Fourteen year-old Wright Mitchell, a free boy of color, was apprenticed to serve John A. Lane until age 21. Lane had married Sarah Applewhite in 1852 and likely lived in the Stantonsburg area.
Minute Docket, Wilson County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, October Term 1858, Wilson Court Dockets 1855-1868, http://www.ancestry.com
During Wilson County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions’ January Term 1858, the clerk made this entry in court minutes:
“Ordered by the court that James Mitchell alias (James Artice) aged Five years Son of Susan Mitchell be bound apprentice to Bryant L. Barnes upon his entering into Bond with John Dew as surety (Bond filed)”
James Mitchell’s alias suggests he also used his father’s surname, at least in childhood, as was not uncommon among free children of color whose parents were not formally married. “Artice” is a variant spelling of Artis, the name of a large free family of color in the Wayne/Greene/Edgecombe/Wilson County area.
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In the 1860 census of Wilson township, Wilson County: Susan Mitchell, 26, washing, and children James, 10, Annie, 7, and George Mitchell, 2.
In the 1870 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Stella Best, 12, Claudius Little, 14, Mary Parker, 15, Henrietta Knight, 19, and Charlotte Adams, 16, all domestic servants; James Mitchell, 19, store porter; and Harriet Dunstan, 18, domestic servant. [This household was listed next to Robert Taylor, a white farmer and miller who claimed $20,000 in real property and may have been their employer.]
On 9 July 1895, a Wilson County Superior Court judge ordered three year-old Lydia Lancaster bound as an apprentice to Isaac Rich until she reached 18 years of age.
On 30 December 1898, a Wilson County Superior Court judge ordered 5 year-old Roman Oniel bound as an apprentice to Isaac Rich until he reached 21 years of age.
In the 1900 census of Cross Roads township, Wilson County: widower Isaac Rich, 50, farmer; daughters Martha A., 28, and Wibby, 16; niece Lettie Langston, 8, and nephew Rommie Oneil, 8.
In the 1910 census of Cross Roads township, Wilson County: farmer Isaac Rich, 60; wife Jacan, 45; nephew Roman Oneil, 18; nephew Robert Creech, 18; and laborer Bruce Depree, 18.
In 1911, Isaac Rich made this bequest in his last will and testament: “At my death I give to Roman Oneal, my foster son, who has been faithful to me, a horse worth not more than twenty dollars and one Bible to cost one dollar.”
In 1917, Roman Ricks [sic] registered for the World War I draft in Wilson County. Per his registration card, he was born 15 May 1892 in Wilson; lived in Lucama; worked as section hand on the A.C.L. Rail Road; and he had a wife and one child. He signed his name “Roman Rich.”
In the 1920 census of Crossroads township, Wilson County: farmer Roman Ricks, 24; wife Phyllis, 45; and daughter Annie, 12.
In the 1930 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., directory: Rich Roman (c; Phyllis) lab h 512 New Bern
On 2 November 1941, Roman Rich, 46, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, married Katie Sims, 51, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Wilmington, Delaware. Per their marriage application, Rich was born in North Carolina on 3 January 1895 to Isaac and Eliza Rich; was a widower; and worked as a stripper in Sun Ship Yard.
In 1942, Roman Rich registered for the World War II draft in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Per his registration card, he was born 30 January 1895 in Wilson; lived at 4835 Merion Street, Philadelphia; his contact was Katie Rich; and he worked for Lowe & Son, 46th and Lancaster Streets, Philadelphia.
Roman Rich died 9 July 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Per his death certificate, he was born 7 July 1887 in Wilson, North Carolina, to Isaac and Liza Rich; was married to Katie Rich; lived at 4812 Reno Street, Philadelphia; and he was buried in Merion Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.
Wilson [County, North Carolina] Apprentice Bonds 1869-1914, http://www.familysearch.org.
State of North Carolina, Wilson County }
This is to certify that Stephen Privet of above named county and state has on his premises three children of color — whose mother is dead — and have no known father — name and ages as follows viz — Mary aged about ten years, Amy aged about five years, William aged three years — I have no hesitancy in commending the above named Stephen Privett as a suitable person to have said children of color bound to him — as he is perfectly willing to take them — Said children have no visible means of support. Given under my signature, this 5th day of Dec: 1865 Wm. G. Jordan J.P.
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In the 1860 slave schedule of Black Creek township, Wilson County: Stephen Privett, who claimed ownership of one 18 year-old black man, one 20 year-old mulatto woman, and two mulatto girls, aged 3 and 1. [The girls may have been Mary and Amy, and the woman their mother.]
