This section of the website is a formal apology on my part for the struggles that face every African American held in bondage by my ancestors. If you are a Quinn descendant from Duplin County during slavery. I have extracted the names of all the people they held as slaves and see them in the Estate & Probate Documents and present them only for the sake of helping their descendants in knowing just a little bit more about their ancestors.
I want to note that the institution of Slavery only arises after the American Revolution and these men, women and children had already been enslaved and then gifted to Quarter-Master Sergeant Caleb Quin(1745c-1833) and his wife Virginia Jane " Jenny" Quin (1761-1840), the daughter of Col. Amos Johnston Born circa 1727 (possibly in Isle of Wight, VA) to Captain Jacob Johnston Sr., he settled in what became Johnston County, NC, by 1762, where he purchased land crazycrow.com+15genealogy.com+15revwarapps.org+15.
The first enslaved Africans arrived to our dominion from the following individual. Col. Amos Johnston when Caleb married his daughter on 6 Nov 1787. Col. Johnston GIFT DEEDED the new couple with Fanny in "April Fools" day, 1 Apr 1798.
Here is what I have been able to extract from my family's old wills and probate records.
34 Transactions for 49 Individuals
Oral Histories & Recollections
In 2011, I interviewed an elder known to me as "Granny Quinn" née Jones" in Smith Township, Craven County. She confirmed oral accounts that many African American families associated with the Quinns that lived in Wolfscrape and were descendants of those enslaved by Frank Quinn.
According to her, Kinsey Jones, who married Narcissa "Nursey" Quinn (Frank’s 1/2 sister), had both a white and a Black and White family and was raising children in both households. Granny Quinn’s memories included names such as Zilphia “Zip” Quinn and details about Red Hill Road, Herring’s Marsh, and Kinsey’s Mill. She expressed anger toward the Jones family for erasing this past, but has great pride in her connection to the legacy of survival. Her story adds critical nuance to this reconstruction of enslaved communities. She reported to me that Kinsey Jones was buried in the Slave Graveyard in Duplin County as his family hated him emphatically.
Kinsey was interviewed shortly after the US Civil War and here is a little bit more information on him.. There is a surviving account attributed to Kinsey Jones. "There is a worrying observation that so many local “Fire-Eaters” (militant secessionists) dominated public life that “it was not safe for a man to open his mouth,” suggesting he supported the Union or opposed Confederate excess.
“Fire-Eaters” were radical pro-slavery Southern politicians and agitators who, before and during the Civil War, aggressively pushed for secession and defended slavery against all opposition. Characteristics included:
Grannie Quinn further recollected that there was great love for my ancestor Frank Quinn because she said he was kind and always brought them food and sweets. Frank would provide his half-sister Narcissa with all her provisions beginning when Frank was very you until he left for the Civil War as a Confederate. Kinsey had an African American Family and a White family through Narcissa. The last little bit was about her last name or surname Quinn. I was told that the only reason that all his slaves took the last name Quinn was due to Frank. There are two Frank Quinn men in the records of Duplin County. One an African American and the other White. She said as we were growing up that Frank's reason for fighting for slavery was not talked about, she only knew that all the slaves he held when the war started, all lived in houses with only their families and that everyone knew of the two families supported by Frank. Here is more detail on the oddity.
On the 1860 United States Census for Duplin County we have 2 parts Slave Schedule Part A (Right) and then part B transcribed by me as it was not readable as an image due to a poor scan by the archivist.. On the 1860 Slave Schedule - W.F. Quinn “owned” 14 people.
According to the 1860 Schedule 2: Slave Inhabitants of Duplin County, North Carolina (July 12, 1860), W.F. Quinn reported owning multiple enslaved individuals, housed in five separate buildings:
Building 1:
Building 2:
Building 3:
Building 4:
Building 5: A three-part barn with tack room, loft, and stable, housing enslaved individuals connected to livestock and labor. Despite the seemingly organized housing, no justification can excuse the cruelty of bondage. The count is not described.
List 17 Slaves belonging to W.F. Quinn.
Frank Quinn was involved in a few NC Regiments as follows:
December 28, 1861
Gatlin Dragoons
Edward W. Ward’s Company of Calvary July 21, 1862
Transfer
July 21, 1862
North Carolina 1st Cavalry 9th Regiment, Company I February 22, 1863 Discharge | Disability
2nd Enlistment
July 11, 1863
North Carolina 2nd Regiment of Artillery,
36th Regiment, First Company I (Herring Artillery)
Herring’s Artillery was a Confederate artillery unit from Duplin County, North Carolina, formally known as Company G, 3rd Battalion North Carolina Light Artillery. Here's a historical overview:
Each artillery company in the battalion was designated a letter (A through G), with Company G being Herring’s unit.
While Herring’s Artillery did not operate as a mobile field battery like some others, it participated in:
Their primary function was manning fixed artillery positions—cannon placements in earthworks and coastal forts, fending off Union advances via land and sea.
Many men from Duplin County served in this unit, and muster rolls show that they were often farmers, blacksmiths, and tradesmen conscripted or volunteering to defend local territories.
