On November 25, 1784, Josiah Collins, Samuel Dickinson, and Nathaniel Allen, purchased land “surrounding and bordering upon” Lake Phelps. This partnership was known as the Lake Company and they renamed the land they bought to Somerset Place. By 1865, Somerset Place was the largest plantation in the state of North Carolina and more than 850 enslaved lived and worked there. Learn more on the “Today in NC History” blog.
Linda Haas Davenport published a book of Washington County Deed Abstracts and agreed to share this 1803 listing of Lake Phelps Company slaves. This is item 232 in Linda’s book, dated 10 Nov 1803, is the list of slaves belonging to “Mess’r Collins, Allen & Dickenson,” and is signed by Tho’s Trotter.
There are two lists below: the first list includes men, women, and children and the second list includes birth dates of children along with the name of their parent.
| Name | Gender | Age (if available) |
|---|---|---|
| Lank | M | N/A |
| Jupeter | M | N/A |
| B Peter | M | N/A |
| Cuff | M | N/A |
| B Jim | M | N/A |
| Q Jack | M | N/A |
| Quaminy | M | N/A |
| Stephen | M | N/A |
| Virgil | M | N/A |
| Alfred | M | N/A |
| Mosses | M | N/A |
| George | M | N/A |
| Nobol | M | N/A |
| Ben | M | N/A |
| Lamt | M | N/A |
| Toff | M | N/A |
| Mitch | M | N/A |
| Jerico | M | N/A |
| Dick | M | N/A |
| Frenchman | M | N/A |
| Sam | M | N/A |
| C Peter | M | N/A |
| Cag | M | N/A |
| Sandy | M | N/A |
| C Jack | M | N/A |
| Lettice | F | N/A |
| Dunkey | F | N/A |
| Ratchel | F | N/A |
| C Lide | F | N/A |
| Suck | F | N/A |
| Rose | F | N/A |
| Bridget | F | N/A |
| Daphney | F | N/A |
| Bett | F | N/A |
| Salley | F | N/A |
| Fanney | F | N/A |
| Kiddy | F | N/A |
| Grace | F | N/A |
| Easter | F | N/A |
| Lucy | F | N/A |
| G Lid | F | N/A |
| C Nan | F | N/A |
| Jinney | F | N/A |
| Bird | F | N/A |
| Hager | F | N/A |
| Silvia | F | N/A |
| G Nan | F | N/A |
| Phebe | F | N/A |
| Phillis | F | N/A |
| Peg | F | N/A |
| Harry | M | 18 |
| Dunbar | M | 17 |
| L Jim | M | 15 |
| Sam | M | 14 |
| Ted | M | 14 |
| Will | M | 13 |
| King | M | 14 |
| Doolie | M | 10 |
| George | M | 10 |
| Adam | M | 10 |
| Nancy | F | 16 |
| Annis | F | 16 |
| Hannah | F | 14 |
| Eggy | F | 14 |
| Seilla | F | 14 |
| Jude | F | 14 |
| Eve | F | 13 |
| Eve | F | 13 |
| Charity | F | 14 |
| Name | Date Born | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Jim | 28 May 1787 | Ester |
| Eggy | 12 August 1789 | Ester |
| Robin | 3 June 1795 | Ester |
| Tom | 18 June 1800 | Ester |
| Annie | 1786 | Littice |
| Charity | 18 March 1790 | Littice |
| Davie | 3 November 1793 | Littice |
| Jude | 6 October 1789 | Dunkey |
| Jullo | 6 October 1789 | Dunkey |
| King | 3 October 1788 | Hager |
| Dunbar | 1785 | C Nan |
| Fred | 14 December 1789 | C Nan |
| George | 10 January 1794 | C Nan |
| Sam | 20 August 1788 | Grace |
| Hannah | 9 July 1787 | Sally |
| Bett | 20 November 1797 | Sally |
| Murriah | 1 June 1800 | Sally |
| Nicea | 10 June 1803 | Sally |
| Will | 8 May 1790 | Fanney |
| Plato | 3 February 1793 | Fanney |
| Doll | 3 March 1794 | Fanney |
| York | 30 April 1800 | Fanney |
| Lovy | 15 May 1802 | Fanney |
| Eve | 5 October 1790 | Bell |
| Toymer | 23 August 1793 | Bell |
| Solomon | 2 November 1795 | Bell |
| Mosses | 12 October 1802 | Bell |
| Cloe | 2 May 1794 | Kiddy |
| Paldore | 7 August 1797 | Kiddy |
| Philladelphia | 3 November 1799 | Kiddy |
| Lewis | 4 July 1792 | Kiddy |
| Adam | 3 September 1793 | Dapheney |
| Lottuce | 30 November 1796 | Dapheney |
| Patience | 10 November 1800 | Dapheney |
| London | 12 January 1801 | G--yd |
| John | 1 November 1795 | Suck |
| Poll | 20 September 1798 | Suck |
| Scheina | 22 January 1801 | Suck |
| Rose | 15 August 1803 | Suck |
| Joe | 26 September 1797 | C Lid |
| Jean | 18 January 1793 | Lucy |
| Abigal | 6 May 1796 | Lucy |
| Ned | 6 January 1802 | Lucy |
| Ede | 20 May 1803 | Silvia |
| Harry | 1786 | N/A |
| Nancy | 1788 | N/A |
| Jere | 16 September 1791 | N/A |
Source: Davenport, Linda Haas; Washington County, North Carolina: Abstracts Deed Books A-B-C (1799-1814), Self published, 2008; item 232, Deed Book B, p.175 (http://www.lhaasdav.com/buyitnowwash.html)