Alfred Battle

Alfred Battle and his future wife, Esther were born in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. The major slave owners in that area were the Battle family. At the time Alfred was born, the head of the Battle family was James Smith Battle. Alfred and Ester were mentioned by name in James S. Battle’s will. The document stated that they had already been given to his son, William S. Battle, of Tarboro, Edgecombe County. J. S. Battle’s will was probated in 1854, when Alfred was at least 17 and Esther at least 12 years old. This branch of the Battle family owned and operated a cotton mill and five farm properties. Alfred almost certainly worked at one of these properties. Since the 1870 Census lists his occupation as farm labor, Alfred likely worked in the fields to produce cotton or other crops. During the late 1850s, Alfred and Esther became a couple. Their first child, my great-grandfather, Richard, was born about 1859. Their second child, Rhoden, was born in 1863, during the Civil War and was the first to be born free. I have found a record that Alfred Battle served in the 36th Infantry, U.S. Colored Troops, and I am proud that my ancestor fought for his freedom as a Union Soldier. The rest of their children, Rhoda Ann, Claudia Ann, John and Georgiann, were born free. After the war, Alfred and Ester are shown in the 1870 Census living with five of their six children. By the 1880 Census, Richard, has grown up and moved out and John may have died. Alfred is listed as a widower, with four children. Alfred remarries Nancy Bryant Jones. They have two more children and live together for at least 20 years. By 1920, Alfred is presumed dead, because he does not appear in the Census records.