Organizing Records for Popluar Given Names: 8 Isaac's and 5 George's

A Carter by any other name...
This morning I pulled a manila envelope from the cubby in my desk, remembering that I had copies of the will of George Carter which I had received more than a year ago. I pulled out several documents which I had sorted and stored in sheet protectors. There they were: George Carter (1820), George Godett (1803), and copies of photos of the Old Newbern Courthouse at the intersection of Broad and Middle Streets, following the fire of January 15, 1861. The enclosed letter from Victor T. Jones, Jr., Special Collections Librarian at the Kellenberger Room, New Bern-Craven County Public Library, stated that the original packet had also included the will of Isaac Perkins and a number of apprenticeship indentures, which were filed previously in their respective binders.

Will the correct George please stand out...

I was excited to see George Carter's will (1755-1820) as he is the next person I am working on for my BCG narrative genealogy. 1820. As I began to check the dates, something didn't look quite right. Then I went back to the database index and re-discovered that there were five George Carters, and this one was the oldest brother of the Isaac Carter (1760-1830) who starts off my narrative...both sons of Abel Carter (1732-1806). 

He was the uncle of the George (1787-1859) I was looking for. So, since he will not appear in the BCG narrative genealogy, I will transcribe his will here.

The Will of George Carter (1820)

MF # 1548459

Craven County Wills

Bryan, Edward to Godett, William

1748-1941

Will of
George Carter

Craven County

Recorded in book
of Wills letter C
folios 191 & 192
Attest J. [S. Stanly]

In the Name of God Amen I George Carter of Craven County State of North Carolina being Weak in Body but of Sound Mind and perfect Memory Calling to mind that all men are mortal and hath wont to Die make this my Last will and Testament as follows to wit  Item  I Give and bequeath unto my Son Theophilus Carter thirty Acres of land being the part wher he now lives to him and his heirs forEver  Item I leave my Desire is that all the Rest of my land and all the Rest of Property to be Equally Divided between my wife and all my Children  after my lawful Debts is paid and I Do hereby [blotted out] appoint and [Nom]inate My Wife Sarah Carter and my Son Theophilus Carter my Executix (sic) and Executer (sic) to this my last will and testament where[blotted out] unto I have here unto Set my hand and Affixed my Seal this 18 21 Day of March 1820.
Signed in the presence                            his
of us                                          George X Carter (Seal)
Andrew Stewart                                    mark
            his
Kendall  X  Stewart

              mark

Craven County Court June term AD 1820

     The foregoing last will of George Carter

was produced, and the execution by Said 

testator was proved in open Court, and in 

due form of laws by the oath of Kendall

Stewart, one of the prescribing Witnesses thereto

Ordered that Said Will be Recorded.

Attest     J. G. Stanly

Thankful Thursday--A Tribute to Librarians, Archivists and Local Historians

On June 18, 2011 I engaged in a conversation regarding a quote posted on a college chum's Facebook page:

There is not such a cradle of democracy upon the earth as the Free Public Library, this republic of letters, where neither rank, office, nor wealth receives the slightest consideration.                            =Andrew Carnegie=

The first comment stated that "The 'free' public library...[is] an institution that should either evolve with the changes of the times or its own inefficiencies will shutter its doorways."

My friend offered that "The public library of today is known by other names (Project Gutenberg, Google Books, CCEL...and my personal favorite, Archive.org!)."

However, the public library is often the only resource available for local history preservation. It offers services such as Inter-Library Loan (ILL) to access books and microfilmed records from NARA and State Libraries and Archives.  But more importantly, the public library's greatest resource is PEOPLE. . .

• children's librarians who open new worlds of exploration to our youngsters through the illustrated word,
• reference librarians who serve on the front lines to answer the public's questions and guide them to the books, periodicals, internet sources, CDs and DVDs made available for free use by means of our tax dollars at work,
• archivists, curators and local historians/genealogists who open a door to both the near and distant past by guiding and mentoring enthusiastic researchers,
• and even administrators who must judge the best allocation of funding. 

Special thanks go out today to several of these dedicated 

public servants whom I feel privileged to know:

THANKS TO: Elise Bernier-Feeley, of the Hampshire Room for Local History and Genealogy at Forbes Library, Northampton, MA, who first opened the doors of genealogy to me with my initial search for my Russian Jewish ancestors, who later served as my mentor in family history research with the search for my KING ancestors and the descendants of Capt. John KING of Hartford and Northampton, and who wrote letters of recommendation for me on two applications to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Research Fellowship. . .

THANKS TO: Julie Bartlett, archivist of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum,  and also of the Hampshire Room for Local History and Genealogy at Forbes Library, Northampton, MA, who continues to assist me in accessing information long-distance, and who advises and encourages me in preparing for a future career in archives technology, and. . .

THANKS TO: Victor T. Jones, Jr., Department Head of the Kellenberger Room at New Bern-Craven County Public Library, New Bern, NC, who opened the doors to researching Free Persons of Color in Craven County (my husband's family history: CARTER, GEORGE, HYMAN, et. al.), and who continues to guide and assist me in my research endeavors.

Presently I do not own a Nook, a Kindle, an iBook, nor a Sony Reader. . . nor do I have plans to purchase one in the foreseeable future. Perhaps if I were able to access rare and out-of-print digital books and manuscripts, textbooks, and digitized collections of local history, I might seriously consider it. But nothing will ever take the place of the public library, nor the people who enthusiastically lead us into new areas of reading and exploration.

To all librarians, archivists and local historians everywhere. . .

THANK YOU!

