Asa Spelmore: American Revolution Service Declaration, Part 2

Continued from Cross-Referencing Pension Files: The Revolutionary War Pension File of Asa Spelmore, 31 March 2014

[The following two images are a continuation of the previous sworn testimony.]
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www.Fold3.com
Asa Spelmore, Image 5

John Carter a citizen of Craven County in
the State of North Carolina maketh oath
that he was enlisted in the Company [when?]:
mustered by Captain Quinn, in the Regiment
commanded by Colo Davidson (the [?])
in the North Carolina line Continental es-
tablishment during the War of the Revolution
and served nine months and deponent
knows that Asa Spelman was a soldier in
the same company and that the said
Spelman did serve the term of nine months
in said company.  signed                his
                                              John    X    Carter
                                                         Mark
It is the opinion of the Court that the
total amount in value of the property cohab-
ited in the aforesaid schedule is considerably
less than one hundred Dollars--
Craven County Court of Pleas & Quarter
Sessions.     March Term A.D. 1821--
Thomas A Davis Esq. Sheriff of Craven
County appeared in open Court and made
oath that he is well acquainted with

Asa Spelmore or Spelman that said Asa

is at this time and has been for many years

a resident Citizen of this County and that he

is the same person who has applied for a

pension. And it is Ordered that the

Clerk Certify to the Secretary at War of 

the United States, that the Witnesses in

support of the petition of the said Asa

Spelman or Spelmore are worthy of merit.

Asa Spelmore, Image 6

State of North Carolina

Craven County

I James G Stanly, Clerk of the

Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions

of Craven County do hereby Certify

that the foregoing affidavits and

the schedule thereto annexed are

truly copied from the records of

Said Court.

In Testimony whereof

I have hereunto set my hand and

affixed the seal of said Court

at Newbern this 15th day of

January A.D. 1822.

J S Stanly  CC

State of North Carolina )

       Craven County         )

             Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions

May Term A.D. 1822.

Asa Spelmore or Spelman maketh oath

in open Court that he has endeavored to ascertain

the time of his entering the service, and the time

of his leaving it--and is now able to declare

that he entered the Service at Smith's Creek

in Craven County, No Ca on the 20 July in the

year seventeen hundred and seventy-eight--

and was discharged at Halifax, No Ca on

the eighth day of May one thousand

seven hundred and seventy-nine

Sworn to and subscribed in

open Court 15th May

1822. Attest J S Stanly  CC     his                

Asa    X   Spelman

mark               

State of North Carolina

Craven County

I James G Stanly

Clerk of the Court of Pleas and

Quarter Sessions of Craven County hereby

certify that the foregoing affidavit is

truly copied from the records of said

in Court.        In Faith whereof I hereunto

set my hand and affix the seal of

said Court at Newbern this 14th

day of June 1822.

J S Stanly  CC

Private John Carter: Revolutionary War Pension File (R1749)

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 and the 1 May 1820, that he the said, John Carter, enlisted for the term of nine months on the ------ day of------in the year -----in the State of No Carolina in the company commanded by Capt Quinn--in the 10th Regiment commanded by Colo Davidson in the line of the State of North Carolina--on the Continental Establishment, that he continued to serve in the said Corps until Nine Months. when he was discharged from the said service in at Halifax in the State of North Carolina -- deponent is unable to State the time of his enlistment or discharge -- he was not in any encampment but was in some skirmishes, near West Point and at Kings Ferry. He has no other evidence of his services in his power except the adjoined deposition of Asa Spelman -- And I do solemnly swear that I was a resident Citizen of the United States on the 12th March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift sale or any manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress entitled "An act to provide for certain persons Engaged in the Land and Naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War." --passed 18th March 1818 and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities contracts or debts due to me, nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereunto annexed & by me subdivided.  if His apparel & biding his only property. Declarant is by occupation a Cooper, but age & infirmity have

rendered him for some years unable to work. He has no family & lives with his sister Margaret Fenner ----             
                                   John   X   Carter [his mark]
                                          
[       ] Sworn to and declared on the 13th day of September
AD 1820 before J G Stanly CC

