The Slaves of Joseph John Alston II, North Carolina

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Chatham, North Carolina, United States
Surnames/tags: Alston Slavery

Aspen Hall Plantation, Chatham County, North Carolina

Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Census Records 1.2 From the will of Joseph John Alston II 1.3 Cemeteries 2 Sources

Introduction

This page is dedicated to the enslaved, held in slavery by Joseph John Alston II (1767-1841), their parents and their descendants. The Alston family legacy begins in Edgecombe, Halifax County, and this branch leads and ends in Pittsboro, Chatham County. Pittsboro is located about 16 miles east of Siler City.

Census Records

In the 1790 Census, Joseph John Alston is listed as the owner of 11 slaves. ^[1]

In the 1800 census Joseph held 32 enslaved people in Hallifax, Halifax, North Carolina.^[2]

By 1820 he held 153 enslaved people in Chatham, North Carolina.^[3]

In 1840 he had reduced his slave holdings to 34 in Chatham, North Carolina, giving most of them to his children ahead of his death in 1841.^[4]

From the will of Joseph John Alston II

Note: Chatham Jack's will bequeathed the slaves that he had already given each of his children previously.

Lot No.1 consisting of the following slaves is assigned to SAMUEL S. JACKSON, son-in law to daughter Elizabeth K. Alston

MINGO

DAVID (#1)

BOB

WILLIAM

ALSTON

LEVI

ESTHER "large"

PATSEY

THENEY

NANCY & Child

SINA and two children

HANNAH

MARY "short" & 2 children

SAM

TEMPY

WINNEY

AMBROSE

ANNA

GABE

Lot No. 2 to MRS. MARGARET COTTEN:

EDMUND,

DAVID (#2)

BOCKNER,

THOMAS,

MACKLIN,

JUDA,

EVALINE,

ESTHER;

RODIN,

LANY & Child,

ANGELLA & Child,

ELLEN and two Children,

DINA,

BLACK WINNY and 2 children

Lot No. 3 to MRS EMELINE HAMLIN:

PETER,

AMERICA,

GIDEON,

ALDRIDGE,

ISABEL,

YOUNG SYLVIA,

MARGARET,

LOUISA,

PATSEY and two children,

BETHANY and child,

LAURA and child,

CHARITY,

WILLIAM,

RODY and two children.

Lot No. 4 to JOHN J. JACKSON - [blank]

Lot No. 5 to JOHN A. COTTEN - Girl ANNA

Lot No. 6 to JOHN J. ALSTON - Girl KISSIA

Lot No. 7 to JOSEPH J. HAMLIN - [blank]

Lot No. 8 to JOSEPH JOHN ALSTON - NANCY

---

Chatham Jack Alston's Estate:

LIST OF SLAVES HIRED out to following persons on January 3, 1843

LEVI (Samuel Jackson) to Thomas Harris

PETER (Emaline Hamlin) to J. H. Hawkins

EDMUND (Margaret Cotton) to Wm. Dorsett

ALDREDGE (Emaline Hamlin) to Saml Cruchfield

DAVE - James Sellers

AMERICA (Emaline Hamlin) to J. Haralson

DAVID - J. Haralson

AUGUSTIN - J. Haralson

GID(eon) (Emaline Hamlin) to J. J. Palmer

MINGO (Samuel Jackson) to Wm. N. Craven

THOMAS (Margaret Cotton) to J. J. Palmer

SAM (Samuel Jackson) to John Rowe

BOCKNER (Margaret Cotton) to J. Haralson

CHATHAM - Harman Burk

RODIN (Margaret Cotton) to Wm. Rowe

MACKLIN (Margaret Cotton) Wm Dausett

WILLIAM (Emaline Hamlin) to Wm. Bridges

ALSTON (Samuel Jackson) to Richard Paterson

BOB (Samuel Jackson) to Daniel Baker

MARY - Frank Selph

ISABEL (Emaline Hamlin) George W. Stedman

JUDA (Margaret Cotton) to Porter Stedman

PATSY (Emaline Hamlin) to George Burns

ESTER - Arch'd Pounds (not sure which one)

