The 1860 slave schedule is the only known surviving, contemporaneous list of the men and women who enslaved black people in Wilson County. It is not a list of the enslaved themselves, as none are named in that census. Rather, the schedule described people by “color” (black or mulatto), sex, and age.

Organized by township, this series will set forth these enslavers, the number of people they held in 1860, and the ages of the youngest and oldest people held. Where possible, I will also name people known to be enslaved by each person. They may or may not correspond to people described in the 1860 slave schedule. The paucity of such identifications is heartbreaking, and I continue to search.

Saratoga district (roughly today’s Saratoga and Stantonsburg townships) was the southern end of Edgecombe County prior to 1855. The 1860 slave schedule lists 69 enslavers in this section of Wilson County, the largest of whom, William Barnes, held 79 people in bondage and controlled another 26 as a trustee. This area, spanning the southeast from the borders of present-day Pitt and Greene to Wayne, was the epicenter of slavery in Wilson County.

Hickman Ellis — 23, ages 1 to 55 years

• Hannah, Jim, Netty, Aaron, Rose, Mary, Hannah, Old Peter and Old Chaney, Jack, Margaret, Elvy, Hewel, Tempy, Peter, Harriet, Gray, Hardy, Chaney and child Isaac, Eliza, John, Milbry and child Betsy, and Nancy

J.J. [John J.] Lane — 10, ages 8 months to 28 years

Annie Exum — 3, ages 15 to 40 years

William Felton — 12, ages 1 to 40 years

• Piney, Esther

Thomas J. Gardner [constable of Saratoga] — 1, age 55 years

Drewry Joyner — 9, ages 9 to 70 years

Elizabeth Eason — 3, ages 3 to 26 years

W.J. [William J.] Moore — 4, ages 2 to 22 years

• Arch

Starkey Howard — 6, ages 1 to 36 years

L.S. Dilda — 1, age 31 years

John Thigpen — 2, ages 17 and 44 years

Nancy Scarboro — 10, ages 2 to 50 years

Seth Tyson — 1, age 45 years

Seth Tyson, in trust — 6, ages 2 to 20 years

Edwin Whitley — 1, age 55 years

G.W. [George W.] Stanton — 7, ages 3 to 72 years

• Harry, Violet, Eliza and child, Ben, Dan, and Edy; Larry

G.T. [Gatsey] Stanton — 7, ages 4 months to 70 years

• Harry, Violet, Eliza and child, Ben, Dan, and Edy.

H.M. [Henry M.] Thompson — 21, ages 8 months to 24 years

Alvin Bagley — 4, ages 1 to 26 years

John A. Rodgers — 15, ages 8 months to 60 years

William Barnes Sr. — 26, ages 1 to 63 years

J.J. Bynum — 9, ages 8 to 38 years

Reuben Bynum — 21, ages 2 to 85 years

Reuben Bynum, in trust — 29, ages 1 to 60 years

Willie [Wiley] Sims — 30, ages 1 to 52 years

Wright Edmundson — 63, ages 1 to 48 years

• Esther, Cassel, Mariah, James, Edmond, Sarah, Lucy, Louis, Isaac, Lucindy, Bil, Silvy, Josh, Charles, Elith, Willis, Arthur, Esther, Rose, Howel, Eliza, Henry, Pheby, and Epsy; Sarah, Frank, Ann, Levy, Isaac, Edny and child, Tom, Jesse, Liza, Byrum, Peggy, Mary, Manuel, Arthur, Lewis, Mary, Jane, Lewis, Ruben, Mary (yellow), Sherard, Gatsy, Elias, Jason, Burt, Riley, Margaret, Nancy, Anica, Laura, Sampson, Emily, Calvin, Caroline, Julia, Dick, Patrick, Kate, Beck, Allen, Luvinia, London, Henry, Dury, Sarah, Adline, Haywood, Betsey, Lizz, John, Ephraim, Aaron, Gray, Winny, Morrison, Ben, Alsy, Violet, Bob, Hilyard, Ester, Pherby and child, Levi, Mac, Samuel, Arnold, Synthia, Ellen, Fondney, and Claricy

David Batts — 1, age 14 years

Penelope Ellis — 19, ages 1 to 75 years

Sallie Applewhite — 32, ages 3 months to 65 years

Temperance Ellis — 1, age 13 years

Robert A. Ellis, in trust — 5, ages 4 to 50 years

G.J. Felps — 2, ages 10 and 17 years

Laura Felps — 2, ages 12 and 14 years

Rebecca Stanton — 1, age 49 years

Sallie Stanton — 2, ages 8 and 27 years

Julia Stanton — 2, ages 15 and 18 years

William C. Ellis — 13, ages 4 to 38 years

J.N. Amason — 2, ages 10 and 70 years

James B. Peacock — 4, ages 1 to 18 years

Sarah Peacock — 8, ages 1 month to 60 years

Jonathan Applewhite — 5, ages 4 to 80 years

Orpa Applewhite — 2, ages 10 and 18 years

• Beedy, Lewis, Offy, Wealthy, Feruba, Bright, Tabitha, Mereca, Jinna, and Litha, Sherod, Patrick, Mariah, Penny, Mary, Enos

Celia Applewhite — 1, age 20 years

W.H. [William H.] Applewhite — 2, ages 8 and 38 years

J.H. [James H.] Armstrong — 10, ages 6 to 55 years

Augustin Farmer, in trust — 2, ages 45 and 70 years

Rufus Edmundson — 35, ages 1 to 38 years

Warren Woodard — 21, ages 1 to 53 years

• Blount, Peggy, Vinus, Alford, John, Cherry, and Jessy 

Washington Barnes — 5, ages 12 to 50 years

Winifred Bass — 2, ages 7 to 22 years

Jacob Barnes, in trust — 7, ages 2 to 45 years

Eliza Bass — 5, ages 8 months to 60 years

Joseph Peacock — 4, ages 10 to 44 years

Sarah Peacock — 8, ages 1 month to 60 years

Mahaly Barnes — 13, ages 4 months to 52 years

Macon Moye — 21, ages 2 months to 80 years

C.C. [Calvin C.] Peacock — 13, ages 4 to 25 years

John Wilkinson — 3, ages 20 to 55 years

John Hardy — 1, age 12 years

R.W. [Dr. Robert W.] King — 7, ages 2 to 35 years

E.G. [Edwin G.] Whitley — 28, ages 2 months to 67 years

Penelope Anderson — 4, ages 4 to 40 years

• Olive, Larrow, Rose, Ellen, Evaline, Rody, Lucy the child of Olive, Jack, Ben, Judy, and Anaky

Edwin Barnes — 48, ages 3 months to 50 years

Edwin Barnes, in trust — 15, ages 1 month to 35 years

• Dinah, Mason, Dick, Jane, Caroline, Handy, Grace, Pearce, Beck, Peg, Delpha, Turner, Lucy, Ginny, and Hester

William Barnes — 79, ages 1 month to 60 years

William Barnes, in trust — 26, ages 2 to 56 years