Enslaved People, Land, Maternal Kin, North Carolina

38 acres.

So, I found this deed today on the Iredell County Register of Deeds’ site:

A number of things strike me:

John Walker Colvert never registered a deed for this or any other property. Neither did his father Walker Colvert.
The property bordered that of John Greenberry “J.G.” Colvert, a son of William I. Colvert, who had been Walker and John Walker’s master.
“For further description and title, see deed of G.W. Mullis to G.B. Morgan. Also see will of Walker Colvert — Will Book 6 at page 483.” George W. Mullis was the father of Daniel A. Mullis, one of the witnesses to Walker’s will.
Though the deed was not registered until 1904, Mullis sold the 38 acres for $250 to Gabriel B. Morgan on 2 April 1863. Lying in the northeast corner of the Richardson tract on Hunting Creek, the parcel was bounded as follows: “Beginning at a hickory thence South (58) fifty-eight poles to a stone thence near south [sic] a conditional line 114 (one hundred & fourteen) poles to two oaks near a branch, then north to Beatys line thence East with said line to the beginning containing thirty eight acres more or less….” (Deed Book 30, page 234)
In the 1870 census, Walker reported owning $100 of real property. It is not clear when he bought the 38 acres, presumably from Morgan. He is listed in Union Grove township, just west of Eagle Mills township in Iredell County. His close neighbor is Beeson Baty, presumably of the “Beaty’s line” named in the deed.
Walker made his will in 1901; it was probated in 1905. Walker’s widow Rebecca was his primary beneficiary, but everything passed to John after her death in 1915.
As an aside, Walker and Rebecca’s daughter Elvira married Richard Morgan, son of Richard Madison and Hilda Morgan, in 1874. Had Richard and his mother belonged to G.B. Morgan?
P.P. mentioned that D.A. Mullis lived in the vicinity of Mullis Road and Zion Liberty Road. I’ve marked that intersection with the left-most arrow on the map below. As the deed described, this area is near Hunting Creek, which crawls across the middle of the image, and is at the eastern edge of Union Grove township. The second arrow marks the point at which I photographed the creek from the Eagle Mills Road bridge. The third points in the direction of Nicholson Mill. As the crow flies, the map depicts an area no more than a couple of miles wide.

Free People of Color, Land, North Carolina, Paternal Kin

Timeline of Napoleon Hagans’ land transactions.

1860 – 18 January. Eliza Seaberry [Levisa Hagans Seaberry] purchased 3.5 acres in Wayne County from Bryan Minshew for the odd sum of $109.37. How (and why) did she make this purchase instead of her husband Aaron?

1860 – In the federal census of Wayne County, Aaron Seaberry reports owning $100 real estate. This is likely his wife’s purchase above.

1862 – The deed for Minshew-Seaberry sale was recorded in Wayne County.

1867 – 13 February. Aaron Seaberry filed a mortgage deed conveying to his stepson Napoleon Hagins a “tract of land lately conveyed by Bryant Minshew to Louisa Seabery, wife of Aaron, all interest therein, also one grey mare, four head of cattle, nine head of hogs, all household and kitchen furniture … and 12 barrels of corn, about one thousand two hundred pounds of fodder & about nine hundred pounds of pork, one wagon & cart, and all the farming implements of every description of the said Aaron Seaberry” for $500. “The condition of this deed is such that whereas, the said Aaron Seaberry is justly endebted to the said Napoleon Hagins in the sum of one hundred & seventy dollars with interest from the first of February 1866, money paid by the said Hagins to William J. Exum for the said Seaberry and at his request and also the sum of two hundred dollars, loaned by the said Hagins to the said Seaberry, the precise date whereof is not remembered, but which the said Seaberry thinks was about eighteen months prior to the date hereof, and whereas the said Seaberry is justly indebted to the said William J. Exum as agent for J.M. Caho in the sum of thirty six dollars & twenty some cents, with interest from 1st January 1861 due by open account & also in the sum of sixty one dollars and thirty eight cents, due by note, the date of whereof is not now remembered by the said Seaberry, but supposed to have been given about two years ago…” The deed carried a condition that Hagans sell the conveyed property to pay off Seaberry’s debts, with the balance to be paid to Seaberry.

