Friends of Friends-Deed

Friends of Friends Friday

This is a new topic for me.  The Friends of Friends meme in the genealogy blogging community asks if you have encountered records of enslaved ancestors, whether they are your own ancestors or not, make it a point to transcribe those records and get them posted on the Internet via your blog.  Hopefully, to help their decendants.  I have come across, recently, many deeds  listing the sale of slaves and their names and owners.  This will be my first post on this topic and I will continue it at least one Friday a month.

Well, I have been digging through the many Pitt County deeds I have copied in my stash (of paper records) and thought since I am finding quite a few slave records, I would participate in this as I come across the records.  I also have ancestors who left records of slave transactions, so I will include those also.

Here is the first thing I came across.  It is actually a record of 2 sales to the same person from different sellers.  These deeds are from Pitt County, North Carolina, Deed Book L page 281.

  Know all men by these presents that I, Aaron Tison, of the State of North Carolina and County of Pitt for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred pounds in gold and silver by Robert Williams paid have this day sold a certain negro man called Dick, aged twenty seven years well [sot] about five feet six or seven inches high which Negro I warrant and defend unto the said Robert Williams his heirs or assigns against the lawfull claim of any person or persons whatever.  In  Witness I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 30th day of June 1785- Aaron Tison {seal}

In presence of Ichabod Tison, Jesse Randolph

October Court 1787, order for registration

     Know all men by these presents that I, Michael Caw. Evans of the State of North Carolina and the County of Pitt for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred pounds specia to me in hand paid or secured to be paid have this day bargained, sold, and delivered unto Robert Williams of the county and State aforesaid, a Negro man called Balam about six feet high or some under, dark complexion, aged about forty or forty-five which Negro I warrant and defend unto the said Robert Williams, his heirs and assigns against the lawfull claim of any person or persons whatever.  In Witness I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 24th day of May 1785.- Michael C. Evans {seal}

October Court, 1787, order for registration

I tried to stay true to spelling and the original writing of the document.