Affadavit of Asa Spelman

Asa Spelman a Citizen of Craven County in No Carolina, maketh Oath that he was a Soldier in the Revolution, in Capt Quinns Company, tenth Regiment Commanded by Colo Davidson, No Carolina line, Continental establishment & served nine months in said service & deponent knows that John Carter did enlist and serve in the same Company &
Regiment for the period of nine months.
[      ] Sworn and declared on the                                         
13th day of September                       Asa  X  Spelman [his mark]
AD 1820 before                                                                
J G Stanly CC

Certified Property Schedule

Image 5 of 8

 State of No Carolina

Craven County

I, James G Stanly, Clerk of the

Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Craven County, do hereby certify that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereunto on record, are truly copied from the records of said

Court: and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of this said Court, that the total amount in value of the said property exhibited in the aforegoing schedule, is considerably less than one hundred Dollars.

In testimony hereof I have hereunto 

set my hands, and affixed the seal of the said Court, on the 13th day of September

AD 1820.

J G Stanly  Clerk

of the Court of Pleas & Quarter

Sessions of Craven County March

Term AD 1821---

Affadavit of Frederick Jones Esq.

Frederick Jones Esq solemnly and sincerely declared and affirmed that he [has] made acquaintance with John Carter the petitioner for a pension, that said John Carter is at this time

and has been for many years a resident of the County of Craven and State of North Carolina affirmed & [           ] before me 13th March 1821)                     Fredk Jones in open Court                                                                    

                             J G Stanly                                                                          

And it is ordered that the Clerk Certifies to the secretary at War of the United States that the Witnesses in support of the

petition of said John Carter are worthy of credit

Witness     Jas G Stanly  Clerk of said Court under the [           ] of said Court at Newbern this 13th day of March 1821---

J G Stanly

Certification 

State of North Carolina Secretary's Office 12th Dec 1820
I William Hill Secretary of State in & for the State aforesaid do hereby certify that it appears from the muster rolls of the Continental line of this this State in the Revolutionary war that John
Carter a private in Capt Quinn's Company of the 10th Regt was mustered on the 20th July 1778 for nine months. The date of his discharge is not mentioned.

Given under my hand the date above

Wm Hill

[vertical]                                                [horizontal]               free
John Carter                                            [post mark] NewB. N.C.
     -----                                                                         APR 14
Thomas Watson                              Honorable J C Calhoun, Agt          Secretary at War
Newbern, N.C.                                  Washington, DC
Recd 24 Apl 1821
                       Dead.
             Ex'd
                 19 June [18]21

                              1749

1749                         [stamped] REJECTED
P.O. John Carter

Service:
Enlisted: [blank]
Discharged: [blank]
Application Filed: [blank]
Act 1818 claims not
recorded in List of suspended & rejected claims, printed in 1852.

The Estate File of William Carter (1867): An Index

"North Carolina, Estate Files, 1663-1979," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VKJM-XLD : accessed 29 Aug 2013), William Carter, 1867; 32 Images.

