Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#549
NORFLEET FAMILY PAPERS
Inventory
Abstract: Norfleet family of Bertie County, N.C.
Correspondence, legal documents., land
records, account books, plantation journals, and other
records of the Norfleet family. Six of the volumes
are diaries or account books of Stephen Andrews
Norfleet (1822-1910), proprietor of several
plantations in Bertie County. Accounts, 1844-1895,
relate to slaves, debts, receipts, and expenditures.
In his journals, 1856-1860 and 1870-1871, Stephen A.
Norfleet recorded daily agricultural activities and
the health of his slaves. He also kept notes on
navigation on the Roanoke River. Two volumes are the
diary, 1891-1892, of Ernest Norfleet (1851-1901), a
U.S. Navy surgeon, on a voyage to China and Japan,
including descriptions of travel and social life in
the Far East and references to Norfleet's interest in
Eastern art. Also included are family correspondence,
1820s-1900s and legal and business papers, early 1700s-
early 1900s, of the plantations and of various family
members..
Online Catalog Terms:
Agriculture--North Carolina--History--19th century.
Art, Oriental--Appreciation--History--19th century.
Bertie County (N.C.)--Economic conditions--19th century.
China--Description and travel--To 1900.
China--Social life and customs--1644-1912.
Diaries--North Carolina--History--19th century.
Japan--Description and travel--1801-1900.
Japan--Social life and customs--1868-1912.
Norfleet, Ernest, 1851-1901.
Norfleet family.
Norfleet, Stephen Andrews, 1822-1910.
Plantation owners--North Carolina--Diaries.
Plantations--North Carolina.
Roanoke River--Navigation--History--19th century.
Slave records--North Carolina.
Slavery--North Carolina.
United States. Navy--Officers--Diaries.
United States. Navy--Sea life--History--19th century.
Size: About 350 items (2.0 linear feet).
Dates: 1722-1929.
Provenance: Gift of Thomas S. Norfleet of Roxobel, N.C.,
through transfer from the North Carolina Collection in
1951and of Gardner Gidley and Margaret Norfleet Gidley
of Clemmons, N.C., in March 1997 (Acc. 97044).
Access: No restrictions.
Processing Note: Part of this collection was rehoused under the
sponsorship of a grant from the National Endowment
for the Humanities, Office of Preservation,
Washington, D.C., 1990-1992.
Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers, or
their descendants, as stipulated by United States
copyright law.
Table of Contents:
Biographical Note
Series Descriptions
Series 1. Loose Papers
Series 2. Stephen A. Norfleet Volumes
Series 3. Ernest Norfleet Diaries
Addition of March 1997 (Acc. 97044)
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
In the 1820s, Thomas F. Norfleet (d. 1855) served as guardian
for Antoinette and John A. Norfleet, following the death of their
father, John Norfleet.
Stephen Andrews Norfleet (1822-1910) was the proprietor of
several plantations in Bertie County, N.C., including Woodbourne,
Indian Woods, Norfleet's Ferry, and Kelford.
Ernest Norfleet (1851-1901) was a United States Navy surgeon
who served in China and Japan in 1891 and 1892.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series 1. Loose Papers
About 40 items. 1784-1865 and undated.
Bills, receipts, accounts, indentures, and other financial and
legal items pertaining to members of the Norfleet family. Most
items relate to the affairs of Thomas F. Norfleet as guardian for
the children of John Norfleet, Antoinette and John. Other papers
include a bill of sale, 1784, for a slave sold to Marmaduke
Norfleet; a deed of gift, 1787, between Reuben Norfleet and his
son James; and bills and accounts, 1856-1865, of Stephen A.
Norfleet. Also included is part of a letter that appears to have
been written by Jasper Charlton regarding a will made by William
Perry.
Folder 1 1784-1795
2 1806-1821
3 1824-1827
4 1829-1865
5 Undated
Series 2. Stephen A. Norfleet Volumes
6 volumes. 1844-1895.
Plantation journals and account books of Stephen A. Norfleet.
Account books include lists of the names and ages of slaves
belonging to various members of the Norfleet family; Stephen A.
Norfleet's accounts with his wife, Frances H. Norfleet, and with
himself; family expenses; and receipts and expenditures
pertaining to Woodbourne, Indian Woods, and Norfleet's Ferry
plantations.
The plantation journals give details of daily farming
activities, such as preparing ground, planting, cultivating, and
harvesting crops. There are numerous notes about the weather,
the health of the slaves, and navigation on the Roanoke River.
Folder 6 Volume 1. Accounts, 1844-1895
7 Volume 2. Accounts, 1852-1873
8 Volume 3. Plantation journal, 1856-1857
9 Volume 4. Plantation journal, 1858-1859
10 Volume 5. Plantation journal, 1860
11 Volume 6. Cash accounts, 1870-1871
Series 3. Ernest Norfleet Diaries
2 volumes. 1891-1892.
Diary of Ernest Norfleet, United States Navy surgeon, kept on
a voyage to China and Japan. Entries give details of social life
in the Far East, list what Norfleet was reading, and frequently
mention his interest in Eastern art. The second volume also
includes lists of his books and curios.
Folder 12 Volume 7. 1 January - 19 December 1891
13 Volume 8. 20 December 1891 - May 1892
ADDITION OF MARCH 1997 (Acc.97044)
Size: About 300 items (1.0 linear feet).
Dates: 1722-1929.
Provenance: Received from Gardner Gidley and Margaret Norfleet
Gildley of Clemmons, N.C., on 21 March 1997.
Access: No restrictions.
Description: Correspondence, legal documents, land deeds,
genealogy, and account information and ledgers of the
Norfleet family.
Correspondence in the 1860s-1880 is
primarily between Stephen Norfleet and North Carolina
attorney P. H. Winston. Most of these letters concern
a property dispute Norfleet had with William Slade
Pugh of Louisiana. These letters also mention various
other concerns such as money allocation, inheritances,
and funds owed to the U.S. Internal Revenue. The
letters from the 1880s-1900s were written by various
family members to Stephen Norfleet requesting
genealogical information and recounting family
matters.
The legal documents are primarily wills and
indenture contracts written by the Norfleet family
beginning with Marmaduke Norfleet (the grandfather of
Stephen) and Reubin Norfleet (the father of Stephen).
There are also wills written by John, Thomas, and
Stephen Norfleet.
The land deeds beginning in 1722 are of Marmaduke
Norfleet and his descendants for land in Bertie
County, N.C.
The account information and receipts are generally
for dry goods, food, wages, slave purchases, duty
taxes and luxury items such as carriages.
Correspondence
Box 2 Folder 14 1820s-1850s
15 1860s
16 1870s
17 1880s-1890s
18 1900s
19 undated
Legal Documents
20 1739-1750s
21 1760s-1790s
22 1800s-1830s
Box 3 Folder 23 1840s-1850s
24 1860s-1890s
25 1900s
Land Deeds
26 1722-1750s
27 1760s
28 1770s-1780s
29 1790s
30 1800s
31 1810s
32 1820s-1830s
33 1840s
34 1850s
Account Information
35 1800s-1850s
36 1860s
37 1870s-1890s
38 1900s
39 Undated
Receipts
40 1700s
41 1800s-1820s
42 1830s-1840s
43 1850s
44 1860s
Box 4 Folder 45 1870s-1880s
46 1890s
47 1900-1904
48 1905-1909
49 Checks, 1920s
50 Ledgers
51-52 Account Books
53 Clippings
54 Genealogy