African Americans Named in North Carolina
Petitions
By Maria Elana Mercado
I did a little "digging" this afternoon and came up with the following additional information. These were Wardlaw Petitions naming slaves and
clearly showing family relationships - Please flag this information for inclusion on the website and save the URL for your records:
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Petition 21383213
Filing Date: circa 1832-April-2
Anderson District, South Carolina
General Petition Information:
ABSTRACT:
James Smith and William May, securities for George E. W. Foster, seek protection from potential losses that may be incurred due to
their securityship. The petitioners and others agreed to secure Foster's performance as sheriff of Pendleton and entered into "a Bond of the usual form in the penal Sum of Twenty thousand Dollars."
To protect his securities from loss, Foster mortgaged seven slaves to them. Smith and May report that Foster has not settled the affairs of his office and "is largely in arrears," and they "are
likely to become chargeable out of their individual estates unless protected by the mortgage." Some of the mortgaged slaves, however, are dead or "subject to prior liens." In addition, some of
Foster's other creditors have levied on the slaves, urging the sheriff of Anderson District to sell the slaves and to apply the proceeds to their debts, which are not as old as the mortgage. Smith
and May pray that these creditors "be stayed from further proceeding;" that Foster be ordered to reveal all debts for which they may be liable; and that a deadline be set for creditors to appear or
"be forever barred from any and all claims against the said Securities."
People Associated with Petition 21383213
Defendants: James Wardlaw and others
Slaves: 6
1. Alse, black female slave. Immediate family: Head: Mima (Mina), Daughter: Eliza, Son: Tobe. Tobe & Eliza are Alse’s
children & Mima, her mother.
2. Anderson, black male slave.
3. Eliza, black female slave. Immediate family: Head: Mima (Mina), Daughter: Alse, Son: Tobe. Tobe & Eliza are Alse’s
children & Mima, her mother.
4. John, black male slave.
5. Mima
(Mina), black female slave. Daughter: Alse, Grand-daughter: Eliza, Grandson: Tobe. Tobe & Eliza are Alse’s children & Mima, her
mother.
6. Tobe, black male slave. Immediate family: Head: Mima (Mina), Daughter: Alse, Grand-daughter: Eliza
Citation Information:
Repository: South Carolina Department of
Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
Records of the Court of Common Pleas, Equity Side, Microfilm: Reel AN68
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Petition 11381708
Filing Date: 1817-March-21
Anderson District, South Carolina
Addressed to the Senate
General Petition Information: Joseph Wardlaw sought permission to bring Delph into the state following the passage of a law
prohibiting the importation of slaves for sale and speculation.
Abstract:
Joseph Wardlaw reports that he "in partnership with James Wardlaw purchased in the state of North Carolina on the 21st day of February
1816 a negro woman named Delph, who immediately after the purchase ran away"; this prevented he and James from bringing her into South Carolina "as was their intention." The petitioner further
states that he "has since purchased James Wardlaw's share of said negro woman, who has since had a child." Noting that the "existing law of this state" prohibits him from bringing Delph and her baby
home, he therefore prays that he be granted "permission to bring said slave & her child into this state."
Status: Granted
People Associated with Petition 11381708
Petitioner: Joseph Wardlaw
Slaves: 1
1. Delph, black female slave (owned from 1818 / Runaway).
Citation Information:
Repository: South Carolina Department
of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
Records of the General Assembly, Document 1817 #104, Microfilm: Reel #2, Frames
388-89
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Petition 21384823
Filing Date: 1817-March-21
Anderson District, South Carolina
Addressed to the Honorable Chancellors of Said State
General Petition Information:
Abstract:
Mary E. N. Smith represents that, in 1843, the late Benjamin Smith bequeathed to her mother, Sarah North Smith, a life estate in
fifty-two slaves under the trusteeship of John Laurens North. The deed of trust stipulated that the property should be free from the liabilities of Sarah’s husband and, after Sarah’s death, be placed
in trust for her children. After Sarah’s death in 1846, John Laurens North received the slaves and managed them until his own death in 1847, at which time his widow, Eliza Elliott North, became
executrix of his will and trustee of Sarah’s estate. Mary Smith contends that the “trust in property” ended with Sarah’s death and is now “subject to division amongst the children.” Although her six
siblings are still minors, Mary has recently reached the legal age and believes herself entitled to her share of the estate. She therefore prays for an order authorizing the sale of the
property, including forty of the sixty-three slaves now in the estate, and division of the proceeds among the heirs. However, Mary wants to keep twenty-two slaves, whom she describes as
“favourite negroes of the family.” These slaves have “served faithfully” for three generations, and she believes that they should remain on the farm where she resides with her
family.
Status:
Granted
People Associated with Petition 21384823
Others: Robert H (purchased Willoughby, Beck, Caty, Emma in 1848) & William A Wardlaw (purchased Ben in
1848)
Slaves: 62 (5 of which were purchased by Wardlaws)
1. Willoughby, black male slave - Purchased in 1848 by Robert H. Wardlaw
2. Beck, black female slave. Immediate family: Daughter: Caty, Grand-daughter: Emma (daughter of Caty) - Purchased in 1848 by Robert H.
Wardlaw
3. Caty, black female slave. Immediate family: Head: Beck, Grand-daughter: Emma (daughter of Caty) - Purchased in 1848 by Robert H.
Wardlaw
4. Emma, black female slave. Immediate family: Head: Beck, Daughter: Caty - Purchased in 1848 by Robert H.
Wardlaw
5. Ben, black male slave - Purchased in 1848 by William A. Wardlaw
Citation Information:
Repository:South Carolina
Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
Records of the Equity Court, Bills, Document 1848 #30, Box 2, Order #5, Reel
D1267
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END
Maria Elena Mercado