1/32: Folder: Carter, William  1867
2/32: June 5, 1917: S.R. Street, Commissioned Notary Public, Craven County, NC
3/32: June 11, 1917: Oath of Notary Public/S.R. Street
4/32: S.R. Street Qualified June 11/1917
5/32: Application of Guardian, Guardian's Oath and Letters of Guardianship: Effie Carter Dove: June 1, 1917
6/32: Application Cover
7/32: 11 March 1867: On petition of Rachel G. Carter, widow of Wm Carter, One Year Provisions
8/32: Writ to lay off year's provisions: $265
9/32: Petition "to have her year's support out of the estate of her said husband [William Carter]...to set apart to her so much of the crop, stock, and provisions, belonging thereto, as may be adequate to support herself and her family for one year". March Term, 1867.
10/32: Petition Cover
11/32: Court Costs or administrating one year's provisions
12/32: 27 July 1868: Court Order to Sheriff to bring in the taxed monies assessed to Rachel G. Carter in the amount of $10.67, on the second Monday of March next.
13/32: James E. Flemming, Sheriff of Craven County, attended by the following Jury of good and lawful men...proceeded on the 26th day of May 1868...to lay off and allot to Rachael Carter her dower and thirds in the lands of William Carter...South Side of Neuse River, West Side of Clubfoots Creek, adjoining to the lands of John [George] and brothers...twenty-five acres.
14/32: Cover sheet
15/32: Petition for Dower: Rachel G. Carter vs. Heirs at Law of William Carter
16/32: Cover sheet
17/32: To James Carter: To appear in Court on 2nd Monday in June 1867
18/32: Cover for Subpoena & Copy of Petition to James Carter
19/32: To Jesse Godett: To appear in Court on 2nd Monday in June 1867
20/32: Cover for Subpoena & Copy of Petition to Jesse Godett 
21/32: To Amos Carter: To appear in Court on 2nd Monday in June 1867
22/32: Cover for Subpoena & Copy of Petition to Amos Carter
23/32: To Martha A. Godett: To appear in Court on 2nd Monday in June 1867
24/32: Cover for Subpoena & Copy of Petition to Martha A. Godett
25/32: Handwritten note on torn paper: "200 acres of land adjoining the lands of Hetty George & the Heirs at Law of Theophilus George.
26/32: To the Sheriff of Craven County: summons to form a Jury to come to the premises of William Carter's lands to lay off the Dower, one third part, of Rachel Carter
27/32: Cover: Trial: Writ to Lay off Dower for Rachel G. Carter
28/32: To the Sheriff of Craven County: to appear with a Jury of men in Court on the 2nd Monday of March 1868
29/32: Cover sheet
30/32: Paid to Wm H. Marshall, $5.00, for laying Rachel Carter's dower in lands
31/32: Petition for Dower, Cover sheet
32/32: The Petition of Rachel G. Carter, Widow of William Carter; Heirs at Law: Martha A. Godet, Jesse Godet, James Carter, Amos Carter, Cassie J. Carter, Josephus Carter, Eliza M. Carter, Isaac H. Carter, & Garrison E. Carter, the last six infants; lands adjoining Hetty George & the Heirs at Law of Theophilus George & others, "and containing by estimation about 200 acres".

The Estate of Isaac Dove (1826): Transcription of Summons, Image 5

Summons: ....14 November 1825
"North Carolina, Estate Files, 1663-1979," index and images, FamilySearch 
(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VKJM-FYZ : accessed 08 Aug 2013), Isaac Dove, 1826.

Image 5/45

[As you can see here, the Summons referred to in the transcription of Image 3/45 was attached to the description and plat.]

STATE OF NORTH-CAROLINA. To the Sheriff of Craven County, GREETING:

YOU are hereby commanded to summon Hardy L. Jones, James T. Jones Esquire, Gideon Jones, Joseph Davis & Benjamin Borden -------------
to me at such place and at some time before the next Court, to be held for your County, on the second Monday of February next, as to [scratched out] you shall seem fit, then and there to make partition of that part of the lands (which were formerly held in common between Isaac Dove and Anthony Brown) which belongs to the heirs of Isaac Dove and are situated in Craven County on the east side of Spring Branch. ----------------

---------------- between George Carter & Sukey his wife. Stephen Godett & Mary his wife. Gambo Fenno [Fenner] & Deborah his wife who own the lands on the east side of Spring Branch. -------------
heirs at law of Isaac Dove deceased, in severalty. Herein fail not and return the proceedings of said Commissioners in this behalf to our Court of Pleas and Quarter-Sessions to be held for your County on the second Monday of February next, together with this writ.

WITNESS, JAMES G. STANLY, Clerk of our said Court, at Newbern, the second Monday of November in the [XLV scratched out] 50th Year of our Independence,                             A.D. 1825

J. S. Stanley [signature]

The Estate File of Isaac Dove (1826), Part 2: The Land Division and Index

Last time we looked at this particular file, we were looking for relationship connections.  Petition made by "George Carter & others" provided us with the names of Isaac Dove's (FPOC) children and their spouses:

1. George Carter and his wife, Susannah/Susan/Sukey (Dove),
2. Gambo Fenner and his wife, Deborah/Debby (Dove),
3. Stephen Gaudett/Godette and his wife, Mary (Dove),
4. William Dove and his wife Rebecca (Godette),
5. Jacob Dove.

