Crafting Lives: African American Artisans in New Bern, North Carolina, 1770-1900

Contents

Contents Introduction 5 one The Setting: New Bern from the Colonial Period to 1900 19 two The Fruits of Honest Industry: Black Artisans in New Bern’s “Golden Age,” 1770–1830 37 three Hundreds of Fine Artisans: Leaving and Staying, 1830–1861 97 four Worthy to Be Free, Worthy to Be Respected: Civil War, Union Occupation, and Presidential Reconstruction, 1862–1866 151 five We Can and Will Do More: Artisans and Citizens, 1867–1900 193 Conclusion 255 Appendix: Biographical Summaries 259 Notes 293 Bibliography 343 Acknowledgments 357 Index 361 This page intentionally left blank Illustrations and Maps Illustrations New Bern Fish, Oyster, and Game Fair 21 Engraving of New Bern 29 Fish Market 34 “Co. G’s Cook House at Newbern, Nov. 1862” 41 John R. Donnell House 43 Craven County Jail 44 John Rice Green House, stair hall 92 Sarah Rice gravestone 94 “Profile of a Young Man Wearing a Hat” 102 “Negro Church at Beaufort, Dec. 7, 1862” 110 William Hollister House 113 Craven Street 128 John H. Scott and family 143 John Patterson Green 144 Sketch map of New Bern, 1864 154 “The Freedmen’s Blacksmith and Wheelwright Shop” 157 James Walker Hood 161 “Negro volunteers passing Episcopal Church, New Bern NC” 165 Abraham H. Galloway 177 King Solomon Lodge 186 Sylvia Conner 202 Craven County Courthouse and Jail 203 Gaston House Hotel 206 Joseph C. Price 222 George H. White 225 Ebenezer Presbyterian Church 227 St. Peter’s AME Zion Church 229 North George Street 243 Allen G. Oden 246 Maps New Bern and environs 2 New Bern, ca. 2010 3 New Bern, ca. 1770 4 New Bern, ca. 1825 39 New Bern, ca. 1860 99 New Bern, ca. 1885 195 xii Crafting Lives Charlotte Raleigh Wilmington Goldsboro New Bern Norfolk Richmond Charleston Savannah N .E . C a p e F e a r R . Ocracoke Goldsboro Beaufort Kinston Wilmington Trenton Elizabeth City Edenton Washington Cape Hatteras New Bern Plymouth Swansboro Cape Lookout Cape Fear Morehead City HYDE COUNTY TYRRELL COUNTY JONES COUNTY BEAUFORT COUNTY CRAVEN COUNTY PAMLICO COUNTY ONSLOW COUNTY CARTERET COUNTY WASHINGTON COUNTY PITT COUNTY New Bern and Environs Roanoke Island C a p e F ea r R i v e r T re nt R . T a r R i v e r Roan o k e R iv e r Paml i c o Riv e r P a m l i c o S o u n d W & W A & N C A l b e m a r l e S o u n d Neuse R. Neuse R. 25 0 50 Miles A & NC New Bern and environs. Map by Michael T. Southern. Oak St Roundt ree St P o l l o c k S t . B r o a d S t . N e w S t . J o h n s o n S t . Change St. E a s t F r o n t S t . King St. B r o a d S t . P o l l o c k S t . C h u r c h S t . M a i n S t . C y p r e s s S t . L a w s o n C r e e k T r e n t R i v e r N e u s e R i v e r Q u e e n S t . W e s t S t . B e r n S t . G e o r g e S t . H o w a r d S t . P a s t e u r S t . N . C r a v e n S t . M i d d l e S t . H a n c o c k S t . M e t c a l f S t . E d e n S t . B e r n S t . F l e e t S t . B r o a d S t . L i b e r t y S t . F i r s t S t . Bryan St. Norwood St. , Jones St. C r a v e n S t . E a s t F r o n t S t . S o u t...