Cornelius Wesley Coghill Collection, PC.2133

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Cornelius Wesley Coghill Collection, PC.2133

Abstract

Cornelius Wesley Coghill (1879-1938), born in Vance County, to Kinchen W. and Fannie Lassiter Coghill, moved to Rocky Mount, Nash County, in 1889. He was an insurance and real estate executive, and collected these materials during the course of his career. Papers include indentures land grants, plats, promissory notes, receipts, a bond of apprenticeship, concerning various families and originating in several North Carolina counties, primarily Halifax and Northampton, with a small quantity from Bute, Craven, Edgecombe, Granville, and Hyde counties. There are two slave bills of sale, 1837, naming children Doona, Hilliard, Jacob and a man, Jarrot, transferred to Dr. Matt C. Whitaker, Halifax County. Includes an 1861 annual report of the Fairfield Canal Company, Hyde County, and other material of interest.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Cornelius Wesley Coghill Collection
Call Number
PC.2133
Creator
Coghill, Cornelius Wesley
Date
1753-1861
Repository
State Archives of North Carolina

Series Quick Links

  1. Collection Contents

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], PC.2133, Cornelius Wesley Coghill Collection, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, N.C., USA.

Collection Overview

Papers include indentures land grants, plats, promissory notes, receipts, a bond of apprenticeship, and other materials from individuals and families including but not limited to the Fort, Kinchen, Webb, Ricks, Whitaker, Wooten families and originating in several North Carolina counties, primarily Halifax and Northampton. There is a State of North Carolina Ordnance, a printed copy of the period, 21 July 1788, in regard to future meetings of the General Assembly and referencing the plantation of Isaac Hunter. There are three fragments, 1796, concerning commissions, justice of the peace, appointed under John Sevier, County of Washington, State of Tennessee. There is an indenture, 1799, between Silas Long, guardian of orphans of Benjamin Bryan, Northampton County and Elias Forte, Halifax County. Additionally, there is small quantity of material from Bute, Craven, Edgecombe, Granville, and Hyde counties, from the latter part of the 18th century as late as 1861, such as an 1832 indenture issued by the Hyde County Wardens of the Poor for one hundred acres to several citizens, including David Carter.

Of particular interest, there are two slave bills of sale, in transactions, Halifax County from Robert Ransom (father of Robert E. Ransom, a Confederate general) to Dr. Matt C. Whitaker, May and December 1837 and naming Doona, a six year-old girl, a man named Jarrot, a fourteen year-old boy Hilliard, and an eight year-old named Jacob. [See PC.865.Robert Jansom, Jr. (1828-1892) Papers.]

Papers also include a third and final annual report of the Fairfield Canal Company, dated April 1861, by the president, David Carter, Hyde County, and a drawing of the area. The only item in the collection that seems related to Coghill's ancestral line is an Indenture of Apprenticeship, assigned to James O'Kelly Coghill (ca. 1812-1900), Granville County, 1839. This was for a three-year old orphan, Parthenia J. Mitchell, who was to be trained as a "Spinstress," with the requirement of learning to read and write struck through. For the most part, the connections among these individuals and families is unknown unless stated in a particular document. The only item in the collection that seems related directly related to Coghill's ancestral line is an Indenture of Apprenticeship, assigned to James O'Kelly Coghill (ca. 1812-1900), Granville County. He may have been related to the Kinchen family, Halifax and Northampton counties.

Arrangement Note

Chronological

Biographical/Historical

Cornelius Wesley Coghill (1879-1938) was born in Vance County, in or near Henderson, to Kinchen W. and Fannie Lassiter Coghill. He moved to Rocky Mount in 1889, and at the age of 10 began to work in the Bank of Rocky Mount as an errand boy. Eventually his career was in insurance and real estate, and Coghill was active in Presbyterian, civic, and fraternal affairs. He had been chancellor commander of the Grand Lodge in the Knights of Pythias, grand chancellor of the state organization, and imperial representative of Ziza Temple. Coghill was also a member of the board of directors of the Pythian Orphanage at Clayton. In the Masonic order he was a member of both the Scottish and York Rites. In 1904 he was married to Meta Chappell, who died in 1911. In 1917 Coghill married the former Rose Putney of Charleston, West Virginia. He was survived by his wife and three children, C. W. Coghill, Jr. a student at the time at Davidson College, Henry Coghill of Rocky Mount, and Mrs. Pauline Coghill Dixon, the only child by his first wife.

