Some Updates & The next phase in the life of Isaac Carter

On the question of a M. E. Church, South built in 1854/55

I am so thankful to be living in an age when we are able 

to have our questions answered in much less time 

than in my grand aunt Helen Beers Newton's era!

Tourneykill or Tanneyhill?
Victor Jones, Jr. of the New Bern-Craven County Public Library 's Kellenberger Room corrected the Tolson transcription, "Tourneykill's Branch" to Tanneyhill's Branch or Creek, named after an early settler.

The name has been mentioned in other deeds around Clubfoot Creek, but no specific location given, and it is not on current topo maps. . .

A search of the Early Settlers of Craven County database on the library's Genealogical Resources page reveals five (5) sources mentioning Jn. Taneyhill, Esq. between the years 1714 and 1720. His tithables, pole tax and land tax records reveal that he owned 1,400 acres in Bath County (formed in 1696).

The county formation map found at n2genealogy states that:

• Bath County divided into Wickham, Archdale and Pamptecough Precincts in 1705. 
• Archdale name changed to Craven in 1712.

Even though the county's name change preceded this document by seven (7) years, the original county name of Bath had been retained since the record had been obtained from the source: Miscellaneous Papers of Craven Precinct, 1714-1719: Bath County - Land List of Lands Surveyed, 1706 by John Lawson" (New Bern: C.R. Holloman, 1974). 

You can count that a further question followed . . .

Duke University's holdings: United Methodist Church records, 1784-1984

When I first came upon this record I felt for sure there might be something relevant here. My original question had been referred to Angela Mace, a PhD candidate in musicology at Duke's Rubenstein Library. After searching in the online and card catalogs, she requested that I look at the finding aid and narrow the search. 

I searched first for New Bern Circuit, and then the years 1854 and 1855. The only box of documents that showed any remote possibility was located in the Circuit, Charge & Station Index: Box NCC35: Newport & Trent Circuit, NC Conference, Carteret & Craven Cos. I remained hopeful, but today I received a reply:

I just pulled NCC35 and had a look, but there does not appear to be any item relating to Craven County. What I can suggest for you now is that you contact one of our free-lance researchers, who can come in and spend some quality time with this collection on your behalf.

I have to admit that I am disappointed, but not surprised. Rather than pay someone to conduct possibly fruitless research at a premium, I will postpone this evidence search for a time when I can do the work myself.

It is settled, then, that the writing of the church history phase 

will begin now... 

The next phase in the life of Isaac Carter

The Civil War broke out in April of 1861, and by October of that year, Isaac Carter turned 21 years of age and was released from his apprenticeship indenture. What happened to him between then and his induction is uncertain, except that in January of 1864, missionary James Walker Hood came to New Bern to start AME Zion churches in the area. 

On March 12, 1864 Isaac Carter enlisted in the 14th Heavy Artillery USCT. The following year Piney Grove AME Zion Church was founded in the community of North Harlowe, then referred to as Blades.

The Civil War Pension File of Isaac Carter, Documents #4 - #7

The following pages (3) illustrate how something as simple as careless penmanship could lengthen the duration of filing a claim. The first page appears to have been dated Aug. 25, 1888, and the number "7" written over the "5." Below is a transcription of document #4:

Department of the Interior.

BUREAU OF PENSIONS. 

SIR:
     I have the honor to request that you will furnish from the records of 
the War Department a full Report as to the service, disability, and hospital treatment of 
Isaac Carter, who, it is claimed, enlisted March 12, 1864 and served as Sgt.
in Co. [E], 14 Reg't U.S.C.H.A. . . . . 
and was discharged at Fort Macon NC, Dec. 11, 1865. 
    While serving in Co. [E], 14 Reg't U.S.C.H.A. he was disabled by 
Diarrhea & Piles, Asthma, Lung 
trouble, Shortness of breath, Swelling in 
feet and legs, pains in finger joints 
and Rheumatism in the  Winter of 
1864 and 1865 at Moorhead (sic) City, NC, 
and was treated in hospitals of which the names, location, and dates are as
 follows:
at Moorhead (sic) City and Fort [B]acon N.C. 
(date not given).


Very respectfully, 
    John C. Black,
    Commissioner
The Adjutant General, U.S. Army


On August 29th, the following communication (document #5) was made:

The next communication (document #6) on a form very similar to the first, which is transcribed above, indicates that Isaac Carter was a member of Co. G.

The document which followed (#7), and dated Oct. 10, 1888, outlines Isaac Carter's service record...disclosing yet another problem with the initial request: Isaac had enlisted as a Private on March 12, 1864 and was a member of Co. B, 14th Heavy Artillery U.S.C.T. It was at his mustering out that he was a Sgt. in Co. G.

In the mean time, Isaac has been waiting to hear from the 

Bureau of Pensions for four (4) months. . .

