horse in Charlotte County and listed with her 3 children: William, Priscilla and Jency in 1802, called Altha Jumper from 1803 to 1813. She was the mother of William, Priscilla and Jency Rouse/ Jumper [PPTL 1782-1813, frames 539, 542, 574, 608, 641, 751, 783, 877, 886]. She was the mother of

i. Hannah, born about 1778, "daughter of Atha (or Otha) Jumper," married Littleberry Lawrence, 7 March 1796 Charlotte County bond, John Williamson surety. She and her husband Berry registered in Pittsylvania County with their three children on 17 March 1817: Berry Laurence a black man...about 50 years of age...Hannah Laurence a free born dark Mulatto Woman wife of Berry Laurence about thirty five years of age [Griffith, Register of Free Negroes, 5-6].

ii. Priscilla, born say 1791.

iii. William Jumper, born say 1793, married Polly Bird, 7 May 1813 Charlotte County bond, Edmund Bird surety, and was a "fm" taxable in Charlotte County with a male and female in his household in 1813 [PPTL 1782-1813, frame 877].

iv. Jency, born say 1795, in a list of of Free Negroes in Dinwiddie County, living near Francis Scott's and Rachel Rouse [PPTL 1800-1819].

 

ROWE FAMILY

1.    Patty Rowe, born say 1736, was living in Nottoway Parish, Amelia County, on 28 April 1755 when the court ordered her daughter Lucy bound to Robert Mumford and in November 1755 when the court ordered her children Fanny and Molly bound to Mumford. She had two children who were ordered bound to Jonas Vasser: Moll on 22 January 1756 and Tabitha on 24 March 1757. On 24 November 1763 the Amelia County court presented Nathaniel Robertson for not listing her as his "Mulatto" tithable in Nottoway Parish. She was apparently the mother of Charles Roe, a poor boy, who the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish were ordered to bind out at that same session of the court [Orders 1751-5, 225; 1754-5, n.p; 1755-7, 17, 147; 1763, 232, 237]. She was probably identical to "Patt a Free Mulatto" of Nottoway Parish who was presented on 22 May 1766 for not listing herself as a tithable. On 23 March 1769 the court ordered the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to bind out her children Randall White Roe and Dinny Roe to William Wilson. She was probably the mother of Tabb and Jack Roe, "Free Mulattoes," who were ordered bound by the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to Colonel Richard Jones on 24 October 1771. They were probably identical to Jack and Tabb (no last names), "Free Mulattoes," who were ordered bound by the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to William and Mary Vasser on 25 September 1767 [Orders 1754-8, n.p.; 1765-7, 90, 95; 1767-8, 83; 1768-9, 88; 1769-72, n.p.]. Patty was living in Bute County, North Carolina, on 15 February 1775 when the court bound her children Charles Randolph and Dinney Randolph to William Toulson to read and write and learn "the planters business" [Minutes 1767-76, 322]. Her children were

i. Lucy, born before 28 April 1755.

ii. Fanny, born before November 1755.

iii. Moll, born before 22 January 1756.

iv. Charles Randolph, born about 1759, called "Charles Roe a poor boy" on 24 November 1763 when the Amelia County court ordered the churchwardens of Nottoway Parish to bind him out [Orders 1763, 237]. He was one of the Continental soldiers who volunteered in Bute County in 1779: Cha^s Row, born in Virg^a, 5'8" tall, dark hair and dark eyes [N.C. Archives, Troop Returns, box 4, folder 35, http://digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16062coll26/id/648/rec/36].   He enlisted in Ballard's Company of the 10^th North Carolina Regiment in 1779 and was discharged on 9 December 1779. William Sanders received his final pay of £41 for his service in the North Carolina Continental Line between 1 September 1784 and 1 February 1785 [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XVI:1148; XVII:242]. He was called Randolph Rowe when he married Susannah Stewart, 17 December 1793 Warren County bond, Richard Evans surety, and he was called Charles Rowe when he married, second, Elizabeth Taborn, 11 December 1797 Granville County bond, Solomon Harris surety. He was sued for a debt of £2 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, on 13 October 1794 [Orders 1792-5, 351]. He was taxable in Warren County from 1796 to 1800 [Tax List 1781-1801, 318, 344, 366, 404], head of a Wake County household of 2 "other free" in 1800 [NC:793], 5 in Chatham County in 1810 (called Randolf Roe) [NC:201], and 2 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:209]. He was called a 78-year-old "man of Colour" on 19 September 1832 when he appeared in Chatham County court to apply for a pension for his service in the Revolution. He stated that he entered the service in Bute County [NARA, S.7416, M804-2072; http://fold3.com/image/14130819]. He was a 100-year-old "Mulatto" counted in the 1850 census for Chatham County with Susan Roe (age 71) and Nancy Stuart (age 47).

v. John¹, born about 1760, a "free man of Colour," about 61 years old on 8 August 1820 when he made a declaration in Botetourt County court to obtain a pension for his services in the Revolution. He stated that he enlisted in 1778 with Colonel Fabeger in the 2^nd Regiment in New Jersey [NARA, S.39045, M804-2072, frame 0209]. He was head of a Fluvanna County, Virginia household of 1 "other free" in 1810 [VA:478]. He registered in Nottoway County on 5 November 1818 and again in Botetourt County on 13 March 1820: 58 years, Black Colour, 5 feet 8 inches [Free Negroes Registered in the Clerks Office of Botetourt County, no.29].

2    vi. ?Sarah, born say 1762.

vii. Tabitha, born say 1764, mother of Patta Roe who was bound by the Amelia County court to Mary Thompson on 22 February 1787 [Orders 1786-8, 63].

viii. Dinney Randolph, born say 1765.

ix. ?Pat², living in Amelia County on 23 October 1788 when the court ordered her "free negro" children bound out [Orders 1788-91, 94].

 

2.    Sarah Row, born say 1762, was living in Campbell County on 4 January 1787 when the court bound her "Mulattoe Bastard" child John Row to Robert Walker [Orders 1786-91, 62]. She was the mother of

i. John², born 12 September 1780, a "Molatto boy" bound to P. R. Walker in Person County on 19 March 1793 [Minutes 1792-96], married Tamer Bass, 2 December 1801 Granville County bond, George Pettiford bondsman, and second, Sally Pendergrass, 2 March 1802 Person County bond. He was head of a Person County household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [NC:632], 3 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:498], and a "Negro" head of a Guilford County household of 3 in 1830.

 

Other members of the family were

i. Frederick, "F.N.", head of a 96 District, Laurens County, South Carolina household of 1 "other free" in 1790 [SC:71].

ii. James, born about 1770, bound to Edmund Denny in Wilkes County, North Carolina, on 7 September 1779 [Absher, Wilkes County Court Minutes 1778-1788, I:11].

iii. Sarah Baltrip, alias Roe, born about 1778, bound in Wilkes County to Charles Gordon on 28 October 1790 [Absher, Wilkes County Court Minutes 1789-1797, III:19] and to Edmund Denny on 3 August 1792 [Absher, Wilkes County, N.C. Will Books One & Two 1778-1811, 33].

iv. Polly, born about 1799, registered in the Corporation of Staunton, Virginia, on 14 June 1832: (alias Polly Harris) a free woman of colour aged about 33 years, of a dark yellow complexion, 5 feet 7-1/4 inches high... as appears from the certificate of M.W. Norvell Clerk of Lynchburg Hustings Court dated 14th June 1825 [Register of Free Negroes, no.119].

v. Samuel, Polly, and William, "children of colour" bound apprentice in Warren County on 31 August 1804 [North Carolina Apprentice bonds and records Warren County 1779-1901, frame 244 of 1965, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/766317].

 

ROWLAND FAMILY

1.    Ann Rowland, born say 1700, was living in Surry County, Virginia, on 20 May 1719 when the court presented her for having a "molatto" bastard [DW&c 7:188]. She was probably the mother of

i. Simon, born about 1719, a servant bound to Peter Bagly until the age of thirty-one when Bagly made his 15 November 1735 Surry County will by which he ordered his executors to give Simon his freedom at the age of twenty-eight. Simon was probably the "Molleto boy" with 11 years to serve who was listed in the 17 March 1735/6 inventory of Peter Bagly's estate [DW 8:547, 576].

ii. May, born say 1721, presented by the court in Surry County on 21 May 1740 for having a "Negro Bastard" [DW 9:171].

 

RUDD FAMILY

Members of the Rudd family in North Carolina were

1    i. William, Born say 1760.

ii. John, head of a Halifax County, North Carolina  household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [NC:338].

 

1.    William Rudd, born say 1760, was drafted in Halifax County in March 1779 [N.C. Archives, Troop Returns,  box 3, folder 40, http://digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16062coll26/id/510/rec/176] and received voucher no. 532 for £5 in Halifax District on 4 March 1782 for military service in the Revolution [North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, http://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-5NZF]. He purchased 150 acres joining Jumping Run in Halifax County on 2 December 1789 [DB 17:20] and was head of a Halifax County household of 8 "other free" in 1790, 11 in 1800 [NC:338], and 5 in 1810. He may have been the husband of Betty Rudd, daughter of Solomon Hawkins, who named her in his 4 April 1815 Halifax County will [WB 3:589] and he may have been the father of

i. Gardner, head of a Halifax County household of 8 "free colored" in 1820.

ii. Lewis, head of a Halifax County household of 8 "other free" in 1810 and 8 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:163].

iii. Eliza, head of a Halifax County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [NC:46].

