An NCGenWeb/USGenWeb Project
From the 17 Mar 1899 issue of the Roanoke Beacon, newspaper of Plymouth, Washington County, NC
Mr. Wilson CHESSON was called to Parmele Saturday on account of his father’s death, Mr. Charles CHESSON, who was an old resident of this community. We extend our sympathies to the bereaved family.
Source: Schweninger, Loren, Marguerite Ross Howell, and Nicole Marcon Mazgaj. The Southern Debate Over Slavery / Edited by Loren Schweninger. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2001.
In the above-mentioned book appears a petition of Ned Hyman, a slave who was at that time living in Williamston, Martin County, filed in 1833. The petition is a great source of genealogical information, giving details of Ned’s life:
The petition was filed to try to obtain their emancipation. It’s an interesting read! Check it out at Google Books.
Over on Google Books, I located the following story of Ollie Roberson in a 1915 publication titled “The Lawyers Reports.” It is a listing of court cases from across the country. The entire book is freely available and can be downloaded as a PDF.
On page 691 begins a description of Nevada vs. Ex Parte George Oliver Roberson for “extradition — abandonment of wife– act not within jurisdiction.” The legal proceeding was for a writ of habeus corpus to secure his release from custody after being taken in on an extradition warrant. The application was filed June 5, 1915. Roberson stated that he was unlawfully imprisoned by two Nevada policeman and Sheriff J.C. Crawford of Martin County, NC Sheriff Crawford was there to pick him up as a Martin County jury had determined that in 1913 “Ollie” unlawfully and willfully abandoned his wife, Lucy, and their child.
However, Lucy testified that the marriage never really worked out and they’d both made plans to leave each other apparently. She testified that they were married the morning of June 30, 1913 in Martin County. That same day, the took the train to Raleigh where they lived together until December 17, 1913. On that day, Ollie went to Hamlet NC and the next day Lucy returned back home to her parents. Lucy testified that her mother had sent her money a week before Ollie left because it was her intention to return home, and Ollie had secured a physician for her since she was expecting a child. Ollie would end up in Nevada for school where he was enrolled as a student. Both were young during all this, the report stating that Ollie was a minor when they married.
The writ was issued. Check out the report – it’s quite interesting.
One of the books on Google Books, Annual Publication of Historical Papers, has a series of writings attributed to General Jeremiah Slade. This journal documents his travel from Williamston to Nashville, TN – a journey that began June 27, 1819. It’s an interesting read.
Over on Google Books, one of the books I looked at this evening is — Jones, Thomas Jesse. Negro Education: A Study of the Private and Higher Schools for Colored People in the United States. Washington: Govt. Printing Office, 1917.
The book is available in its entirety as a PDF file. Page 423 has a profile of Martin County Training School. Here is an excerpt:
Principal: William Claudius Chance
A school of elementary grade which has been selected as a training center for supplementing the facilities of the surrounding county schools. The school was founded by the principal and received county aid for some time previous to 1914, when it was taken over by the county. It has an advisory board of prominent southern white men.
Attendance — Total, 150; all elemtary, borders, 15
Teachers. — Total, 4, all colored; male 1, female 3
Organization — The regular eight elementary grades are fairly well taught. Some instruction in cooking and sewing is provided. The school plans to develop a course in the theory and practice of teaching as soon as possible.
Read more online here.
From the 17 Feb 1899 issue of the Roanoke Beacon, newspaper of Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina.
A pretty home marriage was solemnized on Wednesday afternoon at 3 o’clock, at the home of the bride, in Hamilton, while contracting parties being Miss Willie Blanche KING, of that town, and Mr. E.B. NORMAN, of Plymouth. The Maid of Honor, Miss May KING, sister of the bride, and the groom’s best man, Mr. M.W. NORMAN, brother of the groom, entered the parlor followed by the bride and groom. In the parlor they were met by Rev. R.H. GILBERT, of Plymouth Baptist Church, who performed the ceremony which united the two hears as one.
Immediately after the ceremony the bridal party drove to the nearest station where they took the train for Plymouth, where at night they were tendered a reception by the grooms’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.J. NORMAN, at their magnificent home corner Main and Adams streets. At 9 o’clock the guests who had called to offer congratulations to this popular young couple and to bid Mr. and Mrs. NORMAN a cordial welcome to our town, were invited into the dining ball where a real marriage feast was prepared.
Though unavoidable circumstances had postponed the event for a day, yet all went well, ad the large number present voted it one of the most brilliant events in the history of this town. The bridal presents were both numerous and costly.
The following document lists records that the State Archives has for Martin County. Contact them for options for how to access these records if you can’t visit in person. You may be able to order them through interlibrary loan or even purchase a roll.
September 19, 1774. February 13, 1775.
Son: William (plantation & six negroes).
Daughters: Keziah, Dinah, Quotina, Agness, Alba (one negro to each).
Wife and Executrix: Martha.
Witnesses: James Rawlins, William Lewelling, David Taylor, William Bowers.
Proven before Jo. Martin.
Source: Grimes, J. Bryan. Abstract of North Carolina Wills Compiled from Original and Recorded Wills in the Office of the Secretary of State. Raleigh: E.M. Uzzell, 1910. http://books.google.com/books?id=f6I4AAAAIAAJ
I’ve made a slight change to the navigation of the site. I’ve moved the link to the NCGenWeb Archives from the top and instead created a button link on the sidebar. Remember, the Archives are where you can find additional user-submitted information related to the county!
I moved it from the top so that I could make room for a page I’m putting together for church information. Stay tuned…
From the February 14, 1890 issue of the Roanoke Beacon, newspaper of Plymouth, Washington County, NC.
Joe FAGAN died at his home in Martin County on Wednesday night after a long and painful illness.