On this occasion, we'll be looking at the land division for two tracts of land: the first being on Cahooque Creek, the second along Clubfoot Creek. To complicate matters, the petitions and court records do not appear to be assembled within the file in chronological order. So, the first task will be to put the images into order by date.

"North Carolina, Estate Files, 1663-1979,"
index and images, FamilySearch
(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VKJM-FYZ :
accessed 05 Aug 2013), Isaac Dove, 1826.

Index of documents as found within the file:

Images 2-4/45: Partition of the Land of Dove & Brown/Plat & Description/4 February 1826

Image 5/45: Summons: Hardy L. Jones, James T. Jones Esqr., Gideon Jones, Joseph Davis & Benjamin Borden/RE: Lands on east side Spring Branch/14 November 1825

Image 6/45: George Carter &. Al.--heirs of Isaac Dove vs. A. Brown, Jacob Dove, Will. Dove/Writ of Petition/February 1826

Images 7-10/45: Division of Lands (by Consent) vs. Isaac Dove/Plat, Folio 47/March 1826

Image 11/45: Receipt from Isaac Doves' Heirs to Hardy Jones for Survey & Plat/4 February 1826

Image 12/45: Summons: Anthony Brown, William Dove & Jacob Dove/9 August 1824

Image 13/45: George Carter &. al. vs. Will. Dove & others/Subpena to return/November 1824

Image 14/45: Appointment of Commissioners to divide land/undated

Image 15/45: Summons: Hardy L. Jones, James T. Jones Esq., Gideon Jones, Joseph Davis and Benjamin Borden/8 Aug 1825

Image 16/45: George Carter & wife & other heirs of Isaac Dove/Writ of Petition/November 1825/RE: Summoned to Meet 28 October 1825/Rec'd Sept. 12th

Image 17/45: Summons: Hardy L. Jones, James T. Jones Esq., Gideon Jones, Joseph Davis and Benjamin Borden/9 May 1825

Image 18/45: Geo. Carter & wife & others, heirs of Isaac Dove/Writ of Petition/August 1825/The parties summoned but did not act/Rec'd June 19 [1825]

Image 19/45: Receipt: William Physioc charges A. Brown/17 February 1825

Image 20/45: To the Sheriff: Command to summon William Physioc & Isaac Lewis personally...in behalf of Anthony Brown/trial date 14 February 1825/8 November 1824

Image 21/45: Geo. Carter & wife vs. Anthony Brown & al./February 1825

Image 22/45: Summons: Hardy L. Jones, John Allways, William Physioc, Joseph Physioc Esquire & Clairborne Ivey Esquire/8 November 1824

Image 23/45: George Lewis by his next friend vs. Heirs of John Godett/Writ of Petition/May Term 1824/The Surveyor could not possibly attend to make partition before this term

Image 24-26/45: Summons: William Dove/9 August 1824/Writ of Petition attached: George Carter & wife, & al.

Images 27-28/45: Answer from the Defendant/11 November 1824

Images 29-30/45: Writ of Petition: George Carter & wife, Stephen Gaudet & wife, Gambo Fenner & wife vs. Anthony Brown, Jacob Dove & William Dove/August 1824

Images 31-33/45: Summons: Jacob Dove/9 August 1824/Writ of Petition attached: George Carter & al./Made know by reading the within to Jacob Dove

Image 34/45: Summons: Thomas J. Physioc, Benjamin F. Borden, William Temple, David Dickerson, and Jeremiah Parsons/8 December 1851

Image 35/45: Henry J. Lovick, Deborah Fenner, Stephen Gaudet & wife, George Carter & wife/Writ of Petition/8 March 1852

Image 36/45: Court fees assessed: $20.90/21 May 1857

Image 37/45: Office vs. Henry J. Lovick 1/4, Debra Fenner 1/4, Stephen Gaudet & wife 1/4, {Arnett Dove, Geo. Carter & Wm. Carter 1/4}/June 1857

Image 38/45: Summons: Thomas J. Physioc, Benjamin F. Borden, William Temple, David Dickerson, & Jeremiah Parsons/8 March 1852

