Slave Owner In New Bern

As part of my research in New Bern I have found out a great deal but want to find out more about slaves, freed men and slave owners in New Bern and some parts of the South. One former slave owner who was once a slave really interests me. His name was John Carruthers Stanly and he was the richest man in Craven County in 1824. He owned 3 plantations, a number of homes and over 160 slaves and how did he do it? He began in 1795 when he was freed by his owners, Lydia Carruthers Stewart and her husband, Alexander Stewart. J. C. had been given to Lydia as a wedding gift. She set him free when he proved that he was so competent. He had been given the freedom to work in the town and save his own money. Some people believe he was wrong as a former slave to buy slaves. However some of the slaves he bought were his own family, his wife and children and his brother-in-law. John started a career as a barber immediately upon receiving his freedom and became wealthy with his great skill. He began to buy property and was asked by many citizens to help with their wills, businesses and freeing of their slaves. His slaves Brister and Boston were trained to take over the barber shop and then freed by him. He did free others but only when they were capable of sustaining themselves. So the number of actual slaves he owned may be exaggerated as the ones who had been freed may be counted actually as slaves. From encyclopedia.jrank.org, I obtained much of this information and from other various sources. Evidence seems to suggest he was a Christian. For example his daughter Catherine became an evangelist and his granddaughter from his son John became a missionary. His wife and former owner Lydia Stewart were two of the founders of the First Presbyterian Church in New Bern. John and his family were members and owned a pew in the church and was sighted escorting Mrs. Stewart to church every Sunday after her husband died. Most of the community respected him and his family. Each person can decide if this freedman was wrong or not. I am trying to write a historical fiction book about him entitled, Slave to Slave Owner. I am in chapter 7 of 12 chapters. To learn more please consider reading it. His home and its dependency are still in New Bern near the First Presbyterian Church.

Black Slaveowners are good or not?

David L. Lightner and Alexander M. Ragan wrote a journal article entitled WERE AFRICAN AMERICAN SLAVEHOLDERS BENEVOLENT OR EXPLOITATIVE? in 2005 for the Journal of Southern History. We can’t really say, but there are some reasons for both sides. Some believe anyone who owned slaves could not be a true Christian and was evil. Since I believe slavery was wrong, I can see their point.
However, I have researched one freedman’s life and this he is a Christian, a benevolent Christian. He was blessed to have Christian owners who helped him by teaching him to read, write, do math & read the Bible. John Carruthers Stanly was freed at the age of 24 and became the richest man in Craven County in 1824. His wife Kitty and his former owner, Lydia Carruthers Stewart were two of 13 founders of the First Presbyterian Church of New Bern. His home is near the church on the corner of New and Hancock. He bought and freed many slaves. The town of New Bern had 10% of all the Blacks as Freedmen. Twenty-five per cent (25%) of the Blacks in Charleston, SC,in 1824 were free also.
I am writing a story entitled "Slave to Slaveowner" for my Nancy C. Sanders Novel in a month. Since it is historical fiction, there is an element of fiction that is a mystery and pure fiction. For more info please check back.