Contents of the Collection

Collection Contents
Copies of Conveyances, dated 6 Feb. 1753, Robert Laney to Nicholas Edmunds, and 1809 copy by Joseph Gee of conveyance of 1727 of James Gee and wife to Robert Carlisle.
Folder 1, PC2133.1A
Survey/Map of Forts Tract, with reference to deed of [Robert] Carlisle and wife to James Gee, with penciled notes regarding trees cut and endorsement [?] of Britton Hood, ca. 6 July 1753.
Folder 2, PC2133.1B
Indenture, 2 Feb. 1771, between Thomas and Margaret Willburn, and Thomas Webb, Northampton County.
Folder 3, PC2133.1C
Indenture, 7 March 1772, between John Bradford, Robert and Mary Ricks, John and Patience Wooten and Gough Whitaker, Halifax County.
Folder 4, PC2133.1D
Obligation/Promissory Note, 20 January 1776, William Kinchen and Joseph Montfort to Thomas Webb, Northampton County.
Folder 5, PC2133.1E
Indenture, 1 March 1784, John Kinchen, Town of Halifax and Thomas Webb, Northampton County
Folder 6, PC2133.1F
State of North Carolina, Ordnance of 21 July 1788, Convention at Hillsborough (with a reference to Plantation of Isaac Hunter)
Folder 7, PC2133.1G
Obligation, 9 Sept 1793, of James Carney, Joseph Leech, Richard D. Spaight, all of Craven County to John Tillman, Chairman Craven County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions
Folder 8, PC2133.1H
Fragments (3), ca. 1796, John Sevier, County of Washington, State of Tennessee, Commission of John Norwood, Nathan Shipley, Thomas Brown, Jonathan Tully, Justice of Peace; one references George Hinkle, County of Washington
Folder 9, PC2133.1I
Indenture, 6 Dec 1799, between Silas Long, guardian of orphans of Benjamin Bryan, Northampton County, and Elias Forte, Halifax County
Folder 10, PC2133.1J
Indenture, 9 July 1806, John A. Gray to Samuel McCullock, Halifax County
Folder 11, PC2133.1K
Certification of Service, April 1816 as witness for defense, Halifax Superior Court: John Howell in State vs. Abram Ricks. For court attendance and travel of 20 miles
Folder 12, PC2133.1L
Obligation, 21 August 1827, to Ricks Fort by Elias Fort, Isaac Fort, Martha Felton, Halifax County
Folder 13, PC2133.1M
Indenture, 22 June 1832, Nathaniel Credle and David Carter, Stephen Owens, C. Benfor, Nasa Farrow, et al, Wardens of the Poor for 100 acres, Hyde County
Folder 14, PC2133.1N
Slave Bill of Sale [a trade], 24 May 1837, of a girl, Doona, aged about six by R.[Robert] Ransom to Dr. Matt [Matthew] C. [Cary] Whitaker, in exchange for a Negro man [slave] named Jarrot, with such trade being within the extended family of Halifax County since Robert Ransom was married in 1822 in Halifax County to the sister of Matt C. Whitaker, Priscilla West Coffield Whitaker (ca. 1800-1848).
Folder 15, PC2133.1O

Transcription -
Slave Bill of Sale, 24 May 1837, by R. Ransom
For and in consideration of one Negro man named Jarrot which I hold and have received of D. [Dr.] Mat [sic] C. Whitaker I have this day bargained Sold and delivered unto the said Matt C. Whitaker, one Negro girl (Slave) named Doona, which girl I warrant a good and ? Lawful unto the D. Whitaker, against the claim or claims of all persons. Witness my hand & Seal this 24th day of May 1837.
R. Ransom (seal)

