In Black and White: Cross-Cultural Genealogy

A good practice when studying pension files is to locate the records of those who made sworn statements in support of a fellow soldier's application. Asa Spelman (Spelmore) had testified on behalf of John Carter on 13 Dec 1820. Below you will find the first installment of Asa Spelmore's pension application (images 1-4). Because the file consists of a total of nineteen images, it will be treated as a mini-series. www.Fold3.com NARA Publication M804 SERVICE                                        NUMBER N.C.                Spelmore, Asa           S42022 [Left Side] 18-691 R North Carolina ------------------------------------------------------- Asa Spelmore (aged 74) of Craven Cy in the State of N. Carolina who was a Private in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Davidson of the N. Carolina line, for the term of nine months 1778-9 ------------------------------------------------------- Inscribed on the roll of North Carolina at the rate of 8 Dollars per month,

--as extracted from Camin's "Declarations of Service" List  (Box 7-14),  State Archives of North Carolina One of the most helpful tools when doing preliminary searches for primary documentation at an archives are the finding aids found on each repository's website. The North Carolina State Archives "Military Collection Finding Aids" contain lists of information grouped first by century, and then by conflict. They range from the Spanish Invasion Collection, 1742-1748 to the Iraq War Papers, 2001-2010 . Each link opens into a PDF document which records each collection organized by box number and contents. The following is an extraction, containing the names, dates of pension application, and the county in which they were filed. Altogether there are twenty-six applications from Craven County and one from Carteret County. Martin Black* (1820), Craven Furney Cannon (1853), Craven John Carter* (1820), Craven John Cox (1820), Craven Levi Dawson (1838),

Image 2 of 8 John Carter North Carolina line 10 Regmt Col Davidson 20 July 1778 - 9 mo Certified by [faded] that Carter stayed on the [faded] mustered for nine mo---- Dead. See letter from Saml Gerock dated Newbern, July 10, 1828 Said letter not on file on this claim. Oct. 1, 1918 Thos Watson Newbern N.C. Declaration Image 3 of 8 United States of America ) Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions District of North Carolina  ) Septr Term 1820 Craven County                    ) On this 13th Day of Septr 1820 personally appeared in open Court the said Court being a Court of Re- cord proceeding to the course of the Common Law with a jurisdiction unlimited in point of [           ] keeping a record of its proceedings and having power to fine and imprison, John Carter aged--Sixty six years who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order Image 4 of 8 to obtain the provision made by the Acts of Congress of the 18th March 1818

When I was first contacted last October to assist in some research for a member of the DAR who was looking for the burial ground of her ancestor, Isaac Carter, I had no idea it would lead to such a wonderful tribute--with full honors--to our free black ancestors of Craven County, North Carolina. Nor would I have guessed that I would be meeting together with Ms. Maria William Cole, National Vice Chairman Insignia, of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, and a host of other dignitaries, from the highest officials of the SAR to state and local political and community service leaders, to pay tribute to these patriots. The turnout exceeded my expectation when this event proceeded on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon, with close to a hundred and fifty people or more, seated on folding chairs under three canopy tents. The microphone cable lay along the wet grass and soon died out, and we, the speakers, were asked to use our "mother's voices" to make o