1870 – Napoleon Hagans appears in the federal population census of Nahunta, Wayne County, with $3000 personal property, but no reported real property. Is this accurate? What personal property could Hagans have owned of such value?

1871 – 1 January. Hagans purchased two tracts, totaling 221 acres, in Wayne County for $3500 from William Bryant and wife Sarah. The first was on the east side of Aycock Swamp and bounded by Hooker, Fort, Caho and Rodgers; it contained 48 acres and had been conveyed by Ruffin Hooks to J.P. Rodgers in 1861. The second was on Aycock Swamp, contained 173 acres and had been conveyed by John V. Sherard, administrator of the estate of Jesse Coleman, in August 1859. Both tracts were conveyed by William J. Exum to William Bryant and wife Sarah in 1867.

1871 – 4 January. Aaron Seaberry purchased 91 ¼ acres for $700 from Eliza Sauls. The deed notes that Seaberry and Napoleon Hagans would pay the $700 on 1 January 1872.

1874 – 25 July. Adam and Frances Seaberry Artis purchased three tracts of land totaling about 109 acres from her half-brother, Napoleon Hagans. All three are on or near Watery Branch, an east-flowing tributary of Contentnea Creek. The first two documents are a mortgage deed and deed of sale for two tracts on the creek. The third is a deed of sale for an additional nine acres nearby. Notably, this last is land upon which Adam had lived in prior years, as it contained the graves of his first wife, Lucinda Jones Artis, and a child. Hagans purchased 9 ¼ acres for $275 from Adam Artis and wife Frances, who was Hagans’ half-sister.

1874 – 21 April. A justice of peace examined Celia Bailey, wife of William Bailey, to determine her consent to her husband’s sale of land to Hagans. Hagans’ records do not show a copy of the deed for the sale, and it does not appear in Wayne County deed books. Apparently, it was not filed.

1878 – No date. Hagans purchased 3 acres for $45 from William J. Exum and wife. The deed was not recorded until 3 Nov 1885.

1880 – The federal agricultural census of Wayne County shows N. Hagans with 75 improved acres and 200 unimproved, valued at $2000.

1880 – Hagans testified to a Senate Committee that he owned 485 acres purchased for $5500 and a town lot purchased for $500. All his property was acquired after the war. “I rented a farm and started on two government horses. I went to the tightest man I knew and got him to help me. I rented from Mr. Exum out there.” [Why the discrepancy in acreage and value with what he reported to census takers? If his testimony was accurate, there were several deeds that went unfiled, including that for the town lot.]

1882 – 2 January. Hagans purchased 6 acres for $1 from W.J. Carr and wife Lizzie. The tract was situated at Sauls X Roads, beginning in “center of the road leading to Bul-head [in Greene County] near where the Wm Durden old hors stall stood,” along the road to a ditch, then to Fremont road, then to the cross roads, then back to Bullhead road. Sauls Crossroads was later known as the town of Eureka. “Bullhead road” is S. Church Street leading from Eureka, which becomes Faro Road and then Bullhead Road when it crosses the Greene County line. “Fremont road” is present-day Highway 222. This tract, then, was at the very heart of present-day Eureka (which remains, frankly, little more than a crossroads.)

1885 – 29 October. Hagans purchased 307.74 acres for $5075 from Thomas Edmundson and wife.

1885 – 31 October. Hagans purchased 4 acres from Burden West and wife Martha and Freeman West and wife Elizabeth. The tract adjoined “Napoleon Hagins formerly William Bryant W.B. Fort.”

1886 — Hagans bought land in Greene County from G.A. Jones and others.

1888 – 2 February. Hagans purchased 71.23 acres for $1500 from Mary Exum. The tract was on the Spring-Bank road bounded by Thomas Edmundson, Hagans, Jack Yelverton, Beaver Dam Branch and Spring Branch.

