Somerset Place Plantation

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Washington, North Carolina, United States
Surnames/tags: Collins Slavery Black heritage

Plantations Index

North Carolina Plantations

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Surnames on the Chowan County, NC state census 1784-1787 1.2 Slaves 1.2.1 Lot A to Ann D. Collins 1.2.2 Lot B to Josiah Collins III 1.2.3 Lot C to Henrietta E. Collins 1.2.4 Lot D to Hugh W. Collins 1.2.5 Lot E to John D. Collins 1.2.6 Lot F to Louisa M. Collins 1.2.7 Lot G to Elizabeth A. Collins 1.2.8 Lot H to Ann Collins Page 1.3 Census 2 Sources

Biography

Between 1785 and 1865 Somerset Place was one of the most successful plantations in North Carolina, and it was one of the largest plantations in the Upper South. Located in present-day Washington County on Lake Phelps, Somerset Place was officially created in 1816 after Josiah Collins Sr. bought his partners’ shares in the Lake Company. The land and infrastructure of the plantation was previously part of the Lake Company’s holdings that was in operation since 1785.

The Lake Company imported 80 native Africans from West Africa specifically for the Lake Phelps project. Their African port of embarkation, ethnic background, native language, and tribal identity are still unknown. Two of the native Africans, Old Alfred and Old Aunt Sally, lived until 1850 and influenced the foodways, cultural traditions, and spiritual beliefs of the entire enslaved community. ^[1]

In the 1790s, the Lake Company owned 109,978 acres of land around Lake Phelps in Washington and Tyrrell counties, 113 slaves, two saw mills, a gristmill, and a rice machine.

When Collins and his son, Josiah Collins II, became the owners of the Lake Company, it was renamed Somerset Place after the county in England where Collins, Sr. was born.

Three generations of the Collins family owned the plantation over an eighty year tenure. More than 861 enslaved people, two free black employees, and around fifty white employees lived and labored on the 100,000-acre rice, corn, and wheat plantation from 1785 to 1865.^[2] When the Civil War came to North Carolina in October 1862, Josiah Collins moved 171 enslaved further south in Confederate territory to a new plantation called Hurry Scurry. Some of the enslaved below ended up there.

Surnames on the Chowan County, NC state census 1784-1787

These heads of household share the same surname as some of the enslaved below:^[3] Dickinson, Payne, Cararrus, Iredell, Littlejohn, Blount, Beasley

Slaves

The two native Africans mentioned in the source, Old Alfred and Old Aunt Sally, live until 1850. Neither are on the following probate division lists.

Records of the enslaved at Somerset place can be found in Chowan Co, NC. When Josiah Collins II died in 1839, his property was divided amongst his heirs. The following 337 names are the enslaved as they were divided and to whom they went.^[4] Research Note - The third generation needs its own space page, however the Census records are sourced here on this page.

Lot A to Ann D. Collins

Lot A to Ann D. Collins, 38 enslaved

• Welcome age 34
• Mary Ann age 63
• Maria age 36
• Jackson age 5
• Isaac Suton age 38
• Lydia Sarkeny age 44 (note-possibly this is Lydia, mother of Peter Gaskins
• Peter Gaskins age 24
• Hannah age 20
• Scotty age 36, & child Joannah
• Mary Ann age 17
• Harriet age 13
• Jim age 2
• Emily age 18
• Rachel age 20, & child William
• Lavinia age 29, & child Joshua
• William age 5
• Cooper age 47
• Tony Welcome age 59
• Kate Drew age 45
• Charlotte Drew age 22, & child Mourning - Charlotte Drew is on the list of those who were sent to Hurry Scurry
• York age 20
• Lawrence age 24
• Peter King age 19
• Hamilton age 16
• Caroline age 25, & child ?--eloky
• Nancy Phelps age 15
• Melvina age 21
• Zilpha age 26
• Becky Jones age 49
• Edward age 15
• Melvin age 22
• Murriah age 58
• Aaron age 51

