Byrd, William L, III

North Carolina Slaves and Free Persons of Color: Chowan County, Volume Two Byrd, William L, III

These pages contain a wealth of information transcribed from obscure and fragile, original documents housed at the North Carolina State Archives. Every attempt has been made to transcribe the complete collection, including partial or fragmented documents. Papers were listed under the general headings of "Slaves and Free Negroes," "Slaves and Free Persons of Color" and "Miscellaneous Records." Chowan County, named in honor the Chowan Indians, was established in 1670. It was originally a precinct in Albemarle County, and is bound by Albemarle Sound, Chowan River, and Bertie, Hertford, Gates, and Perquimans counties. Part of Tyrell, Hertford and Gates counties were formed from Chowan. Interactions between Blacks and Whites are displayed on both an antagonistic and intimate level, and are dramatically played out through crime and punishment. Criminal cases are filled with intrigue-murder, felonies, trading with slaves and harboring slaves. Records are grouped by category, including: Civil Actions from 1757 to 1819; Criminal Actions from 1777 to 1817; and Miscellaneous Records containing gun permits, sales of slaves, hiring of slaves, and criminal actions. A table of cases for criminal and civil actions, a full name and subject index, and a glossary of legal terms augment this work. Anyone researching this area will want to add this rich catalog of names to their library. This is the seventh volume in the North Carolina And Free Persons Of Color series.