deed of sale

Affidavits of good behavior, no. 1.

NOTE: I found these documents before my trip to Aberdeen. They, in fact, spurred me to go.

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I’ve been hunting for digitized evidence of the trade of Wilson County slavers like Wyatt Moye, Robert S. Adams, Stephenton Page Jr., and Joshua Barnes in Aberdeen, Mississippi. I finally found some in a deed book dated 1847-1850. (Wilson County, of course, had not yet formed, but these and other traders lived or had lived in parts of Edgecombe, Nash, Wayne, or Johnston Counties that are now Wilson County.) These registered affidavits attest to the affiants’ personal acquaintance with an enslaved person who had been sent from North Carolina to Mississippi for further sale.

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Deed Record 13, page 643. Chancery Clerk’s Office, Monroe County, Mississippi.

Know all men by these presents that we Zadock Peacock and Washington M. Stanton, Citizens and free holders of the State of North Carolina & County of Edgecombe hereby certify we are acquainted a negro woman by the name of Beady that Wyatt Moye sent to Mississippi by Stephenton Page, Junior, that said Slave is about nineteen years of age, very tall black slave, furthermore certify said Slave has never been guilty of convicted of arson Burglary or felony in Said State within our knowledge or belief. Given under our hands & Seals Feby 28th 1849.    /s/ Zadoc Peacock, W.M. Stanton

Deed Record 13, page 644. Chancery Clerk’s Office, Monroe County, Mississippi.

Know all men by these presents that we Josh Barnes and L.D. Farmer, citizens and free holders of the County of Edgecombe & State of North Carolina do hereby certify we are acquainted with negro boy about Seventeen or Eighteen years of age, a very black Slave weighs about one hundred & twenty or thirty pounds said Slave Joshua was sold by Delpha Wiggins to Moye & Adams furthermore that said Slave has not been guilty or convicted of murder arson Burglary or other felony within our knowledge or belief in said State. Signed this 27th day of  Feby 1849.    /s/Joshua Barnes, L.D. Farmer

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  • Zadock Peacock — Zadock Peacock (1790-1852) lived in the Saratoga area. He was a slaveowner, but does not appear to have been a trader.
  • Washington M. Stanton — Washington May Stanton (1808-1854) lived in the Stantonsburg area. He was a committed slaveowner, but does not appear to have been a trader.
  • Wyatt Moye — Moye was a former sheriff of Greene County, N.C.; the North Carolina state legislator who introduced the bill to incorporate the Town of Wilson; and, notoriously, a slave trader and money lender. He seems to have settled in Monroe County, Mississippi, full time shortly around 1850, but spent his last decade between his Aberdeen home and his business concerns in Saint Mary Parish, Louisiana.
  • Stephenton Page Jr. — Page probably lived in the Saratoga area. He is listed in the 1850 census of Edgecombe County as a constable. Page worked as an agent or factor with Moye & Adams, but in 1850 went to court in a dispute with them over their share of proceeds from a slave sale he handled in Mississippi.
  • Joshua Barnes — “Father of Wilson County.” Farmer and state legislator, Barnes was a large-scale slaveowner and was involved in the numerous sales of enslaved people south via the United States’ internal slave trade.
  • L.D. Farmer — Larry Dew Farmer (1818-1887). Farmer appears in the 1850 census of Edgecombe County. By 1860, Farmer lived in the Town  of Wilson and reported to the censustaker that he owned $32,350 in personal property, most in the form of enslaved people.
  • Delpha Wiggins — Delphia Wiggins appears as a 22 year-old in the household of her kinsman Larry D. Farmer in the 1850 census of Edgecombe County. The timing of her sale of Joshua, shortly after her 21st birthday, suggests he represented her share of inheritance from her father Blake H. Wiggins, who died in 1828. She had no use for a teenaged farmhand, and the best prices were down south.
  • Moye & Adams — Wyatt Moye and Robert S. Adams were partners in this slave-selling firm, which was based in Aberdeen, Mississippi.

Documents reproduced at www.familysearch.org.

The sale of Milly (1855).