 

RUFF FAMILY

1.    Margaret Ruffs, born say 1719, was living in Southwarke Parish, Surry County, Virginia, on 21 November 1752 when her daughter Lucy was brought to court and adjudged to be the "Mulatto" child of a "white woman" [Orders, 1751-53, 503]. She was apparently the mother of

2     ii. Judith, born say 1735.

3     ii. Deley, born say 1743.

iii. Lucy, born say 1752, a "poor orphan" daughter of Margaret Ruff bound out by the Surry County court on 20 April 1756 [Orders 1753-7, 378].

 

2.    Judith Ruff, born say 1735, was living in Henrico Parish on 8 December 1752 when the vestry exempted her from paying the parish levy (which only women of African or Indian descent were subject to) [Brock, Vestry Book of Henrico Parish, Virginia, 1730-73, 95]. She was living in Bedford County when the court ordered her "poor children" Dinah and Britain bound out by the churchwardens [Orders 1763-71, 283]. She was the mother of 

i. Dinah.

ii. Britton, a "melatto" taxable in the Northern District of Campbell County from 1788 to 1810 [PPTL, 1785-1814, frames 88, 113, 157, 197, 241, 277, 307, 702, 664, 773] and head of a Campbell County household of 1 "other free" in 1810 [VA:881].

 

3.    Deley/ Dilce Ruffs, born say 1743, was a "Mullatto" girl (no parent named) who was bound out by the Henrico County court in July 1743. She was the mother of Jeffrey, John and Joseph Ruff who were ordered bound out by the Henrico County court on 3 February 1783. She died before 1 December 1788 when the court ordered the churchwardens of the lower district of Henrico County to bind her son Joseph Rough to Arthur Giles, carpenter [Orders 1737-46, 225; 1781-4, 183; 1787-9, 493]. She was the mother of

i. Jeffry.

ii. John, taxable in Botetourt County on a horse in 1796 [PPTL 1783-1810, frame 271], a "Molatto" taxable in Pittsylvania County from 1802 to 1805 [PPTL 1797-1812, frames 353, 376, 432, 455, 530], head of a Fluvanna County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [VA:492].

4    iii. Joseph, born say 1778.

iv. ?Sally, married Abram Goff, 25 July 1798 Bedford County bond, John Mann and Richard Moss bondsmen.

v. ?Asy, born about 1781, registered in Bedford County on 26 July 1803: Black, 5'4-1/3", born free [Register of Free Negroes 1803-20, p.3].

 

4.    Joseph Ruff, born say 1778, was bound to Arthur Giles in Henrico County on 1 December 1788 [Orders 1781-4, 183; 1787-9, 493]. He was taxable in Bedford County, Virginia, from 1800 to 1816 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 462, 530, 559, 600, 657, 1806-16, frames 29, 98, 180, 288, 332, 469, 582, 700], a "free Black" head of a Bedford County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [VA:480]. He was living in Bedford County on 9 December 1833 when he petitioned the Virginia Legislature to allow him to own a gun, claiming that his father had fought in the Revolution and a gun was required for hunting wild fowl and protecting the crop on the small farm he owned in the mountains [LVA, Legislative Digital Petitions, Ruff, Joseph, 1833/12/09; http://virginiamemory.com/collections/petitions]. He was the father of

i. James, born about 1804, registered in Bedford County on 27 April 1857: son of Joe Ruff, 53 years of age, born free and his mother a white woman, bright complexion, 5 feet 7 inches high [Ruff, James (M, 53): Free Negro Register, 1857, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

ii. David, born about 1806, registered in Bedford County on 27 April 1857: son of Joe Ruff, 51 years of age, bright complexion, born free and his mother a white woman, 5 feet 9^1/2 inches high [Ruff, David (M, 51): Free Negro Register, 1857, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

 

Other descendants were

i. Winifred, born 20 August 1765, a "Free Negroe Girl" bound to Thomas Silgreaves until the age of eighteen years in Craven County, North Carolina, on 8 October 1766 [Minutes 1764-66, 50d].

ii. Step, a "f. negroe" or "melatto" taxable in Campbell County in 1790 and 1791 [PPTL, 1785-1814, frames 155, 196].

iii. Rebecca, born about 1792, registered in Southampton County on 4 December 1817: age 25, 5 feet 4^1/2 inches, Mulatto woman free born (in) Prince George County [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, no. 1129].

iv. James, born say 1800, married Betsy Blizzard, 23 May 1823 Surry County bond, and was head of a Surry County household of 4 "free colored" in 1830.

   

RUSSELL FAMILY

1.    Eleanor Russell, born before 1723, was over eighteen years of age on 27 April 1741 when she appeared as a witness against Jack, "a mulatto Slave" convicted by the Craven County, North Carolina court of killing his master, Robert Pitts. She helped to convict him by testifying that he tried to convince her to do it for him. The court ruled that he be

hangd by the neck till he is Dead & then his head to be Severed from his body & stuck upon a pole [Haun, Craven County Court Minutes, II:275-6].

The Craven County records do not mention Eleanor's fate, but apparently she was also convicted since she petitioned the General Assembly on 5 May 1742 for reprieve from her death sentence. Eleanor's "Mixtd Blood" daughter Hannah Russell was indentured later that year on 21 September [Saunders, Colonial Records of North Carolina, III:339, 617, 653]. Her children were

2     i. ?John, a "Mulatto" born about 1736.

ii. Hannah, daughter of Eleanor Russell, ordered bound out to Nicholas Rutledge by the Craven court on 25 September 1742 [Haun, Craven County Court Minutes, III: 339], probably related to Ann Russell who was head of a Craven County household of 1 "other free" in 1790 [NC:131].

 

2.    John¹ Russell, born about 1736, a "Mulatto," no parent named, was six years old on 21 September 1742 when the Craven County court bound him to David Lewis. Lewis promised to teach him, "to Read & Write a Ledgable hand & to teach him or cause to be taught the Shoemakers trade." However, Lewis gave him to his brother, John Lewis of Chowan County, and he sold him to Captain Hews of Suffolk County, Virginia [Haun, Craven County Court Minutes, III:328, 653]. He may have been the John Russell who was a "Mulato" taxable in Bladen County in 1769 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:16] and may have been the father of

i. Thomas, a taxable "Mulato" in Bladen County in 1768 and 1776 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:7; II:68, 92], head of a Georgetown District, Prince Fredericks Parish, South Carolina household of 6 "other free" in 1790.

ii. Polly, head of a Barnwell District, South Carolina household of 3 "other free" in 1800 [SC:65].

 

Loudoun County, Virginia

1.    Anne Russell, born say 1737, was the mother of a "Mulatto" daughter who the churchwardens of Cameron Parish, Loudoun County, were ordered to bind out on 13 September 1757 [Orders 1757-62, 17]. She was the mother of

i. Jane, born say 1757.

ii. ?Samuel, born about 1759, enlisted in the Revolution for 18 months from Loudoun County on 23 September 1780: age 19, 5'2^1/2" high, a planter, born in Berkely County, hair dark brown, eyes gray, complexion black, Deserted. Reg. 8 [Register & description of Noncommissioned officers & Privates, LVA accession no. 24296, by http://revwarapps.org/b69.pdf, (p54)]. He produced an affidavit in Rockbridge County on 6 July 1818 that he enlisted in the Revolution on 1 September 1780 and served 18 months, and he was about 61 years old when he appeared in Rockbridge County court on 6 March 1822 to make a second deposition for a pension for his services in the Revolution. He stated (signing) that he served under Captains Peyton, Scott & Anderson, Colonel Davis and General Baron Stuben for 18 months in the 3^rd Virginia Regiment in 1780 and 1781. He had a 56-year-old wife and two sons aged 19 and 14. His wife Hannah Russel was about 66 when she appeared in Rockbridge County on 5 September 1853 to apply for a widow's pension. She declared that her husband enlisted from Loudoun County, served under Captain Thomas Snead in the 9^th Virginia Regiment, received an honorary discharge at Valley Forge, that her maiden name was Flint, and that they were married on 4 October 1827 by a Presbyterian clergyman in Rockbridge County. He died on 26 July in Rockbridge County on 26 July 1831, and their son Morgan A. Russsell was about 29 in 1858 [NARA, W.26423, M804, roll 2101, frame 271 of 829;  http://fold3.com/image/14068041].

 

Other members of the Russell family were

i. Thomas, a "Mulata" boy valued at £5 in the inventory of the King William County estate of William Clayborne on 17 January 1706/7 [RB 1702-6, 53].

ii. John², "a Negro poor person" who was assigned counsel by the Goochland County court in January 1759 to sue the executors of Thomas Drumwright who were detaining him as a slave [Orders 8:175].

2     iii. Amy, born say 1747.

3     iv. George, born about 1752.

 

2.    Amy Russell, born say 1747, was a "free Negro" living in Norfolk County on 16 January 1767 when the churchwardens of Elizabeth River were ordered to bind her children James and Frank as apprentice bakers to Paul Heriter. She complained to the court against John Halstead, Jr., in February 1774 [Orders 1766-68, 69; 1773-5, 27]. Her children were

i. James¹, born say 1764, bound to Paul Heriter on 16 January 1767 and a "free negro" bound to John Runsberg on 17 December 1773 [Orders 1773-5, 8].

ii. Frank, born say 1766.

iii. ?Lewis, head of a Richmond City household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [VA:316].

iv. ?Molly, head of a Norfolk County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [VA:917].