Footnote: Frank would in December 1865 after repatriation marry the daughter of Lt. Herring's sister Julia Ann Garner née Herring.. Julia at the start of the war was sent to St. Mary's School in Raleigh where she met with Robert E. Lee's family that had arrived a few days earlier.
November 4, 1863
Unit Re-Designated November 4, 1863 to the North Carolina 3rd Regiment of Artlllery 40th Regiment, Third Company G
January 15, 1865
Wounded - Battery Buchanan
Captured at Surrender of Fort Fisher
Battery Buchanan – January 15, 1865
The Final Stand at Fort Fisher, North Carolina
Battery Buchanan was a key Confederate fortification located at the southern tip of New Hanover County, North Carolina, on Federal Point, just southwest of Fort Fisher. It was named after Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan and was designed to:
It housed heavy seacoast artillery and overlooked the waterway approach, making it a vital part of Wilmington’s defensive system—the last major Confederate port open to blockade runners by late 1864.
Around 9:30 p.m., Confederate Major James Reilly, the battery’s commanding officer, surrendered Battery Buchanan to the Union, marking the end of Confederate control over Fort Fisher and effectively sealing the fate of Wilmington.
January 15, 1865
Transported to POW Camp to Hammond General Hospital
Point Lookout, St. Mary’s County, Maryland March, 1865
Prisoner of War
March, 1865
Transferred from Hammond General Hospital to Point Lookout POW Camp, St. Mary’s County, Maryland assigned 3rd Division, Company E. Treated for a light canon wound to left leg. Did not receive the standard of the Civil War in an amputation.
Records indicate he received his full allowance of clothing, bedding cold weather materials per prison records.
.
June 17, 1865
Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America
Footnote:
After the Second Battle of Fort Fisher (January 13–15, 1865), Union forces captured 1,154 Confederate soldiers. The De Molay was one of four steamers alongside the California, General Lyon, and North Point all were used to transport these prisoners northward.
warfarehistorynetwork.com+2nccivilwarcenter.org+2americanhistorycentral.com+2.
Frank was transported via the De Molay according to Union records in my hands, obtained from the Library of Congress along with Muster Sheets, Material Isse Sheets along with Frank's Medical Record. He was 5' 11" as I am, had dark hair as I did, and a dark complexion as I once did. I have a sympathy wound on my left thigh. Genetics Hard at Work.
He was later repatriated on June 17, 1865, and married JuliaAnn Garner on December 20, 1865 as afore mentioned.
Company E, 4th U.S. Colored Infantry
Formed post-Emancipation Proclamation, Company E was stationed at Fort Lincoln, tasked with defending Washington, D.C., and operating Camp Hoffman and Point Lookout POW Camp. Comprised entirely of former slaves from eastern North Carolina, they received Fort Fisher prisoners after its fall on January 15, 1865. These men had escaped during the Union advance on New Bern in 1862 and resettled in towns like Cove City and Dover.
Legacy of Slaves - Short Narrative
Princeville, Cove City, and Africatown stand as enduring reminders of Black resilience. These towns were either founded or populated largely by formerly enslaved people, and despite natural disasters and systemic challenges, they endure. Princeville, notably, was incorporated in 1885 and is the oldest town in the U.S. chartered by African Americans.
Though the names and facts shared here are pieced together through documents, interviews, and memory, they represent a mosaic of lives—real people whose suffering and strength define the American story. This work is for them.
Princeville, North Carolina, holds a profound place in American history—it’s the first town in the U.S. chartered and governed by African Americans. Here's its remarkable story:
Princeville, NC - Origins: From Slavery to Freedom Hill (1865)
Incorporation & Growth (1885)
Challenges: Racism, Economy, & Politics
The Tar River: Blessing & Curse
Resilience & Rebirth
Cultural & Historical Significance
In Summary
From a settlement in the swampy floodplain to the nation’s first Black-incorporated town, Princeville’s story is one of faith, failure, determination, and rebirth. It’s a living chapter of American history—facing environmental challenges but anchored in fierce cultural pride. As NC State’s professors ask: Would we give up on Jamestown after a flood? And the residents of Princeville answer: No—we’ll stay and rebuild.
Cove City - Early Origins & Name
Dover - Early Origins & Name
The area sits on land historically inhabited by Native Americans and was later part of a colonial migration from Virginia into what became Edgecombe, later Craven, County files.nc.gov.
Dover is tiny—just under 1 square mile—with a 2020 population of 349 olddobbers.net+1en.wikipedia.org+1.
It forms part of the New Bern metro area, aligning it with one of eastern North Carolina’s oldest colonial cities files.nc.gov+6en.wikipedia.org+6landsearch.com+6.
Dover is a small, historic railroad-era township grounded in agriculture. Once a flourishing part of the Craven County network, it now preserves its rural charm with significant historical continuity in its population and land use—even as numbers decline and farming patterns evolve.
New Bern
1861: Fortifying a Confederate Stronghold
At the war’s outset, New Bern was North Carolina’s second-largest city and a key Confederate port and railroad junction. Early on, the state government and Confederate commanders began constructing extensive earthwork defenses—forts like Fort Thompson, Fort Dixie, and a series of redans south of the city—designed to block naval attacks up the Neuse River and protect the rail corridor ncpedia.org+13civilwartraveler.blog+13ebay.com+13.