In June 1855, Stephenton Page Jr. of Wilson County, a slave dealer, conveyed a 19 year-old enslaved woman named Milly in trust to John Norfleet of Edgecombe County for the sole use of Zilla Ann Peel, “free from the control or management of [her husband] Henry W. Peel”. Page warranted that Milly was “sound in every respect, her eyes excepted which are known by both the parties to be defective, the defect being or supposed to be short or near sightedness.” The deed was registered in Edgecombe County in March 1859.

Deed book 27, page 856, Edgecombe County Register of Deeds, Tarboro, N.C.

 

Lane’s Chapel F.W.B. Church buys a lot.

Deed book 97, page 245, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.

On 23 December 1912, Major J. Lofton, for $18, sold the trustees and deacons of Lane’s Chapel Free Will Baptist Church a quarter-acre lot near Contentnea Creek on the north side of “the Aycock road, running from the town of Wilson.”

Neither Aycock Road nor Lane’s Chapel rang a bell, but I started wondering about Lofton. It’s not a common surname in Wilson County, but shows up on both an African-American graded school and a church. Lofton School sat on 1 3/4 acres on what is now Downing Street, just below Contentnea Creek. The deed for the property gives the road’s original name — Aycock — and it appears Lofton School stood on the other side of the bridge from Lane’s Chapel’s lot. Was it named for Major Lofton? And Lofton Chapel? It was a Free Will Baptist Church, like Lane’s. And we know its building was moved from elsewhere to its (or, rather, its successor’s) site on Bishop L.N. Forbes Street. Perhaps, as was commonly done, Lane’s was renamed Lofton for the grantor of the land it stood on near Contentnea Creek.

  • Major J. Lofton

In the 1880 census of Indian Springs township, Wayne County, N.C.: Robert Loftus, 34; wife Ednie, 34; and children Sylvester, 10, Robert, 8, Emma, 7, Benjamin F., 6, Alice A., 5, Major, 3, and Donas, 10 months.

In 1918, Major James Lofton registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 16 July 1876; lived on Route 3, Wilson; was a self-employed farmer; and his nearest relative was his father Robert Lofton.

Major Lofton applied for a marriage license for Sam Barron, 24, son of Ben and Mary Barron, and Jessie Lofton, 24 daughter of Robert and Evaline Lofton, both of Gardners township, Wilson County. The marriage took place in Wilson on 30 December 1919.

In the 1920 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer Major J. Lofton, 42, widower; mother Evaline, 71, widow; brother-in-law Sam Barron, 24; sister Jessie Barron, 24; and nieces Donnie, 13, Maybelle, 12, and Marie Barron, 10.

Major Lofton applied for a marriage license for Festus Simms, 29, and Maebelle Lofton, 18, both of Black Creek. The marriage took place in Wilson on 1 April 1925.

In the 1930 census of Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia: at the U.S. Penitentiary, Major Loften, 53, prisoner, born in North Carolina.

In the 1950 census of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: widower Lubie Oliver, 67; partner Major Lofton, 74, widower; and brother Henry Oliver, 50, truck driver.

  • S.C. Chadmon — Slade Chatman?

In the 1910 census of Cross Roads township, Wilson County: farmer Josiah Hinnant, 38; wife Mary, 34; stepdaughter Estella, 17, widow; daughter Sarah, 12; son Cleotha, 6; niece Lessie Locus, 13; and boarder Slade Chatman, 40.

In the 1920 census of Cross Roads township, Wilson County: farmer Slade Chatman, 52, widower.

In the 1930 census of Cross Roads township, Wilson County: farmer Slade Chatman, 52; wife Almenia, 27; and children Ned S., 7, Eddie, 6, Willie, 4, Bertie L., 2, and Charlie, newborn.

In the 1940 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Slade Chatmon, 65; wife Almenia, 37; and children Ned, 17, Ed, 16, Willie, 14, Bettie, 12, Charlie, 10, Joseph, 8, Ernest, 6, Ruby Lee, 3, and Freddie, 3 months.