Lot B to Josiah Collins III

Lot B to Josiah Collins III, 32 enslaved

• Moses Phelps age 42
• Juba age 42
• Eliza Gaskins age 26, & child Landonia
• Lafayette age 3
• William Penny age 24
• Dick Blount age 30
• Abigail age 24
• Jack Baum age 32
• Mack Treadwell age 25
• Amy age 22, & child Eve
• Henry age 28
• William Blount age 24
• Rhoda age 23
• Bet Jones age 32, & child Edward
• Dillah age 67
• Solomon age 10
• Clarkey age 4
• Becky Jones age 2
• Sarah Drew age 45
• Simon age 26
• Winney age 15
• Serenia age 12
• John Trotter age 10
• Joe Welcome age 65 (on list of those sent to Hurry Scurry Plantation)
• John Iredell age 18 ended up at Faunsdale Plantation
• Hercules age 17
• Joe Barbara age 27
• Jerry Haskins age 26
• Penny Grey age 39 foolish

Lot C to Henrietta E. Collins

Lot C to Henrietta E. Collins, 43 enslaved

• John Taylor age 42
• Molly age 38
• Ursus age 15
• Solomon age 45
• Charity age 41, & child Jerry
• Maria age 13
• Dave age 10
• Rachael age 4
• Randal age 8
• Lucinda age 2
• Solomon age 19
• Isaac age 16
• Priscilla age 22, & child John Roberts
• Daniel age 18
• Milly age 13
• Maria age 10
• Penny age 25, & child Teny
• Annis Phelps age 40, & child Sophia
• Pateena Fox age 22
• Maria Fox age 19, & child Riley
• Diana Fox age 16
• Charity Fox age 13
• Mary Fox age 11
• Clarissa age 44
• Marinda age 8
• Lucy age 29
• Betty age 11
• Rose age 3
• Old Tom age 79
• Betty Miller age 80
• Ishmael age 69
• Ben Teny age 14
• Lettice age 15
• Peter age 55
• Teny age 43
• Joe Cararrus age 24
• Sam Barrow age 21
• Jacob Sumner age 48

Lot D to Hugh W. Collins

Lot D to Hugh W. Collins, 39 enslaved

• Austin age 36
• Tamer age 39 & infant
• Milly age 8
• Malvina age 6
• Nelly age 5
• Dave Murdaugh age 19
• Becky age 14
• Henry age 11
• Penelope age 23
• Mary Newbern age 24
• Jenny age 65
• Nanny age 42
• Alfred age 19
• Fanny age 26, & children Betty and Celia
• Sall age 37
• Murriah age 10
• George Jones age 45
• Charlotte age 13
• Ned Haughton age 58
• Nelson age 28
• Tom age 26
• Caroline age 22
• Ann age 20
• Grandville age 17
• Nancy age 15
• Emily age 12
• John age 13
• Maria age 6
• Alick Miller age 37
• Charles age 49 (Caulker)
• Caroline age 21, & children Hester and Tresa
• Jack Simons age 50
• Ned Taylor age 55
• Peg age 64

Lot E to John D. Collins

Lot E to John D. Collins, 44 enslaved

• Aleck Crucy age 49
• John age 23
• Mary age 18
• Alick Crucy Jr. age 15
• Tom age 13
• Jim age 12
• Sally Ann age 10
• Bill Beasley age 38 (cooper)
• George Bartlett age 48
• Phillis age 48
• Elizabeth age 9
• Alfred age 4
• Susan age 19
• Washington age 16
• William age 12
• Fanny age 26
• Daniel age 3
• Esther Paine (no age given), & child Shadrack
• Scotty age 7
• Airey age 2
• Washington age 46
• Pheribe age 25, & child Cherry
• Mima age 50
• King Jun age 12 (blind)
• Prissa age 9
• Dick age 8
• Myrtilla age 27
• Alex King age 13
• Cora age 16
• Seyllia Patience age 47
• Catherine age 23, & child Spencer
• Venus age 34
• Prince age 13
• Tom age 12
• Mary age 2
• Jerry Gramberry age 57
• Chloe Pratt age 30
• Mills age 10
• Providence age 18
• Jack Cobarrus age 42
• Lucius age 47