1862: Burnside’s Expedition & Fall of New Bern
Landing & Assault
In early 1862, Union forces under Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside built on Union gains at Roanoke Island and Hatteras Inlet. On March 11, they launched an amphibious raid—transporting ~11,000 troops and 13 gunboats up the Neuse River toward New Bern thomaslegioncherokee.tripod.com+3battlefields.org+3ncpedia.org+3.
Troops landed at Slocum’s Creek on March 13, marched through rain and mud, and approached the Confederate line anchored at Fort Thompson and extending to the railroad thomaslegion.net+10ncpedia.org+10newbernhistorical.org+10.
The Battle (March 14)
The assault began at dawn:
Outcome & Significance
After about 6 hours, Union forces captured Fort Thompson and broke the Confederate line. New Bern fell and remained under Union control for the rest of the war pinterest.co.uk+13battlefields.org+13newbernhistorical.org+13.
Casualties: ~1,049 Union and 471 Confederate losses.
Occupation and War’s Later Years
Once occupied, New Bern became a strategic federal base for operations in eastern North Carolina. Although Confederate forces attempted raids and skirmishes, none retook the city. The Union's presence helped control regional rail and river routes, vital for logistics and supply civilwar.gratzpa.org+5battlefields.org+5ncpedia.org+5.
1862 - Slaves Join the Union Army - March 1862
During the Union capture of New Bern in March 1862, enslaved people seized their first concrete opportunity for freedom. As Union forces landed and advanced, many enslaved individuals fled plantations and crowded into Union lines, triggering a significant shift in the war's dynamics in eastern North Carolina.
Flight to Freedom & Contraband Camps
Contributions to the Union War Effort
From Refugees to Soldiers
Impact & Legacy
Summary
1863–1865: New Bern’s Role Through War’s End
Why It Matters
New Bern’s transformation from Confederate bastion to Union-occupied hub was swift and decisive. From the muddy swamps of early March 1862, to a symbol of Union control in eastern North Carolina, its Civil War years showcase strategic initiative, amphibious operations, and the enduring impact of that pivotal battle.
Several United States Colored Troops (USCT) regiments served as guards at Point Lookout, Maryland’s Confederate POW camp during the Civil War. Key units included
USCT Regiments on Guard Duty at Point Lookout
4th US Colored Infantry Regiment (4th USCI)
36th US Colored Infantry Regiment (36th USCI)
24th US Colored Infantry Regiment (24th USCI)
USCT Cavalry at Point Lookout
5th Massachusetts Colored Cavalry Regiment
Summary of Guard Units at Point Lookout
The following USCT regiments played guard roles at Camp Hoffman/Point Lookout:
These assignments reflected a broader Union strategy: deploying Black troops in positions that symbolically reversed the power dynamic of enslavement—enslaved and formerly enslaved men now guarding Confederate captives. Want to know more about their daily experiences or how this looked in personal memoirs?
Hammond General Hospital at Point Lookout, Maryland
Hammond General Hospital at Point Lookout, Maryland was a major Union Army medical facility during the Civil War (1862–1865), and offers a compelling glimpse into wartime medicine, prison infrastructure, and community life.
Establishment & Design
The Hammond Gazette
Expansion to POW Operations
Shared Care & Operations
Records & Archival Importance
Legacy & Closure
In Summary
Finally let me remind you all of Africatown, also known as Africatown USA, is a remarkable historic community located just north of Mobile, Alabama. It was founded by West Africans who were among the last known group of enslaved people brought to the United States—illegally—aboard the schooner Clotilda in 1860, over 50 years after the transatlantic slave trade was outlawed.
FeatureDetailsFoundedPost-1865 by Clotilda survivorsKey FigureCudjo Lewis (last known Clotilda survivor)Cultural LegacyYoruba customs, language retention, self-governanceHistoric RecognitionNational Register of Historic Places (2012)Clotilda Wreck Found2019, confirmed by archaeologists in Mobile RiverModern LandmarkAfricatown Heritage House (opened 2023)
Africatown is not just a Southern curiosity—it is a living monument to survival, resistance, and cultural memory in the face of slavery’s brutal legacy. It remains one of the few places in America founded by Africans who directly experienced the Middle Passa
Extra Extra Read All About It - Harvard hired a researcher to uncover its ties to slavery. He says the results cost him his job: ‘We found too many slaves’.
Si «ab homine scriptum est, hominis causa est, non
© 2025 T. Allen Quinn. All rights reserved.
The content of this website, including genealogical research, images, transcriptions, and narratives, is the intellectual property of T. Allen Quinn. No part may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author, except for brief quotations for scholarly or non-commercial use with proper citation.
Monday, September 1st 2025 is the Gus & Dortha Rivenbark Family Reunion at Parker's Barbecue in Wilson, NC. Plan to arrive at 11:30 and chat a while. Orders will be taken at high-noon.
Parker's Barbecue
2514 Highway 301 south
Wilson, NC 27893