Absalom Tatom

Life and Orange County connections

Storylines this person is part of, in date order. Each has its own page.

Dated events connected with this person, in date order. See these 13 dated events in the chronology →

During their lifetime

1. 1778 Absalom Tatom becomes assistant quartermaster and keeper of the arsenal at Hillsborough During the Revolution, Continental officer Absalom Tatom takes charge of the state's arsenal at Hillsborough as assistant quartermaster. People: Absalom Tatom Place: HillsboroughSearch the index · Lefler and Wager, Orange County, 1752-1952 (1953), p. 339
2. 1788 Tax lists show the property of Orange County's convention delegates Pool's survey of tax lists, wills and grants found that Jonathan Lindley held a plantation of 2,657 acres and many town lots; William McCauley 822 acres on the New Hope and Haw waters, nine enslaved people, 31 houses and lots in Hillsborough, a tavern and a still; Alexander Mebane 1,181 acres in Orange and 6,400 in Davidson County, Tennessee, and seven enslaved people; William Mebane 500 acres in Orange, 7,200 in Tennessee and twelve enslaved people; William Shepard 584 acres and two Hillsborough lots; and Absalom Tatom, Hillsborough's member, 500 acres in Tennessee. All voted against ratification, and Pool concluded that property did not divide the parties. People: William McCauley, Alexander Mebane, Absalom Tatom Place: Hillsborough · Also named: Jonathan Lindley, William Mebane, William ShepardInternet Archive: William C. Pool, "An Economic Interpretation of the Ratification of the Federal Constitution in North Carolina, Part II: The Hillsboro Convention, Economic Interests of the Anti-Federalists", North Carolina Historical Review 27 (1950), p. 305
3. May 28, 1788 The court names men to oversee the Town Ford bridge and sets a seven-year repair term The court appointed William McCauley, John Taylor, William Lytle, William Watters and Absalom Tatom to oversee the building of a bridge over the Eno at or near the Town Ford. The undertaker was to keep the bridge in repair for seven years. People: William McCauley, Absalom Tatom Place: Eno River at the Town Ford, Hillsborough · Also named: John Taylor, William Lytle, William WattersSearch the index · Mark Chilton, transcription of the Orange County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions minutes: May Term 1788
4. August 1, 1788 Orange County's delegates vote against ratifying the Constitution before amendments In the 184 to 84 roll call that defeated Iredell's amendment to ratify, Alexander Mebane, William Mebane, William McCauley, Jonathan Lindley and William Shepperd of Orange all voted no, as did A. Tatom. The next day the same members voted to concur in the declaration of rights and amendments. People: William McCauley, Alexander Mebane, Absalom Tatom Place: Hillsborough · Also named: William Mebane, Jonathan Lindley, William ShepperdDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 278
5. Late 1790 Jesse Benton dies at Hartford Jesse Benton died of consumption before the end of 1790, leaving a large estate heavily in debt. His will, dated October 21, 1790, left his widow Nancy the Meadow Place plantation on McGowen's Creek, divided the enslaved people and western lands among the children, and let his executors, Nancy, Alfred Moore, William Watters and Absalom Tatom, sell Hartford and its mills to pay his debts. It was witnessed by his brothers Samuel and Augustine and proved at Hillsborough in the August 1791 term. He was buried at Hartford. People: Jesse Benton, Alfred Moore, Absalom Tatom Place: Hartford, near Hillsborough · Also named: Nancy Benton, William WattersSearch the index · Internet Archive: William N. Chambers, "As the Twig Is Bent: The Family and the North Carolina Years of Thomas Hart Benton, 1752-1801", North Carolina Historical Review 26 (1949), p. 403
6. November and December 1790 General Assembly orders a new district courthouse built at Hillsborough Alexander Mebane of Orange brought in the bill, and the act named William Watters, Absalom Tatom and Jeduthan Harper commissioners to raise a courthouse on the lot where the burned one had stood and to sell off its brick and remains. It was paid for by a poll and land tax on Orange and by lighter taxes on Wake, Chatham, Caswell, Granville and Randolph, the counties of the Hillsborough district. People: Alexander Mebane, Absalom Tatom Place: Hillsborough · Also named: William Watters, Jeduthan HarperSearch the index · Documenting the American South: Acts of the North Carolina General Assembly, 1790, Chapter XXVII
7. May 27, 1791 The court orders the road east of Hillsborough turned along the road to the mineral spring on James Hogg's land On a petition from a number of inhabitants, the court named a jury of fourteen, among them William Watters, Sterling Harris and Absalom Tatom, to lay out a new course for the road running east from Hillsborough on the south side of the Eno, so that it would take the road that went to the mineral spring on James Hogg's land, and to report to the next court. People: James Hogg, Absalom Tatom Place: South side of the Eno east of Hillsborough; mineral spring on James Hogg's land · Also named: William Watters, Sterling HarrisSearch the index · Mark Chilton, transcription of the Orange County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions minutes: May Term 1791
8. November Term 1793 A called court discharges Jack, a man enslaved by Absalom Tatom, when no accuser appears A called court of three justices and four freeholders met to try Jack, a man held in slavery by Absalom Tatom. The sheriff called for the presentment, no one appeared, and Jack was discharged. People: Absalom Tatom Place: Hillsborough (called court) · Also named: JackMark Chilton, transcription of the Orange County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions minutes: November Term 1793
9. August Term 1794 The court sends Laban Taborn, a free apprentice of color held in jail, back to the Granville court The court found that Laban Taborn, held in the Orange jail as a runaway, was a free person of color bound by the Granville County court to David Bradford, who had since moved to Rowan County, and that Bradford was alleged to have used him ill. It ordered him delivered to anyone who gave security before Absalom Tatom or John Hogg for his appearance at the next Granville county court, once his prison fees were paid. People: Absalom Tatom, John Hogg Place: Hillsborough, the jail · Also named: Laban Taborn, David BradfordMark Chilton, Freedom Bound: Apprenticeship, Racism & Liberation in Orange County, North Carolina 1777 to 1868 (Wandering through the NC Piedmont)
10. February Term 1797 The court levies a tax to build a county jail in Hillsborough The court levied a tax of 2 shillings on every poll, 2 shillings on every 100 pounds of town property and 8 pence on every 100 acres of land to build a county jail in Hillsborough, and named Samuel Benton, Absalom Tatom and Sterling Harris to plan and oversee the building with the treasurer of public buildings. People: Absalom Tatom Place: Hillsborough · Also named: Samuel Benton, Sterling HarrisSearch the index · Mark Chilton, transcription of the Orange County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions minutes: February Term 1797
11. February 27, 1800 The court jails John Taylor for assaulting Justice Absalom Tatom on the bench The court found that John Taylor, Esquire, had come into court drunk and seized and assaulted Absalom Tatom, one of the justices, as he sat on the bench. It fined Taylor £10 and committed him to close custody in the county jail without bail until the end of the term, and after that until the fine and costs were paid. Place: Hillsborough (courthouse and county jail) · Also named: John TaylorSearch the index · Mark Chilton, transcription of the Orange County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions minutes: February Term 1800