Lot F to Louisa M. Collins

Lot F to Louisa M. Collins, 52 enslaved

• Hannah, age 52
• Adeline, age 21
• Milton, age 30
• Chloe, age 54
• Sall, age 30
• Becky, age 27
• Cassius, Becky's child (no age given)
• Charlotte, age 23
• Adeline, Charlotte's child (no age given)
• Jack Kite/Kidd, age 20
• Nancy, age 11
• Charity, age 11
• Joan, age 33
• Rosetta, Joan's child (no age given)
• Willis, age 8
• Teresa, age 4
• Daniel, age 24
• Anna, age 16
• Eliza, age 27
• Johnson, child of Eliza, no name, no age given
• Venus, age 9
• Margarett, 8
• Boston, age 3
• Barbara, age 52
• Margarett, age 15
• Catherine, age 24
• Lovina, child of Catherine (no age given)
• Dinah, child of Catherine (no age given)
• Wellington, age 24
• Stephen, age 20
• Celia, age 49
• Quough, age 9
• Peg, age 19
• Margaret, child of Peg (no age given)
• Milly, age 16
• Esther, age 11
• Providence, age 11
• Cyrus, age 16
• Calista, age 21
• Kate, age 22
• Solomon, Kate's child (no age given)
• Miles, age 46
• Moses, age 43
• Isaac, age 67
• Long, age 48

Lot G to Elizabeth A. Collins

Lot G to Elizabeth A. Collins, 42 enslaved

• Peter Marsh age 54
• Elsie age 44
• Fed Elsie age 20
• Mary Elsie age 18 & infant Felman
• Peter Elsie age 16
• George Elsie age 15
• Dave Paine age 13
• Saml Cudge age 12
• Luckey age 10
• Tennessee age 4
• Quorintiru age 2
• Dick Hoskins age 71
• Amy Gramberry age 53
• Violet Hoskins age 24
• Brutus age 16
• Amy Wood age 13
• Wallace age 22
• Julius Caezar age 18
• Dick Hoskins age 71
• Kit age 79
• Jack Swine age 49
• Betty Jack age 41, & child Rosa
• Jack Swine Jr. age 19
• Mathias age 11
• Mary Levine age 10
• Anderson age 3
• Granville age 27
• Susan age 26
• Charles age 24
• Bet Brutus age 27, & child Hobart
• Beckey Brutus age 14
• Ellen age 5
• Annette age 3
• Penny age 36, & child Handson
• Henry age 3?
• Jinney age 12
• David Phelps age 22
• Dave Bartlette age 36

Lot H to Ann Collins Page

Lot H to Ann Collins Page, 47 enslaved

• Alick Haughton age 42
• Lettia age 39, & child Mills
• Bonitta age 13
• Maria age 9
• Harry age 7
• Jeffrey age 5
• Patience age 2
• Venus age 22
• Martha age 16
• Sally age 10
• Gilbert age 40
• Phillis Drew age 36
• Jenny Manuel age 9
• Simus age 3
• Mosswell age 22
• Eliza age 25
• Alfred age 8
• Nancy age 2
• Amy age 43
• Mills age 3
• Venus age 14 (blind)
• Rose age 12 (blind)
• Josiah Bartlett age 40
• Joshua age 56
• Simon Bartlette age 44
• Molly age 45
• Joe Bartlett age 10
• Miranda age 20
• Tamah age 14
• Dave Gramberry age 50
• Violet age 52
• Mary age 12
• Charlotte age 2
• Sylta age 9
• Thompson age 21
• Martha age 18
• Harriet age 11
• Job age 10
• Hamilton age 15
• Hanibal age 45
• Jinny age 38
• Alfred age 9
• Fanny age 7
• Augustus twin age 2 1/2
• Emily twin age 2 1/2
• Stephen Nixon age 46
• Neel Cokeby age 9

• A list of 29 Negroes at Lake Phelps, July 1, 1839 compiled by Dorothy Spruill Redford can be found at this website: https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/somerset-place/history/enslaved-community/somerset-names

The original list: 282 names listed: 132 male and 150 female

Census

In 1790 Josiah Collins is found on the census in Edenton, Chowan Co, NC.^[5]

• 30 enslaved persons

1800 Census Edenton, Chowan Co, NC^[6]

• 40 enslaved persons

1810 Census, Edenton, Chowan Co, NC^[7]

• 140 enslaved persons

Josiah Collins I dies in 1819.

1820 Census, Josiah Collins II held 119 slaves in Chowan Co, NC^[8]

• 119 total enslaved
• 40 in Agriculture
• 4 in Manufacturing
• 23 males to age 14
• 16 males ages 14-26
• 19 males ages 26-45
• 6 males ages 45 and up
• 26 females to age 14
• 12 females ages 14-26
• 13 females ages 26-45
• 4 females ages 45 and up

1830 census Josiah Collins in Chowan Co, NC^[9]

• 205 enslaved and 3 free persons of color
• 39 male slaves under age 10
• 19 male slaves ages 10-24
• 8 male slaves ages 24-36
• 31 male slaves ages 36-55
• 9 male slaves ages 55-100

