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Recorded deaths at the Poor House in Orange County, North Carolina |
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The following names and dates were taken from various sources, including Orange County's Wardens of the Poor Proceedings, 1854-1879 (microfilmed by the North Carolina Department of Archives and History, and kept at the Orange County Public Library in Hillsborough, North Carolina), and from U.S. Census records for Orange County, North Carolina.
The fiscal year for the poor house was from September to September of each year. In the pre-1858 records viewed, either names were illegible, deaths were not listed, or I wasn't able to find them. There were no records for 1862-1865 (roughly the Civil War-era) on the microfilms I accessed. Names in parentheses are other possible spellings; some first and/or last names may be mis-transcribed, and a few race descriptions will likely be incorrect.
The records do not state if the people recorded as having died at the poor house were buried in the poor house cemetery or if their bodies were claimed by the family and buried elsewhere; however, it is likely that most if not all people who died at the Poor House were buried in its cemetery.
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1858 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Bridgett Castleberry
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unknown
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May 2
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White
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Bradley Collins
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unknown
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June 5
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White
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A Bradley Collins is listed in the 1840 Federal Census for Orange County
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Susan Durham
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Circa 1790
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October 3
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White
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Listed in the 1850 Federal Census for Orange County as living in the Poor House; she is also listed as "insane"
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1859 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Hannah Cabe
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unknown
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April 6
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White
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George Nelson
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Circa 1795
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June 30
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White
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A farmer named George Nelson is listed in the 1850 Federal Census for Orange County
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Francis Hopkins
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unknown
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February 14
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White
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Stacy Carden
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Circa 1775
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February 29
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White
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Her husband, Reuben, also was a resident of the Poor House; both are listed in post-1800 Orange County censuses
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1860 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Levi Mendenhall
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Circa 1770
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May 1
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Black
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A Levi Mendenhall is listed as living in the home of architect John Berry (!) in the 1850 Federal Census for Orange County
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Hannah Carson (Carsen)
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Circa 1810
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September 15
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White
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A Hannah Carson is listed in the 1850 Federal Census for Orange County
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1861 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Benjamin Carroll
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Circa 1795
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March 7
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White
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A "labourer" named Benjamin Carroll is listed in the 1850 Federal Census for Orange County (another Benjamin Carroll is also listed as having been born circa 1842)
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Tennepee (Tennessee) Martin
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Circa 1809
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March 15
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White
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A Tennessee Martin is listed in the 1840 and 1850 Federal Censuses for Orange County
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James Hope
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unknown
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March 15
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White
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Aaron Durham
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Circa 1776
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May 28
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White
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Listed in the 1860 Federal Census for Orange County as a "pauper" living in the Poor House
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George W. Barbee
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unknown
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August 8
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White
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Moses Jones
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Circa 1763
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August 8
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White
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Listed in the 1860 Federal Census for Orange County as a "pauper" living in the Poor House
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Susan Glenn's child
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July 7, 1861
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July 7
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White
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1866 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Jollie Revel
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unknown
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October 5
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Black
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"colored freeman"
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1867 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Charles
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unknown
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February 16
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Black
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"colored freedman"
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Jack King
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unknown
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March 27
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Black
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"colored freedman"
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1868 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Susan Ruffin
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unknown
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January 14
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Black
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Claripes (Clasipes) Hailey
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unknown
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February 27
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White
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Margaret Terrell
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unknown
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June 8
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White
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Alvis Allen
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unknown
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August 16
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White
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Mary Seyerck (Sayevek)
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unknown
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September 12
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White
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Daniel Clemmons
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Circa 1801
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October 12
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White
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A labourer named Daniel Clemmons is listed in the 1850 census for Orange County
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Isabella George
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unknown
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November 20
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White
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Thomas Hinton
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unknown
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November 28
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White
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1869 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Joel Mitchell
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unknown
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March 16
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White
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Stanford Morse (Moore)
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unknown
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March 22
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White
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Nathaniel Revel (Revels)
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Circa 1800
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September 7
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"Mulatto"
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"accidentally poisoned"; a laborer named Nat Revils is listed in the 1860 census for Orange County as living in the household of Rachel (spelled "Rachail") Bain
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Hester Tapp
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Circa 1778
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October 8
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Black
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"cut with an axe"
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Gift Barbee (Hardy)
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Circa 1770
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October 17
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Black
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Died of old age
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Nicey Self
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Circa 1820
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October 12
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White
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Died of "dropsy of chest" (edema)
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Child of Harriet (Hanes) Scott
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unknown
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October 12
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White
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Daniel Walker
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Circa 1780
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October 29
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Black