1888 – 22 July. Hagans and wife Absala sold 24 acres to Essex Farmer for $650. The tract adjoined Thomas Artis, “the Jack Wilson land” and Zilphy Artis, bounded by road leading from Sauls X Roads to Stantonsburg, being lot #3 in division of lands of Celia Artis and containing 34 acres. “Absala” signed her name “Appie Hagans,” and Hagans signed with an X. This is the land purchased in 1879 from Celia Artis’ son Calvin. Zilpha Artis was Calvin’s sister. John “Jack” Wilson married another Zilpha Artis, the sister of Hagans’ brother-in-law Adam Artis. Farmer apparently never paid off his mortgage as tract included in 1899 partition of Hagans’ estate.

1889 — Hagans bought land in Greene County from T.F. Jones and others.

1893 – 3 March. Hagans purchased 25 acres for $270 from J.W. Aycock and wife.

1894 – 4 January. Hagans purchased a lot on Pine Street, measuring 26′ x 220′, in Goldsboro for $700 from A.A. Williams.

1896 – 24 August. Napoleon Hagans died, almost a year to the day after his wife. They are buried just west of their house near Fremont.

1899 – 21 March. Partition of Napoleon Hagans’ lands, consisting of two tracts in Nahunta township containing 173 and 48 acres, described in deed from William Bryant to Napoleon Hagans; a tract containing 3 acres described in deed from W.J. Exum to Hagans; two tracts containing 75 ¾ and 6 acres, described in deed from Patsey Hall et al. to Napoleon Hagans; three tracts containing 39 ¼, 30 and 8 1/3 acres, described in deed from O.L. Yelverton et al. to Hagans; a tract containing 4 1/8 acres, described in deed from [omitted] to Hagans; a tract containing 25 acres, described in deed from J.W. Aycock to Hagans; a tract containing 9 ¼ acres, described in deed from Adam Artis to Hagans; a tract containing 24 acres, described in deed from Calvin Artis to Hagans; and a tract containing 30 acres, described in deed from Mary A. Exum to Hagans. Total acreage, approximately 475 2/3.

Free People of Color, Land, North Carolina, Other Documents, Paternal Kin

100 acres on Watery Branch.

Fourteen years into their marriage, Adam and Frances Seaberry Artis purchased three tracts of land totaling about 109 acres from her half-brother, Napoleon Hagans. All three are on or near Watery Branch, an east-flowing tributary of Contentnea Creek. The first two documents are a mortgage deed and deed of sale for two tracts on the creek. The third is a deed of sale for an additional nine acres nearby. Notably, this last is land upon which Adam had lived in prior years, as it contained the graves of his first wife, Lucinda Jones Artis, and a child.

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North Carolina, Wayne County } This indenture made this the 25^th day of July AD 1874, between Adam T. Artis and wife Frances of the first part, and Napoleon Hagans of the second part, and all of the County and State above written, Witnesseth that the said parties of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar in hand paid by the said party of the second part, have bargained and sold and by these presents do convey unto the said party of the second part, and his heirs two tracts or parcels situated in the County of Wayne, and bounded as follows: viz: the first tract begins at a pine on the New Road in Willie Moorings line and runs with his line North 136 poles to a stake on the main run of Watery Branch, then up and with the various courses of the branch to the mouth of a small branch, then up the various courses of said branch to a stake, then E 20 poles to said new road, then with the same to the beginning, containing Eighty eight acres, more or less: the other tract begins at a stake in Cullen West’s line, and runs South 28 ¼ poles to a stake in said line Charity Bailey’s corner, then with his line West 67 ¼ poles to a stake Wm Bailey’s corner, then with his line West, 67 ¼ poles to the beginning, containing twelve and one fourths acres more or less _

And the said parties of the first part do for themselves and their heirs forever warrant and defend title to the above land, to the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns

