Edgecombe County NC

Slave Narrative of Essex Henry

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Essex Henry Location: 713 S. East Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 83 Ex-Slave Story An interview with Essex Henry 83 of 713 S. East Street, Raleigh, N. C. I wus borned five miles north of Raleigh on de Wendell Road, 83 years ago. My mammy wus Nancy an’ my pappy wus Louis. I had one sister, Mary, an’ one bruder, Louis. We ‘longed ter Mr. Jake Mordecai, an’ we lived on his six hundert acres plantation ’bout a mile from Millbrook. Right atter de war he sold dis lan’ ter Doctor Miller an’ bought … Read more

James R. Worsley

Yeoman 2nd Class (Navy); of Edgecombe County; son of W. H. and Mrs. Lula Worsley. Entered service June 15, 1918, at Norfolk, Va. Sent to Hampton Roads, Va. Served on U. S. S. Susquehanna, doing transport duty. Made four trips across. Mustered out at Newport News, Va., Feb. 19, 1919.

M. D. Bryant

C. M. 2nd class, Naval Aviation; of Edgecombe County; son of B. B. and Mrs. Susan Bryant. Entered service Dec. 15, 1917, at Raleigh, N.C. Sent to Pensacola, Fla., Dec. 20, 1917. Transferred to Philadelphia, Pa. Sailed to Pauillac, France, April 2, 1918. Did duty west coast in France eleven months. Arrived in USA March 6, 1919. Hoboken, N. J. Mustered out Air Service Station, Hampton Roads, Va., Aug. 11, 1919.

The Case of the State Vs. Will

One of the most remarkable cases ever tried in the North Carolina courts was the case of The State vs. Will. It was the most important case on the subject of slavery and fixed a slave’s right to defend himself against the cruel and unjust punishment of a master. It was decided at the December term, 1834, of the Supreme Court (State vs. Will, 1 Devereux and Battle, 121-172). The facts of the case are as follows: Will was the slave of Mr. James S. Battle, of Edgecombe County, and was placed under the direction of an overseer named Richard … Read more