Orange Guyton (abt. 1827 - 1898)

Born about 1827 in South Carolina [uncertain]

Biography

Orange Guyton is a part of US Black heritage.

Orange Guyton was born about 1827. He passed away in 1898.

He was born into slavery. In 1840, as a young teenager ("boy"), he was bequeathed by Aaron Guyton to his son Guyton Guyton. Both these slave holders lived in Anderson County, South Carolina.

In 1866, Orange and a fellow freed man Martin Gambrell signed an employment contract to farm the land of Louisa O. Hammond. The contract does not mention additional family members and it appears that the two men were single at that time.

By 1870, Orange was married to a woman named Sarah and was working as a farm laborer in Anderson County. He was a Grand Juror for Anderson County in 1876.

According to the 1880 U.S. Census, Orange continued to live and farm in the county he had lived in before emancipation. He was married to a woman named Sarah.

In August,1898, Orange was the victim of an attempted murder or manslaughter by a local white man. It was described callously in the newspapers:^[1]

A Wonderful Pistol Shot. The danger of the careless use of a pistol is illustrated in a recent occurrence in Anderson county. Ludwig [?]orman was in the road leading from Anderson to Belton; he drew his pistol and fired in the air; the bullet in its descent struck Orange Guyton, colored, on his upper lip, passed through his mouth into his throat, and was found during a "post-mortem" examination in Guyton's stomach. Two of his front teeth and a part of his jaw were knocked out, but his tongue was not cut through.

Orange subsequently died from his injuries. He had no will and the small value of his estate was taken by creditors for his medical bills and coffin. His wife Sarah is not mentioned in the probate papers and may have predeceased Orange.

1866 Employment Contract

State of South Carolina: Anderson District Articles of agreement between L.O. [or L.C.?] Hammond and Martin Gambrell and Orange Guyton are as follows[:] the said L.O. Hammon on her part agrees to rent for the year 1866 the Bottom Land joining Mr. Smith and Tessy Gambrell and One Upland field joining Mr. Learwell. She also agrees to let them have a Mule for its [??] food. She is not to furnish them with food or clothing.

The said Martin Gambrill and Orange Guyton agree on their part to cultivate the above Lands to the best advantage and to do what ditching is necessary to be done on the Bottoms at their own expense, to keep up and repair the fencing. They also agree to pay the said L.O. Hammond one half (1/2) of all that is raised on the Bottom Land and one third (1/3) that is made on the Upland when the crop is gathered in the fall. The above named Mule is only to be used for the farming pupose and returned at the expiration of the above named time in as good condition as it was when the above named Martin Gambrell and Orange Guyton took charge of it. The above named Orange is to occupy a house in the yard of the above named L.O. Hammond[;] he agrees on his part to conduct himself orderly and to keep good order about the yard also to assist in furnishing firewood.

Louisa O Hammond

Martin Gambrell X His Mark

Orange Guyton X His Mark

Jan 1st 1866

Test. M.E. Mitchell, J.C. Donscott

Sources

1. ↑ The County Record (Kingstree, SC), 15 Sept 1898,

• South Carolina Wills & Probate Records, 1670-1980, database and images (of transcripts), Ancestry.com, accessed 9 Jun 2018 [1]. Author: Anderson County (South Carolina). Probate Judge; Probate Place: Anderson, South Carolina

Name: Aaron Guyton

Probate Date: 14 Feb 1840 (this is the will date)

Probate Place: Anderson, South Carolina, USA

Inferred Death Year: Abt 1840

Inferred Death Place: South Carolina, USA

Recorded in Will book B, Page 134; Recorded November 16, 1841; Proved November 16, 1841

1840 will mentioning Orange, an enslaved child ("boy") bequeathed to Guyton Guyton.

• "United States, Freedmen's Bureau Labor Contracts, Indenture and Apprenticeship Records, 1865-1872," database with images, FamilySearch ([2] : accessed 3 April 2019), Orange Guyton, 01 Jan 1866; citing Employment, Anderson, South Carolina, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1910, Records of the field offices for the state of South Carolina, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 46; FHL microfilm 2,427,129.

• "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch ([3] : 12 April 2016), Orange Guyton, South Carolina, United States; citing p. 11, family 76, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,981

Orange Guyton Male 42 South Carolina; Farm Laborer

Sarah Guyton Female 39 South Carolina; Keeping House

Citty Brown Female 11 South Carolina; At Home

Residence: Broadway Township, Anderson County, South Carolina

• ‘Grand and Petit Jurors’ in The Anderson Intelligencer, 20 Jan 1876, image 3. Image Available at the U.S. Library of Congress Chronicling America website [4] accessed 22 Marc 2021

Orange Guyton, (col). Grand Juror for Anderson County, 7 Feb

Adam Guyton (col). Petit Juror for Anderson County, 7 Feb

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch ([5] : 15 July 2017), Orange Guyton, 1880; citing enumeration district ED 31, sheet 291B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d), roll 1219; FHL microfilm 1,255,219.

Orange Guyton Self Male 53 South Carolina, United States; occupation: Farmer

Sarah Guyton Wife Female 48 South Carolina, United States

Residence: Honea Path, Anderson, South Carolina, United States

• The County Record (Kingstree, SC), 15 Sept 1898, Image 7. Available at HistoricNewspapers.SC.edu [6] accessed 22 Mar 2021

note -- have corrected obvious typos from transcripted article A Hayes

• South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980: Anderson: Estate Records, 4189 2-4257, 1896-1899 [7]

Signed letter making Reuben Owens the administrator of the Orange Guyton estate. 22 September 1898

Letter stating that Orange Guyton died 17 August (1898), Intestate, leaving an estate valued at $25

Probate papers include various claims against the estate for Orange Guyton’s coffin and medical bills, etc..