Documentation of Enslaved People

Alexander (John B.) papers (MS0218)

• Appraisal and conscription papers for Mark, a man enslaved by R.D. Alexander - documents concern Mark's conscription by the army to build fortifications in Halifax

Alexander (William Tasse) Family Papers  (MS0256)

• William T. Alexander records of enslaved persons, 1837 - 1998  - Includes receipts from the purchase of several enslaved persons, records of the names of enslaved persons and ages.
• Samuel R. Walker with Sarah Alexander, 1947 - Photograph of Sam Walker in his early 90s.
• Photocopies of Birth and Death Records for the Children of Solomon and Violet Alexander (Enslaved People) Photocopies of birth and death records written by W.T. Alexander for the children of Solomon and Violet Alexander.

Arthur and Farrar families papers (MS0065)

• Legal Documents - includes a document (1864) signed by overseer W. C. Nicholas Jr., in Charlottesville, Va., describing injuries received by an enslaved person working on the defenses around Richmond

Caldwell and Davidson families papers (MS0208)

• Caldwell, David Thomas--Medical journals, 1824 - 1847 - Entries in the two volumes (1824-32, 1832-47) list names of patients (including enslaved people), their illnesses and medicines prescribed, and costs of treatment. Also includes entries that appear to be transactions relating to items purchased for or sold by the Rosedale plantation.
• Caldwell, David Thomas--Plantation Account Transcriptions Vol.1-Vol.2, 1824-1880 - These are transcriptions of the above medical journals. Volume 1 and Volume 2 transcriptions of Dr. D.T. Caldwell's plantation accounts. Contains information about inventories, sales, purchases, and expenditures.
• Caldwell family--Land records and legal documents, 1845, 1881, 1900-36, 1961 - Contains an indenture for Jefferson Caldwell, an enslaved man at the Rosedale plantation.
• Mary Louise and "Uncle Jeff" Caldwell , undated - Photograph of Jefferson Caldwell, a formerly enslaved man at Rosedale plantation, and Mary Louise Davidson, daughter of Baxter Craighead Davidson and along with her sister Alice, one of the last two people to live at Rosedale.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission Records (MS0077)

• Alexander Cemetery of Enslaved persons - Historic Landmarks Commission report also available online here
• Neely Cemetery for Enslaved persons - Historic Landmarks Commission report also available online here

Davidson Family papers (MS0188)

• Rural Hill Farm Journals, Volume 2 (1856; 36pp.) is a form book entitled Plantation and Farm: Instruction, Regulation, Record, Inventory and Account Book (Richmond, Va.: J. W. Randolph, 1852) in which the daily record (January 1-April 7, 1856) lists inventories of enslaved people, stock, and implements, physician visits, quantity and value of produce, expenses, and cotton picked (the latter recorded for September and October, 1856)

Echols (Emma) papers (MS0228)

• List of enslaved persons for sale and receipts for purchases, 1854 - 1859 

Henderson (Willis Irwin) papers (MS0430)

• Bill-of-sale for Siller, an enslaved girl, 1812 November 3 - Siller, an enslaved girl, was approximately ten years old when she was transferred between enslavers. She was transferred from Elijah Patton Chambers and Margaret Chambers to Joseph Brown for $185.

Jetton Family Papers (MS0366)

• Memorandum concerning the age of enslaved persons; 1844 and a pass for an enslaved person to travel, 1844-1857
• Selina Watts Jetton Johnston (1824-1927)--Papers, undated Concerns her life as an enslaved individual 
• John Sharp Jetton - Estate materials regarding Kate, an enslaved woman

Loney, an enslaved man in N.C. (Bill of Sale) (MS0404) - Bill of sale dated January 2, 1865 for an enslaved man named Loney. The buyer was N. A. Wingate & Co. of Charlotte, North Carolina; and the seller was J. A. Bisaner, of Lincolnton. At the time Loney was about twenty-seven years old and was sold for $6,000 in Confederate currency. 

McCoy family papers (MS0409)

• McCoy Slave Cemetery documentation and materials, 1933-2001 -  includes Thomas McCoy's will, real estate research, NC Cemetery Survey, clippings, forms, and a project proposal to preserve the cemetery (2001)
• "Old Bad Man" a story told by Lizzie McCoy, formerly enslaved by the McCoy family
• Bill-of-sale for Judy, an enslaved woman (photocopy), 1817 
• Photographs from near the McCoy Slave Cemetery
  • Edwin McCoy at Lamar McCoy house behind cemetery for enslaved persons 
  • Clifford McCoy with Edwin & Katherine at Lamar McCoy house behind cemetery for enslaved persons 

Means (Betty L.) collection of historical documents (MS0033)

• Bill of Sale for enslaved woman, 1835-09-20  - Issued to Demsey Casey in Pasquotank County, N.C., by William Sexton for the purchase of an enslaved woman.

