A recent discovery has unearthed a connection between the Page family and an enslaved person owned by Frank Page’s father, Anderson Page. Primus Page worked on Oaky Mount Plantation, the homeplace of Anderson Page in the Leesville area of Wake County.
Early records of Primus Page’s life during his enslavement do not exist. The 1850 and 1860 Slave Schedules do not list individual names, although the ages listed for several men correspond to the approximate age of Primus Page. However, there is a marriage record for Primus and wife Elizabeth with a date of May 12, 1846 that declares “emancipated slave”. The dates of these marriages prior to emancipation were generally established based on testimony of the married couple after the Civil War and recorded after emancipation, sometimes many years after the marriage unofficially took place.
Wake County Marriage Register
In the book “The Making of an American” by Burton J Hendrick, Walter Hines Page as a boy or young man remembered Primus Page on the porch of Oaky Mount sitting close by Anderson Page as the younger Page would approach the house on regular visits.
This would be the earliest family mention or recollection of Primus Page that we have. Since Walter Hines Page was born in 1855, the anecdote from childhood might date to around the end of the Civil War or a little later.
After the Civil War ended, we find the Primus Page family close to the Anderson Page property. On November 9, 1877 Anderson Page sold to Primus Page 192 acres of land adjoining his own land for $800.
Wake County Register of Deeds Book 48 Page 532, 1877
The prospect of farming on one’s own was daunting for many poor farmers, black and white alike. A number of lien bonds are recorded that show Primus Page pledging various items, including animals and his land as collateral to borrow money in order to buy what he needed to farm for the upcoming year. The money would be repaid out of the profits made at the end of the season.
Wake County Register of Deeds Book Book 93 Page 568, 1887
Although free after the Civil War, life was difficult not only on a financial level but also on a personal level for many formerly enslaved persons. In Primus Page’s family, his son Matthew was reported in a newspaper notice as having left on the 4th of July 1867.
The Weekly Standard, July 24, 1867, Page_3
Although the family of Primus Page grew large, neither son Matthew nor another son Madison appear in the household of Primus Page in the 1870 or 1880 Census records.
1870 Census Wake County, NC
1880 Census Wake County, NC
This painful family separation continued. The 1889 administration papers of Primus Page listing his heirs mentions that the family had not heard from Primus’ son Madison Page since 1869, and son Marcellus Page had not been heard from in 12 years, approximately 1877, although Marcellus, age 12, was listed on the 1870 census in the household. Matthew Page was not mentioned at all.
Primus Page Estate Papers, 1899, Wake County, NC
Later in Primus Page's life, we have another snapshot of him, again with Walter Hines Page, now an adult, as recounted in the Hendrick book. The book states: “A year or two after the old man died [Anderson Page died in 1884 – so 1885 or 1886],
The deed to the 192 acres doesn’t mention a payment schedule, but an oral agreement may have been worked out at the time of the land sale, based on this recollection. Walter made one small error. The deed for Primus Page’s land was signed by Anderson Page in 1877 who didn’t pass away until 1884.
Primus Page died January 1, 1889 according to estate records. The inventory of his estate show that he owned everything needed to operate a household and farm, items which were bought by family members and neighbors. Interestingly, he owned a Harrison plow (Robert J Harrison Wagon Works of Cary, NC produced plows) which was sold at his estate sale for $1.00. It was listed among the large number of personal and household items he had owned. Here is an excerpt showing the plow:
Primus Page Estate Papers, 1899, Wake County, NC
At Primus Page’s death, Frank Page wrote to Andrew Syme, administrator of the estate, that he had several outstanding notes against Primus Page, valued at around $125 with interest, but that Frank Page was only claiming $100 as he (Primus) was “an old family negro”. Frank Page later received $14.50 from the administrator. Andrew Syme (pronounced “Sim”) was a prominent citizen in Raleigh, possibly acquainted with the Frank Page family who took care of the last earthly possessions of Primus Page.
Primus Page Estate Papers, 1899, Wake County, NC
In 1895, the land that Primus Page bought from Anderson Page was divided among his heirs. Down from the original 192 acres, 117 acres of land were left in the hands of one son, Moses, and five daughters, Virginia “Jenny” Jeffers, Emeline “Emily” Hunter, Elizabeth Porter, Katie “Katy/Kate” Page and Serena “Rena” “Raney” Ray. It is unclear why the total acreage had decreased over time and why the deed was not registered until 1910.
Wake County Register of Deeds Book 236 Page 494
Although details about the early life of Primus Page are scant and although we do not have a photograph of him, the details we do have of him after emancipation paint a picture of the life of a formerly enslaved person connected to the Page family who lived a difficult but honest life. We are now able to attach a name and a story to one of these formerly unknown, unnamed people.
