Warren County Slavery Petitions

Following are abstracts of petitions filed by Warren County citizens from the Digital Library on American Slavery Collection.  These records includes the names of slaves and can be very valuable for those researching their slave ancestors; they also give a bit of insight into the lives of the slaveowning families with details that may not have previously been known.

John Jones, guardian of Joseph Jonathan Alston, requests reimbursement for having paid taxes on some of his ward's property twice. Jones reports that his ward's slaves, excepting one, live in Halifax County while his land is located in Chatham County. Citing that he paid an estate tax and a tax on the land in both counties in 1781, Jones prays that he be "refunded out of the public Treasury the said Taxes by him paid twice."
Result: committee report favorable
Related Documents: Report of Committee, 17 May 1783; Receipts, Roger Griffith, John Ramsey, 1781; Receipts, 28 February 1782, 21 August 1782

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State: North Carolina Year: 1796

Robert Freeman states that he has "in his possession a negro woman by the name of Rachel, who on account of the singular services rendered by the said Rachel, to your petitioners Father, at the time of the fire in Norfolk" was devised to be free in his father's last will and testament. He therefore prays "that in order to carry into effect the said will, a Law be passed to emancipate the said Rachel by the name of Rachel Joel."
Result: House, Senate: read, referred

(Note: Robert Freeman was in Warren Co. in 1790 & 1800)
 

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State: North Carolina Year: 1801

The executors of the late Herbert Haynes ask that a mulatto slave
girl named Harriot "be liberated and hereafter known by the name of Harriot Hunt." Spencer Macay, one of said executors, states that "the said Slave is the absolute property of the said Spencer, William E. Johnson & Eaton Pugh by purchase."
Result: No recorded result

Petitioner: Spencer Macay

(Note: Herbert Haynes lived in Warren Co.)
 

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State: North Carolina Year: 1805
Location: Warren County

William E. Johnston represents that "he has three negroe slaves which he is desirous to have Emancipated named Pollydore, Miranda & Harriott for Certain reasons of an Interesting nature." He therefore prays "your Honorable body to pass a Law to that effect."
Result: House, Senate: read, referred
 

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State: North Carolina Year: 1806
Location: Warren County

A number of years ago, Mourning Ivins, a free woman of color, married a slave shoemaker named Nathaniel, and the couple had eight children. By 1804, Ivins had saved enough to purchase her husband from his owner, William West, and was given a bill of sale. She is fearful, however, that after she dies he and the children might be sold. Her husband has contributed greatly to their well-being, she contends; he has been a most faithful husband and a loving father. She asks for his freedom.

Related Documents: William West to Nathaniel Macon, 23 August 1806

(Note: also known as Mourning Evans; more on this family here)

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State: North Carolina Year: 1808
Location: Warren County

Barnett Beasley relates that he purchased two elderly slaves, Sam and Abby, in 1807 from the estate of William Baugh in Virginia, the said Baugh being his wife's uncle. Beasley asserts that "in making the purchase he was actuated more from motives of humanity than by any Considerations of emolument," noting that said slaves "had long been in the family and who were desirous of being owned by your memorialist." Confessing his ignorance of the laws prohibiting the importation of slaves into the state, the petitioner prays that an act be passed "authorising him to bring the said negroes into this state."
Result: No recorded result
 

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State: North Carolina Year: 1834
Location: Warren County

Guardian Charles Carraway informs the court that he is joint owner with his ward, John B. Parris, a minor, of "a negro girl & two children."  Carraway is desirous to sell the slaves and divide the proceeds in equal proportions between his ward. He therefore requests an order of the court to proceed further, and prays that "infant" John B. Parris be made "a party hereto."
Result: No recorded result

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State: North Carolina Year: 1854
Location: Warren County

Seventy-two citizens of Warren County request the passage of a law to prohibit selling liquor to slaves. They "suggest that all who Keep it for sale by the Quart ... shall first obtain License by or with the consent of a majority of Freeholders in the neighborhood, and also take an annual oath, not to sell, or have sold, or cause to be sold, any spiritous liquors, directly or indirectly to any Slave whatever, without an order from his or her owner." Violators would be charged with perjury and "subject to a fine of considerable amount."
Result: No recorded result

Petitioners; Macon Capps, James A. Davis, Edward Kearney, John T. Kearney, Thomas Pittman, Benjamin F. Powell, P. D. Powell, Thomas P. Robertson, Robert A. Shearin, Samuel Snow
 

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State: North Carolina Year: 1858
Location: Warren County

Robert Paschall, administrator of the late William Hagood's estate, accuses Hagood's widow, now deceased, of fraud and sues the executors of her estate. Paschall claims that, while her husband was still alive, Susan Hagood sold one of his slaves for $792, obtaining a bond for the purchase money. After collecting money on the bond, she loaned it out, securing another bond as collateral. When, following the death of her husband, Paschall asked her to turn over the "last mentioned bond," Susan said she did not know what he was talking about. Susan died in 1858, and now Paschall sues the executors of her estate to "deliver up said bond."
Result: granted

Petitioner: Robert D. Paschall
Defendants: David C. Hall, John W. Patillo
Slave: Wilson ([Frank])
Others named in Petition: William Hagood, William Watson, Jr.

 

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©2011 by Deloris Williams and Ginger Christmas-Beattie for the NCGenWeb Project.  No portion of this any document appearing on this site is to be used for other than personal research.  Any republication or reposting is expressly forbidden without the written consent of the owner. Last updated 08/25/2011