Ministers & Preachers of Township 5: 1930: Presiding Elder Jacob S. Bell

Photos by: Mojo Warren

Courtesy of Find A Grave
Bayview Cemetery,
Morehead City, NC

It has taken some time to gather the supporting evidence for Jacob Shepard Bell, whom I first discovered through the 1920 U.S. Federal Census for Township 5, Craven, North Carolina. I was aware of the BELL connection to our CARTER and GEORGE family lines, and had heard the name before, but never realized that he had attained the influence he must have carried. I am certain that more relevant information regarding this man of God is out there, yet untapped. I will continue with my search, but feel it is time to present that which I have gathered to date.

1910: Township 5, Craven, NC;
Roll: T624_1104; Pages 5B, 6A;
Enumeration District: 0018; Images 786, 787;
FHL Number: 1375117.

 On April 21, 1910, Jacob S. Bell was enumerated as the head of a household of eleven residing on Mitchell's Creek. He was recorded as a black man, age 51, married for 28 years to Annie. Together they had 14 children, but in 1910, only 13 survived. Their marriage was recorded in the Carteret County Register of Deeds in Book 1882: Page 4: Jacob S. Bell (22) md. Ann Wallace (19) on 11 May 1882 in Morehead, NC. His occupation in 1910 was Clergyman/Teacher.

Progressing to the 1920 Census, I had anticipated finding Jacob S. Bell as a minister in the same location, perhaps a minister at Piney Grove AME Zion, the family church of the Carters and Georges, located on Temple's Point Road. By 1920, however, his family had relocated to Beaufort, Carteret, NC, which would possibly place him as a minister at Purvis Chapel, where the descendants of Peter James Hyman attend services.

On January 21, 1920 Jacob S. Bell was enumerated as a mulatto male, age 60, who owned a mortgaged house on Broad Street, Beaufort, NC. . . a preacher. His household consisted of himself, his wife Annie, and ten children: 3 daughters and 7 sons.

Ann (Wallace) Bell

Born: 1868 in Wildwood, NC

Father: Hasty Wallace.

Mother: Hanah Ward.

Informant: J.H. Bell (sic)

Died: February 25, 1923 at 2:55 a.m. in Morehead City, Carteret, NC of a cerebral hemorrhage due to hypertension at age 55.

In 1930 Jacob S. Bell was found in Morehead City, which is located 18.6 miles south of Township 5 (North Harlowe) along Highway 101, 3.89 miles west of Beaufort. By this time, his first wife Ann had died, and he was remarried to Frances M., a 53-year-old negro woman, residing on North 12th Street. His age at first marriage was recorded as 21 (to Ann Wallace), and hers as 30 (md. 1900 to ?). I was unable to locate any marriage record for them in Carteret County, nor was I able to find her death certificate nor burial record at Find A Grave.

There, in 1930, the then 71-year-old owned a home worth $2000, and his occupation was enumerated as Presiding Elder, Methodist Church. None of his children were present in the household at that time.

The following is a composite of his household from 1900-1930:
Jacob S. and Ann (Wallace) Bell: CH:

1. Crisous "CAC", (son) b.  Feb. 1883 in Wildwood, NC; d. Nov 24, 1915 in Morehead City, NC of Tuburculosis.
2. Daisy V[iolet?], (dau.) b. Aug. 1884;
3. Philip, (son) b. May 1889;
4. Jesse H., (son) b. June 1890;
5. Ervin H., (son) b. abt. 1890;
6. James F., (son) b. Sept 22, 1891 in Wildwood, NC; d. Nov 8, 1948 in New Bern, NC of cerebral hemorrhage. 
7. Sarah H., (dau.) b. Jan 1893;
8. Fannie A., (dau.) b. Oct. 1894;
9. Iredell H., (son/dau.) b. July 1896;
10. Carl, (son) b. May 1899 in Wildwood, NC; d. April 13, 1921 in Morehead City, NC of Tuberculosis.
11. Theodore R., (son) b. Sept 20, 1900 in Wildwood, NC;
12. Charley Malachy, (son) b. abt. 1904;
13. Jacob H., (son) b. abt. 1906;
14. John S., (son) b. abt. Nov. 1909.

In 1900, 9 children had been born to Jacob & Annie, with 9 children surviving. 

In 1910 it was recorded that they had 14 children, but only 13 surviving. So, between 1900 and 1910, one child died; and, since additional vital records have not been located, it narrows down to either Daisy, Philip, Jesse or Fannie.

Rev. Jacob Shepard Bell
Born: April 2, 1860
Father: Ander Bell*, b. Wildwood, NC
Mother: Orlas Fisher*, b. Wildwood, NC
Informant: F. M. Bell
Died: August 3, 1932 in Morehead City, Carteret, NC