THE CAUDLES OF ANSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

As Seen Through Deeds, Wills, & Newspaper Articles

Some members of the Caudle Family of Anson County, N.C. were cotton farmers; some did own slaves. Most are listed on the census reports as general farmers. I have seen no deed listing a Caudle selling slaves, although the Anson County Court sold 6 slaves belonging to James Moore, James Carson Caudle’s maternal grandfather, in order to pay off debts left by his untimely death.

Deed/Will Abstracts

Deed Book H, Vol. #1, Page 238 – 7/16/1768 in South Carolina – John Wright of Anson County to Claddius Pegues, for 334 lbs. a negro named Jack.

Acknowledged in open court by vendor, Anson County Court July 1768 term.

Deed Book H, Vol #1, Page 211 – 1/1/1765 – John & William Mask to Short Long … for 110 lbs., paid by James Long, we deliver to Short Long, son of James Long, negro woman, Nan. Anson County Court July 1768 term.

Deed Book 7, Page 180 – 11/2/1778 – Thomas Wade, for natural love to my granddaughter, Margaret Vining of Anson County, a negro girl named Milly, about 7 yrs. old, and a negro boy, Ben, aged 4, bought by me at the Vendue of estate of my deceased daughter, Margaret Mosely.

Deed Book 7, Page 552 – 9/7/1778 – Isaac Vick of Northampton County, N.C. makes well-beloved and trusty friend, James Terry, son of William Terry, his attorney in Anson and any county in the U.S. to demand and receive for me anything justly belonging to me, in particular six negroes in Anson County.

Deed Book K, Page 247 – 4/3/1773 – James Terry of Anson County, in consideration of a judgment recovered at Salisbury for 97 lbs. and the cost and for Charles Medlock for 2 lbs., 7 shillings, paid by Richard Leak, I do hereby sell and deliver, etc. to Richard Leak five negroes, Ralph, Esther, Rodge, Ben, & Jude.

Deed Book K, Page 305 – 3/7/1775 – James Allen to his daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Ingram, a negro girl named Jane, 4 yrs. old.

Deed Book D&E, Page 107 – 4/7/1796 – James Pickett of Anson, for love and goodwill to my loving friend Ann Kimbrough, a negro girl named Jane, daughter of Eady.

Deed Book D&E, Page 261 – 3/10/1795 – James Pickett of Anson, for love, goodwill, and affection to my loving son, Joseph Pickett of same county, three negroes, Suckey and her two children, Sam and Lum.

Will Book 1, Page 226 – 6/10/1782 – Sale of estate of Nathaniel Curtis. Buyers: Frances Curtis bought 9 negroes and some horses.

Will Book 1, Page 232 – John Hamer – sale of estate – Mary Hamer bought slaves, farm tools, everything but a trunk.

Deed Book 1, Page 268 – 1/28/1784 – for 115 lbs. sale of a negro man of estate of Aaron Baker to James Jameson.

7/19/1810 issue of The Star (Raleigh, N.C.) – "Fifty Dollars Reward – Ran Away … on the 11^th of September 1809, a mulatto fellow named Jim. He is large and likely, about 5 ft., 11 inches high, and aged 35. His face is overrun with marks of the small pox and on one side of his nose (the right, I believe) there is a scar occasioned by the kick of a horse. When he ran away from me he carried with him a bay horse. Jim can read and write and I expect will try to pass himself off as a free man. I suspect he has gone to Wilmington, having connections there. Any person who will place this boy into my possession shall receive $50, and $25 if he is secured in jail." Robert Clark, Anson County.

Abstracts of Anson County Court Minutes: 1771-1777

7/16/1772 – Order that Elizabeth Owens, orphan of John Owens, deceased, be bound to James Webb until she arrives to the age of 18, being now 11 yrs., 7 months old … to learn the art of spinster. [This sounds as if Elizabeth was made to go to work in a cotton mill at under 12 yrs. of age.]

7/18/1772 – Order that Walter Long, orphan of James Long, deceased, be bound to William Terry till of lawful age, being now 16 yrs. old, to learn the trade of cordwainer [likely cord winder in a mill]. Indenture made out and delivered.

