OVERVIEW
Location: Rockingham, Richmond County, Alabama; town of Wolf Pit
Date Constructed/ Founded: bef. 1800
Associated Surnames: Covington, Crawford, Harlee, Settle, Wall
Historical Notes: Benjamin H. Covington Sr. was born in Maryland (1746) and established himself as a planter in North Carolina. Eventually he and his family migrated to Warren Co., Kentucky while his son Benjamin “Sugar Ben” H. Covington Jr. (b.1780) remained in North Carolina. Benjamin Covington Jr. inherited about 700 acres of land in North Carolina (purchased from Stephen Thomas) from his father Benjamin Covington Sr. after his death ca. 1814. After B.H. Covington Jr. died in 1827, this land may have been passed down to B.H. Jr’s second oldest surviving son John W. Covington (b.1810). After John W. Covington died in 1858, his brother Benjamin H. Covington, Esquire (b.1812) became the legal guardian of his nieces and nephews (John W. and Frances S. Covington’s children) and their estate from 1859 until his death in 1866. After Benjamin Jr.’s death in 1866, a suit was filed in 1867 by Frances S. Covington on behalf of three minor heirs to claim proceeds from the estate. Several of the black Covingtons were subpoenaed to testify.
Associated Pages: Thomas Covington Plantation (NCrich00002), Stephen Covington Plantation (NCrich00003)
Accession: NCrich00001
ASSOCIATED ENSLAVED PERSONS
Covington family: Peter Covington (b.1819-d.?)
Covington family: Franklin Covington (b.1824-d.?); Mary Covington (b.1837-d.?) – wife (m.?) of F. Covington; Ellen Covington (b.1853-d.?) – dau. of F. and M. Covington; Franklin Covington (b.1862-d.?) – son of F. and M. Covington; Easter Covington (b.1867-d.?) – dau. of F. and M. Covington; Martha Covington (b.?-d.?) – dau. of F. and M. Covington; Jerry Covington (b.1860-d.?) – son of F. and M. Covington
Covington family: William Covington (b.1840-d.?) – wagoner/ teamster; Nannie Covington (b.1835-d.?) – wife (m.?) of W. Covington; Charles Davis (b.1855-d.?) – son of W. and N. Covington
Covington family: Anderson Covington (b.1837-d.?) – carpenter; Mary Covington (b.1852-d.?) – wife of A. Covington; Hannah Covington (b.1868-d.?) – dau. of A. and M. Covington; Charles Covington (b.1870-d.?) – son of A. and M. Covington
1800: 10 slaves [1800 US Federal Census, Fayetteville, Richmond Co., NC, Benjamin Covington]
1810: 8 slaves [1810 US Federal Census, Richmond Co., NC, Benjamin H. Covington]
1814: Will of Benjamin Covington (Sr.) (Ancestry.com) – to John W. Covington (son) – girl Hannah; to Benjamin H. Covington (son) – Will; to Elijah M. Covington (son) – Bob; to Thomas A. Covington (son) – Sam; to Isaac Covington (son) – Moses; to Nancy Dockery (daughter) – Thander/ Hannah with her increase; to Sally Smith (daughter) – Silva with her increase; to Fanny Covington (wife) – all others
1820: 29 slaves – 8 boys under age 14 (b.1807-1820); 5 males, age 14 – 25 (b.1795-1806); 1 man, age 26 – 44 (b.1776-1794); 1 man age 45 or over (b.bef.1775); 9 girls under age 14 (b.1807-1820); 3 females, age 14 – 25 (b.1795-1806); 2 women, age 26 – 44 (b.1776-1794)[1820 US Federal Census, Richmond Co., NC, Benjamin H. Covington]
1827: Will, presumably Benjamin H. Covington Jr. (NC GenWeb Richmond Co.) – divided into lots by Mrs. Jane Covington: Lot 1 – Travis; Lot 2 – Abram; Lot 3 – Sam; Lot 4 – Will and Hamette; Lot 5 – Solomon, Viney, Asbury, and Winney; Lot 6 – Polly, Joseph, and Cornelia; Lot 7 – Ned and William; Lot 8 – Zilpha, Viney, and Delila; Lot 9 – Chat and Dixon
1830: 12 slaves – 2 boys under age 10 (b.1821-1830); 2 males, age 10 – 23 (b.1807-1820); 2 men, age 24 – 35 (b.1795-1806); 1 man, age 36 – 54 (b.1776-1794); 3 girls under age 10 (b.1821-1830); 2 women, age 24 – 35 (b.1795-1806) [1830 US Federal Census, Richmond Co., NC, Benjamin Covington Esquire]
1840: 27 slaves – 6 boys under age 10 (b.1831-1840); 3 males, age 10 – 23 (b.1817-1830); 3 men, age 24 – 35 (b.1805-1816); 1 man, age 36 – 54 (b.1786-1804); 6 girls under age 10 (b.1831-1840); 5 females, age 10 – 23 (b.1817-1830); 1 woman, age 24 – 35 (b.1805-1816); 1 woman, age 36 – 54 (b.1786-1804); 1 woman, age 55 – 100 (b.1740-1785) [1840 US Federal Census, Rockingham, Richmond Co., NC, John W. Covington]
