Registration of SLAVES to work in the Great Dismal Swamp Gates County, North Carolina, 1847-1861

By: Raymond Parker Fouts, Pub. 1995, Reprinted 2024, 148 pages, Index, soft cover, ISBN #978-1-63914-247-7. Gates County was created in 1778 from Hertford, Chowan and Perquimans counties, N.C. It is located in the Northeastern corner of the state bordering Virginia. It is surrounded by the counties of Camden, Chowan, Hertford, Pasquotank, Perquimans counties N.C. and by Nansemond County, VA. The word "Slaves" in this title, is something of a misnomer. There are numerous free men and a number whose descriptions more closely fit those of Native-American than African American ancestry. All are indexed under "WORKERS." Through these records were created in Gates County, NC, the large majority of the workers, and their employers or owners, were from Nansemond County, Virginia. Their ages ranged from 8 to 72 years. Physical descriptions include age, complexion, height, scars or other distinguishing marks, and weight.