LAURA (Emaline Hamlin) to Phillip Alston

LOUISA (Emaline Hamlin) to Henry Burns

NANCY (Samuel Jackson) to Wm Lindsey

DINAH (Margaret Cotton) to Wm. Paterson

SILVY (Silvia) (Emaline Hamlin) to Newton Bryant

EVALINE (Margaret Cotton) to Rich'd Paterson

MARGARET (Emaline Hamlin) to W.A. Hamlin

MARY (Samuel Jackson) to Wm. Linley

SILVY - Marshall Gardner

WILLIAM - Henry Fields

SINAH (Samuel Jackson) to Alvis Mirick

PATSY - Wm. Dausett

BETHANY - A. Fleming

TEMPY (Samuel Jackson) to Martin Hanks

LANY (Margaret Cotton) Ruffin Burns

ARRENA - Wm A. Hamlin

ANZILLA - Gideon Alston

EASTER - Wm Lindley

THENY (Samuel Jackson) to E. Hinton

JINNY - Wm. Lindley

HANAH (Samuel Jackson) to Gordon Phillps

NANCY (Joseph John Alston) to O.A. Tyson

EASTER - M. Gardner

Expenses for keeping Slaves for the same year:

CHARITY - ARCH'D POUNDS - $7.75

WINEY & 3 Children - PHILLIP ALSTON - 32.50

BLACK WINEY & 4 Children - FRANK SELF - 38.50

RODY & 2 Children - SAML BROOKS - 1.25

ELLEN & 2 Children - THOS. ROBERTS - 10.00

OLD BOCHNER - PHILLIP ALSTON - 13.50

Cemeteries

The final resting places of many of the former enslaved are most likely to be found on the plantation properties or in the local AME Cemeteries. There are many Alstons (# in parentheses) buried in:

• Mitchell Chapel AME Zion Church Cemetery (144) Oldest BD 1822
• Evans Chapel AME Zion Church Cemetery (90) Oldest BD 1820
• Corinth AME Zion Church Cemetery (15)
• Terrells Chapel AME Zion Cemetery (13)
• Hamlet Chapel CME Church Cemetery (6)
• Gees Grove AME Zion Cemetery (4)
• Centenial AME Zion Church Cemetery (3)

Sources

1. ↑ 1790 Census: "1790 United States Federal Census"
   The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC; First Census of the United States, 1790.; Year: 1790; Census Place: Edgecombe, Halifax, North Carolina; Series: M637; Roll: 7; Page: 457; Family History Library Film: 0568147
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5058 #172584 (accessed 12 December 2022)
   Joseph, Jno Alston in Edgecombe, Halifax, North Carolina.
2. ↑ 1800 Census:"1800 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1800; Census Place: Hallifax, Halifax, North Carolina; Series: M32; Roll: 30; Page: 286; Image: 287; Family History Library Film: 337906
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7590 #314574 (accessed 12 December 2022)
   Jos John Alston in Hallifax, Halifax, North Carolina.
3. ↑ 1820 Census: "1820 United States Federal Census"
   1820 U S Census; Census Place: Chatham, North Carolina; Page: 218; NARA Roll: M33_82; Image: 129
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7734 #359914 (accessed 12 December 2022)
   Jos Jno Alston in Chatham, North Carolina.
4. ↑ 1840 Census:"1840 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1840; Census Place: Chatham, North Carolina; Roll: 357; Page: 150; Family History Library Film: 0018093
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8057 #2538055 (accessed 12 December 2022)
   Joseph Aldon in Chatham, North Carolina.

• The above names were researched and transcribed by Deloris Williams: https://www.ncgenweb.us/ncstate/plantations/aspenhall-chatham.htm
• Chatham County, North Carolina Will Bk. C, pg. 120, Chatham Co., N.C. Probated Aug. term, 1841. C.022.80001, page 525-526 (120,121,122,123,124).