 

3.    George Russell, born about 1752, was about 68 when he appeared in Smith County, Tennessee, on 15 August 1820 to apply for a pension for his services in the Revolution. He served in the 15^th Virginia Regiment for 1 year and 9 months. He had a wife of about 45 years of age and a boy of about 5 years of age in his household. He was a "colored man" who was born in Brunswick County, Virginia, and returned there after the war in the spring of 1779 [NARA, S.39059, M804, Roll 2101, frame 54 of 829, ancestry.com]. He was head of a Wake County household of 11 "other free" in 1790 [NC:103] and 4 in 1800 [NC:791]. He sold 75 acres, and James Russell sold an adjoining tract of 60 acres in Wake County about 1800 [DB Q:415].  Perhaps George's children were

i. James², head of a Wake County household of 3 "other free" in 1790 [NC:103], 9 in 1800, and 7 "free colored" in Richmond County in 1820 [NC:200].

ii. Matthew, head of a Montgomery County household of 3 "other free" in 1790 [NC:166].

 

SAMPLE FAMILY

1.    Dorothy¹ Sample, born say 1690, was living in Accomack County, Virginia, on 15 November 1692 when her mother Mary Sample, a widow, bound her to John and Dorothy Washbourne until the age of eighteen [Orders 1690-7, 78a]. She was in adjoining Northampton County in May 1710 when the court bound her eighteen-month-old son Jacob as an apprentice. On 15 June 1714 she successfully sued Rebecca Maddux, administratrix of the estate of Thomas Maddux, for 405 pounds of tobacco [O&W 1698-1710, 536; Orders 1710-16, 165]. She was called a "white Christian Single Woman" when she was presented by the churchwardens of Accomack County on 6 April 1715 and 2 May 1721 for having illegitimate children by "one Negro Slave named Black Daniel" [Orders 1714-7, 7-7a; 1719-24, 30]. On 4 November 1718 she bound her three-year-old daughter Tabitha to Benjamin Wattson [Orders 1717-9, 23a]. Her children were

2     i. Jacob, born about December 1708.

ii. Tabitha, born 12 January 1715.

 

2.    Jacob Sample, born about December 1708, eighteen-month-old son of Dorothy Sample, was bound apprentice in Northampton County, Virginia, in May 1710 [O&W 1693-1710, 536]. He was taxable in Richard Smith's Northampton County household in the list of Thomas Marshall in 1725 and in the tobacco list of Daniel Luke and Jonathan Bell in 1728 [L.P. 1725, 1728]. He probably left the county that year since he was not taxable in 1729 or the following years. Jacob may have been the father of

3     i. Daniel¹, born say 1740.

 

3.    Daniel¹ Sample, born say 1740, was tithable with (his wife?) Mary Sample in Thomas John Marshall's list for Northampton County in 1765 [Bell, Northampton County Tithables, 371]. He sued a member of the Stephens family for a debt of £1.9 on 16 September 1773 [Minutes 1771-7, 177, 189]. The Accomack County court presented him on 30 May 1775 for failing to list himself as a tithable in 1774, but the case was dismissed at the next court [Orders 1774-7, 349, 365]. He was a "free Negro" taxable in Accomack County from 1787 to 1789: taxable on 2 tithes in 1789 [PPTL 1782-1814, frames 239, 304], head of a St. George Parish, Accomack County household of 4 "other free" in 1800 [Virginia Genealogist 2:162], 4 in 1810 [VA:60] and 3 "free colored" in ajdoining Northampton County in 1820 [VA:216]. He may have been the father of

i. Thomas, born say 1765, "free Negro" taxable in Accomack County in 1787 [PPTL 1782-1814, frame 239] and head of a St. George Parish, Accomack County household of 1 "other free" and 4 slaves in 1800 [Virginia Genealogist 2:161].

ii. Daniel³, a "fn" taxable in Accomack County in 1798 [PPTL, 1782-1814, frame 365], registered in Accomack County: born about 1767, a Black, 5 feet 3-1/4 inches, Born free in Accomack County [Register of Free Negroes, 1785-1863, no. 481].

iii. Solomon, a "fn" taxable in Accomack County from 1798 to 1800 [PPTL, 1782-1814, frames 365, 404, 441].

 

Members of the family in Accomack and Northampton counties were

i. Comfort, registered in Accomack County: born about 1766, a Black, 5'1", born free in Accomack County [Register of Free Negroes, 1785-1863, no. 681].

ii. Francis, born say 1768, taxable in Northampton County from 1789 to 1796 [PPTL, 1782-1823, frames 103, 147, 198]. He was sued in Northampton County court for £5 on 14 September 1790. He registered as a "free Negro" in Northampton County on 13 June 1794 [Orders 1789-95, 83, 107, 364] and was head of an Accomack Parish, Accomack County household of 1 "other free" in 1800 [Virginia Genealogist 2:14].

iii. Sinah, born say 1770, married Charles Webb, "Free Negroes," 7 June 1791 Northampton County bond, William Satchell security.

iv. Tince, head of a St. George Parish, Accomack County household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [Virginia Genealogist 2:163], perhaps the Finney Sample who was head of an Accomack County household of 7 "other free" in 1810 [VA:61].

v. William, taxable in Northampton County in 1795 [PPTL, 1782-1823, frame 199].

vi. Betty, head of an Accomack County household of 9 "other free" in 1810 [VA:60], married in 1813 to Isaac, a slave freed by Ames [PPTL 1782-1814, frame 833].

vii. Lisha, head of a St. George Parish, Accomack County household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [Virginia Genealogist 2:163], perhaps the Eliha Sample who was head of an Accomack County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [VA:59] and 5 "free colored" in 1830.

viii. Deborah, head of a Accomack County household of 8 "free colored" in 1830.

ix. Sarah, head of a St. George Parish, Accomack County household of 3 "other free" and a slave in 1800 [Virginia Genealogist 2:161] and 5 "other free" in 1810 [VA:59].

x. Littleton, a "free Negro" bound by the churchwardens of St. George's Parish to Thomas Jacob to be a farmer on 27 August 1776 [Orders 1774-7, 460].

xi. Saul, head of a St. George Parish, Accomack County household of 2 "other free" in 1800 [Virginia Genealogist 2:163].

xii. Sabra, registered in Accomack County about 1832: born about 1780, Black, born free in Accomack County [Register of Free Negroes, 1785-1863, no. 592].

xiii. Peggy, registered in Accomack County about 1832: born about 1782, Black, 5'3", born free in Accomack County [Register of Free Negroes, 1785-1863, no. 597].

xiv. Ader, head of an Accomack County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [VA:60].

xv. Scarburgh, head of an Accomack County household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [VA:61].

xvi. John, married Kesiah Beavans, 13 February 1810 Accomack County bond, Isaiah Carter security.

xvii. Emmerson, born in April 1785, registered in Accomack County on 29 September 1807: Dark Mulatto, 5 feet 6-1/8 Inches, a little pitted by the smallpox on his face, Born free [Register, no. 1].

xviii. Fanny, born about 1785, registered in Accomack County: born about 1785, a light Black, 5'1" high, born free in Accomack County [Register of Free Negroes, 1785-1863, no. 502].

xix. Molly, married Nathaniel Collins, 16 August 1810 Northampton County bond, Isaiah Carter security.

xx. Billy, registered as a "free Negro" in Northampton County on 13 June 1794 [Orders 1789-95, 364], married Christina Weeks 26 November 1817 Northampton County bond, Frank Sample security.

xxi. Edy, born before 1776, bound by the Accomack County court to Elijah Handcock on 25 September 1793 [Orders 1793-6, 1], head of a Accomack County household of 7 "free colored" in 1830.

xxii. Dingley, born about 1790, bound by the Accomack County court to Elijah Handcock on 25 September 1793 [Orders 1793-6, 1]. He was a "Black" farmer counted in the 1850 census for St. George's Parish, Accomack County.

 

Members of the family on the Southside of Virginia were

4     i. Dorothy², born say 1750.

ii. Ezekiel, born 10 December 1754, a seven-year-old "Mullatto" bound to Benjamin Dingly Gray by the Princess Anne County court on 18 March 1761 to learn to read and write [Minutes 1753-62, 420]. He was a "free Negro" taxable in St. Bride's Parish of Norfolk County in 1816 and 1817 [PPTL, 1813-24, frames 187, 226].

iii. Hannah, born 7 August 1757, a four-year-old "Mullatto" bound to Benjamin Dingly Gray by the Princess Anne County court on 18 March 1761 to learn to read, sew and spin [Minutes 1753-62, 420]. She registered as a "free Negro" in Northampton County on 10 June 1794 [Orders 1789-95, 354].

iv. Daniel², born say 1766, a "F.N." tithable in Isle of Wight County in 1797 and from 1804 to 1809: taxable on 4 slaves and a horse in 1804, 6 slaves and 2 horses in 1805, 5 slaves and 3 horses in 1806, 6 slaves and 5 horses in 1807, 3 slaves and 4 horses in 1809 [PPTL 1782-1810, frames 412, 641, 703, 742, 761, 819].

v. Randall, born say 1774, a "F.N." tithable in Isle of Wight County in 1797 [PPTL 1782-1810, frames 412].

vi. Henry, born say 1776, married Dinah Bevans 17 November 1797 Norfolk County bond, Francis Drake security, and was a "F.N." taxable in Isle of Wight County from 1806 to 1809 [PPTL 1782-1810, frames 742, 761, 819].

vii. Francis, received a certificate of freedom on 13 August 1801 that he was free-born in Norfolk County [Sample, Francis (M): Free Negro Certificate, 1801, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

 