In 1942, Ed Chatman registered for the World War II in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 30 June 1924 in Wilson County; lived on Route 1, Wilson; and his contact was father Slade Chatman.

In 1942, Ned Chatman registered for the World War II in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 15 June 1922 in Wilson County; lived on Route 1, Wilson; and his contact was father Slade Chatman.

In 1943, Willie Chatman registered for the World War II in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 4 November 1925 in Wilson County; lived on Route 1, Wilson; his contact was father Slade Chatman; and he worked at Carl Aycock farm.

In the 1950 census of Cross Roads township, Wilson County: farmer Slate Chapman, 73; wife Almenia, 48; children Willie, 24, Betty, 22, Charlie, 20, Joseph, 18, Earnest, 16, Ruby, 13, Luddie, 11, Virgina, 7, Dorthy, 5, and Sylva, 1; and granddaughter Alma, 1.

On 29 October 1951, Slade Chatman, 75, of Lucama, son of Jerry Chatman and Catherine Greene Chatman, married Almenia Chatman, 49, of Lucama, daughter of Reddick Simms and Bettie Boykin Simms, in Wilson.

Slade Chatman died 17 December 1954 in Lucama, Cross Roads township, Wilson County. Per his death certificate, he was born 14 April 1876 in Craven County, N.C., to Catherine [maiden name unknown]; was married to Almena Chatman; worked in farming; and was buried in Dew Cemetery, Lucama.

  • Will Vick
  • James Johnston
  • R. Loftin — perhaps, Major Lofton’s father Robert Lofton.
  • Jesse Herring

Trustees of Wynn’s Chapel purchase land.

Deed book 111, page 170, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.

On 14 April 1917, Frank Hodges and his wife Harriet Hodges of Wilson township, for $80, sold William Bustion, Willie Wynn, and Mattie Porter of Toisnot township, “Active Trustees of Wynn’s Chapel, United American Freewill Baptist Church,” for a lot abutting the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.

The 1923 Sanborn map of Elm City shows the small wooden church at 313 South Broad Street, just below J.D. Winstead Cotton Gins.

1923 Sanborn fire insurance map of Elm City, N.C.

Lane Street above is now Morgan Street. This parcel is now owned by the Town of Elm City, and is the southeastern-most section of a town park accessible from Parker Street. 

“Wynn Chapel Church was founded in the early 1900’s, between 1908-1909. The members held their original meetings at the Mason Hall of Fellowship in Elm City, North Carolina. The church was named Free Will Baptist Church and the first Pastor was Rev. Jim Brown. After several meetings in the Mason Hall, the members discussed that the building was not suitable to have church services because it had a dance hall that was being routinely used. Early church members, Willie and Jenny Wynn, donated land for the first building and the church was renamed Wynn Chapel Free Will Baptist Church in the early 1920’s. The first Deacons were Willie Burke, Jasper Evans, Talman and Willie Hunter and Pink Wynn. The church mothers were Penny Evans, Lofton Winstead and Jenny Wynn. Irene Evans served as the first secretary. 

“In 1940, the little church burned down. Rev. McKinley Love Whitley was the pastor. While plans were being made to rebuild the church, members met at the Presbyterian Church in “Blood Field,” the Church of God, and several other area churches that were gracious enough to allow them to utilize their facilities. After a while, the officials of the church purchased land on Armstrong Street in Elm City. The pastor was Rev. Fred Gardner. The Deacons were Mason Benjamin, Ernest (J.B.) Dew, Marcellas (Doll) Evans, Cecil Hagans, and Matt Washington. There was one trustee, Mr. Masco Norman and two mothers, Penny Evans and Alberta (Babe) Moore. The little church continued to grow and prosper under several different pastors over the next forty years.”

[Where was “Blood Field”??]

The Vicks sell land to a hosiery company.

In 1917, Samuel and Annie Vick sold a lot on Cemetery Street to Crescent Hosiery Company of Scotland Neck, North Carolina. Crescent paid $500 for the land, which adjoined property of Smith Mercer, Columbus Goffney, and Henry Forbes.