The condition of the above deed is such whereas the above named Adam T. Artis is indebted to the said Napoleon Hagins in the amount of Fifteen hundred dollars, purchase money for the land herein conveyed, and for which said sum the said Artis has given promissory notes for $375.00 each, and payable in the manner following viz: the first note will be due on the 1^st day of January AD 1876: at the same day and date the interest on the whole amount of the purchase money ($1500.00) from Jany 1^st 1875 to that date will be paid annually on the first day of January. The amount of principal paid thereon to be deducted; the second note will be due on January 1^st 1877, the third on January 1^st 1878; and the fourth on Jany 1^st 1879, and all are subject to the conditions set forth as to the first note above mentioned.

Now if the said Artis shall pay the interest as above set forth as they come due according to their tenor, then this deed to be void otherwise to be of full force and effect.

And upon the failure of said Artis to pay said noted and interest as above set forth as they severally fall due, then it shall be in the power of said Hagins to sell the land herein described after twenty days advertisement at the Court House door in Goldsboro and four other places in Wayne County, and after deducting the whole amount due him & the expenses of sale shall pay the balance if any to the said Artis or his legal representatives.

In testimony whereof the said parties of the first part have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and date first above written.

Witness: /s/ W.T. Faircloth Adam X Artis, Frances X Artis

[Wife’s consent omitted.]

Deed Book 37, page 72, Wayne County Register of Deeds office.

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State of N. Carolina, Wayne County } This indenture made this the 25^th day of July in the year of Our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and Seventy four, between Napoleon Hagins and wife Absey Hagins of the first part and Adam T. Artis of the second part, all of the County and State aforesaid Witnesseth: that we said Hagins and wife parties of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of Fifteen hundred Dollars to us in hand paid by said Adam T. Artis the receipt and payment whereof we said parties of the first part do by these presents hereby acknowledge ourselves fully satisfied content and paid before the ensealing signing and delivery of the same have bargained sold delivered given up conveyed unto said Artis his heirs and assigns two certain pieces or parcels of land lying in said County of Wayne on the South side of Watery Branch, the first tract adjoining the lands of Wiley Moring Charity Bailey and others, bounded as follows: Beginning at a pine on the New Road in Willie Moring’s line and runs with said line N. 136 poles to a stake on the main run of Watery Branch, then up the various courses of the run as it meanders to the mouth of a small branch, then up the run of said small branch its various courses to a stake, then East 20 poles to said New Road, then with the same to the beginning, containing Eighty eight acres, more or less:

Also one other tract purchased from Wm. Bailey and wife Celia, adjoining the lands of Charity Bailey Wm. Bailey Cullen West and others bounded as follows: Beginning at a stake in Cullen West’s line and runs South 28 ¼ poles to a stake in said line Charity Bailey’s corner, then with her line West 69 ½ poles to a stake in said West’s other line, then with said line N 28 ¼ to a stake, Wm Bailey’s corner then with his line W 69 ½ poles to the beginning, containing 12 ¼ acres more or less _

And we said Hagans and wife Absey parties of the first part do by these presents bind ourselves our heirs executors admrs & assigns forever free claims or encumbrances whatsoever

In testimony whereof we the said Hagins and wife have hereunto set our hands and affixed our seals, the day and date first mentioned.

Witness: /s/ W.T. Faircloth Napoleon X Hagans, Absey X Hagans

[Wife’s consent omitted.]

Deed Book 37, page 74, Wayne County Register of Deeds office.

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North Carolina, Wayne County }

This Deed made this thirty first day of October 1874 by Adam Artis and his wife Frances of Wayne County, and State of North Carolina to Napoleon Hagans of Wayne County, and State of North Carolina, Witnesseth that said Adam Artis in consideration of Two hundred & seventy five /100 Dollars, to them paid by said Napoleon Hagans, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, have bargained and sold and by these presents do bargain, sell and convey to said Napoleon Hagans and his heirs a tract of land in Wayne County, State of N.C. , adjoining the lands Bryant Yelverton & Jesse Mincey, and others, bounded as follows: viz: — Beginning at a stake on road in Yelverton’s line and runs S. 59 E. 51 ½ poles to a light stake in Yelverton’s line then N. 61 poles to another stake on said road then S. 54 W. with said road to the beginning containing 9 ¼ acres more or less.