• 36 female slaves under age 10
• 25 female slaves ages 10-24
• 17 female slaves ages 24-36
• 14 female slaves ages 36-55
• 7 female slaves ages 55-100

• 1 free color male under age 10
• 1 free color female under age 10
• 1 free color female age 10-24

1830 census, Josiah Collins Jr. in Washington Co, NC^[10]

• 227 total enslaved persons
• 37 male slaves under age 10
• 36 male slaves ages 10-24
• 27 male slaves ages 24-36
• 7 male slaves ages 36-55
• 10 male slaves ages 55-100

• 34 female slaves under age 10
• 39 female slaves ages 10-24
• 12 female slaves ages 24-36
• 9 female slaves ages 36-55
• 16 female slaves ages 55-100

1840 census Josiah Collins in Chowan Co, NC^[11]

• 191 total enslaved
• 23 male slaves under age 10
• 35 male slaves age 10-24
• 2 male slaves age 24-36
• 23 male slaves age 36-55
• 12 male slaves ages 55-100

• 19 female slaves under age 10
• 41 female slaves ages 10-24
• 8 female slaves ages 24-36
• 23 female slaves ages 36-55
• 5 female slaves ages 55-100

• 110 in agriculture
• 22 in manufacturing
• 3 blind
• 1 insane or idiot

1850 census Josiah Collins in Washington Co, NC^[12]

• 288 total enslaved persons

1860 census Josiah Collins in Washington Co, NC^[13]

• 327 total enslaved persons

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZich2u1Oxk
2. ↑ https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/somerset-place/history/civil-war-somerset-place
3. ↑ 1787 Census: "North Carolina, U.S., State Census, 1784-1787"
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 3005 #1137 (accessed 2 December 2022)
   Josiah Collins in Chowan.
4. ↑ Petitions to County Court, 1816-1841: "Petitions to County Court, 1816-1841"
   Catalog: Petitions to County Court, 1816-1841 Petitions to County Court, 1816-1841
   Film number: 007513284 > image 314 of 346
   FamilySearch Image (accessed 29 January 2022)
5. ↑ United States Census, 1790:"United States Census, 1790"
   Image path: United States Census, 1790 > North Carolina > Chowan > Not Stated > image 2 of 8; Citing NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Image (accessed 29 January 2022)*1790 Census
6. ↑ United States Census, 1800: "United States Census, 1800"
   Image path: United States Census, 1800 > North Carolina > Chowan > Edenton > image 3 of 7; Citing NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Image (accessed 29 January 2022)*1800 Census
7. ↑ United States Census, 1810: "United States Census, 1810"
   Image path: United States Census, 1810 > North Carolina > Chowan > Edenton > image 2 of 9; Citing NARA microfilm publication M252, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Image (accessed 29 January 2022)*1810 Census
8. ↑ United States Census, 1820:"United States Census, 1820"
   Image path: United States Census, 1820 > North Carolina > Chowan > Not Stated > image 5 of 19; Citing NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Image (accessed 29 January 2022)*1820 census
9. ↑ United States Census, 1830: "United States Census, 1830"
   Image path: United States Census, 1830 > North Carolina > Chowan > Not Stated > image 28 of 50; Citing NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   FamilySearch Image (accessed 29 January 2022)
10. ↑ United States Census, 1830: "United States Census, 1830"
    Image path: United States Census, 1830 > North Carolina > Washington > Not Stated > image 30 of 50; Citing NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
    FamilySearch Image (accessed 29 January 2022)
11. ↑ United States Census, 1840: "United States Census, 1840"
    Image path: United States Census, 1840 > North Carolina > Chowan > Edenton > image 12 of 12; Citing NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
    FamilySearch Image (accessed 29 January 2022)
12. ↑ United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850 : "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850"
    Image path: United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850 > North Carolina > Washington > Washington county > image 12 of 27; Citing NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
    i=11&cc=1420440&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AHRW4-8RT2 FamilySearch Image (accessed 29 January 2022)*1850 census, Washington Co, NC, p.922-927
13. ↑ United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860: "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860"
    Image path: United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860 > North Carolina > Washington County > Other > image 22 of 26; Citing NARA microfilm publication M653 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
    FamilySearch Image (accessed 29 January 2022)*1860 census Washington Co, NC, p.22-26

• https://northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/somerset-place-plantation/
• VIDEO: The Enslaved Community at Somerset: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZich2u1Oxk