An ongoing memorial to my enslaved ancestors and the communities in which they lived.

THE ENSLAVED

Juda, her children Lucinda, Dave, Matthew, John and Kezy, Rowan County, North Carolina. Enslaved by Elizabeth Kilpatrick. Under terms of Elizabeth Kilpatrick’s will, Juda, Matthew, John and Kezy were sold; Dave enslaved by her son Robert; and Lucinda by her daughter Mary (see below).

Matilda (ca. 1845-1885), Charles City County and Charlotte County, Virginia. Enslaved by John A. Selden at Westover plantation, Charles City County, and Bon Air plantation, Charlotte County. May have been the daughter of Anthony Jones. Married Jasper Holmes circa 1862 in Charlotte County.

Graham Allen (1852-1928), Prince George County, Virginia. Son of Edmund (or Mansfield) and Susan Allen, husband of Mary Brown Allen, adoptive father of John C. Allen Sr. Owner unknown.

Mary Brown Allen (1849-1916), Amelia County, Virginia. Daughter of Catherine Booker and James Brown. Owner unknown.

Clara Artis Edwards, Henry Artis, Lodrick Artis, Prior Ann Artis Sauls Thompson, and Mariah Artis Swinson, Greene County, North Carolina. Children of Daniel Artis and an unknown enslaved woman. Owner unknown.

Cain Artis (1851-1917) and Caroline Coley (1854-??), Wayne County, North Carolina. Children of Winnie Coley, an enslaved woman, and Adam T. Artis, a free man of color. Owned by W.W. Lewis and possibly John Coley.

Willis Barnes (1841-1914). Nash, Wilson and possibly Edgecombe Counties, North Carolina. Son of Annie Eatman and (possibly free-born) Toney Eatman. Owner unknown.

Cherry Battle (1842-ca. 1890) and children Rachel Battle/Barnes and Wesley Barnes. (Younger children born in freedom.) Wilson County and possibly Edgecombe County NC. Wife of Willis Barnes. Possibly enslaved by Margaret Parker Battle.

Pleasant Battle Battle Williams (1842-1912) and children John (1857), George (1858), Ida (1859), Richard (1860) and Cora Battle (1865). Edgecombe County. Daughter of Bunyard and Pleasant Battle. First husband, Blount Battle, was an enslaved man. Married second husband, free-born Jonah Williams, after Emancipation.

Walter Carter (ca. 1813-1885), Charlotte County, Virginia. Husband (probably second) of Nancy, mother of Joseph, and probably Jasper, Holmes. Owner unknown.

Walker Colvert (1815-1905), Culpeper County, Virginia, and Iredell County, North Carolina. Enslaved by Samuel Colvert, then John A. Colvert, then William I. Colvert.

John Walker Colvert (1851-1921) and his mother Elvira Gray. Iredell County. John was the son of Walker Colvert. Owner probably William I. Colvert, but possibly Susan Colvert Gray, sister of William I. Colvert.

Lucinda Cowles (??-bef. 1870?) and her daughter Harriet Nicholson (1861-1926). Lucinda was owned by James Nicholson, then his son Thomas A. Nicholson. Harriet was owned by Thomas A. Nicholson.

Simon Exum (1842-1915), Wayne County, North Carolina. Son of John and Sophronia Exum. Husband of free-born Delilah Williams. Owner unknown, but probably one of the white Exums who lived in Nahunta area of Wayne County.

Lewis Harper (ca. 1844-after 1904), Greene County, North Carolina. Brother of Loderick Artis. Owner unknown.

Nancy Holmes Carter (ca. 1809-1884) and children Louisa Carter, Lettie Carter, Walter Carter Jr., and Eliza Carter, Charlotte County, Virginia. Married first Payton Holmes, then Walter “Wat” Carter. Owner unknown.

Joseph R. Holmes (1838-1869), Charlotte County, Virginia. Son of Peyton Holmes and Nancy (last name unknown.) Probably enslaved by Hunter Holmes Marshall.

Jasper Holmes (1840-ca. 1899), Charlotte County, Virginia. Brother of Joseph R. Holmes. Possibly enslaved by Hunter Holmes Marshall.

Margaret Kerr McNeely (ca. 1840-?), Rowan County. Wife of Julius McNeely. Owner possibly Dr. Samuel E. Kerr.

Eliza Catherine Kerr Miller (1843-1907) and son Baldy Alexander Miller (1858-1942), Rowan County. Wife of George Miller. Owner unknown.