1850: Female age 75 (b.1775), Female age 55 (b.1795), Male age 55 (b.1795), Male age 52 (b.1798), Female age 48 (b.1802), Male age 42 (b.1808), Female age 40 (b.1810), Female age 40 (b.1810), Female age 34 (b.1816), Female age 32 (b.1818), Female age 32 (b.1818), Female age 32 (b.1818), Male age 26 (b.1824), Male age 26 (b.1824), Male age 26 (b.1824), Male age 25 (b.1825), Male age 24 (b.1826), Female age 21 (b.1829), Male age 21 (b.1829), Male age 19 (b.1831), Female age 19 (b.1831), Male age 17 (b.1833), Female age 17 (b.1833), Female age 17 (b.1833), Female age 19 (b.1831), Female age 16 (b.1834), Female age 14 (b.1836), Male age 14 (b.1836), Male age 13 (b.1837), Male age 13 (b.1837), Male age 12 (b.1838), Male age 12 (b.1838), Female age 11 (b.1839), Female age 10 (b.1840), Female age 10 (b.1840), Female age 10 (b.1840), Female age 7 (b.1843), Female age 7 (b.1843), Female age 6 (b.1844), Female age 5 (b.1845), Female age 5 (b.1845), Male age 7 (b.1843), Male age 4 (b.1846), Female age 3 (b.1847), Male age 2 (b.1848), Male age 2 (b.1848), Female age 2 (b.1848), Male age 2 (b.1848), Female age 1 (b.1849), Female age 1/12 (b.1850) [1850 U.S. Federal Census – Slave Schedule, Wolf Pit, Richmond Co., NC, John Covington, 50 total]
1850: Male age 65 (b.1785), Male age 52 (b.1798), Male age 51 (b.1799), Female age 51 (b.1799), Male age 36 (b.1814), Male age 30 (b.1820), Female age 30 (b.1820), Female age 27 (b.1823), Male age 26 (b.1824), Male age 24 (b.1826), Male age 23 (b.1827), Female age 24 (b.1826), Male age 21 (b.1829), Female age 20 (b.1830), Male age 21 (b.1829), Male age 19 (b.1831), Male age 15 (b.1835), Female age 14 (b.1836), Female age 14 (b.1836), Female age 12 (b.1838), Female age 10 (b.1840), Male age 10 (b.1840), Female age 7 (b.1843), Female age 6 (b.1844), Male age 6 (b.1844), Female age 5 (b.1845), Male age 4 (b.1846), Female age 3 (b.1847), Male age 2 (b.1848), Female age 2 (b.1848), Female age 2 (b.1848), Female age 2 (b.1848), Male age 2 (b.1848) [1850 U.S. Federal Census – Slave Schedule, Wolf Pit, Richmond Co., NC, Benjamin Covington, 33 total]
1860: Female age 45 (b.1815), Female age 36 (b.1824), Male age 36 (b.1824), Male age 35 (b.1825), Female age 26 (b.1834), Male age 24 (b.1836), Female age 23 (b.1837), Female age 22 (b.1838), Male age 18 (b.1842), Female age 17 (b.1843), Female age 12 (b.1848), Female age 11 (b.1849), Male age 11 (b.1849), Male age 9 (b.1851), Male age 5 (b.1855), Female age 4 (b.1856), Female age 3 (b.1857), Male age 2 (b.1858), Male age 2 (b.1858), Male age 4/12 (b.1860), Female age 4/12 (b.1860) [1860 U.S. Federal Census – Slave Schedule, Rockingham, Richmond Co., NC, Frances Covington, 21 total, 3 houses]
1860: Male age 80 (b.1780), Female age 60 (b.1800), Female age 52 (b.1808), Male age 52 (b.1808), Female age 50 (b.1810), Female age 40 (b.1820), Male age 37 (b.1823), Male age 37 (b.1823), Male age 36 (b.1824), Male age 36 (b.1824), Male age 34 (b.1826), Male age 28 (b.1832), Female age 27 (b.1833), Female age 25 (b.1835), Male age 23 (b.1837), Male age 23 (b.1837), Male age 22 (b.1838), Male age 22 (b.1838), Male age 21 (b.1839), Male age 20 (b.1840), Male age 19 (b.1841), Female age 17 (b.1843), Female age 17 (b.1843), Female age 17 (b.1843), Female age 17 (b.1843), Female age 14 (b.1846), Female age 14 (b.1846), Female age 13 (b.1847), Male age 13 (b.1847), Male age 8 (b.1852), Female age 8 (b.1852), Female age 7 (b.1853), Female age 6 (b.1854), Male age 6 (b.1854), Female age 4 (b.1856), Male age 4 (b.1856), Male age 3 (b.1857), Female age 3/12 (b.1860) [1860 U.S. Federal Census – Slave Schedule, Rockingham, Richmond Co., NC, Benjamin Covington (in trust for three minors), 38 total, 7 houses]
1867: F.S. Covington (guardian of Henrietta Covington, Fannie Covington, John W. Covington) v. John W. Leak (admr. of B.H. Covington, deceased), Richmond Co., North Carolina (Ancestry.com) – Subpoenas for: Sarah Covington (colored); Frank Covington (colored, blacksmith); Tony Covington (colored); Clinton Covington (colored); William Covington (colored, wagoner); Sam Covington (colored); Peter Covington (colored); Joe Covington (colored); Anderson Covington (colored, carpenter); Samuel Covington (colored, overseer) and Ned Covington (colored, young); Warren Covington (colored); Subpoena for: Peter Covington (shemonger), Frank Covington (blacksmith), Warren Covington, and Clinton Covington (all colored)