4.    Dorothy² Sample, born say 1750, was sued by Teackle Robins in Accomack County court on 27 July 1774, but the suit abated by the death of the plaintiff [Orders 1774-7, 226, 254]. She was living in Princess Anne County on 8 July 1779 when her "free Mulatto" children Christopher and Dorothy were bound by the court to William Hancock. And she was identical to "Daurothy" whose infant free "Mulatto" daughter Rose was bound by the Princess Anne County court to Mary Burch on 12 November 1778 [Minutes 1773-82, 401]. She married James Whitehurst, 4 October 1786 Princess Anne County bond, George Smyth surety. On 14 April 1787 the Princess Anne County court bound her son Christian Sample to her "free Mulatto" husband James Whitehurst to learn the trade of shoemaker [Minutes 1787-8, 159]. She registered in Norfolk County on 24 March 1794: This is to certify that Dorothy Whitehurst was sold until she was Twenty one years of age by my grandmother Sarah Gaskeys unto my Father Benjamin Dingly Gray and I have often heard my father say and also the said Gray said that her the said Daritha Whitehurst Maden name was Sample and also that her Grandmother was a white woman and I myself know that during the time the said Daritha was apprentice to my Father she bor and had the following children to with Roas, Carrity, Sabro, Doratha and Christopher and has been Clear and all of her children free for many years. Joseph Gray [Whitehurst, Dorothy (Alias Daritha Whitehurst: Daritha Sample: Dorothy Sample, F): Free Negro Certificate, 1794, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].  Dorothy was the mother of

5     i. Charity, born about 1764.

ii. Rose, born say 1773, an infant "free Mulatto" bound by the Princess Anne County court to Mary Burch on 12 November 1778, called Rose Sample when her son Frank Sample was bound to William Nummo to learn the occupation of farmer on 11 September 1788 [Minutes 1788-9, 120].

iii. Christopher, born about 1774, registered in Norfolk County on 2 August 1797: a Black man about five feet high twenty three or four years of age was born free in the County of Princess Anne [Sample, Christopher, (M, 23): Free Negro Certificate, 1797, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. He was in a list of "Free Negroes and Mulattoes" in St. Bride's Parish, Norfolk County in 1812 and 1814 [PPTL, 1791-1812, frame 802; 1813-24, frame 67].

iv. Dorothy³, born say 1777.

v. Sebria, daughter of Dorothy Sample, bound to Richard and Hannah Sparrow by the Princess Anne County court on 15 February 1782 [Minutes 1782-4, 43].

 

5.    Charity Sample, born about 1764, registered in Princess Anne County on 19 April 1786: aged about twenty three years & born free in the County of Princess Anne [Sample, Charity (23): Free Negro Certificate, 1786, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. She married Jacob Carter, 6 December 1787 Princess Anne County bond, James Whitehurst security. Jacob Carter was head of a Petersburg household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [VA:119b]. She was still called Charity Sample when she registered in Norfolk County on 19 July 1814: 5-3 inches, 50 years of age, of a light complexion [Register of Free Negros & Mulattos, no.94]. She may have been the mother of

i. Caesar, born about 1782, registered in Norfolk County on 14 July 1810: 5 feet 2 Inches, Twenty eight years of age of a dark Complexion [Register, no 8].

ii. Ned, born about 1789, registered in Norfolk County on 20 July 1812: 5 feet 6 Inc., 23 years of age of a Yellowish Complexion, Born free by the affidavit of Matt Halstead [Register, no. 74].

iii. Mary, born about 1790, registered in Norfolk County on 22 September 1812: 4 ft. 9 Inc., 22 Years of age of a Yellowish Complexion, Born free [Register, no. 87].

 

SAMPSON FAMILY

1.  John¹ Sampson, born say 1690, was sued by Edward Myhill of Elizabeth City County for 300 pounds of tobacco on 21 September 1715. Myhill was security for the payment of a debt of £20 John owed William Armistead, Jr. The court ordered him held in custody on 17 November 1715 when he appeared and denied he owed the plaintiff anything. The case was dismissed on 17 May 1716 when the parties reached agreement. He apparently bound himself as a servant to Samuel Sweny (Sweeney) sometime that year because the following January the court ordered him to serve Sweny another 60 days for being absent thirty days. The court also ordered him to serve Sweny another two months in exchange for Sweny paying his levy for the year. Edward Mihill testified for John at his trial. On 20 March 1716/7 he sued Robert Armistead for 1,000 pounds of tobacco damages for a house John had built for Armistead [Orders 1715-21, 9, 16, 23, 27, 42, 55, 59, 78]. He was called "a Molatto man named John Sampson belonging to Samuel Swinney" on 17 April 1718 when John Berry produced a certificate in Middlesex County court for taking him up as a runaway [Middlesex County Orders 1710-21, 370]. He testified in Elizabeth City County in May 1724 that Joshua Myhill had sworn or cursed profanely. Francis Mallory sued him in January 1724/5 but failed to prosecute. He sued Joshua Myhill for trespass and £50 damages in May 1725, but the court found against him, and the same court dismissed his suit against William Cuttillo (called William Qustilla). He paid Humphrey and Matthew Ward as his evidences and William Cattilla/ Cuttillo testified for Myhill. On 20 January 1725/6 he bound himself to serve Philip Mallory for a year in exchange for 1,000 pounds of tobacco, apparently to pay his debts. On 6 May 1726 he was granted a certificate for taking up a runaway servant named Sawney belonging to William Tapley of Essex County [Elizabeth City County Deeds, Wills, & Orders 1723-30, 13, 74, 103, 146, 148, 164]. Ten days later on 16 May 1726 John Mundell presented a claim to the York County court for taking up a "free runaway Mulatto man servant named John Sampson belonging to Francis Mallory of Elizabeth City County above ten miles distance from his said master's habitation." He brought an action of trespass upon the case against Sarah Hobson which was dismissed by the York County court on 16 August 1742 when both parties reached agreement, and he brought a case against Rebecca Hulet which was dismissed on 15 November 1742. Sarah Pegram testified for him, and Sarah Hobson testified for Rebecca Hulet [York County, OW 16, pt. 2, 383; W&I 19:121, 131, 132]. He may have been the ancestor of

i. John², born say 1720, one of only seven surviving men of the Pamunkey Indians who petitioned the Virginia Assembly to sell a small tract of their land in 1748 [Winfree, The Laws of Virginia, 416-7].

ii. Thomas¹, born say 1725, one of only seven surviving men of the Pamunkey Indians who petitioned the Virginia Assembly to sell a small tract of their land in 1748 [Winfree, The Laws of Virginia, 416-7].

2    iii. Sylvia, born say 1745.

iv. Nanny, born say 1752, a "negro" tithable in James Atchinson's household in Elizabeth River Parish, Norfolk County in 1768 [Wingo, Norfolk County Tithables, 1766-80, 80].

3    v. John³, born say 1755,

4    vi. William, born say 1760.

vii. George, born say 1762, an Indian who attended William and Mary College in 1775 [William and Mary College, Catalogue, 1859, p. 41, U.S. School Catalogues, 1765-1935, http://ancestry.com]. He enlisted in the 15^th Virginia Regiment for three years about December 1775 and died in the service after June 1777 according to an affidavit from Lieutenant Giles Raines. Nanney Sampson was his widow who was allowed payment to widows and orphans of soldiers in the Revolution from King William County on 23 June 1779 and 6 November 1779. On 29 June 1789 she certified that (his brother?) Reuben Sampson was his legal representative. Reuben assigned his right to the bounty land to William Bigger with Robert Mush as witness [Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants; Sampson, George, Digital Collections, LVA; Quarles, John: Petition, 1779-11-06 and 1779-11-23, Legislative Petitions of the General Assembly, 1776-1865, Accession Number 36121, Box 134, Folders 4 & 6, Digital Collections, LVA].

viii. Reuben¹, born say 1767, an Indian who attended William and Mary College in 1775 [William and Mary College, Catalogue, 1859, p. 41, U.S. School Catalogues, 1765-1935, http://ancestry.com]. He was taxable on 2 horses in the Pamunkey Indian Town in King William County in 1799 [PPTL, 1782-1832].

ix. Edmund, born say 1768, attended William and Mary College in 1775 [William and Mary College, Catalogue, 1859, p. 42, U.S. School Catalogues, 1765-1935, http://ancestry.com].

x. Armstead, born say 1771, taxable on a slave above the age of 16 in King William County in 1797 [PPTL, 1794-1811], owner of the home on the Pamunkey Reservation where a meeting was held on 7 December 1798 to inform the Virginia Legislature that the tribe agreed to the appointment of trustees to regulate their internal government [Pamunkey Indians: Petition, King William County, 1798-12-27, Legislative Petitions Digital Collection, LVA].

xi. Francis, born say 1772, one of the Pamunkey Indians who signed a petition to the legislature on 7 December 1798 agreeing to the appointment of trustees for the internal government of the tribe. He was taxable in King William County on a slave over 16 and under 16 in 1797, taxable on a horse in 1799 [PPTL, 1794-1811].

xii. Fanny, taxable on a slave above the age of 16 in King William County in 1797 [PPTL, 1794-1811].

xiii. James, head of a Guilford County, North Carolina household of 4 "other free" in 1790 [NC:153].

xiv. Betsy, a "free Colored" member of the Lower College Baptist Church in King William County on 25 October 1812 [Colosse Baptist Church Minute Book, 1813-1834].

xv. Joshua, head of a Pasquotank County, North Carolina household of 1 "other free" in 1790 [NC:29].

xvi. Lovey, "a Free woman of Colour" who purchased her husband David from Jeremiah Symons and petitioned the Pasquotank County court in June 1797 for permission to manumit him, saying that she had "some years agoe took to Husband a Mulatto man Slave named David late the property of a certain Jeremiah Symons" [Byrd, In Full Force and Virtue, 198].

xvii. Dicy, born say 1800, the wife of William Bradby, head of a King William County household of 7 "free colored" in 1830 and 1 in 1840.