Peoples Family Papers (MS0575)

• Richard Peoples Settlement (Hiring of Enslaved People) and List of Goods Bought from John Weeks' Estate (shoes for enslaved individuals), 1839-1863 
• Promissory Notes, Cole Estate Valuation and Bill of Sale for enslaved person named John Newlin, 1824, 1841-1861
• Bills of Sale for enslaved individuals (Sam, John Cole's Estate and Matilda, John Morris's Estate) and Drawing Plans for a Grist Mill, 1819-1848 
• Mecklenburg Volunteers (Mexican-American War) Poem and Support Payments, Lists of Goods Bought (T.J. Renfrow and Sons) and Bills of Sale for enslaved individuals (James, H.B. and L. Williams Estate, Aaron, William H. Robison Estate and Swinton, Martha Patterson Estate), 1827-1853 
• Runaway Ads for Enslaved Individuals in the Mecklenburg Jeffersonian 
• Richard Peoples Deeds (William Patterson and James Hodge) and Bills of Sale for enslaved individuals
• Robert C. Grier Promissory Notes and Offer from Joseph Irwin to Hire Curtis (enslaved) and Richard Peoples Receipts, 1838-1859 

Potts (J. Walter) family papers (MS0402)

• Records of sales of enslaved persons, 1776 - 1804 
• Grier, A[lexander?]--Pass for an enslaved person named York., 1803 

Pharr and Walker families papers (MS0197)

• Correspondence, 1847 - 1941 - Contains the transcription of a letter between Joseph Ross and James Walker concerning a man named Milas who was enslaved by Ross and wanted to marry a woman enslaved by Walker.
• Correspondence--Transcriptions, 1847 - 1914 - Transcriptions of some of the above correspondence. Transcriptions by Cynthia Pharr Whiting of many of the originals above. Includes a family tree and an introduction.

Sharon Presbyterian Church records (MS0385)

• Book 1 “Sharon Church Book”, 1840 - 1855 - Contains information including some birth, baptism and marriage records for enslaved members of Sharon Church.
• Book 2 “Records of Sharon Church”, 1855 - 1874 - Contains information including some birth, baptism and marriage records for enslaved members of Sharon Church.

St. Marks Episcopal Church records (MS0084)

• McCoy family and property and the McCoy Slave Cemetery

Torrance and Banks families papers (MS0087)

• Records of enslaved persons [also on reel 1] , 1799, 1823-1867 - Of particular interest is an overseer's contract (1862) of Margaret Allison Torance that outlines daily routines for field hands. Notebooks of James G. Torrance list enslaved persons (1836, 1839, 1840, 1844-47). A postwar contract (6/14/1867) binds the services of a woman, likely a formerly enslaved person, to Margaret Allison Torrance. Also includes a letter (1799) to Hugh Torance by his brother Albert, detailing Albert's trouble with Abraham, an enslaved man.
• Account book 4--Store account ledger [also on reel 3] , 1807 - 1840 - Includes list, laid in a leaf, goods and enslaved persons sent to Statesville; list of pork slaughtered, some sawmill entries and records of enslaved persons, especially corn allotments. Includes an account of bricks sold by James Galbraith Torrance to Count Rivafinoli (1831).
• Richard Allison Torrance--George Moses Horton--Acrostics (Original), circa 1854 - Acrostic poems to Mary McClean and Sophia Alexander (ca. 1854) by George Moses Horton, an enslaved poet of Chatham County, N.C. These were commissioned by Torrance while a student at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
• Lawsuit papers--Isabella Kerr Falls Torance [also on reel 1], 1817 - Documents concerning a civil suit initiated by the children of Captain Galbraith and Isabella Kerr Falls regarding an enslaved person. Includes typescript biography and notes concerning Isabella Torance; original and typescript copy of a complaint for the Falls heirs by Archibald Henderson (4/4/1817); and answer of James Galbraith Torrance (1817) including an inventory, vendue list, and memorandum of sale of property of Falls' estate. The case was settled in the Supreme Court in 1827.

Whitsett (Kenneth Wilson) papers (MS270) 

• Photographs of formerly enslaved people
  • Win and Sarah Jane Caldwell, undated - Includes 4 photographic prints of 2 images of Win Caldwell and his wife, Sarah Jane Caldwell, in the yard of John Caldwell in  Rowan County
  • Martha "Mary" Lytle, circa 1920s-1930s - Includes 2 photographs of Mary Lytle, as well as an article about her from 1930 "Ante-Bellum Negress Dies Full of Years and Honors."
  • Aunt Eadie, undated - Includes 2 prints of a single image of Aunt Eadie and her daughters in front of a car.
  • Unidentified formerly enslaved  woman, undated

Wilkes Family Papers (MS0038)

• Wilkes, John--Records of enslaved persons, 1858 - 1865

Williams (Ann and Jim) Papers (MS0606)

• Historical medical research, Rosedale history and the enslaved community of Rosedale, 1993-2008