From the Elizabeth Moore Collection No. 322 East Carolina Manuscript
Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville,
N. C. For research and study only, not for deposit in other respositories.
Most manuscripts are protected by copyright laws; permission to publish
must be presented.
RICHARD SMITH
VS
JOHN NELSON
Personally appeared before us, John Northern who in the Presence of both
Plaintiff and defendant in this cause, being first sworn on the Holy
Evangelists of Almighty God, deposeth and saith that sometime in the fall
of the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty, he was hired by the
defendant John Nelson to gather pease &c, and that early in the morning
before any of the rest of the white people were up, he came down stairs
into the hall where said Nelson lodged, and saw said Nelson in bed and
also saw Deborah Smith, wife of the plaintiff Richard Smith in the same
bed with him the said John Nelson, the defendant and a child of said
Nelson about five years of age lying between them, who all appeared to be
asleep at that time, and this deponent further saith he never saw any
indecent freedoms between said Nelson and said Deborah Smith before or
after he saw them in bed together and further this deponent saith not.
His
John x. Northern
Mark
Sworn to before us this fifth day of July 1782.
William Tisdale, J. P. (seal) Thos. Sitgreaves, J. P. (seal)
Back to Craven County Court Records