These pages contain a wealth of information transcribed from obscure and fragile, original documents housed at the North Carolina State Archives. Every attempt has been made to transcribe the complete collection, including partial or fragmented documents. Papers were listed under the general headings of "Slaves and Free Negroes," "Slaves and Free Persons of Color" and "Miscellaneous Records." McDowell County, established from Rutherford and Burke in 1842, was named for Colonel Joseph McDowell, and is bound by Burke, Rutherford, Henderson, Buncombe, Yancey, Mitchell and Avery counties. Marion is the county seat. Anyone researching this area will want to add this rich catalog of names to their library. Interactions between Black and White are displayed on both legal and domestic levels, giving the reader a vivid account of everyday life in the Antebellum South. The criminal cases are filled with intrigue involving murder, felonies, arson, trading with slaves, disturbing the peace, and other petty crimes. Records are grouped by category, including: Criminal Actions, Civil Actions, Petition Exparte, and Miscellaneous. A table of cases for criminal and civil actions, a full name and subject index, and a glossary of legal terms augment this work. This is the seventh Heritage Book by these authors in the "North Carolina and Free Persons of Color" series. This is Mr. Byrd's eleventh Heritage Book.
William L. Byrd, III and John H. Smith
(2002), 2007, 5.5" x 8.5", paper, index, 344 pp.
ISBN: 9780788422898
101-B2289