5    xviii. William Bradby, born say 1800.

6    xix. Lewis, born about 1810.

xx. Reuben², born say 1810, husband of Betsy and father of Ellen Langston who was born about 1837 and married Thomas Sampson, son of Billy Bradly Sampson on 6 November 1862 in King William County.

xxi. Rhoda², born say 1830, "a descendant of the Pamunkey Indians," who was in Richmond City when Sarah Pettis, a slave of Samuel Norward, was charged with violently assaulting her according to the 7 March 1854 issue of the Richmond Mail. The 8 July 1856 issue of the Daily Dispatch called Rhoda a "yellow woman" who was charged with using insulting and abusive language to her neighbor in Richmond. Betsy Martin, a "free negress," was charged on 2 January 1860 with beating Rhoda, "an associate," but Betsy was discharged because Rhoda failed to appear according to the 3 January 1860 issue of the paper [Richmond Mail, Vol. 1, no. 279, p.3; Daily Dispatch, Vol. 10, no. 6, p.1, Vol 17, no.2, p.1, http://virginiachronicle.com, "Rhoda Sampson"].

 

2.   Sylvia Sampson, born say 1745, was a "free negro Woman" living in Carteret County, North Carolina, on 17 September 1771 when her unnamed two-year-old son, a "Negro boy," was bound to Reuben Benthall [Minutes X:403]. Perhaps her children were

i. Isaac, enlisted for 12 months in Brevard's Company of the 10^th North Carolina Regiment in 1781 and was discharged on 28 April 1782 [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XVI:1164; NCGSJ XV:231]. He was head of a Carteret County household of 6 "other free" in 1800.

ii. Polly, head of a Carteret County household of 4 "other free" in 1800 and 6 in 1810 [NC:447].

iii. Frances, married Anthony Brown, 23 September 1808 Craven County bond, Peter George surety. Anthony was head of a Craven County household of 5 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:67].

iv. Esther, married Asa Spelman, 6 June 1819 Craven County bond, Aaron Spelman bondsman.

 

3.   John³ Sampson, born say 1755, was a Pamunkey Indian who attended William and Mary College in 1764 [William and Mary College, Catalogue, 1859, p. 33, U.S. School Catalogues, 1765-1935, http://ancestry.com]. He was called John Sampson, Sr., on 7 December 1798 when he and other Pamunkey men met at the house of Armstead Sampson to sign a petition to the Virginia Legislature that they had agreed to the appointment of trustees to regulate their internal government [Pamunkey Indians: Petition, King William County, 1798-12-27, Legislative Petitions Digital Collection, LVA]. He was the father of

i. ?Richmond, born about 1773, head of a Petersburg household of 4 "other free" and a slave in 1810, a 50-year-old carpenter from Petersburg who emigrated to Liberia with Maria and Mary Sampson aboard the ship Oswego in 1823 [http://fold3.com/image/46670209].

ii. ?John⁴, born say 1778, taxable on a horse in King William County in 1799 [PPTL, 1794-1811], one of the Pamunkey men who signed a petition to the legislature in 1812 to ask for a law allowing the trustees of the tribe to lease out part of their land [Pamunkey Indians: Petition, King William County, 1812-12-04, Legislative Petitions Digital Collection, LVA].

7    iii. Sally, born about 1780.

iv. ?Richmond, born say 1785, head of a Petersburg household of 4 "other free" and a slave in 1810. On 24 August 1818 he purchased "Negroes" Mary Ann, Elijah and Maria Sampson from Hugh Ivey of Sussex County for $400 [DB 5:535] and emigrated to Liberia with Maria and Mary Sampson aboard the ship Oswego in 1823 [http://fold3.com/image/46670209].?Richmond, born say 1785, head of a Petersburg household of 4 "other free" and a slave in 1810. On 24 August 1818 he purchased "Negroes" Mary Ann, Elijah and Maria Sampson from Hugh Ivey of Sussex County for $400 [DB 5:535] and emigrated to Liberia with Maria and Mary Sampson aboard the ship Oswego in 1823 [http://fold3.com/image/46670209].

v. ?Julia, a laborer counted in the list of free people of color living in Petersburg with her children Jane, Nancy and William in 1821 [List of Free People of Color in the Town of Petersburg for the year, 1821, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

 

4.   William Sampson, born say 1760, was living in King William County when he and Gideon Langston enlisted and served three years in the Revolution under Captain Holt Richeson in the 7^th Virginia Regiment. They received bounty land in 1818 [Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants, Froman, Temple, 1818, Digital Collection, LVA]. He was a "Free Colored" member of the Lower College Baptist Church in King William County in 1791 and an excluded "free Colored" member on 6 September 1812 [Colosse Baptist Church Minute Book, 1813-1834 cited by http://bia.gov/sites/bia.gov/files/assets/as-ia/ofa/petition/323_pamunk_VA/323_pf.pdf, p.27]. He and Henry Sampson were 2 of 14 members of the Pamunkey Tribe who petitioned the Virginia Legislature in 1812 [Pamunkey Indians: Petition, King William County, 1812-12-04, Legislative Petitions Digital Collection, LVA]. On 14 May 1840 Jane Collins, a free woman of Colour, testified in New Kent County that Molly Holt, Rhody Arnold, Billy Sampson and Squire Osborn, free persons of Colour, were the only heirs of Stephen Freeman, John Freeman and Robert Mush who were soldiers in the Continental Line. William may have married the daughter or niece of Stephen Freeman. William died before 26 February 1846 when it was proved to the King William County court that he and Squire Osborne, a "free Negro," were the only heirs of Stephen Freeman who served in the Revolution. Squire died without heirs and Thomas and Delphia Sampson were Billy Sampson's only heirs. On 10 March 1846 Rhoda Arnold, Molly Holt, Thomas Sampson and Delphia Sampson were called heirs at law of Stephen Freeman in King William County when they gave power of attorney to receive bounty land for his service. Stephen Freeman died in 1788 according to testimony of Rhoda Arnold and Molly Holt on 3 October 1844 [NARA, B.Lwt. 2393-100, M804, roll 1024, frame 312 of 952; http://fold3.com/image/20171576; NARA M804, http://fold3.com/image/20171579]. William's (second?) wife was identified as Maria Langston in the marriage license of their son Thomas. Maria may have been the daughter of Stephen Freeman. William and his wife Maria were the parents of

8    i. Thomas¹, born about 1818.

ii. Delphia, born about 1824, counted in the 1850 census for King William County in the household of Archie Miles and was married to him by the 1870 census when they were on the Pamunkey Indian Reservation.

 

5.    William Bradby Sampson, born say 1800, was married to Elizabeth Sampson according to the marriage license of their son Thomas. They were the parents of

i. Thomas², born about 1827, son of Billy Bradly Sampson and Betsy Sampson, married Ellen Langston, daughter of Reuben and Lucy Sampson, on 6 November 1862 in King William County. Thomas and Ellen A. Sampson were counted on their farm on the Pamunkey Reservation in 1870 with children Elizabeth (5), Ellenora (3), Stephen Z. Sampson (1) and Emerline Langston (10) in the household adjoining Agnes Sampson.

 

6.    Lewis Sampson, born about 1810, was an Indian taxable on a horse in King William County in 1834 and 1839, 2 horses in 1844 [PPTL, 1833-1851]. He, a labourer, and his wife Agnes were "Mulattos" listed in the 1850 census for King William County with children Lizzie (15), Betta (14), Maria 12, William (10) and Lewis Sampson (1) and counted in 1860 with children: Lumpkin (17), Richard (13), Starling (11) and Fanny Sampson (4). Agnes Sampson was living on a farm on the Pamunkey Indian Reservation in 1880 with Richard (22) and Fanny Sampson (14). She was still a member of the Calosse Baptist Church when she was buried on 28 July 1899 in a handsome coffin with floral decorations and impressive services according to the 30 July 1899 issue of the Richmond Times [Vol 14, no. 145, http://virginiachronicle.com, "Agnes Sampson"]. Lewis and Agnes were the parents of

i. Elizabeth, born about 1835.

ii. Henrietta, born about 1803, 35-year-old daughter of Lewis and Agnes Sampson, married Bradly son of B... and .. Bradly on 9 February 1834 in King William County. She was probably identical to Betta who was 14 in 1850.

iii. Maria, born about 1838.

iv. Lumpkin, born about 1843.

v. William, born about 1840.

vi. Lewis, born about 1849.

vii. Richard, born about 1847.

viii. Sterling, born about 1849, a fisherman living on the Pamunkey Indian Reservation in 1900 with wife Louisa, a white woman.

ix. Fanny, born about 1856.