ASSOCIATED FREE PERSONS
Covington family: Benjamin “Sugar Ben” Hamilton Covington Jr. (b.1780-d.1827) – plantation founder; Jane “Jennie” Wall Covington (b.1784-d.1844) – wife (m.1804) of B. Covington, dau. of J. and M.C. Wall (John Wall Plantation, Richmond Co., NC); Winston W. Covington (b.1805–d.1824) – son of B.H. and J.W. Covington; Harrison W. Covington (b.1814–d.1848) – son of B.H. and J.W. Covington; James M. Covington (b.1815–d.1840) – son of B.H. and J.W. Covington; Stephen W. Covington (b.1817-d.1879) – son of B.H. and J.W. Covington, owner of Stephen Covington Plantation (Richmond Co., NC, NC00003); Thomas Arey Covington (b.1819-d.?) – son of B.H. and J.W. Covington, owner of Thomas Covington Plantation (Richmond Co., NC, NCrich00002); Martha W. Covington (b.1821–d.1840) – dau. of B.H. and J.W. Covington; Edmund Deberry Covington (b.1823–d.1845) – son of B.H. and J.W. Covington; Sarah Covington (b.1827-d.1849) – dau. of B.H. and J.W. Covington
Covington family: Dr. Calvin Cole Covington Sr. (b.1807–d.1876) – son of B.H. and J.W. Covington; Rachel Crawford Covington (b.1819–d.1881) – wife (m.?) of C.C. Covington; James Madison Covington (b.1840–d.1917) – son of C.C. and R.C. Covington; William Crawford Covington (b.1842–d.1876) – son of C.C. and R.C. Covington; Chapman M. Covington (b.1845–d.1888) – son of C.C. and R.C. Covington; Winston Wall Covington (b.1847–d.1890) – son of C.C. and R.C. Covington; Calvin Cole Covington (b.1849–d.1918) – son of C.C. and R.C. Covington; Corinna Covington (b.1852–d.1904) – dau. of C.C. and R.C. Covington; John P.W. Covington (b.1857–d.1867) – son of C.C. and R.C. Covington
Covington family: John Wall Covington (b.1810–d.1858) – son of B.H. and J.W. Covington, (presumed) owner of Benjamin Covington Plantation; Frances “Fannie” Settle Covington (b.1836-d.1894) – wife (m.1854) of J.W. Covington; Nettie Settle Covington (b.1855-d.1907) – dau. of J.W. and F.S. Covington; Frances J. Covington (b.1856-d.1883) – dau. of J.W. and F.S. Covington
Covington family: Benjamin H. Covington, Esquire (b.1812–d.1866) – son of B.H. and J.W. Covington, owner of Benjamin Covington Plantation, earned a law degree from Princeton; Mary Ann Harlee Covington (b.1829-d.1876) – wife (m.1847) of B.H. Covington; Harrison Covington (b.1848-d.?) – son of B.H. and M.A.H. Covington; John Edmund Covington (b.1850-d.1925) – son of B.H. and M.A.H. Covington; Frank F. Covington (b.?-d.?) – son of B.H. and M.A.H. Covington
HISTORICAL RECORDS AND DATA
- 1790 U.S. Federal Census, Richmond Co., North Carolina, USA (Ancestry.com) – Benjamin Covington & 5 slaves (p.3 or 171)
- 1800 U.S. Federal Census, Fayetteville, Richmond Co., North Carolina, USA (Ancestry.com) – Benjamin Covington & 10 slaves (p.15 or 255)
- 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Richmond Co., North Carolina, USA (Ancestry.com) – Benjamin Covington & 1 slave (p.13 or 125); Benjamin H Covington & 8 slaves (p.14 or 196); Benjamin Covington & 5 slaves (p.35 or 207); Benjamin Covington & 1 slave (p.39 or 209)
- 1820 U.S. Federal Census, Richmond Co., North Carolina, USA (Ancestry.com) – Benj Covington – no slaves (p.9 or 184); Benjamin Covington & 6 slaves (p.18 or 202); Benjamin H Covington & 29 slaves (p.28 or 222)
- 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Rockingham, Richmond Co., North Carolina, USA (Ancestry.com) – Benjamin Covington Esquire & 12 slaves (p.11 or 207)
- 1840 U.S. Federal Census, Rockingham District, Richmond Co., North Carolina, USA (Ancestry.com) – John W Covington & 27 slaves (p.10 or 245)
- 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Wolf Pit, Richmond Co., North Carolina, USA (Ancestry.com) – Benjamin Covington (b.1813), farmer, household 463 (p.12 or 282B) – John Covington (b.1810), farmer, household 472 (p.12 or 282B)