Guy Lane (ca. 1798-ca. 1875), Greene County, North Carolina. Husband of Sylvania Artis. Almost certainly enslaved by John Lane (see below.)

Margaret McConnaughey and her children George W. Miller, Caroline McConnaughey (and daughter Angeline McConnaughey Reeves), Mary Ann McConnaughey Miller, Grace Adeline Miller Miller, Martha Miller McNeely and John B. McConnaughey, Rowan County, North Carolina. Enslaved by John M. McConnaughey.

Lucinda McNeely (1816-ca. 1890) and her children Alice (and her children Joseph Archy, Mary, Alexander and John Stanhope); John Rufus; Julius and Henry W. McNeely, Rowan County, North Carolina. Lucinda, Alice and John enslaved by Mary Kilpatrick. All enslaved by Samuel McNeely, then John W. McNeely.

Edwin (or Edward) Miller, Rowan County, North Carolina. Father of most of Margaret McConnaughey’s children. Owner unknown.

Green Miller (1848-1923), Rowan County, North Carolina. Son of Edward and Malissa Miller. Married Grace Adeline Miller. Owner unknown.

Ransom Miller (1845-1917), Rowan County, North Carolina. Son of Samuel and Malissa Miller. Married Mary Ann McConnaughey. Owner unknown.

William H. Nicholson (1842-1909), Iredell County, North Carolina. Son of Lucinda Cowles and Burwell Carson. Probably owned by Thomas A. Nicholson.

Rebecca Parks (1839-1915) and son Lewis Colvert (1861-1915), Iredell County, North Carolina. Rebecca was the daughter of Jerry Gray and Lettie Gray, who were probably owned by John A. Colvert. Second (?) wife of Walker Colvert. Owner possibly Susan Colvert Parks, sister of William I. Colvert.

Frank Reeves (1854-1910), Rowan County, North Carolina. Son of Henry and Fina Overman Reeves. Married Caroline McConnaughey. Owner unknown.

Hannah Sauls Speight, Greene County, North Carolina. Daughter of Shephard Sauls and Rosetta Sauls. “Born on Appletree Swamp near the town of Stauntonburg, Greene County, N.C. and was a slave” belonging to Lawrence Brown. Married Bailham Speight.

Bailham Speight alias Edwards, Greene County, North Carolina. Son of Reddin Speight. Brother of Lafayette “Fate” Edwards, who was enslaved by Ap. Edwards. Enslaved by Jim Edwards, “Orfa” (probably Theophilus) Edwards, and Elizabeth “Betsy” Edwards. Married to Jennie Suggs during slavery. She died in New Bern, North Carolina, near the end of the Civil War. Married Hannah Sauls after.

Green Taylor (1817-ca. 1890), wife Fereby Taylor (1825-ca. 1890), and children Peter, Henrietta, Dallas, Christiana, McKenzie, and Henry Michael Taylor, Nash County and possibly Edgecombe County. Green, Fereby, and oldest three children enslaved by Kinchen Taylor until about 1856, then distributed to his heirs.

Abner Tomlin (1855-ca. 1900), Iredell County, North Carolina. Son of Milas and Lucinda Tomlin. First husband of Harriet Nicholson. Owner unknown.

Sarah Ward Darden (ca. 1823-ca. 1890) and children Mittie Ward Vaughn (ca. 1857-1924), Appie Ward Hagans (ca. 1857-1895), and Henry Ward, Greene and Wilson Counties, North Carolina. Owned by David G.W. Ward.

Solomon Williams (ca. 1800-1884), Wayne and possibly Greene Counties, North Carolina. Owner unknown.

THE ENSLAVERS

1793, 22 June — Will of James Neill, Iredell County, North Carolina.

• To wife, “my negro wench Luce.”

1793, 25 November — Will of Thomas Allison, Iredell County, North Carolina.

• To wife Madeline, “negroe wench” Jude and use of two negro fellows, Pomp and Bob.

1793, 25 November — Will of Madeline Allison, Iredell County, North Carolina.

• To son Thomas Allison, Pomp; to son Richard Allison, Bob; to daughter Ann Allison, “Negroe Jude.”

1800, 22 February — Will of John McNeely, Rowan County, North Carolina.

• To son Alexander, “a negro wench named Esther.”

1805, 17 November — Will of Theophilus Simonton, Iredell County, North Carolina.

• To wife, “my Negro Woman named Soose and her child Esther,” “the rest of my negroes” to remain on the plantation or be sold as executors think necessary.