 

7.    Sally Sampson, born about 1780, was taxable on a slave over the age of 16 in King William County in 1798 [PPTL, 1794-1811]. She was the wife of Thomas Major by 20 November 1810 when James Johnson, trustee of the Pamunkey Tribe, wrote an affidavit for her free papers: Virginia, King William County, I do certify that Sally Major the wife of Thomas Major is a free woman and a citizen of the Pamunkey Indian Town, lying in the county aforesaid. She is about thirty years old, rather of a brighter yellow than some of the other Indians. And trustee Herbert A. Claiborne certified on 5 April 1838: Lavinia Sampson, a woman of brown complexion and now about thirty years of age is the reputed daughter of Sally Sampson...Sally Sampson was the daughter of John Sampson [Petersburg (VA.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1787-1865, Local government records collection, Petersburg (City) Court Records, LVA]. Sally Major registered her children in Petersburg in 1817. Sally was head of a household of 1 "free colored" woman age 26-45 and a "free colored" man the same age in 1820 and was in the list of free people of color for Petersburg in 1821: with her daughter Charlotte Sampson, listed next to Thomas Major, a sailor, and her daughter Lavinia Sampson and Lavinia's son John Sampson [List of People of Color in Petersburg 1803, 1803, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. Thomas Majors, born before 1776, was a "free colored" sailor living alone in Petersburg for the 1840 census. Sally was the mother of

i. John Sampson, born about 1798, registered in Petersburg on 18 October 1817: a lad of Colour (son of Sally Major, a free woman) about nineteen years old, five feet nine inches high, of a light yellow brown Complection, has strait hair, cow lick in his hair, born free in King William County, said to be of Indian descent & by trade a shoemaker. Registered by desire of his mother [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 877].

ii. Charles Sampson, born about 1799, registered in Petersburg on 2 April 1817: a free man of Colour, five feet nine and a half inches high in shoes, about 18 yrs old, of dark brown complection, born free in King William County, Registered at Request of his mother Sall Major [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 843].

9    iii. Levina Sampson, born about 1805.

 

8.    Thomas¹ Sampson, born about 1818, was counted in the 1850 census for King William County with Maria A. (age 27) and James Sampson (6). He, the son of Billy and Maria Langston, married Martha A. Sampson, widowed daughter of John Lumpkin and Mattian Brisby in King William County on 22 October 1857. He and Martha A. were counted in the 1860 census with children Lambeth (18), Buck (10), Martha (8) and Bett Sampson (6). And in 1870 he was a farmer counted on the Pamunkey Reservation with wife Martha A., James Sampson (19) and 55-year-old Feeling Dicky who was without occupation. Lambeth was Martha's son (born before her marriage to Thomas) by Leroy Page Sampson, an Indian taxable on a horse in King William County from 1841 to 1847 [PPTL 1833-51]. Fielding Dicky was head of a King William County household of 1 "free colored" in 1840. Thomas was the father of

i. James, born about 1844.

ii. Buck, born about 1850.

iii. Martha, born about 1852.

iv. Elizabeth, born about 1854.

 

9.   Levina Sampson, born about 1805, was head of a Petersburg household of 1 "free colored" woman in 1820 and was listed with son John in the list of free people of color in 1821 [List of People of Color in Petersburg 1803, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. She registered in Petersburg on 2 July 1822: daughter of Sally Major, near 5 feet 5 inches high, brown complexion, strait black hair, born free in the county of King William [Register of Free Negroes, 1819-1833, no. 1170]. On 18 February 1841 the Hustings Court of Petersburg ruled that her children John, Sarah, Charles, Rebecca, Thomas and Henry Sampson did not need to register as free Negroes since they were descendants of an Indian [Petersburg (VA.) Free Negro and Slave Records, 1787-1865, Local government records collection, Petersburg (City) Court Records, LVA; Hustings Court Minutes, 1841-2, 14]. She was listed as a "Black" woman in the 1850 census for Petersburg with $450 in real estate and children: John Sampson (28, Black, a boatman), Sarah Brown (26, Black), Charles Sampson (22, Black), Rebecca Hope (19, Mulatto), and Thomas Sampson (16, Mulatto). Also listed in another part of her house were (renters?) 19-year-old "Mulatto" John Hope (16, Mulatto), G. Lankson (8, Mulatto), M. Dunkin (8, Mulatto), John Terry (40, white) and L. Ruff (10, Black). In 1860 she had $3,400 in real estate in Petersburg and had Elizabeth Norris (Mulatto, 13), Major T. Duncan (Mulatto, 17, a sailor), John O. Tyree (53, white, master of a schooner), and Edmund Stevens (43, Black, a sailor) in her household. Her sons John and Thomas Dennis and Colin and Martha Bland were in adjoining households. She had children by John Dennis since her son Thomas, born in Petersburg about 1832, was called son of John Dennis Sampson and Levina Sampson when he married in King William County. She loaned three of her children money to buy lots in Petersburg: $50 to John in 1865, $500 to Sarah in 1865 and $1,200 to Rebecca and her husband John Hope in 1874 after she moved with them to Cleveland, Ohio, where she died intestate in June 1875. All defaulted on the loans and lost the property [Petersburg Chancery files 1869-021, 1874-033, 1882-026, p. 29 http://lva.virginia.gov/chancery]. The heirs of her estate were

i. John S. Dennis, born about 1822, a "Black" boatman in Petersburg in 1850, a "Mulatto" counted in the 1860 census for Petersburg with Emma (25) and Robert (5). He died intestate in January 1867 leaving a widow Emma Dennis and children Henry Dennis, Lavina Dennis, Sarah Dennis.

ii. Sarah Brown, born about 1824, died intestate on 16 June 1867, leaving children: Catherine, wife of James Norris, Lavinia S. Brown and Timothy Brown (age 17 in 1882) [LVA Chancery case 1874-033].

iii. Charles, born about 1828, a Black man counted in Levinia's Petersburg household in 1850, perhaps counted a second time as "Mulatto" boatman Charles Dennis with $250 real estate, Mary Dennis (28, Mulatto) and Mary Stewart (12, Black) in Petersburg in 1850. Mary Dennis, a seamstress (40, Mulatto) counted in the 1870 census Petersburg household of Colin and Martha Bland, may have been his widow. Mary was a 55-year-old "Mulatto" widow living by herself at 115 3^rd Street in Petersburg in 1880.

iv. Rebecca, born about 1831, a 19-year-old "Mulatto" counted in the 1850 census for Petersburg. She and her husband John Hope were "Mulattos" counted in the 1870 census for Cleveland, Ohio, in 1870: he a shoemaker with $500 in real estate with 60-year-old "Mulatto" Emelin (Lavinia) Samson, all born in Virginia.

v. Thomas, born about 1834, a 16-year-old "Mulatto" counted in the 1850 census for Petersburg. He was called the son of John Dennis Sampson and Lavinia Sampson when he married Kesiah Sangton (Langston), daughter of James Y. and Nancy Sangton on 13 December 1855 in King William County. He and Kizziah were "Mulattos" counted in the 1860 census for Petersburg with John T. (2) and Anna Langston (5). He died intestate before July 1881 leaving Keziah Dennis as his widow and children Thomas, Theophilus (an infant) and Theodnell Dennis (an infant) [Petersburg Chancery case 1882-026].

 

Endnote:

1.    John Sampson may have been the son of Elizabeth Samson who was assaulted by Mary, the wife of Joseph Walters/ Waters ("free Negroes"), who was convicted of the charge in York County on 24 August 1693. On 25 February 1694/5 the grand jury of York County indicted Joseph for "keeping company with an English woman & constantly lying with her." The court also presented the unnamed English woman for having a "Molotto Child" [DOW 9:173, 240, 255, 270; 10:106].

 

SANDERLIN FAMILY

1.    James Sanderlin and his wife Sarah were living in Bertie County on 9 November 1731 when Susannah Clements claimed in Bertie court that they brought their female infant child to her for support but refused to bind the child to her. Susannah appeared in court again on 8 February 1732 when the court agreed to bind "Nany, a Molatto child mentioned in the last court order" to her [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, I:39, 46]. James and Sarah's child was

2     i. Nany, born about 1731.

 

2.    Ann Sanderlin, born say 1731, was a "free Mullatta Woman" living in Bertie County when several of her children were bound apprentices. They were

3     i. Mariah, born about 1748.

4     ii. Diana, born about 1750.

5     iii. Hunba, born about 1751.

iv. Amiah, born about 1753, three years old on 29 April 1756 when she was bound an apprentice to Elizabeth Lockhart [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, II:167-8].

 

3.    Mariah Sanderlin, born about 1748, was eight years old on 29 April 1756 when she was bound an apprentice to Elizabeth Lockhart [CR 010.101.7 by NCGSJ XIII:169]. Her children were

i. Prince, born in August 1779, "___ son of Mariah" ordered bound to Thomas Sutton to be a cooper in August 1783, discharged from his indenture in August 1790 [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, V:458; VI:833]. He was head of a Bertie County household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [NC:75].

ii. ?King, born 7 August 1780, no parent named, ordered by the November 1790 Bertie court bound to Parrott Hardy to be a hatter, and then bound to William Ashburn to be a blacksmith [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, VI:828, 837]. He married Rachel Brantley, 21 December 1805 Bertie County bond, Richard Demsey surety.

iii. ?Caesar, no parent named, ordered bound by the August 1786 Bertie court to Frederick Lawrence to be a house carpenter [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, V:596].

iv. ?Patt Sanderlin, no parent named, ordered by the February 1787 Bertie court bound to Frederick Lawrence [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, V:631].

v. ?Agnes Sandling, head of a Bertie County household of 1 "other free" in 1800 [NC:75], a 42-year-old from Bertie County who emigrated with her family to Liberia aboard the ship Indian Chief in 1826 http://fold3.com/image/46670241].