In the 1870 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farmer Stephen Privett, 59; wife Isabella, 55; children Cornelia, 21, and Robert, 18; farm laborer Joseph High, 20; and “apprentiss” William Privett, 8 [the boy named above].
North Carolina Freedmen’s Bureau Field Office Records, 1863-1872, Rocky Mount (Assistant Superintendent), Roll 56 Labor contracts, Dec 1865-Jul 1867. Hat tip to Debby Gammon for the lead on this document.
Mr. Burnell, No. 11, Wilson, N.C. Goldsboro N.C. March 8 1866
Sir,
You are requested to inform this office if you have in your employ two (col) boys, named Beverly & Henry Fisher, aged 12 & 14 years, formerly of Dinwiddie Va. Please state if these children are regularly bound to you, or if there exist any reason, why they should not be returned to the custody of their parents, who have made application to this Office for this return. Very respectfully, Hannibal D. Norton
North Carolina Freedmen’s Bureau Field Office Records, 1863-1872, Goldsboro (subassistant commissioner), Roll 15, Letters sent, vols. 1-2, February 1867-February 1868, http://www.familysearch.org.
Here is the original complaint from Violet Blount to the Freedmen’s Bureau about her grandsons’ unlawful apprenticeship, chronicled here. Blount was also the maternal grandmother of Samuel H. Vick.
Wilson N.C., May 31, 67
Freedmens Bureau Goldsboro N.C.
I respectfully wish to inform you that my grandsons Oscar & Marcus Blount (16 & 17 years of age) have been without my or their knowledge or consent bound to Mr. B.H. Blount, their former owner, while myself and their younger brother age seven years have to be supported by my son in law Daniel Vick. I am seventy years old and do think that common justice requires these boys to work at least in part for me & their younger brother as their mother is dead and their father does not claim to work for him. Mr. B.H. Blount once agreed to give the boys up to me but still holds on to them saying that his son G.W. Blount Esq. had arranged it for them to stay where they are till they are free.
Most Respectfully, Violet Blount
North Carolina Freedmen’s Bureau Field Office Records, 1863-1872, Goldsboro (subassistant commissioner), Roll 15, Letters Received Jan 1867-Feb 1868.
In response to John J. Pender’s claim to three African-American children, Jenny Robbins sent a sworn statement to the Freedmen’s Bureau. Reading between the lines suggests that Pender’s bald claim that Toney Robbins was not the children’s grandfather split hairs. They were, it seems, Jenny Robbins’ grandchildren by blood and Toney Robbins’ by marriage. Note that Robbins gives their surname as Turner, not Pender as set forth in the 1870 census and in J.J. Pender’s claim.
I Jenny Robbins wife of Toney Robbins do certify on oath that Dellah Ann Sylva Ann and Jacob Turner three infant children now in the possession of J.J. Pender of the county of Wilson state of North Carolina are my grand children and do further swear that my daughter Amy the mother of the said three children is and was dead when they were set free that I am the nearest kin now living to the said infants and wish to have the management control and raising of the same which he the said J.J. Pender haves and will not allow me to take or have anything to do with them Jenny (X) Robbins
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 21st day of August 1867 James Wiggins J.P.
Witness D.W. Weaver, Moses (X) Morris Col., Haywood (X) Batts
Plece let me hear from you soon
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Former policeman James Wiggins also weighed in in support of Ginny Pender/Jenny Robbins’ claim for custody of her children. (The date of his letter is puzzling, as it more than a year and a half before Robbins’ above. It gives a sense, however, of the protracted fight Toney and Jenny Robbins waged for her grandchildren.)
North Carolina Freedmen’s Bureau Field Office Records, 1863-1872, Goldsboro (subassistant commissioner), Roll 15, Letters Received Jan 1867-Feb 1868; North Carolina Freedmen’s Bureau Field Office Records, 1863-1872, Goldsboro (subassistant commissioner), Roll 15, Unregistered Letters Received Aug 1865-Feb 1868, http://www.familysearch.org
In August 1867, John J. Pender complained to the Freedmen’s Bureau that Toney Robbins was harassing him about Pender’s apprenticeship of three children who Robbins claimed were his grandchildren. Pender asserted that Robbins had no children, much less grandchildren. The Bureau apparently sided with Pender, as the children were with him in 1870 when the census taker passed through.
Here is one of Robbins’ letters pleading for the Bureau to intercede on his behalf.
