Life as a FPOC

Life as a free person of  color was not as easy as it appears, although  Jesse was able to legally marry Nancy Cousin in 1808, prior to his emancipation. He was known to be very enterprising and probably already an established boatman prior to his emancipation. These qualities allowed him and his family to successfully petition to stay in the state. He had as many as five boats and would sell his services to haul goods such as  wheat for farmers and businessmen in his community.  He was also able  to purchase property in the town in Columbia, which was a town prominently of Free Person of Color. His wife, Nancy was a weaver/ spinner. His sister, Mariah worked as a seamstress. It is assumed that Fleming helped Jesse with his boating business. 

As Free People of Color, Rubin and Jesse were able to buy and own land in Fluvanna County, Va.. Both brothers bought ½ acre lots in the town of Columbia, which is a town of prominently Free People of Color.  Jesse bought his first ½ arces May 26, 1816.  His property was Lot 31A  located on Carmon Street, the estate of Caleb Stone neighboring to the southwest and Dr James Porter neighboring to the northwest. He was required to have a trustee of the land (mortgage handler/ agent) until the property was paid in full. John Napier was the trustee of Jesse’s land. On July  24, 1820, Jesse paid this lot of land and went to court to have John Napier removed as trustee.  It appears Jesse also bought Lot 48a as well as Reubin buying Lot 82A in 1821.  Both Jesse and Reubin were landowners until their death.  Jesse’s land was placed in a trust for his wife until her death in 1863. Jesse and Nancy didn’t have any children, so upon her death she left their property to her nephews of the Cousin Family. 

However, another hard decision as a Free Person of Color Jesse has to make was to become an enslaver or slave holder. Due to the stipulations of his former enslaver’s Thomas Norris’ Will , Jesse had to purchase his minor siblings Mariah and Fleming for $635. He had 2 years to pay this to Thomas Norris estate or Mariah and Fleming would be sold to settle the estate.  It was a complex situation. Jesse purchased them but by law he could not free them because they weren’t of full legal age, which is 21 years old. Even if he could free them, they would have to leave the state. So technically, Jesse was their enslaver. He also owned up to 5 enslaved people, including Mariah and Fleming. Two of the other enslaved persons were Christopher and John. The relationship or  nature of enslavement of John or Christopher is not known at this time, but it appears they are not directly related to Jesse.  Jesse eventually sold Mariah to her husband Walter in 1826. The timing of the sale coincided with Walter helping Jesse to  pay a debt. It is unclear what happened to Fleming but an enslaved man Fleming was on the inventory of John Napier’s 1844 Estate Records. John Napier appeared as the trustee on several of  Jesse’s mortgages.  Jesse may have  sold Fleming to John Napier to settle debt. 

Sources

Cumberland County, Virginia, Circuit Court Case Files, Jesse Norris Free Person of Color & et al  v. State of Virginia, December Term 1815, “Petition to Remain in the State of Virginia,” 18 December 1815; digital images, Library of Virginia : Virginia Memory Project : Virginia Untold Unknown No Longer

Fluvanna County, Virginia, Deed Book 9:525; Jesse Norris ,Overton Petit, John Forbes & John Napier and George Weiss, 20 May 1829 Office of the Recorder of Deeds, County of Fluvanna

Fluvanna County, Virginia, Deed Book 7:579; Jesse Norris ,Overton Petit, John Forbes & John Napier and George Weiss, 20 May 1829 Office of the Recorder of Deeds, County of Fluvanna

Fluvanna County, Virginia, Deed Book 10:211- 212; Jesse Norris ,Overton Petit and John Mc Entire, William Timberlake, 20 May 1829 Office of the Recorder of Deeds, County of Fluvanna

Fluvanna County, Virginia, Deed Book 10:267; Jesse Norris ,Overton Petit, John Forbes & John Napier and George Weiss, 20 May 1829 Office of the Recorder of Deeds, County of Fluvanna

Fluvanna County, Virginia, Deed Book(OS) 7:412;Plat of Columbia, 28 Feb 1820 Office of the Recorder of Deeds, County of Fluvanna