 

4.    Diana Sanderlin, born about 1750, was six years old on 29 April 1756 when she was bound an apprentice to Elizabeth Lockhart [NCGSJ XIII:168]. She was given an old horse by the May 1754 Bertie County will of Thomas Allday [N.C. Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Allday, Thomas, http://ancestry.com], probably the "Free Mulatto, Dianah" taxed in the 1775 Bertie Tax Lists of Ann Lawrence and her son Frederick Lawrence in the list of George Lockhart. Her "Mulatto" children bound out by the court were

i. Mariah, born about 1780, daughter of Dinah, ordered bound to Humphrey Nichols by the May 1786 Bertie court. However, the same court issued a citation to Nichols to show cause why the child should not be bound to Frederick Lawrence who had raised the child and had the mother's consent and desire that she be bound to him. The November Bertie court bound her to Frederick Lawrence [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, V:580, 585, 617]. She was head of a Bertie County household of 2 "other free" in 1800 [NC:75].

ii. Jack, born about 1775, bastard of Dianah, bound to Thomas Baker to be a mariner by the August 1781 Bertie court [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, V:393].

iii. Conweth(?), "bastard Mulatto of Diannah" born about December 1773 [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, IV:91].

 

5.    Hunba Sanderlin, born about 1751, was five years old on 29 April 1756 when she was bound an apprentice to Elizabeth Lockhart [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, II:170]. She was not mentioned in the Bertie tax lists, but her "Mulatto" children were bound out by the court:

i. Moses, born about 1772, "bastard Mulatto of Hunba Sanderlan," ordered bound to Aaron Boulton by the August 1774 Bertie court [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, IV:91]. He married Mourning Demsey 13 July 1805 Bertie County bond, William Sanderlin surety.

ii. Milley, born about 1775, ordered bound to Aaron Boulton by the May 1784 Bertie court [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, V:486].

6    iii. ?Jenny, born about 1775.

iv. ?Harry, born about 1779, no parent named, ordered bound to Aaron Boulton by the November 1779 Bertie court [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, IV:334]. He was bound out a year later on 17 August 1780 to Jeremiah Fleetwood [NCGSJ XIV:36] and was head of a Bertie County household of 1 "other free" in 1800 [NC:75].

v. ?David, born about 1778, no parent named, bound to Jeremiah Fleetwood to be a shoemaker on 17 August 1780 [NCGSJ XIV:36], head of a Bertie County household of 1 "other free" in 1800 [NC:75].

vi. ?William, born about 1783, no parent named, ordered bound to Aaron Boulton by the November 1784 Bertie court [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, V:509] and bound out a second time on 14 November 1796 to Hardy Fleetwood to be a cooper [NCGSJ XV:34]. He married Betsy Dempsey, 13 July 1805 Bertie County bond, (his brother?) Moses Sanderlin surety. He was head of an Edgecombe County household of 8 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:129].

 

6.    Jenny Sanderlin, born about 1775, no parent named, was ordered bound to Aaron Boulton by the November 1779 Bertie County court [Haun, Bertie County Court Minutes, IV:334]. She was head of an Edenton household of 2 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:130]. She may have been the mother of

i. Patty, born about 1785, a four-year-old "free negro girl" bound to Frederick Ramcke in Chowan County on 27 March 1789 [North Carolina Apprentice bonds and records Chowan County 1737-1811, frame 1457 of 1934, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/766317].

ii. Polly, born in 1788, an 11-month-old "free negro girl" bound apprentice to Frederick Ramcke until the age of eighteen in Chowan County on 27 March 1789 [North Carolina Apprentice bonds and records Chowan County 1737-1811, frame 1455 of 1934, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/766317].

iii. Allen, born 1795-1806, head of an Edenton, Chowan County household of 1 "free colored" in 1820.

 

SANTEE FAMILY

1.    Samuel¹ Sante, born say 1670, was one of Robert Caufield's "negro slaves." By his 2 January 1691 Surry County, Virginia will, Caufield directed that Samuel was to be free after four years of service. On 11 January 1695/6 Elizabeth Caufield confirmed his manumission in Surry County court [DW 1694-1709, 84b]. He may have been the Samuel Santee who sued John Newman for £5 due by bill in York County on 25 May 1709 [DOW 13:222]. And he may have been related to "Robin Santy Negro" who sued Philip Ludwell, Esquire, for his freedom in James City County court on 21 April 1694 [Executive Journals of the Council of Colonial Virginia, I:310] and he may have been the ancestor of

i. Moll Santey, born say 1720, sued John West in Amelia County court for detaining her child Agniss who was bound to serve Richard Hicks and by him sold to West contrary to her intent. The court ruled that John West deliver the child to her [Orders 1735-46, 231a].

ii. Samuel², born say 1735, sued by Robert Webb in Sussex County court in June 1755 for £3.18 due by bond with interest computed from 11 September 1752(3?) [Orders 1754-6, 193-4; Court Papers, 1754-5, LVA microfilm no. 35, frames 710-15]. He and John Santee were tithable in Sussex County in 1756. He, Amos Newsom, John Muns, and James Pompey were paid on 21 June 1757 for 2 to 6 days diet as county soldiers and guards; and he was an insolvent tithable in 1758 and 1760 [Court Papers, 1755-6, LVA microfilm no. 37, frame 528; Court Papers, 1757, LVA microfilm no. 39, frame 747; Court Papers, 1758, LVA microfilm no. 40, frame 36; Court Papers, 1759-1760, LVA microfilm no. 42, frame 359]. He was tithable in Sussex County in 1764 and took the oath of allegiance in Sussex County in 1777 [Tithables, 1753-82, LVA microfilm no. 90, frames 700, 824].

iii. Timothy, born say 1731, listed with Benjamin Tann as a credit of 7 shillings in the account that John Jeffries had with merchant Howell Briggs before December 1754 when the account was proved in Sussex County. He was tithable in Sussex County in 1766 [Court Papers, 1754, LVA microfilm no. 34, frames 467-8; Court Papers, 1755-6, LVA microfilm no. 38, frame 59]. He and his wife Martha registered the April 25 birth and 14 June 1752 Christening of their daughter Mary in the Register of Albemarle Parish, Surry and Sussex counties. The godparents were John Jeffries, Priscilla Booth and Anne Jeffries. Timothy was godparent with Samuel and Sarah Blizzard to Joseph Cannady, son of Hugh and Anne Cannady, when Joseph was baptized on 3 July 1768 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex and Surry counties and for Thomas Jones, "Mulatto," on 9 February 1772 [Richards, Register of Albemarle Parish, 145, 151; manuscript on http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/376749, film 30161, image 89 of 212]. Timothy was tithable in Sussex County in 1775 [Tithables, 1753-1782, LVA microfilm no. 90, frame 765].

2     iv. William, born say 1756.

v. John¹, born about 1757, head of a Northampton County, Pennsylvania household of 4 "other free" in 1790 and 3 "other free" and a white woman aged 26-45 in 1800, counted as white in 1820 and 1830. He was living in Lower Nazareth Township on 25 August 1835 when he appeared in Northampton County, Pennsylvania court at the age of 78 and applied for a pension for his service in the Revolution. He stated that he was drafted into the militia in Lower Nazareth a number of times to protect the inhabitants of his neighborhood. He died on 5 March 1840 and his widow Mary Magdalene (Gross) was allowed a pension. Their children were Susanna, George, Joseph, John, David, Polly, Elizabeth and Sarah [NARA, W.3462, M804, http://fold3.com/image/14665154]. His white son John gave his father's birthplace as North Carolina and his mother's as Ireland in the 1880 census in Liberty, Licking County, Ohio [Census p.112, entry 4281].

vi. Caesar, born say 1760, enlisted in the 3^rd North Carolina Regiment in Eaton's Company on 22 February 1777, was at White Plains on 9 September 1778 [NARA, M246, roll 79, frame 130 of 323; http://fold3.com/image/10199799], reenlisted in Paramus on 12 March 1779, was in prison on 1 June 1779, and mustered for the war in 1781 [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XIII:528; XVI:1154]. He was issued a warrant for 640 acres for his service on 19 May 1784 and was in Wake County when he assigned his rights to the land to William Hill in November 1818 [North Carolina and Tennessee, Revolutionary War Land Warrants, 1783-1843, Roll 2: Revolutionary Warrants, 1783-1799 (Nos. 399-1034), 904, frame 469 of 608].

3     vii. John², born say 1767.

viii. Nancy, a spinner living on Sally Newsom's land in the "List of Free Negroes & Mulattoes" for Sussex County in 1802 and 1804 [List of Free Negroes & Mulattoes, 1801-1812, frames 9, 19; LVA microfilm no. 221].

ix. Lucy, a spinner living on Sally Newsom's land in the "List of Free Negroes & Mulattoes" for Sussex County in 1802 and 1804 [List of Free Negroes & Mulattoes, 1801-1812, frames 9, 19; LVA microfilm no. 221].

x. Aggy Santy, born about 1775, registered in Petersburg on 20 August 1794: a brown Mulatto woman, 4'10-^1/2" high, about 19 yrs old, Born free and raised in Dinwiddie County [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 73].

xi. Angelo, census numbers blank in Charleston in 1810 (- - - - dashes inserted).

 

2.    William Santy, born say 1756, took the oath of allegiance in Sussex County, Virginia, on 24 November 1777 [Tithables, 1753-1782, frame 824, LVA microfilm no. 90]. He enlisted as an "artifiler" (artificer?) with Captain Lawrence Rowse for 3 years on 31 October 1777 and served until his discharge [Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants; Santee, William, Digital Collection, LVA]. He married Mazy Blizzard, 7 February 1786 Sussex County bond. He was taxable in St. Andrew's Parish, Greensville County, from 1792 to 1794 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 149, 156, 172] and was in the "List of Free Negroes & Mulattoes" for Sussex County from 1804 to 1806: with (wife) Mason Santy and children Betsy and Lucy [List of Free Negroes & Mulattoes, 1801-1812, frames 17, 23, 32, LVA microfilm no. 221].

i. Betsy, born say 1790.

ii. Lucy, born say 1795.

