Mission Statement:

"To advance through research, education and symposia, an increased public awareness of the Cape Fear region's unique history."

Black Slaveholders of the Cape Fear Region

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The largest black slaveholder in the South was John Carruthers Stanly in North Carolina, and he faced a number of problems in the 1820's dealing with a slave labor force on his three turpentine plantations in Craven County. With a total of 163 slaves, Stanly was a harsh, profit-minded taskmaster, and his field hands would run away.

Stanly dealt with this through his two white overseers and with a spy network that included a few trusted slaves. Brister, his slave barber in New Bern, was responsible for relaying to his owner rumors of planned escapes...Nor did Stanly have any pangs of conscience about selling children away from their parents or holding free blacks in bondage.

According to the census of 1830, free blacks that owned slaves in New Hanover County were George Ware (1), Wanely Mosely (1), Mary

Cruise (3), Simon Larington (1), Phillis Bagadeir (1), William Buffalo (1), Leuris Pajay (4), John Walker (44), Roger Hazell (5), James Campbell (2), and Henry Sampson (5). In nearby Brunswick County, free black owners of slaves were John A. Potter and Jimboy McKenzie who owned 4 and

2 slaves respectively.

In Onslow County to the north, Caesar Loomis (2), Benjamin Jarmin (5), Rose Wislow (3), Luke White (5) and Sampson Lawrence (7) owned slaves; In Sampson County free black West Pope owned one slave. In Bladen County, free black Gooden Bowen owned 44 slaves followed by Eliza Spendlove (1), Molsy Spendlove (3), Michael Blanks (1), Samuel Allen (4), and one slave each for Ann Spendlove and Catherine Smith.

Sources:

The Free Negro in North Carolina, 1790-1860, John Hope Franklin

Runaway Slaves: Franklin & Schweinger