Image 39/45: Henry J. Lovick, Deborah Fenner & others/Writ of Petition/June 1852

Image 40/45: Summons: Thomas J. Physioc, Benjamin F. Borden, William Temple, David Dickerson and Jeremiah Parsons/8 September 1851

Image 41-44/45: Henry J. Lovick, George Carter, Stephen Gaudet, & others/Writ of Petition/December 1851

Image 45/45: Henry J. Lovick & others to Court/Petition for Partition/Filed September Term 1853/[8] June Term 1857

Conclusions & next step:

It would seem to me that if I were to order the above documents to chronological order, I might be able to make more sense of the progress of this land partition dispute. One note of interest, by Image 37/45 dated March 1852, Deborah Fenner's husband, Gambo, is no longer named with her, leading me to believe that he died before this dispute was ever finalized. 

Overall, it appears that one dispute took roughly two years to settle (1852-1854). The second action took approximately six years to settle (1851-1857). 

Diving Into. . .

File Box 1, File No. 1.3:
Farlow, Gale. "Black Craftsmen in North Carolina," in North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Volume XI, No. 1, February 1985, pp. 2-13; continued in Volume XI, No. 2, May 1985, pp. 91-103.

I had hoped that this article might discuss the various crafts in which African Americans were engaged in the period pre-1850; however, it served as a synopsis of other researchers' investigations. The author states that

Four factors were considered necessary for identification of black craftsmen working before 1850: name, trade, location by town or county, and at least one documented date. This method necessarily eliminated any referenced not having all four criteria . . . . would seem to indicate that the list of those identified is only a small part of the total number who were working in North Carolina before 1850. . . . Of the 291 craftsmen identified, 159 were free persons and 132 of them were cited as apprentices. The slaves numbered 132 with 94 of them runaways. Forty-four counties were represented, twenty of them east of Raleigh and classified as Eastern, and nineteen were located in the Piedmont area (p. 8).

Farlow cites John Hope Franklin's The Free Negro in North Carolina as the source for this information. On the next page are two tables:

Table 1: Black Craftsmen Listed By Trade
Table 2: Black Craftsmen Located By Counties

Table 2 records fifty-seven black craftsmen in Craven County (p.9).

The remainder of the article is a compiled list of names and notations extracted from apprenticeship bonds, newspaper advertisements, and various other sources. Three of our Carters are listed on page 11:

1. CARTER, George. A free black, aged eleven years, who was apprenticed as a turner to Thomas IVES of Craven County in 1788. (Craig, p. 355);
2. CARTER, Isaac. Aged five years he was apprenticed as a cooper to William PHYSICO of Craven County in 1811. (Boykin, p. 19);
3. CARTER, William. Aged fourteen years, he was apprenticed as a cooper to William PHYSICO of Craven County in 1811. His younger brother (see above) and his two sisters were apprenticed to be trained as coopers at the same time to the same man. (Boykin, p. 19).

Cited Sources:

Craig, James H. The Arts and Crafts in North Carolina 1699-1840. Winston-Salem: Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, 1965.

Available at Abe Books

The Boykin source was not cited in the footnotes; but, a little searching of my own revealed the book: 

Boykin, James H. The Negro in North Carolina Prior to 1861. New York: Pageant Press, 1958.

Criticism:

At this point I cannot impress enough how important it is to follow the research trail back to the original primary documentation, for the apprenticeship bonds and Minutes of the Craven County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions reveals that there was more to the Carter apprenticeships than given here. . . and the sisters of William Carter were not apprenticed as coopers as were their brothers, but as spinsters. Also, it does not mention that four years later, the Carter siblings were removed from the Physioc household and placed in the households of Isaac Perkins, their maternal uncle, and to John Marchmont. Isaac Carter was then to be trained as a shoemaker. His brother William was apprenticed to be a blacksmith; and the girls continued as spinsters.

In Conclusion:

For this reason, and as proven by various other sources I have read, it is absolutely imperative to work with primary documentation. I wish the National Endowment for the Humanities would recognize this when determining the merits of independent scholarship. If authors rely heavily on second- and third-hand information, historical truth becomes a distortion at best, or a fabrication at its extreme. If we are to know how our ancestors lived within the context of time, location and society, we must endeavor to get to the heart of truth.