Deed book 94, page 9, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.

It does not appear that Crescent ever operated a factory on the site, or even built upon it, unless this unoccupied brick building depicted in the 1922 Sanborn map of the street was theirs. (Cemetery Street’s name was briefly changed to Contentnea Street.) By 1930, per the Sanborn map, the building was being used for cotton storage by an unnamed proprietor.

1922 Sanborn fire insurance map of Scotland Neck, North Carolina.

Infamously, Lewis Hine photographed children working in Crescent Hosiery Company for his expose of child labor conditions in Southern textile mills.

Nannie Coleson, age 11, working as a looper at Crescent Hosiery in 1914.

1908 Sanborn fire insurance map of Scotland Neck, North Carolina.

Photo courtesy of National Child Labor Committee Collection, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print.

Walker defaults; Smith sells; Vick buys.

In September 1914, having borrowed money from Rev. Owen L.W. Smith, Sarah Walker secured her note with a mortgage on her property near South Goldsboro Street. Walker defaulted on the loan, and Smith put her property up at auction in May 1916. Samuel H. Vick made the high bid. 

“Beginning at a stake, Southwest corner of A.J. Townsend‘s lot on the edge of the west edge of a drainage ditch at the embankment of South Goldsboro Street South of Norfolk and Southern Railroad….” Deed book 111, page 336, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.

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  • Sarah Walker

In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Robert Walker, 31, lumber mill laborer, and wife Sarah, 29.

In the 1916 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Walker Sarah (c) seamstress h 402 E Walnut

In the 1920 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Walker Sarah (c) domestic h 402 E Walnut

In the 1922 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Walker Sarah (c) tobwkr h 109 S East

In the 1928 and 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Walker Sarah (c) domestic h 109 S East

In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: paying $/8 month rent, seamstress Sarah Walker, 40; also paying $8/month, Leon Crawford, 39, bricklayer; wife Mary, 37, cook; and roomers John Staden, 39, bellhop, and wife Louise, 33.

The Pegueses arrive in Wilson County.

The Pegues family is most closely associated with the Elm City area, largely due to the athletic achievements of several of its members. Like many African-American families, the Pegueses migrated to Wilson County from the Sandhills area of North and South Carolina around World War I.

On 15 January 1918, for $1600, A.L.E. and Annie E. Weeks sold Aaron and Maggie Pegues a lot with a five-room house on lot 1, block 14 of the Singletary property, today’s New Bern Street.

Deed book 111, page 595, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.

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In 1918, John Pegues registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 25 May 1900; lived at 11 Barnes; was a farmer “east of Wilson”; and his nearest relative was Aaron Pegues, “11 Barnes,” Wilson.

In 1918, Lott Pegues registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 12 November 1898; lived on Barnes Line; was a farmer for Babe Pridgen on Finch Mill Road; and his nearest relative was father Aaron Pegues, Barnes Line, Wilson.

In the 1920 census of Jackson township, Nash County, N.C.: farmer Aaron Pegues, 63; wife Maggie, 48; and sons Lot, 21, and John K., 20.

Maggie Pegues died 2 July 1929 in Wilson township, Wilson County. Per her death certificate, she was 55 years old; was born in Rockingham, N.C.; was married to Aaron Pegues; was a tenant farmer for Sam Daniel; and was buried in Wilson [probably Vick Cemetery.]

Battle sister transfers land to brother.

On 1 January 1914, for $500, Ada G. Battle sold her brother Charles T. Battle a 28′ by 52′ parcel of land on Tarboro Street, “it being the identical lot on which was situated the black-smith shop of [their father] Charles Battle, deceased.”

Deed book 97, page 587, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.

Benjamin Mincey buys a lot on Wiggins Street.

On 17 February 1905, Benjamin Mincey purchased a 50-by-110 foot lot on the south side of Wiggins Street for $150. The property adjoined lands owned by Charles Darden, Daniel Vick, Gilbert Stallings, and James T. Wiggins, and remained in his family until 1955.

Deed book 68, page 334, Wilson County Register of Deeds Office, Wilson.