Reserving a graveyard on said land, now paled in in which the said Adam Artis’ first wife & one child were buried.

To have and to Hold the aforesaid tract of land and all privileges and appurtenances thereto belonging to the said Napoleon Hagans and his heirs and assigns to them only

And the said parties of the first part do for themselves and their heirs forever warrant and defend title to the above land, to the said party of the second part his heirs and assigns to their only use and behalf

And this the said Adam Artis & wife Frances, covenant that they are seized of said premises in fee and have right to convey the same in fee simple, that the same are free from all incumbrances, and that they will warrant and defend the said title to the same, against the claims of all persons whatsoever

In testimony whereof, the said Adam Artis & wife Frances have known to set their hands and seals, the day and year above written Adam X Artis, Frances X Artis

[Wife’s consent omitted.]

Deed Book 37, page 220, Wayne County Register of Deeds office.

Land, Other Documents, Paternal Kin, Photographs

This deed.

This is the deed for Jesse Jacobs‘ purchase of 303 Elba Street. He bought the house (in which he was already living) and lot for $725 from E.L. and Ietta R.M. Reid on 4 May 1908. (Elijah Reid, a veterinarian, was born into a free family of color from the opposite end of Wayne County than Jesse and Sarah Jacobs.) The same day, Jacobs gave George W. Connor, Trustee, a mortgage on the property, perhaps to secure a $400 loan he used to buy it. Jacobs was to repay Connor at the rate of $2.50 per week.

On 10 April 1917, the Jacobses arranged another mortgage on their Elba Street home, this time promising to repay W.A. Finch, Trustee, $395 at 6% interest. Circumstances intervened. By about 1922 or ’23, Jesse Jacobs was too ill to work. He died in 1926. Sarah and Hattie Jacobs, her great-niece (and my grandmother) paid what they could from their meager earnings as laundresses. When Sarah Jacobs died in early 1938, the house remained encumbered. Finch’s loan was not repaid until September of that year, most likely from the sale of the property.

Enslaved People, Maternal Kin, North Carolina, Other Documents

How we came to be McNeelys.

Rowan County, North Carolina, 1819. Widow Elizabeth Kilpatrick is close to death. Her daughter Mary is to receive “one feather bed and all my beds clothing of every kind, all my dresser furniture, my chest, one pot, one dutch oven, one pot rack” and “my negro girl named Lucinda.”

Don’t forget Lucinda. She’s my great-great-great-grandmother, and you’ll see her again. And Juda? In paragraph 5? Probably Lucinda’s mother. “All her children (not disposed of)” suggests that Dave, who went to Robert Kilpatrick, and Lucinda, were Juda’s disposed-of children. Who were the others?

Rowan County, North Carolina, 1834. Mary Kilpatrick files a deed for the sale of “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,” plus a few other sundries to Samuel and John W. McNeely, who are father and son. This is the Lucinda that Mary Kilpatrick inherited from her mother in 1819. Remember John Wilson McNeely. You’ll see him again, too.

Rowan County, North Carolina, 1843. Samuel McNeely‘s will. To his beloved son John W. McNeely, he leaves “a negro woman named Lucinda and all her offspring.” Lucinda, then, may have been the only slave Samuel ever bought, and she returned his investment handsomely.

One of Lucinda’s offspring was Henry W. McNeely, whose father was the very John W. McNeely who owned him. Henry, my grandmother Margaret Colvert Allen‘s maternal grandfather, was born in 1841 in western Rowan County and died in Statesville, North Carolina, in 1906.

Scuffalong: Genealogy.

Tag Archives: deed

38 acres.

Timeline of Napoleon Hagans’ land transactions.

100 acres on Watery Branch.

This deed.

How we came to be McNeelys.