1. Thomas GREEN
*Thomas must have remarried Priscilla Green for the county records On Feb. 6, 1849 in Warren County. This was most likely done because he was ill and an official record of his marriage may have been needed to be made to ensure that the terms of his will, which was written in 1848, could be carried out.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Record of Estates, Warren Co., NC 1833-1851, Estates found in Court Records, Vo.3)
(1281) William Lowry (age 10, free boy of color) bound to Thomas Green to learn farming, Nov. Ct., 1844
==A Pricilla Green married Samuel Lowry in 1826, would this be William's parents? This Priscilla may be a daughter of Allen's or perhaps Charity, Thomas's oldest daughter?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EMANCIPATION RECORD OF THOMAS GREEN & FAMILY OF WARREN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA (1798)
(These slaves appear to have been in relationship to previous petitions filed by AMELIA GREEN, described as a free woman who was the Mother of a large family of Children, all of whom except two daughters have been enabled as the fruits of their own industry and meritorious behaviour to acquire their freedom, was filed in Newbern, Craven County, North Carolina in 1798. It is not clear about her exact relation to some of these people, but AMELIA also filed petitions 1796 for daughtersNANCY GREEN also known as NANCY HANDY, who was owned by William T. Howe, and PRINCESS GREEN who was owned by Bell Chapman, as well as her daughter HARRIET GREEN, owned by Mrs. Betsey Vail, in 1801. Amelia apparently won her freedom early in life and worked hard for many years to buy freedom for all of her children)I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this act, Rose the wife of Lemuel Overton, and her two sons John, Burdock, a Negro woman named Grace, and her son Harry, the property of Thomas Amis, deceased; a Negro girl named Bett, and a Negro boy named John, the property of Moses Parker; a mulatto girl named Nancy, and her child Eliza, the property of General Thomas Person, of Granville County; a Negro woman named CREASE; a Negro fellow named TOM, and his wife PRIS and her five children, to wit, ALLEN, CHARITY, BRENY, WILLIE and CREASE, the property of Samuel Williams, deceased, of the county of Warren, also the increase of the said Pris and her female children, since the date of the last Will of the said Williams; also one Negro man Daniel, formerly the property of formerly the property of James Allen; and a Negro man named Ginger, formerly the property of mark Allen, of Montgomery County, be and they are hereby emancipated and set free, and hereafter shall be called and known by the following names, to wit: ROSE OVERTON, JOHN OVERTON, BURDOCK OVERTON, GRACE WEBB, HARRY WEBB, BETTY BLACK, JOHN BLACK, NANCY HART, ELIZA HART, ELIZA HART, CREASE GREEN, TOM GREEN, PRIS GREEN, ALLEN GREEN, CHARITY GREEN, BRENY GREEN, WILLIE GREEN, and CREASE GREEN, and increase of the said Priss and her female children as aforesaid, by their respective names, with the addition of GREEN, DANIEL SHAD and GINGER PEPPER, and by the names aforesaid, they and each of them shall have, enjoy and possess all the rights, privileges and immunities which they would have been entitled to, had they been born free; any law to the contrary notwithstanding.
II. And be it further enacted, That a Negro man the property of Ozborne Jeffries, named SAM, and a Negro woman the property of Dixon Bogye, named CHELSEA, shall be and they are hereby emancipated and set free, the said Sam by the name of BUFFALO SAM, and the said Chelsea by the name of CHELSEA REED, and they shall be entitled to the same privileges, which persons of colour born free are entitled to.
I suspect there were more children that Priscilla had between the years 1800 and 1850, but it is unclear as to who they may have been.
SAMUEL WILLIAMS Written Feb. 21, 1791, probated February Court 1791. "...being sick in body.." My Negroes Crese and her son TOM, his wife PRISS, and her five children ALLEN, CHARITY, BRYNA, WILLIE, and CRESE, should be set free, but as the laws of this state will not allow this, I desire they and their heirs should pay one penny each annually for ninety-nine years to my friend James Alston until they can obtain their freedom. To my said servant CRESE, 10 acres of land in the tract I bought of Sumner. To my servant, TOM -90 acres of the rest of the Sumner tract. To my brother Solomon Williams - all the land I bought of Montfort where I now live, including the mill. To my brother Joseph John Williams - all my land in Halifax County lying on Fishing Creek. To Samuel Williams (son of my brother William Williams) - 160 pounds. To William Williams (son of my brother William Willams - 160 pounds. To the surviving children of Elizabeth Johnston (daughter of my brother William Williams) - 160 pounds to divide among them. Remaining estate to be divided between my brothers Solomon and Joseph John. Executors: brothers Solomon and Joseph John, my friend James Alston, Gabriel Long Wit: Wm. Williams, Sam. Williams ==================================
There is a tantalizing possible clue in the following will for Samuel Williams, the father of the above Samuel, who died in 1754 Edgecombe County, which mentions a slave named PRISS. It is very possible that this is one and the same PRISCILLA GREEN, who could be older than previously thought.
From "Edgecombe County Will Abstracts 1732-1792" Entry #443:
SAMUEL WILLIAMS - 24 Oct 1753 - Feb. Ct 1754 Original- Secy. of State
"...being sick of body..."
Son WILLIAM WILLIAMS - twenty shillings. Son SOLOMON WILLIAMS - twenty shillings and the first Negro child born on the plantation. Grandson SAMUEL WILLIAMS - Negro Patt. Son SAMUEL WILLIAMS - 100 acres in Mush Island which I bought of ROBERT LONG, also 100 pounds. Wife ELIZABETH WILLIAMS - Negroes Mingo, Coob, PRISS and Lucey. Son JOS. JOHN WILLIAMS - plantation where I now live, also the plantation I bought of JOHN BURT, also 150 acres which I bought of JOHN EGERTON, also 100 acres adjoining the mill and 290 acres adj. YANCEY's line and the Reedy Branch. Sons SAMUEL and JOSEPH JOHN - Negroes Brister, Tom, London, Easop, Diner, Hashey, Hannah, Cloye, Molly, Essex, Rachel, Broomfield and Penny. Remaining estate to be divided between my wife and my sons SAMUEL and JOSEPH JOHN.