- 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Rockingham, Richmond Co., North Carolina, USA (Ancestry.com) – Fanny Covington (b.1834), farmer, household 471 (p.16 or 363)
- 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Wolf Pit, Richmond Co., North Carolina, USA (Ancestry.com) – Franklin Covington (b.1824), farmer, household 34 (p.5 or 664A); Peter Covington (b.1819), farmer, household 61 (p.8 or 665B); Fannie S. Covington (b.1837), keeping house, household 64 (property value = 10,000) (p.8 or 665B); Anderson Covington (b.1837), carpenter, household 171 (Margaret Sinclair, white) (p.25 or 540B); William Covington (b.1840), teamster, household 57 (p.34 or 557B)
- Gen Benjamin H. Covington Sr., memorial ID 57663108 (Find a Grave)
- Digital family tree: wiloc — Terrell Covington Family (ID 242240), Benjamin H. “Sugar Ben” Covington (ID I2051) (RootsWeb WorldConnect)
- 1814 Will of Benjamin Covington (Ancestry.com) – Warren Co., Kentucky; Fanny Covington (wife), Polly Covington (daughter), Milly Covington (daughter), Letitia Covington (daughter), Rachel Covington (daughter), Isaac Covington (son), John W. Covington (son), Benjamin H. Covington (son), Elijah M. Covington (son), Thomas A. Covington (son), Nancy Dockery (daughter), Sally Smith (daughter)
- 1827 Will (presumably of) Benjamin H. Covington Jr. (NC GenWeb Richmond County) – Richmond Co., North Carolina, Court House, Rockingham, NC, Will Book 3, no page number, 1844; Mrs. Jane Covington
REFERENCES AND DATA SOURCES
- Poole, James L. (2015). Covington Family (Book 3, Chapter 3). Accessed online at NC GenWeb: Richmond County, https://www.ncgenweb.us/richmond/covingtonloupoole.pdf.
- Ancestry.com. 1790 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. http://ancestry.com. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. (Year: 1790; Census Place: Richmond, North Carolina; Series: M637; Roll: 7; Page: 171; Image: 441; Family History Library Film: 0568147)
- Ancestry.com. 1800 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. http://ancestry.com. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. (Year: 1800; Census Place: Fayetteville, Richmond, North Carolina; Series: M32; Roll: 33; Page: 255; Image: 197; Family History Library Film: 337909)
- Ancestry.com. 1810 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. http://ancestry.com. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
- Ancestry.com. 1820 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. http://ancestry.com. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
- Ancestry.com. 1830 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. http://ancestry.com. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
- Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. http://ancestry.com. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
- Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.
- Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. http://ancestry.com. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.
- Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. http://ancestry.com. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009.
- Ancestry.com. 1850 U.S. Federal Census – Slave Schedules [database on-line]. http://ancestry.com. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2004.
- Ancestry.com. 1860 U.S. Federal Census – Slave Schedules [database on-line]. http://ancestry.com. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
- Ancestry.com. Kentucky, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989 [database on-line]. http://ancestry.com. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.
- Ancestry.com. North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, for Benjamin H Covington [database on-line]. http://ancestry.com. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.
- RootsWeb WorldConnect [database online]. https://wc.rootsweb.com/.
- Find a Grave. [database online]. http://findagrave.com.
- The USGenWeb Project. Richmond County Obituaries 1800-1840. http://ncgenweb.us/richmond/18061825obits.html.
- NC GenWeb Richmond County. Slave Genealogies. http://ncgenweb.us/richmond/slaves1.htm.
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