1/15/1773 – Order that Alexander McDonald be bound to Thomas Chiles till of lawful age, now 15 yrs. and 6 months; to learn trade of house carpenter and joiner.

10/12/1774 – Order that Stephen Wright, orphan of Thomas Wright, be bound to John Brooks till of age … now 15yrs., to learn business of farmer. John Brooks to give him

1½ yrs. of schooling more than the law allows.

Abstracts of Anson County Court Minutes – 1771-1777

4/13/1775 – Order … Jonathan Harry be paid for one wolf’s scalp.

10/13/1774 – Allowances for scalps of wild cats and wolves: Henry Burcham – 1, Thomas Ward – 3, Charles Allen – 1, Edmund Nichols – 1, James Purnell – 1,

Henry Deberry – 1, Lawrence Franklin – 4.

Abstracts of Anson County Court Minutes – 1771-1777

Order – John Clay … poor, aged, and infirm, be recommended to be exempt from tax.

Newspaper Articles

4/23/1867 issue of The Western Democrat (Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, N.C.) – Quoting a letter from Colonel S.H. Walkup of Union County published in the Washington Intelligencer, Monroe, N.C. - 4/8/1867.

"Dear Sirs: This county suffered so severely from last year’s drought as to be seriously threatened with famine. 1,500 persons have no corn and no means to purchase it in this county. They are generally women and children, nearly all are such; about 1/5^th [one fifth] are negroes. There are 500 more who have no provisions, but have, some, a cow and calf, and others a poor piece of land; so that we have 2,000 persons in this county who are entirely destitute, and have not even corn to last them one week. We are, therefore, more interested in trying to get bread to keep from starving, than in reconstruction of political matters. I presume our people will, all who can, register and vote for Sherman’s Bill, and acquiesce for peace and Union; whether they like the plan or not."

5/21/1867 issue of Western Democrat (Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, N.C.) – "We regret to learn that it is probable that some of the farmers of Union County will have to stop working their crops for the want of corn for their families and horses. The corn heretofore sent to that county has been distributed for bread to the destitute, while those who are carrying on farms have looked out for their own supplies; but the difficulty now is, they have no money to buy with, and few can obtain credit. Men who, in former years, sold from 300 to 1,000 bushels of corn, have not now a month’s supply of food of any sort, and no money to purchase what they need. Relief, to accomplish good, must be given speedily."

5/15/1868 issue of Southern Christian Advocate – "Mr. William Hildreth, a hard working white man, with quite a large family, had his only cow killed by some parties unknown last week, about a mile and a half northeast of this town. The cow had been missing for several days, and on Saturday the skin only was found, where she had been killed and cleaned. Is work like this to be allowed to continue? Is the entire stock and "seed corn" of the county to be destroyed without some effort to save it?"

Newspaper Articles

4/30/1867 issue of Western Democrat (Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, N.C.) – "A Good Example – Along the roads between this place and Monroe, Union County, we saw several white girls in the fields ploughing. In one instance we saw two girls about 16 yrs. old managing a low with two oxen attached---one held the plow handles and the other drove the oxen. Such conduct on the part of females ought to put to shame the scores of men who are idling away their time doing nothing, and who seem to consider it a disgrace to pull off coats and go to hard work."

5/16/1895 issue of The Landmark (Statesville, N.C.) – "Mrs. Eunice Curlee, who lives about 2 ½ miles east of Monroe, is in many respects a remarkable woman. She is nearly 80 yrs. old and is almost as sprightly as any girl. Not long since she wove ten yards of cloth in one day. She looks after her farm and household affairs and is in every sense a business woman. Her granary is in the 2^nd story of her smokehouse and the only way of getting into it is to climb a ladder from the outside. Mrs. Curlee scales this ladder almost as easily as a boy would climb it."

Newspaper Article

7/20/1897 issue of The Landmark (Statesville, N.C.) – "Mr. J.T. Bass, who lives near Marshville, reports that he heard one of his young chickens squalling in his back yard, a few days ago, and that he ran out, thinking that a hawk was after his chickens. To his great surprise he found a large spider was biting a young chicken on the neck. The chicken was larger than a partridge and died in a few minutes after the spider bit it. Strange to say, another chicken swallowed the spider and is living and doing well."

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