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Died of "dropsy of whole body" (edema)
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1870 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Sally Foster (Larter)
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Circa 1780
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February 22
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White
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Died of "dropsy of whole body" (edema)
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Joseph Cook (Cash)
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Circa 1854
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March 9
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Black
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Died of "consumption" (tuberculosis)
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Margaret Ann Burton (Benton)
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unknown
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June 25
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White
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Nancy Blalock
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unknown
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December 12
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White
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1871 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Robert Jeffreys
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Circa 1767
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February 8
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White
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Listed in the 1870 Federal Census for Orange County as a "pauper" living in the Poor House
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Samuel Burns
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unknown
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February 12
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White
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Fanny Williams
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unknown
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April 1
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White
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W C Scott
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unknown
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May 12
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White
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"child of Hariet Scott"
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Lucy Laws
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Circa 1789
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July 6
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White
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Listed in the 1870 Federal Census for Orange County as a "pauper" living in the Poor House
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Phebe Self
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Circa 1769
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July 14
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White
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Listed in the 1870 Federal Census for Orange County as a "pauper" living in the Poor House
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Milly Hopkins
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unknown
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November 12
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White
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1872 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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James Mangum
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Circa 1840
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March 12
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Black
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"accidentally killed"; listed in the 1870 Federal Census for Orange County as a "pauper" living in the Poor House and as "idiotic"
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Riley Coure (Couse, Crese)
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unknown
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March 12
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White
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Jerry Purefoy
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Circa 1780
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March 12
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White
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Listed in the 1870 Federal Census for Orange County as a "pauper" living in the Poor House
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Joseph (Josef) Paul
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Circa 1785
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March 18
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Black
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Listed in the 1870 Federal Census for Orange County as a "pauper" living in the Poor House
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Samuel Foster
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unknown
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March 25
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White
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Mahala Bunn
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unknown
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June 22
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White
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Betsy Porter
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unknown
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September 22
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White
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Child of Martha Burton (Burtin)
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September 27, 1872
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November 22
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White
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25-year old Martha Burton (and her six-month old daughter, Margaret) is listed in the 1870 Federal Census for Orange County as a "pauper" living in the Poor House
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John Carroll
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unknown
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November 7
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White
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1873 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Hannah Ray
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Circa 1810
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January 13
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White
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Green Williams
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Circa 1795
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December 28
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White
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Listed in the 1870 Orange County census as living in Bingham Township
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Seodocia Ann Roberts
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unknown
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September 17
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White
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Ann Whitaker
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unknown
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December 26
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White
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1874 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Sarah Ivey
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unknown
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April 23
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White
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Hiram Riley
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Circa 1809
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July 5
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White
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Listed in the 1870 Federal Census for Orange County as a "pauper" living in the Poor House and as "idiotic"
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Emeline Marris (Massis)
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unknown
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August 28
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Black
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1875 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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James (Jonces) Mayo
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unknown
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January 23
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White
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Zackick (Zadwick) Ward
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unknown
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March 13
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White
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Nelson Sears (Seuss)
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unknown
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May 7
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White
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Elizabeth Elkins
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unknown
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July 6
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White
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Sally Ann Ray
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unknown
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July 15
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White
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Had a child (also named Sally Ann) born January 8
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George Freeland
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unknown
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September 20
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Black
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David Ray
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unknown
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October 29
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White
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1876 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Jane Nevill
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unknown
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January 20
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Black
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William Vickers
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unknown
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February 6
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White
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Johann Council
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Circa 1829
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March 6
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Black
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Listed in the 1870 Federal Census for Orange County as a "pauper" living in the Poor House
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Stephen Jackson
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unknown
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March 28
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White
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Frank Terry
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June 9, 1876
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June 12
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White
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"child"
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Lee (Leroy) Couch
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Circa 1800
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June 25
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White
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Employed for several years as a nurse for UNC students; once lived east of Chapel Hill. For more information, read this excerpt from Battle's 1907 history of UNC.