 

3.    John² Santee, born say 1767, was head of a Bladen County, North Carolina household of 7 "other free" in 1800, 5 in 1810 (called John, Sr.) [NC:191], and 11 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:154]. He may have been the father of

i. John³, Jr., head of a Bladen County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [NC:191].

ii. Elsy, head of a Bladen County household of 3 "free colored" in 1830.

 

SAUNDERS FAMILY

1.    Elizabeth Saunders, born say 1717, appeared before the Caroline County, Virginia court on 12 September 1735 and identified Thomas Lantor as the father of her illegitimate child, and the court ordered the child bound to Samuel Coleman. The 8 October 1736 Caroline County court ordered her to serve her master Samuel Coleman additional time for having an illegitimate "mulatto" child [Orders 1732-40, 307, 378]. She may have been the ancestor of

i. John¹, born about 1734, a 23-year-old "Mulatto" who ran away from William Pickett of Prince William County, Virginia, on 27 March 1757 according to the 2 September 1757 issue of the Virginia Gazette [Hunter edition, p. 3, col. 2].

ii. John², born about 1765, enlisted in the Revolution for 18 months as a substitute while resident in Henrico county on 16 April 1781 and was sized eleven days later on 27 April: age 16, 5'1^1/2" high, black complexion, a farmer, born in Hanover County [The Chesterfield Supplement or Size Roll of Troops at Chesterfield Court House, LVA accession no. 23816, by http://revwarapps.org/b81.pdf, p. 45]. He was head of a Henrico County household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [VA:980].

iii. Sam, head of a Fluvanna County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [VA:474].

 

Norfolk County

1.    Hannah Saunders, born say 1745, was the mother of a "free Negro" boy named Saunders Saunders who was bound apprentice in Norfolk County on 21 March 1771. She was the mother of

i. Saunders, a "free Negro" son of Hannah Saunders bound to James Jollif by the churchwardens of St. Brides Parish by order of the Norfolk County on 21 March 1771 and bound instead to Scarbrough Tankard with the consent of Jollif on 21 November 1771 [Orders 1768-71, 233; 1771-3, 38].

 

SAVEE/ SAVOY FAMILY

1.    Abraham¹ Savoy, born say 1613, was called Abraham Saby, a "negro," when the Elizabeth City County court granted his petition to be levy free on 29 September 1693 on consideration of his great age, claiming that he was one hundred years old. He may have been identical to Abraham Savoy who a few years later on 18 August 1696 brought suit in Elizabeth City County against Lewis Burell and Thomas Goddin, executors of Col. John Lear, for £5 and 600 pounds of tobacco by account. On 18 May 1698 the court ordered that Abraham Savoy be levy-free by reason of his extreme old age [Orders 1692-9, 18, 97, 132]. He may have been the ancestor of

i. Francis, born say 1675, sued in Elizabeth City County court before 18 February 1694/5 when his attorney William Mallory confessed judgment for 400 pounds of tobacco he owed Major William Wilson. He brought a successful suit against Michael Brittonell for a mare on 19 June 1699 [Orders 1692-99, 53, 151]. He appointed Charles Mallory as his attorney to sell land on the north side of the Mattaponi River in King and Queen County which he bought from Michael Bartlett of New Poquoson in York County (no date indicated) [DW 1688-1702, original p. 256, restored p.171]. He was taxable on 50 acres in Elizabeth City County in 1704 [Wills and Administrations of Elizabeth City County, Virginia, 1688-1800, 144]. He left 50 acres on the Poquosin River bounded by the land of Thomas Wythe and John George to his three sisters by his Elizabeth City County estate. His sister Hannah Francis exchanged her third part of the land on 7 March 1740/1 [DW 1737-56, 101].

2     ii. John, born say 1677.

iii. Elizabeth Savory, born say 1677, bound to Thomas Wythe on 14 December 1693 when he left her and Elizabeth Russell a heifer and calf if they live to "serve out their time" [DW&c 1689-99, 165].

iv. Hannah Francis.

 

2.    John Savoy, born say 1677, was married to Patience on 2 May 1695 when the birth of their son Abraham was recorded in Charles Parish, York County [Bell, Charles Parish Registers, 171]. Patience Savey petitioned the York County court on 20 August 1744 for relief from paying taxes, but the court rejected her petition [W&I 19:301]. They were the parents of

i. Abraham², born 2 May 1695.

3     ii. ?Mary¹, born say 1696.

4     iii. ?John², born say 1700.

 

3.    Mary¹ Savoy, born say 1696, sued Michael Pierce in Elizabeth City County court for £3 on 18 July 1717. On 15 June 1720 she confessed in Elizabeth City County court that she had a bastard child [Orders 1715-21, 94]. She may have been the mother of

i. Tomerson, born say 1730, presented by the York County court on 20 May 1754 for having a bastard child (no race indicated) [Judgments & Orders 1752-4, 419, 451].

 

4.    John² Savee, born say 1700, had a child by Ann Combs in Charles Parish on 24 February 1724 [Bell, Charles Parish Registers, 171]. On 21 February 1738/9 Anne was called Anne Savoy, "the Mother of Jane Savoy," when she complained to the Elizabeth City County court against Nehemiah Nichols [Orders 1731-47, 200]. John and Anne's children were

5     i. Mary², born 30 March 1721.

ii. Jane, born 24 February 1724, baptized 3 October 1725. The York County court presented her on 20 November 1749 for failing to list herself as a tithable [Judgments & Orders 1746-52, 256, 277].

 

5.    Mary² Savoy, born 30 March 1721, "daughter of Ann Combs a bastard child," was baptized in Charles Parish, York County, on 6 May 1721 [Bell, Charles Parish Registers, 171]. She was presented by the grand jury of Elizabeth City County for having a bastard child, but the case was dismissed because the child was born in another county. On 4 September 1751 she was sued for slander by Thomas and Anne Pinnell in Elizabeth City County [Orders 1747-55, 260]. Anne Pinnell was apparently identical to Ann Pannel who was paid by the vestry of Elizabeth City Parish for keeping Sary Combs from 14 December 1756 to 18 December 1758. On 11 October 1753 the vestry paid Mary Combs for keeping Mary Savoy [von Doenhoff, Vestry Book of Elizabeth City Parish, 23, 66, 75]. She may have been the mother of

i. Martha, born say 1748, still a child on 9 October 1755 when the vestry of Elizabeth City Parish paid Thomas Jennings for keeping her [von Doenhoff, Vestry Book of Elizabeth City Parish, 46].

 

SAWYER FAMILY

1.    Joanna/ Hannah Sawyer, born say 1745, was the mother of six unnamed children bound to David George in August 1777 when he posted £1,000 bond in Granville County, North Carolina court to appear in court in Ninety-Six District, South Carolina, to answer the charge that he had "disposed of her children" [Granville County Minutes 1773-83, August 1777 dockets]. She was called Hannah Sawyer and was living in Halifax County, Virginia, on 25 June 1792 when the court ordered the overseers of the poor of the Upper Southern District to bind her sons Job, Charles, and Billy Sawyer to Benjamin Ward, but she was called Joannah Sawyer when the order was rescinded the following month [Pleas 1790-2, 471, 502]. Joannah was a "M^o" or "FN" taxable on a horse in the Lower District of Halifax County in 1792 and from 1798 to 1813: called Hannah Sawyer in 1799, 1801, and from 1809 to 1811 [PPTL 1782-99, frames 424, 833, 925; 1800-12, frames 159, 207, 818, 868, 965, 1042]. She was a "black" taxable in Pittsylvania County on a free male tithable and a horse in 1795 and 2 free males, a horse and a slave in 1796 [PPTL 1782-1797, frames 703, 728]. She was the mother of

i. ?Susanna, born say 1772, married Thomas Good, 24 June 1793 Halifax County, Virginia bond. Thomas was emancipated by a February 1785 Halifax County bill of freedom from Charles Kennon [Pleas 1783-6, 243].

ii. Job, taxable in Halifax County, Virginia, in 1798 [PPTL 1782-99, frame 833], head of a Chatham County household of 1 "other free" in 1800.

iii. Charles, born say 1785, a "FN" taxable in the Lower District of Halifax County, Virginia, in 1801 and 1802, a "Mulatto" taxable in 1805 [PPTL 1800-12, frames 159, 207, 537].

iv. William.

v. ?Polly, married Jesse Hood, 18 May 1807 Caswell County bond, Henry Curtis security.

vi. ?Edmund, born about 1802, registered in Halifax County, Virginia, on 22 November 1830: a dark mulatto man, about 28 years of age last spring, with black hair a little inclined to be straight, born free. His wife was probably Frances Sawyer who registered the same day: otherwise Frances Wilson, a bright mulatto who was born free, 29 years of age, 5 feet 6 inches high with straight black hair [Register of Free Negroes, nos. 93, 126, 137].

 

Other members of a Sawyer family were

i. William, born March 1776, a "Free Negro Boy" living in Craven County, North Carolina, on 17 September 1784 when the court ordered him bound to Sylvester Pendleton to be a seaman [Minutes 1784-6, p.5d].

ii. Robert, born before 1776, head of a New Bern, Craven County household of 6 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:78].

iii. Sarah, born before 1776, head of a Gates County, North Carolina household of 9 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:154].

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