1819, 3 September – Will of Elizabeth Kilpatrick, Iredell County, North Carolina.

• To son Robert Kilpatrick, “my negro boy Dave”; to daughter Mary Kilpatrick “my negro girl named Lucinda”; “my negro woman Juda and all her children not disposed of” to be sold.

1823 – Estate of Samuel Colvert, Culpeper County, Virginia.

• Amelia; Anthony; Caroline; Charles; Daniel; Eliza; Frank, his wife Charlotte and their children Townsend, Jere, Little Frank, Lewis and Ellen; George; Harry; Jane; Mary; Little Mary; Patty; Rachel; Robert and his wife Milly and their children Easter, Jack, Reuben, Edmund and Rachel; Sarah; Siller; and Winny.

1824, 30 December — Will of James McConnaughey, Rowan County, North Carolina. Fathe

1827, 10 and 11 December – Inventory of John A. Colvert’s estate, Iredell County, North Carolina.

• Negroes hired for one year: Jerry, Amy, Walker, Joe, Ellen, “Meel & two children,” Anda, Charlotte, “Lett & three children.”

1829, [date illegible] — Estate of Elizabeth Kilpatrick, Rowan County, North Carolina.

• Juda, Matthew and John sold for $50, $ and $200. Kezy, described as “unsound,” sold for $74.75 on 20 October 1830.

1829, 13 April — will of Ann [Robison] McConnaughey, Rowan County, North Carolina. Mother of John M. McConnaughey, who owned my great-great-great-grandmother Martha McConnaughey and her children.

• to son John McConnaughey, negro fellows March and Squire.

1834, 29 December – deed of sale, Mary Kilpatrick to Samuel and John McNeely, Rowan County, North Carolina.

• “One negro woman named Lucinda aged about twenty years one negro child named Alice aged three years and one negro child named John aged between one and two years” sold.

1843, 29 May – will of Samuel McNeely, Rowan County, North Carolina.

• “a negro woman named Lucinda and all her offspring” to son John W. McNeely.

1845, 1 May — runaway slave ad placed by Kinchen Taylor, Tarboro’ Press.

• $100 reward for the apprehension of “my fellow Lewis.”

1850 — federal slave schedule, John Lane, Greene County, North Carolina.

• 8 females; 13 males.

1850 — federal slave schedule, John M. McConnaughey, Rowan County, North Carolina.

• Black female, age 58; black male, age 53; black male, age 32; black female, age 26; black male, age 12; mulatto male, age 12; mulatto female, age 8; mulatto male, age 6; black female, age 4; mulatto female, age 2; mulatto male, age 3 months.

1850 — federal slave schedule, John W. McNeely, Rowan County, North Carolina.

• Black female, age 34; black female, age 19; black male, age 17; black male, age 14; black male, age 12; mulatto male, age 9; mulatto male, age 2; mulatto female, age 1.

1850 — federal slave schedule, James Nicholson, Iredell County, North Carolina.

• Female, age 40; male, age 33; male age, 23; male, age 15, male, age 12; male, age 11; male, age 6; male, age 4; male, age 8; male, age 4; female, age 4; male, age 1; male, age 4 months.

1850 — federal slave schedule, Thomas Nicholson, Iredell County, North Carolina.

• Male, age 45; male, age 18; male, age 21; female, age 20; male, age 4.

1850 — federal slave schedule, Silas Bryan, Greene County, North Carolina.

• Female, age 45; male, age 32; male, age 28; female, age 8; male, age 2.

1850 — federal slave schedule, Kinchen Taylor, Nash County, North Carolina.

• 30 females, 47 males.

1850 — federal slave schedule, David G.W. Ward, Greene County, North Carolina.

1851, 3 February — will of Kinchen Taylor, Nash County, North Carolina.

• To wife Mary Taylor, negroes Big Tom, Little Tom, Clary, Lucinda, Jane, Washington and Ellen; to daughter Wineford Rosser, wife of William Rosser, negroes Sam, Cassa, Harriet, Rosetta, Berry and Daniel; son Kinchen C. Taylor, negroes Isham, Fanny and child, Sandy and Simon; to daughter Carolina Knight, wife of William H. Knight, Haley, Hasty, Amy and Glascow, Alfred and Susan; the remaining estate, including slaves, to be divided among all children.

1851, 17 November — will of James Nicholson, Iredell County, North Carolina.