Ex: son WILLIAM, son SOLOMON, friends PHILIP ALSTON, BENJAMIN WYNN
Wit: THOS. KEARNEY, EDMOND KEARNEY, JAMES ALSTON
There seem to be no records indicating what happened to Charity after her emancipation in 1798, however supposing that she was among the people in Thomas Green's household of 13 in 1800, it is possible that she was one of the daughters referred to in their Emancipation Records as having a child born after 1791, "also the increase of the said Pris and her female children, since the date of the last Will of the said Williams."(see Citation for Emancipation Records for full text). I suspect that Priscilla Green who married Samuel Lowry may have been her daughter. With Charity being the oldest daughter, and there being no record of anyone Priscilla's age in Breny's household, I believe that it is likely that Priscilla Green being the daughter of Charity. And since Thomas Green only mentions that he had "four daughters" in his will, I don't think it likely that Priscilla was his daughter since she was alive in 1850. However, I have included Priscilla Green (born 1796) as a daughter of Thomas Green until I find other verifiable evidence to the contrary.
SAMUEL WILLIAMS Written Feb. 21, 1791, probated February Court 1791. "...being sick in body.." My Negroes Crese and her son TOM, his wife PRISS, and her five children ALLEN, CHARITY, BRYNA, WILLIE, and CRESE, should be set free, but as the laws of this state will not allow this, I desire they and their heirs should pay one penny each annually for ninety-nine years to my friend James Alston until they can obtain their freedom. To my said servant CRESE, 10 acres of land in the tract I bought of Sumner. To my servant, TOM -90 acres of the rest of the Sumner tract. To my brother Solomon Williams - all the land I bought of Montfort where I now live, including the mill. To my brother Joseph John Williams - all my land in Halifax County lying on Fishing Creek. To Samuel Williams (son of my brother William Williams) - 160 pounds. To William Williams (son of my brother William Willams - 160 pounds. To the surviving children of Elizabeth Johnston (daughter of my brother William Williams) - 160 pounds to divide among them. Remaining estate to be divided between my brothers Solomon and Joseph John. Executors: brothers Solomon and Joseph John, my friend James Alston, Gabriel Long Wit: Wm. Williams, Sam. Williams ==================================
MARY POLLY GREEN lived with her sister, Elizabeth until their deaths. Neither one of them ever married.
For years, there were rumors that the old ladies had buried treasure in the yard somewhere, but I think my findings have put those rumors to rest. There wasn't much of a fortune left for them to bury, but oh, what wonderful stories they were.
10. Elizabeth GREEN
ELIZABETH "BETT" GREEN lived on the old family homestead in Greentown with her sister Mary Polly, until their deaths, neither one of them having married in their lifetimes. There were many stories about buried treasure on the old family property, but they were really just that, stories. The remnants of the old family homestead can still be seen on the land owned by the family, but they are nothing more than old crumbling foundation stones.
11. Lucy GREEN
WILL OF THOMAS GREEN OF WARREN COUNTY,NC, DIED 1850
Thomas Green was listed in the 1850 Census of Warren County, North Carolina, as Mulatto, age 69, along with his wife Priscilla, daughters Polly, Elizabeth, Lucy, and Nancy. He also had children William and Creecy, who were already married at that time. He also shows in the Warren County census for the years 1800 - 1840 as the head of a large household first showing with 13 free and 2 slaves in 1800. The following is a transcription of his will which is referred to in Warren Co. Original Wills, 1780- 1931, CR 100.801.8. I have copied it the way it was written, but have added brackets [] with what I think the interpretation should be where needed:
I, Thomas Green of the County of Warren, in the State of North Carolina, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, but in a feeble state of health, do make this my last will and testament in manner and form following -
Item 1st. I give to my daughter Creecy Evans (10) ten acres of land whereon she now lives, so as to include the houses to be laid off in such manner as she may desire. It is my intention, however, that she should have the land during her life, and at her death, it should descend to the children my son William now has or may hereafter have.
Item 2. I give to my wife Priscilla during her lifetime, all my land (except the ten acres before lent to my daughter Creecy Evans). Also all of my stock of every description, my household and kitchen furniture, plantation utensils - crop of corn fodder, wheat oats cotton & tobo [tobacco].
Item 3rd. After the death of my wife Priscilla, I give to my four daughters, Polly, Betsey, Lucy, and Nancy Green one hundred and ten (110) acres of the land I have given my wife during her life. Beginning on the Wolf Pit Branch some four hundred yards below my spring, and running in any direction my four daughters may think proper so as to include my dwelling house, and leave out my son William’s house - It is further my wish and desire that my four daughters Polly, Betsey, Lucy, and Nancy should have all the perishable property I have given my wife after her death, to be equally divided between them, share and share alike -
The land I have given to my four daughters in case either of them should die without ifsue [issue], it is my wish that the surviving daughters should have the portions given to the one dying, and so on to the last, which last surviving one shall have it in forsimple [?]-
Item 4th. After the death of my wife, it is my desire that the land not given to my four daughters, shall be given to the children my son William now has or may hereafter have to them and their heirs -
I acknowledge this to be my last will and testament, in witnefs [witness] hereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the 15th day of August A.D. 1848.[Signed] Thomas Green [his mark = X] [SEAL]
Witness: J. Buxton Williams
Geo. W. Alston.