Before the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, the status of Black/Afro-American persons in the U.S. was such, that not one of them, that was not a 'free black' (with manumission papers) was "supposed" to enumerated in the census.  However, because some of the ones listed in the households of the white/Caucasian households seem to be servants, it is barely possible that they were counted, simply because, they were there.  The following is the mostly likely explanation.

In the time period when the census forms had no place for anything but "White", "Black" or "Mulatto", in the Color or Race column, a person who was of Native American Ancestry was always placed as "Mulatto" or "Free People of Color."
Indians were not supposed to be taxed so they were not on tax lists (unless they had intermarried with a White, (which was illegal, in itself in NC, until 1967) then, they became subject to taxes.) Blacks were not taxed if they were slaves but their owners were. Because they had monetary value. Native Americans had no monetary value.
So, you will have a "FPC" who IS a Mulatto mixture of Black and some other race, and has manumission papers.
But,  you can also have, a "FPC" who is Native American (and always a mixture of White or Black, by 1850 there may not have been,  ANY full blood Native Americans in NC?)  And they will be "FPC" also.
So, you have to know the family heritage or area of habitation to find the answer to which they were.

Because, Chatham Co. had  roots in,  a large Quaker settlement and was fairly unique in that, there seemed to be a portion, of the population that had  children who were obviously a product of black and white parents (or NA and another)  but, WERE  part of the main 'white' household, and raised as such.
Did the Quaker influence perhaps contribute to a kinder attitude to the stigma of miscegenation, not found,  in other areas of the South?

It is positive, that any full or whole household that is listed as Black  or Mulatto were surely "free", or they would NOT have been counted.

This site will hopefully, be of help to so many, in Chatham Co., who are searching their heritage and having such a difficult time because, of mixed racial ancestry.

Use your "Edit" button, on the tool bar and then click on "find in page" when, the drop down window appears. When you type the name you are searching for in the window, of 'find in page'. be sure you have the direction marked as 'down' and leave the "match case" unclicked. This should find every instance of the name, if you click on 'find next' and continue to do so, until you get a ' search string not found'
Good Luck to all !!

Household # and Surname                Age    Race        Occupation        Value of               State of Birth
                                                                                                                           Real Estate

Dwelling/Family: 300/301                                                                                      Pg. 371 B
       Chamness, Stephanis            74     M         Farmer             200   North Carolina
       Chamness, Hannah                76     F                                              North Carolina
       Johnson, Nancy C.                 24     F                                               North Carolina
       Buckner, Thomas                   16     M    M    Farmer                      North Carolina
       Buckner, Ruth                         12     F    M                                       North Carolina

 © 2000 to Present - Sue Ashby for the NCGenWeb Project