The Petersons were an old and well-established family in Sampson County, North Carolina, long before the Civil War. By the 1840s and 1850s, there were several branches of them here. Our starting point with this family would be Jones Peterson whose Estate File dated 1860 provides LOTS of clues. A note on the NCGenealogy.org website states that Sampson County was established in 1784 from Duplin County. However, “early court records are missing and these losses may have been caused by Federal sympathizers in 1865.” Luckily, Jones’ file survived.
The area was an agricultural region crossed by the Black River, Six Runs, Great and Little Coharie, Crane Creek, Buckhorn Creek, and numerous smaller branches. The county government notes that its colonial population included Scots-Irish settlers as well as families arriving from other parts of the colonies.
The Peterson surname appears very early in this settlement pattern. A particularly valuable series of deed abstracts places Thomas Peterson along Crane Creek, Buckhorn Creek, and Six Runs by the late 1790s and early 1800s. Source: GenealogyFacts.org
Timeline for Betsy’s Early Life
1784
Jones Peterson born to Moses Peterson and Rebeccah Runnels in Sampson County, NC, perhaps in the vicinity of Clinton.
1814
About this time period Jones married Betsy Winifred Sessions. Their children are
William Dickson Peterson
Julia A Peterson
Eliza B Peterson 1818-1851
Matilda Peterson
Hepsey Peterson 1824-1880
Richard N. Peterson 1826-1861
Sir William Peterson 1827-
1838
Betsy (Carlos) is born in Sampson County, NC
1840
Eliza Peterson married James H. Sikes in NC
1841
Eliza and James Sikes have daughter Julia born in NC.
1842
Eliza and James Sikes are in DeWitt County, Texas for the birth of son John H Sikes.
1848
Twins (James Jr and Eliza B) are born to Eliza and James in Texas.
James is killed at the battle of Escondido Creek in DeWitt County on October 11.
1850
Eliza married Robert Henry Gaines on July 18 in Victoria.
Census TX Victoria HH 304 is Robert Gains (27 b. PA) with wife Eliza (25 b NC) along with Julia, twins, Epsy Peterson (18 b.NC) and John Gaines (7 b.NC 1843?). Note that these children are Sikes children. Gaines is their step-father.
Slave Schedule shows the Gaines home between Seaborne Lewis and Dr Timothy and William Terrell. 20 yr F B, 12 yr F B [BETSY]and 4 yr M B.
1851
Eliza Sikes dies in Victoria County (SA River Road).
December 4, Robert marries Hepsey in Calhoun County, TX.
1852
Jones Peterson gives to his daughter “Epsy Gaines” a negra girl named Betsy with John C. Peterson as a witness. Betsy was already in Texas and Jones was in North Carolina? Was his receipt to settle up paperwork?
1853
February 1, Tomasa de la Garza purchases Betsy for $700 from Epsy and Robert Gaines.
1860
Texas Slave Schedule shows Betsy in the De la Garza household.
NC Slave schedule shows that Jones Peterson owns 22 slaves ages 2 to 50.
Clinton District, NC census lists Jones age 77, farming, combined personal/real estate worth $25,600.
Jones Peterson died in December. His estate papers give a considerable listing of slaves (by name) who are “loaned out” (for money) to various people to work until the estate is settled by administrator John R. Beaman. Eventually, these are divided up amongst the heirs equally according to value.
Slaves listed in estate papers: Hinton, Isaac, Mary, Jenny, Henry, Isabell, Betsy, Alfred, Celia, Sam, Charlotte, Holland, Mariah, Dinah, Caroline, George, Bill.
Arabella Peterson gets Hinton and Mary in the estate lottery.
The Gaines family is no longer in Victoria; they will ultimately show up in Los Angeles, CA.