After their death in 1802

Later events: estates and burials, and the buildings, honors and histories that remember them.

1. May Term 1803 The court frees George, Cate, Sally, young George and Jack under Absalom Tatom's will The county court decreed that George, Cate, Sally, her child young George, and Jack be set free, as the will of the late Major Absalom Tatom directed. His executors, Duncan Cameron, John Hogg, Catlett Campbell and Samuel Goodwin, brought the will into court and applied for their freedom on the ground of their meritorious services to Tatom. The court found the services shown and gave the five all the rights and privileges of free-born Black people. People: Absalom Tatom, Duncan Cameron Place: Hillsborough (county court) · Also named: John Hogg, Catlett Campbell, Samuel Goodwin, Cate, George, Jack, SallyMark Chilton, transcription of the Orange County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions minutes: May Term 1803
2. August 29, 1809 The court frees nine people under Absalom Tatom's will, who take the name Tatom On the petition of the trustees of Absalom Tatom's estate, the court decreed George, Cate, Jack, Sally and her son young George, and Sally's children Jesse, Jim, Patsey and Betsey free. The court found that the first five had done meritorious services and that Tatom had left them and their increase to trustees to have them freed. They were to be known as George Tatom, Cate Tatom, Jack Tatom, George Tatom the younger, Sally Tatom, Jesse Tatom, Jim Tatom, Patsey Tatom and Betsey Tatom, with the rights of free-born Black people. Trustees Will Kirkland, David Ray and Duncan Cameron gave bond that the county would not have to support them. People: Absalom Tatom, Duncan Cameron Place: Orange County · Also named: George Tatom, Cate Tatom, Jack Tatom, George Tatom the younger, Sally Tatom, Jesse Tatom, Jim Tatom, Patsey Tatom, Betsey Tatom, Will Kirkland, David RayMark Chilton, transcription of the Orange County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions minutes: August Term 1809