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Gilly Ware (Wair)
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Circa 1780-1785
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June 27
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White
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Nicknamed "Granny"; husband Samuel died circa 1831; listed in the 1870 Federal Census for Orange County as living in the Poor House
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John Elkins
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unknown
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August 4
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White
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1877 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Samuel Douglass
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unknown
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February 29
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Black
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Fred Cameron
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unknown
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March 15
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Black
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Sewanny Riley
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unknown
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July 10
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White
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Mary E. Jeffers
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unknown
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September 12
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White
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Dilsey Rasbury
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Circa 1800
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December 29
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Black
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Listed in the 1870 census for Orange County, as a domestic servant for the (Lemuel) Lynch family living in Hillsborough
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1878 |
Name
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Date of birth
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Date of death
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Race
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Notes
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Dicey Hall
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unknown
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June 9
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White
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Elizabeth Jacobs
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unknown
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June 16
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White
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Easter Faucett
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unknown
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July 30
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White
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George Daniel
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unknown
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unknown
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Black
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John Walker
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unknown
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unknown
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Black
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Poor House residents whose deaths were recorded in the 1880 Federal Census mortality schedule for Orange County |
Name
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Birth
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Death
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Race
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Notes
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Susannah Poteat
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Circa 1868
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September 1879
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unknown
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Died of diptheria (may not have died at Poor House, but in vicinity)
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Susan Chavis
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Circa 1810
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November 1879
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Black
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Died of chronic diarrhea
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James Rucker
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Circa 1797
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January 1880
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unknown
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Died of old age
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Betsey Tayler (Taylor)
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Circa 1817
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February 1880
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White
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Died of epilepsy
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John Terrell
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Circa March 1880
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May 1880
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White
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Cause of death unknown
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Thomas D. Palmer
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Circa July 1879
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July 1880
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unknown
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Died of cholera (may not have died at Poor House, but in vicinity)
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Those whose burials and/or coffins or burial clothing were paid for or reimbursed for by the poor house (but burial site is unknown) |
Name
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Year
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Reimbursement
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Notes
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L. Jeffreys
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1850
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"Burial expenses"
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A Littleton Jeffreys, age 80, is listed in the 1850 Federal Census for Orange County as living at the Poor House
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Mrs. Sutton
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1857
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coffin
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There is a Malinda Sutton, age 30, listed in the 1850 Federal Census for Orange County (but not the 1860 census)
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Minerva Chamblee
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1857
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burial clothes
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Mrs. (Wm., Willis, Phillis, Phyllis) Woods
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1859/1860
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burial
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A Phillis Woods (born circa 1795) is listed in the 1860 Federal Census for Orange County as living in the Poor House
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William Corey (Coray)
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1859/1860
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burial
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Sam Archer
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1859/1860
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coffin
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A Samuel Archer (born circa 1820) is listed in the 1850 Federal Census for Orange County
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Mary Wilkins
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1860/1861
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coffin
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A Mary Wilkins (born 1859) is listed in the 1860 Federal Census for Orange County
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Polly Borland
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1860/1861
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coffin
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Nancy Lashley
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1860/1861
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coffin
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A Nancy Lashley (born circa 1849) and Nancy Lashley (born circa 1815) are listed in the 1860 Federal Census for Orange County
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Other individuals who are known to be buried at the Poor House |
Name
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Birth
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Death
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Race
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Notes
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Cyrus Guy
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Circa 1845
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December 1869
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"Mulatto"
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Lynched by the KKK; for more information, read this webpage on Cyrus Guy
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Robert Taylor
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May 28, 1897
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October 18, 1931
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Black
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Born in Jackson County, Florida. Served in the U. S. Army (serial number 2908690) during World War I in Company C, 547th Engineers Service Battalion; served in France from 25 October 1918 to 12 July 1919, honorably discharged 22 July 1919. Died in Durham, NC.
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Brinkley Bynum
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Circa 1846
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August 4, 1935
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Black
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Lived in Chapel Hill prior to his death, and had been a slave of the Stone family of Chatham County prior to emancipation, and served as a personal slave of the Stone brothers during their service in the war. His tombstone inscription reads: "He served faithfully with the Confederate Army as body-servant to Kearney and Crosley Stone of Chatham County"; a Carney Stone (1818-1912) is listed in the 1860 Federal Census in the Eastern District of Chatham County with two male slaves between the age of 13 and 15, one of which could be Brinkley; "Crosley" is probably mispelled as well, and is likely "Crosby." Brinkley died of "chronic cardio-vascular renal disease" while at the County Home; his tombstone incorrectly lists his date of death as August 3. His 1901 Civil War pension can be found online (PDF file).
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Thomas Allred
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June 15, 1884
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February 6, 1971
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White
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Lived near Mebane and died at Triangle Nursing Home #2 of a "cerebrovascular accident" (i.e. stroke)
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For further reading and research on the poor house:
The U.S. Federal Censuses for Orange County, North Carolina (for 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930) have the residents of the Poor House/Home for the Aged and Infirm/County Home listed together. Earlier census may also list residences, but the information is recorded differently.
The library system at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the State Archives in Raleigh, and the NC Room in the Orange County Public Library in Hillsborough each have microfilm and/or original documents.
The book Public Poor Relief in North Carolina by Roy Melton Brown (1976).
The book Orange County 1752-1952 by Lefler and Wager (1953) has information on the poor house in the "History of the County Government" chapter.
The Durham-Orange County Genealogical Society ("DOGS") newsletter The Trading Path for Spring 1995 has some transcribed information on poor house residents.
The defunct Orange County newspaper Hillsborough Recorder (1820-1879) often had death and/or burial notices.
The annual reports of the Board of Public Charities of North Carolina discuss each county's poor house.
Mary C. Engstrom's cemetery survey notes: Page 1; Page 2; Page 3 (thanks to Milton Forsyth for providing these)
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[Page created: 22 December 2008; Last updated: 18 April 2016]
Questions? Comments? E-mail me at: orangecountync[at]gmail[dot]com
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