Amanuensis Monday--Deeds which prove parentage

When I first started as Co-Historian for the George Family Reunion Committee of North Harlowe, Craven, NC back in 2005, the progenitors were believed to have been Emanuel and Matilda George. I was told that this bit of information had been found on some notes jotted down by the late Wilfred Lee Moore; however, the original version of "Our Family Tree" (1989) did not record any parentage for the first Georges linked to the family by the founders of the George Family Reunion Committee. Instead, the elders began with the following group of siblings, their marriages and offspring:

1. Emanuel and Hepsie George,
2. James Bland and Harriet (Kates) [sic] George, 
3. Nathaniel George,
4. Martha Ann (George) and Isaac Carter, 
5. Nancy (George) and Esaw Godette.

I continued researching the ancestry of my husband's line, descendants of Isaac and Martha Ann (George) Carter for two years before my husband and I were able to attend the 2007 George Family Reunion. During that visit we made our first trip to the Kellenberger Room at New Bern-Craven County Public Library, where librarian Victor T. Jones, Jr. found the marriage records for my grandfather-in-law on microfilm.

He also showed me a book which proved to be very valuable in my research. Now available online, Paul Heinegg's Free African Americans of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, proved an interesting piece of information. At that time, however, I had no idea how the Carters, Canadays and Georges fit into the puzzle; but I held onto it for future use.

Also during that visit, we spent nearly a whole day at the Craven County Register of Deeds where I recorded all the old deeds for every Carter and George in the Index Books. I photocopied each one and began inspecting them for clues as soon as we got back to the Hampton Inn in Havelock. 

One in particular stood out from the rest as proving the father of our original siblings:

114
     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: that we, Roberson B. Godette, James Godette, James George and Sarah Jane, his wife, Isaac Carter and Martha Ann, his wife, Theophilus George, William George, Eran Godette and Ann, his wife, the heirs at law, of the late Theophilus George of the State of North Carolina, County of Craven, for and in consideration of the sum of Five Dollars to us in hand paid by Emanuel George, the receipt wherof is hereby acknowledged, have bargained, sold and delivered, by these presents do bargain and deliver unto the said Emanuel George, the following described peice [sic] or parcel of land lying and being in the County of Craven, State of North Carolina, on the South side Neuse River and West side of Clubfoot's Creek, butted and bounded as follows:--
[Deed Book 190: page 114]

Here the paternal relationship is clearly stated, that the father of these siblings was Theophilus George. Marriage records show that Theophilus George's first wife was Mary Elizabeth Morris (md. 21 May 1831), with whom he fathered five children: Emanuel (b. 1832), Abijah (b. 1836), Deborah (b. 1838), Betsey (b. 1841), and James (b. 1846). His second wife, Sarah "Sally" Harkley, gave him seven more children: Martha Ann (b. 1849), Theophilus (b. 1850), Nancy (b. 1852), William (b. 1854), Edmond (b. 1856), Eliza (b. 1858), and Nathaniel (b. 1860). The children and their dates of birth were determined from Census records.

The following is one of the George deeds which records the sale of a tract of Heir Land divided and granted to my grandfather-in-law, Hezekiah Carter.  In this deed are named three of the siblings of Hezekiah's mother, Martha Ann (George) Carter: Emanuel, Thelophilus and Nancy.

284
State of North Carolina)
                Craven County)                                This Deed, made this 6^th day of
January A.D. 1900 by Nathaniel George & Julia his wife
Theophilus George & Hepsey his wife & Nancy Godett of Craven
County and State of North Carolina of the first part to
Hezekiah Carter of Craven County and State of North Car-
lina of the second part, Witnesseth: That said party of the
first part in consideration of Thirty dollars to us paid by
Hezekiah Carter the receipt of which is hereby acknowled-
ged have bargained and sold and by these presents do
bargain sell and convey to said party of the second part
and his heirs the following land in Craven County
State of North Carolina adjoining the lands of Gilbert
Falls, Jesse Godett and others and others, bounded as
follows viz: On the North by Jeremiah Godett on the
East by Jesse Godett & Gilbert Falls on the south
Martha Ann Carter and Jim George and on the West
by William George. Containing by estimation Fifteen
acres be the same more or less. This land has been
recently laid off & lines all marked & corners placed
or marked but the notes of the survey were lost.
To have and to hold the aforesaid tract of Fifteen acres more or less
and all privileges and appurtenances thereto belonging to the said
Hezekiah Carter and unto his heirs and assigns
in fee simple forever. And the said party of the first
part for ourselves & our heirs, executors and admin-
istrators covenant with said party of the second part his
heirs and assigns that we are seized of said premises
in fee and have right to convey the same in fee simple
That the same are free and clear from all incumbrances and that we
will warrant and defend the said title to the same against the claim
of all persons whatsoever. In testimony whereof the said party of
the first part have hereunto set our hands and seals the day
and year above written                              his
                                                                Nathaniel George            seal
                                                                            mark
                                                                             her
                                                                Julia C. George                  seal
                                                                            mark
                                                                          
                                                                Theophilus George         seal
                                                                              her
Attest:                                                  Hepsey E. George            seal
John S Morton                                                               mark
                                                                               her
                                                                Nancy Godett                    seal
                                                                             mark

While some family members, including the other historian whose father had inscribed the names of Emanuel and Matilda George as the parents of the five siblings, refused to readily accept this connection as proof, further investigations only substantiate my claim as supported by other researchers from various branches of the family. Sometimes we attach sentimental value upon a loved one's suppositions that we find difficult to relinquish. . . . but accurate research must be verified by the artifacts and documents left behind, leaving a trace of their existence and contribution to a way of life deemed foreign to us today.