Joyners Depot Wilison Co NC August 5th 1867
Freedmen Bureau
I ha [written] 2 or 3 letter to Maj Crompto a Bout 3 of my grand Children nor [illegible] Eny Anser then wrote to General Every at Raleigh he said go to the Freedmen Bureau at Rockey Mount in Edgecone County the children is in Wilison County he told me to write to you it was out of his Power as it was in Wilison County
Thy or not Bound By law, So Plese Send me a Paper So as I can get them thy ar living With John J. Pender of Wilison Co
I wait an Anser [illegible] with Respets Tony Robins
North Carolina Freedmen’s Bureau Field Office Records, 1863-1872, Goldsboro (assistant subassistant commissioner), Roll 17, Letters received, Jul-Sep 1867, http://www.familysearch.org
In August 1867, white farmer John J. Pender posted a letter to the Goldsboro field office of the Freedmen’s Bureau, disputing Toney Robbins‘ claim to three orphaned children, Della, Sylvia and Jacob Pender, whom Pender likely had claimed as property just a few years before:
Joyners Depot NC August 10th 1867
Lieut J F Allison
Sir
Your note was received last evening ordering me to furnish you with all the facts concerning three grand children belonging to Tony Robbins cold [colored]. I must say the report is entirely false. Tony Robbins has no grand children and he had none of his own nor he never has had any children. I can if necessary furnish you with all the evidence you may desire. I have three orphan children in my possession named Dellar, Sylva & Jacob apprenticed and bound to me on the 2nd January 1866 by Capt Glavis post Commander at Goldsboro, and also my Lawyer instructed me to have said children bound to me by Wilson Court and I did so. So have had them bound to me at Goldsboro by Capt Glavis and by Wilson County. Said Tony Robbins has given me considerable trouble abot said children and I am getting tired. Said Tony Robins has made application to every Commander in reach concerning Said Children and further more the Children is not related to Said (Robins) in no shape nor manner. He has run me to a great deal of expense. Said Tony Rbbins and Mr (Totten) at Joyners Dept have been troubling me badly during this year Concerning said Children
I am glad to Say the Children are in fine health and get a plenty to eat and are sheltered under my own roof and well clothed &c &c.
Very Respectfully yours truly
To Lieut. J.F. Allison
Post Commander
Goldsboro NC
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In the 1870 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Joseph Pender, 63, and wife Lucretia, 49; daughter Lucretia, 5; and farmer’s apprentices Jacob, 8, and Selvia Pender, 5, both black.
In the 1870 census of Upper Town Creek township, Edgecombe County: Toney Robbins, 51, farm laborer, and wife Jinny, 48. [Sidenote: Joseph J. Pender’s mother was Elizabeth Robbins Pender. Was Toney Robbins linked to her family?]
On 18 April 1878, Haywood Braswell, 23, married Sylva Pender, 19, in Township No. 14, Edgecombe County, in the presence of Toney Robbins, Charles Daws and Tom Petway.
In the 1880 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farm laborer Haward Braswell, 25; wife Silvy, 22; and daughter Lucy, 3.
Sylvia Pender Braswell died 12 April 1952 at her home at 510 South Spring Street, Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 3 January 1842 [sic] in North Carolina to unknown parents and was a widow. Connie Bynum was informant.
North Carolina Freedmen’s Bureau Field Office Records, 1863-1872, Goldsboro (assistant subassistant commissioner) > Roll 17, Letters Received, Jul-Sep 1867, http://www.familysearch.org
Under laws authorizing the involuntary apprenticeship of poor orphans and the children of unmarried parents, county courts in antebellum North Carolina removed thousands of children from the homes to be bound to serve their neighbors. Hundreds of indentures dot the pages of Wayne County court minute books, and free children of color were disproportionately pulled into the system. Apprenticeship created an inexpensive, long-term and tractable labor supply for white yeoman farmers, many of whom could not (or could not yet) afford to purchase enslaved people.
Wayne County lost its northern tip to the newly created Wilson County in 1855. By pinpointing the locations of the farms of the men (and rare women) to whom they were indentured, we are able to identify the following free children of color as residents of the area that would become Wilson County’s Black Creek township and parts of Crossroads township.
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Bunyan Barnes was born about 1809 and died before 1870. Per Wilson County Founding Families, S. Powell and H. Powell, editors, Barnes was the first postmaster of Bardin’s Depot (now Black Creek) and owned property along the Wilson and Goldsboro Road (now Frank Price Church Road) between Canal Branch and Dickerson Mill Branch in Black Creek township.
Apprentice Records, Wayne County Records, North Carolina State Archives; federal censuses.