• To wife, slaves Milas, Dinah, Jack, Liza and Peter.  To son Thomas, slaves Carlos, Nelson, Lucinda and Joe.  To son John, slaves Manoe, Armstrong, Manless, Calvin and Soffie.

1856, February — inventory of slaves of Kinchen Taylor, Nash County, North Carolina.

• Dred, Long Henry, Kinchen, Cooper Henry, Doctor, Tom, Simon, Jack, Jim Sr., Chapman, Yel. Henry, Tom Jr., Isaac, Bill, Allen Jr., Arnol, Bob, Seasar, Washington, Cato, John Sr., Tony, Allen Jr., Ned, Amanuel, Sam, Nick, Ellick, Edmon, Wm. Henry, Virgil, Green, Jeffrey, Cane, Handy, John Jr., Big Lewis, Carter, Amy, Patience, Isabella, Henryetta, Lucy, Joe, Mol, Martha, Lucy Jr., Turner, Francis, Della, Carter, George, Lucinda, Elah, Olive, Angeline, Hilly, Hasty, Amy, Glasgo, Darson, Susan, Albert, Penny, Carter Sr., Mary, George, Levinia, Thad, Frank, Betsy, Evline, Wiley, Caroline, Isham, Fanny, Margaret, Lucy, Leah, Jolly, Matilda, Calvin, Elvira, Joe, Faulcon, Ann, Jim Jr., Ferribee, Dallas, Peter, Henryetta, Margaret, Ida, Pink, Emily, July Ann, Mariah, Eliza, Jane, Ella, Mourning, Clary, Cherry, Anna, Hanah, and Elizabeth.

1860 — federal slave schedule, William I. Colvert, Iredell County, North Carolina.

• Black male, age 42; black female, age 34; black female, age 34; black female, age 15; black male, age 13; black female, age 11; black male, age 10; black female, age 8; black male, age 4; black male, age 1.

1860 — federal slave schedule, J.W. McNeely, Rowan County, North Carolina.

• Black female, age 44; black male, age 22; mulatto male, age 19; mulatto male, age 12; black female, age 11; black male, age 9; and black male, age 7.

1860 — federal slave schedule, John McConnaughey, Rowan County, North Carolina.

• Mulatto female, age 68; black male, age 61; black male, age 48; mulatto female, age 40; black male, age 22; mulatto male, age 21; mulatto female, age 20; black female, age 16; mulatto male, age 15; mulatto male, age 14; mulatto female, age 10; mulatto female, age 7; mulatto female, age 5; mulatto female, age 3; mulatto female, age 1.

1860 — federal slave schedule, Silas Bryan, Greene County.

• Black female, age 55; black male, age 43; black female, age 18; black male, age 12; black male, 10.

1860 — federal slave schedule, John Lane, Greene County.

• 13 females; 11 males.

1863 — John Coley for W.W. Lewis, Wayne County, North Carolina, tax assessment.

• Winney, 29, Cane, 9, Caroline, 7.

1863 — J. M. McConnaughey, Rowan County, North Carolina, tax assessment.

• George, age 24, $1500; John, age 2, $150; Edwin, age 1, $100; Margaret, age 42, $850; Caroline, age 23, $1200; Mary Ann, age 13, $1000; Grace, age 10, $500; Martha, age 7, $250; Angeline, age 7, $250.

1863 — J.C. McConnaughey, Rowan County, North Carolina, tax assessment.

• Simon, age 57, $200; Ceasar, age 54, $400; Perry, age 45, $300; Isaac, age 36, $1400; Charles, age 32, $1450; Nelson, age 32, $1450; Edward, age 32, $1450; George, age 31, $1450; Ellick, age 26, $1500; Henry, age 17, $1500; Thom, age 14, $1200; Giles, age 14, $1200; Dallas, age 7, $400; Alfred, age 4, $300; John, age 25, $1500; Juber, age 14, $1500; Nancy, age 36, $1000; Ritta, age 32, $1100; Harried, age 23, $1200; Liza, age 23, $1200; Laura, age 11, $650; Louisa, age 8, $400; Jennie, age 4, $250; Ellen, age 5 months, $100; Allice, age 3 months, $200.

1863 — J.W. McNeely, Rowan County, North Carolina, tax assessment.

• Lucinda, age 47, value $750. Julius, 25, $1500. Henry, 22, $1500. Archy, 14, $1200. Mary, 13, $1000. Stanhope, 11, $900. Sandy, 12, $950.