Documents which E-X-P-A-N-D our understanding of family history, Part 5

What we can learn from apprenticeship records

Doc 2: CCPL Microfilm MF G.028.2028002

After several weeks of diversionary family research, which took the form of investigating those who lived closest to the Carter and Braddock families, I have assembled more material for later, and returned to the research at hand...apprenticeship.


To the left is a photocopy from microfilm of the original instrument, the apprenticeship indenture, which I have transcribed below:




[Transcription]
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA)
CRAVEN COUNTY                   )


This Indenture, made the twelfth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty three between
the worshipful William J. Blackledge Esquire, Chairman and
Presiding Justice of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of the county aforesaid,
of the one part, and William Temple of the same county,
of the other part, Witnesseth that the said Presiding Justice, in pursuance of an Order
of said Court, doth put, place and bind unto the said William
Temple an orphan named Isaac Carter a free
boy of colour aged 13-- years, with the said William Temple
to live after the manner of an Apprentice and Servant, until he shall attain the age of
twenty-one years. During which time, the said Apprentice his said Master
faithfully shall serve, and his lawful commands gladly obey, and not absent
himself of his Master's service without leave; but in all things as a
good and faithful Servant shall behave.

And the said William Temple, doth covenant, promise,
and agree, with the said Presiding Justice, that he will teach and instruct, or cause to be
taught and instructed, the said Apprentice to read and write, and also the art and
mystery of a farmer, and constantly find and provide
for the said Apprentice, during the term aforesaid, sufficient Diet, Washing, Lodging and
Apparel, fitting for an Apprentice; and also all other things necessary both in sickness
and health, and at the expiration of said apprenticeship, will pay to said Apprentice Six
Dollars and furnish him with a new suit of Clothes and a new Bible.

In Witness whereof, the parties have hereunto set their Hands and Seals, the
          day and year aforesaid,
Signed, Sealed and delivered,
in presence of
J.S. Stanly [signature]                                                his

                                                     William                 X               Temple        [seal]

                                                                                mark

                                                        Will J. Blackledge [signature]                 [seal]

An what comes next, you might ask . . . .
Imagination can take one only so far; and so, I started looking for every substantial clue which might lead me to concrete images to aid me in recreating the courtroom scene for my family history memoir.

What did that courthouse and that courtroom look like to the young Isaac Carter? Besides serving as the Presiding Justice of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, who was William Blackledge among his peers, and among his neighbors? And J.G. Stanly, the Clerk of Courts . . . what did these men look like? Were there any portraits made of either of these public officials? How many cases were heard that day. . . of what nature . . . and how long into the day did the young Carter children have to wait to have their case brought before the court?

At this point I have no answers; but, I will continue to pursue my leads until I come to some more concrete conclusions.

And what about the terms of this apprenticeship indenture? There is much to imagine there . . . at the age of twenty-one, receiving his new suit of clothes, six dollars and a new Bible. What ever became of that Bible? Did he take it with him when Isaac enlisted in the U.S.C.T. 14th Heavy Artillery in March of 1864? And did it ever pass into the hands of generations to follow?

Now you might begin to understand how I get departed from the state of my original course. I want to explore every avenue before painting his portrait with words.

Documents which E-X-P-A-N-D our understanding of family history, Part 4

What we can learn from apprenticeship records

Yesterday we looked at the 1860 Census for Isaac Carter and his siblings, who were apprentices in the household of William Temple, a 55 year old white farmer who lived nearby, and who owned a farm worth $1500 and personal property valued at $700. His wife, Rhoda, was a 47 year old woman who kept house. Their oldest child, Henry C., age 16, was a farm laborer; and their other son,William G., was 14 years old.

The gap between 1850 and 1860 was more than just ten years in a family's lifetime. The parents died...family dispersed. So, the next set of documents to search for were the apprenticeship records. Today we'll examine the first record in the file: a letter from Isaac's grandfather, Kelsor Braddock. Following is a transcription of that letter. All spellings are as found in the original document.