Slave Bill of Sale, 2 December 1837, Hilliard, aged about 14, and Jacob, aged about 8, from Ro.[Robert] Ransom to [Dr.] Matthew C. [Cary] Whitaker, [Halifax County]
Folder 16, PC2133.1P

Transcription -
For and in consideration of the sum of six hundred and forty eight Dollar. 84/100 in two notes on [?] with Interest from the 1st [?] 1831 to me in hand paid by Mat [sic] C. Whitaker. I have bargained Sold and delivered and by these present do bargain Sell and deliver Two Negro Boys, Hilliard and Jacob, Slaves for life. Hilliard aged about fourteen , and Jacob about eight to him and his heirs against this Claim or Claims of all and every person or persons. I warrant and defend as good and lawful Title. Witness my hand and seal this the 2nd day December 1837.
Rob. [Robert] Ransom.
The conditions of the above Bill of Sale is if the said Thom. [Thomas] G. Johnson fails to pay to R. Ransom the full amt of Notes with Interest that the said Whitaker is to pay it, the day and date above. Rob. [Robert] Ransom.

Receipt from Thomas Mason in Thomas Mason vs. T.H.B. Gregory, 9 Jan. 1837 [no county named]
Folder 17, PC2133.1Q
Indenture of Apprenticeship, 4 Feb. 1839, between Thomas B. Littlejohn, Chairman of the County Court, Granville County and James O. [O'Kelly] Coghill (ca. 1812-1890), that Coghill agree to care for and instruct, orphan, aged three, named Parthenia J. Mitchell and instruct said Apprentice in the "art and mystery of a Spinstress" [with "to read and write" struck through on the document].
Folder 18, PC2133.1R
Indenture/Land, 6 November 1841, between Enoch Simmons and David Carter, Hyde County.
Folder 19, PC2133.1S
Receipt for dues, 1846, to Royal White Hart [?] Lodge No. 2, Halifax to Grand Lodge of North Carolina and Received from A.L. Stith and M.C. Whitaker.
Folder 20, PC2133.1T
Fairfield Canal Company, Hyde County, 3rd Annual Report [2 pages, handwritten], with hand drawn map of the vicinity, April 1861, President, David Carter (ca. 1801-1862).
Folder 21, PC2133.1U
Deed of Gift, 1756, Edgecombe County, Purchased by Samuel Hackney from John Pryor, and given to son, Jennings Hackney, 38 acres.
Folder 22, PC2133.2A
Indenture/Granville Land Grant, with attached plat/survey, 10 December 1760, Thomas Davis, Halifax County, 700 acres.
Folder 23, PC2133.2B
Deed, 22 Nov. 1760, Edgecombe County, Jacob Whitehead to Nathaniel Bradford, 100 acres.
Folder 24, PC2133.2C
Indenture, 1 Jan. 1777, William Kinchen and Sarah, his wife, of Parish of St. George, County of Northampton, and Thomas Webb, same parish and county, 40 acres.
Folder 25, PC2133.2D
Indenture, 4 Dec. 1778, John Tanner, Bute County to Samuel Vickelson, heir of Thomas Vickelson, Halifax County, 150 acres.
Folder 26, PC2133.2E
Land grant, 4 March 1780, plat (1779) North Carolina, to Edmund Daniel, Halifax County, 636 acres.
Folder 27, PC2133.2F
Indenture, 1808, September, Halifax County, Samuel Leak to James Sharp, 100 acres.
Folder 28, PC2133.2G

Subject Headings

  • Slave bills of sale
  • Northampton County (N.C.)
  • Halifax County (N.C.)
  • Bute County (N.C.)
  • Hyde County (N.C.)
  • Acquisitions Information

    Transfer of collection, 3 August 2012, from the Braswell Memorial Library, 727 N. Grace St., Rocky Mount, N.C. 27804 . Originally the collection was a gift to the library by the widow of C.W. Coghill, Rose Putney Coghill, 1960.

    Processing Information

  • Processed by Fran Tracy-Walls, 2015; Finding aid by Fran Tracy-Walls, December 2015