The Wake Forest Historical Museum held a book club Zoom meeting last week about the book “They Were Her Slaves,” about women who managed slaves and plantations. We are in the midst of a national debate about how to treat our history of slavery with numbers of people unwilling or unaware of that true history.
And as North Carolinians many of us have held to the myth that there were few slaveholders in the Piedmont.
Along with almost all the deeds to our land and house that we received from the former owners, one deed was for a slave, Phyllis, age 13. Dr. Leroy Chappell bought her January 3, 1863 in Lenoir County shortly after he bought our house and moved his family from Kinston. The Chappells, three generations, would live here for 100 years.
The first owners of our house, James and Mary Purefoy, were given two slaves by her father, Foster Fort, as a marriage gift and may have received more slaves from his father, John Purefoy.
Foster Fort was a prosperous farmer and mill owner who helped the nascent Wake Forest College when it was a manual institute for the education of future Baptist ministers as well as boys from local well-to-do families. He, most likely his slaves, plowed some fields and provided seed to the institute. His land, 827 acres, which was on the low side compared to the other landowners at the time – The four Alston family members owned a total of 6,513 acres in 1837 and 87 slaves – was on Horse Creek (the Lowery tract) and another tract nearby. Fort’s two sons later owned a grist mill on Kemp’s Spring Branch (now Spring Branch) according to an 1872 map.
The final count of slaves Fort owned was 24 named slaves in his 1843 will plus eight unnamed slaves he had given to his four married daughters, or 32 in all.
The will reads:
I Foster Fort of the County of Wake and State of North Carolina being of sound mind and disposing (?) memory in the fear of God do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following (to wit)
Item 1. It is my desire that all my just debts be first paid.
Item 2. I loan to my Wife Elizabeth H. J. Fort during her natural life or widowhood the tract of land whereon I now reside including my mills and all the appurtenances, also my stock of provisions on hand of every description, my stock of horses, cows, sheep, hogs with all of my farming tools, and every description of tools, also my household and kitchen furniture of every kind, and also the following negros (sic) (to wit) my carpenters Sam, Jim, Nelson, Henderson, Joshua, Harry, my old man Isaac and Su, Collen my negro woman Sis, and Laura, Clara and her child Lucy, Charity and her child Mily (sic) and Jinny, and it is my desire that my wife keep together all of my family and educate my son John, and if any of my children should marry or choose to settle to themselves after coming of age it is my desire my wife give them one bed and stead and furniture, one (indecipherable) cow and calf, one sow and pigs. And after the death of my wife it is my wish that all of the above mentioned property except that hereinafter disposed of be equally divided among all my children (to wit) Eliza A. D. Fort, Sarah W. Clifton, Clara L. Rogers, Mary R. Purify, Emily W. Brooks, Henrietta R. Fort, Junius W. Fort and John J. F. Fort. It is my desire that my wife enjoy the proceeds of my Bank Stock during her life that it may be disposed of hereinafter, namely my Rail Road stock I wish all my children equally to enjoy.
Item 3. It is my wish and hereby bequeath to my daughter Sarah W. Clifton all of the property I have heretofore put in her possession and at the death of my wife one sixth part of my bank stock.
Item 4. I bequeath to my daughter Clara L. Rogers all of the property which I have put in her possession and at the death of my wife one sixth part of my Bank Stock.
Item 5. I hereby give and bequeath to my daughter Mary R. Purify all the property which I have put in her possession and at the death of my wife one sixth part of my Bank Stock.
Item 6. I bequeath to my daughter Emily W. Brooks all the property I have heretofore put in her possession and one six part of my Bank Stock.
Item 7. I bequeath to my daughter Eliza A.D. Fort one negro Boy named Neal (?) and one girl by the name of Helen, one horse, cow and calf, sow and pigs, Bed and Stead and furniture and at the death of my wife the Gold Watch which I now own and one sixth part of my Bank Stock.
Item 8. I bequeath to my son Junius W. Fort my tract of land known as the Lowery tract on the waters of horse creek. Also one negro (sic) man named Lewis and a negro Girl by the name of Tabby – one horse, cow and calf, sow and pigs, Bed furniture, Bedstead and also my Large Gun and Brace of pistols.
Item 9. I give and bequeath to my daughter Henrietta R. Fort one negro boy named Starlen (?) and a negro girl by the name of Harriet, one bed and furniture, one horse, one cow and calf, one sow and pigs, and one sixth part of my Bank Stock.
Item 10. I give and bequeath to my son John J. F. Fort the tract of land whereon I now reside, including my mills and the appurtenances after the death of my wife Elizabeth H. J. Fort. Also one negro boy by the name of Watkins and one Girl named Rachel and one horse, one cow and calf, one sow and pigs, Bed and furniture. Also my small Shot Gun.
Item 11. I hereby constitute and appoint my wife Elizabeth H. J. Fort and Junius W. Fort executors to this my last Will and Testament in Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 13th day of October 1843.
Foster Fort and his seal
In presents of
John K. Fleming
Jos. A. Hicks
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