Doc 1: CCPL microfilm: MF G.028.2028002

To the cort of Please and quarter
  sessions Greeting

This is to certify that we Kelsor
Braddock and Sarah his wife
wishes to have the following named
children Bound out to Mr. William
Temple 1 Isaac Carter corlee of the 13 year
of his age 2 Nancy 10 years of age
3 Annias Carter of the age of 8 years
4 Zachariah Carter of the age of 5 years
This last named one has fits and is
But a perish charge
We the above named Kelsor Braddock
and his wife Sarah do certify that we
are the Grand Father and Grand Mother
of the above named Children and we
should have come to court but
for myself Kelsor am sick and has
been for Twelve months so that neither
of us can come to court  the Father &
Mother of these children have both
Deceased and the children is in a situation
to suffer.                             his
                        Kelsor         X     Braddock
                                         mark
                                          her
                        Sarah          X       Braddock
                                         mark

Attest D. V. Dickinson

Documents which E-X-P-A-N-D our understanding of family history, Part 2

What we can learn from the 1850 U.S. Federal Census

In our case of Isaac Carter (the younger), we begin with the 1850 Census, the first census to enumerate each member of the household, not just the head of household. The 1850 Census asked thirteen questions:

1. Dwelling-house numbered in order of visitation;
2. Families numbered in the order of visitation;
3. The name of every person whose usual place of abode on the first day of June, 1850, was in this family;
4. Age;
5. Sex;
6. Color: White, black, or mulatto;
7. Profession, Occupation, or Trade of each Male Person over 15 years of age;
8. Value of Real Estate owned;
9. Place of Birth, naming State, Territory, or Country;
10. Married within the year;
11. Attended school within the year;
12. Persons over 20 years of age who cannot Read & Write;
13. Whether deaf & dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict.

1850 U.S. Federal Census, Craven, North Carolina;
Roll: M432_626; Pages: 317B and 318A; Images: 197, 198.

Note: There were no relationships to head of household recorded. Sometimes the only indication that a household member was not part of the nuclear family was by a different surname. If all members had the same surname, the enumeration could still include cousins or other close members of the extended family.

To the left is the 1850 Census enumeration for several inter-related families. The family of focus is found on lines 37-42, and then on the following page, lines 1-4. This is the household of Isaac and Rhoda (Braddock) Carter.
Isaac Carter was a 45 year old farmer--a free black man. Note: This schedule is for Free Inhabitants only. According to this document, he does not own any Real Estate; and, neither he nor his wife, Rhoda, can read and write.

Rhoda, a 34 year old free black woman was born in North Carolina, just as her husband and children were.

While Comfort was enumerated as a male child of 18 years of age, we know from our family history and from subsequent documentation (See: 1860 U.S. Federal Census: Goodings, Craven, NC: Roll: M653_894; Page 9; Image 17: Silas Moore and "Comford" Moore) that she was actually female, and married Silas Moore in 1854 (See also: Craven County Marriage Registers, Craven County Register of Deeds, Book No. 1).

William was a 16 year old free black farmer. It is not possible to know if he and his siblings were literate as the question was only asked of citizens age 20 and older.

Mary, age 12, was a free black female child, born in North Carolina as were her parents and all her siblings.

These first three children were not named in the December 1853 apprenticeship records of the Craven County Court of  Pleas and Quarter Sessions.  Comfort was already married and of legal age. William would've been 19, but was already engaged in farming in 1850. At this time I am unable to locate him in the 1860 Census. Mary Ann married Benjamin Martin in 1856, but she would've been 14-15 years old when her parents died. Perhaps she was taken in by other family, and their grandparents, Kelsor and Sarah Braddock, had only taken the four youngest children. At this point, there is no way of determining.


Isaac (9), Nancy (6), Ananias (4), and Zacchaeus (1) were all apprenticed following the death of their parents. The apprenticeship issue will be re-examined later now that I have copies of the actual indentures and related letters to the court. You will notice on Page 317B above that William Temple (lines 6-14), who becomes their master, lives only a short distance away.

And who was Rachael Johnson (21)?