James, I apologize profusely for your long wait, but this request has taken a lot of just plain reading. I'm sending anything that I think might provide a clue. Remember that the Gibbs were from Duplin County and the Beattys owned land in Duplin, Sampson, New Hanover, Cumberland and Bladen counties, so any slaves owned by either family could have been moved back and forth between counties. >From # 11 Beatty, Lucien T., 011 (Bladen County), 1899, WB-3, page 105, CTY (this Will is held in Elizabethtown). >From # 50 BEATTY, JOHN D. March 15, 1849. May Term 1849. Wife and Executrix: Jane. Daughters: Polly, Ella, Margaret, Maria, Annabella. Sons: William, Lucien, Hays, G.H. Beatty. Grandson: John Beatty Reid. Father & Executor: William H. Beatty. Witnesses: Patrick L. Cromartie, Luther Cromartie. Clerk: H. H. Robinson. (son-in-law & ex.: David Reid, Executor: Hays W. Beatty) BEATTY, LUCIEN T. February 11, 1899. April 10, 1899. Wife: Anna W. Daughters: Margaret Hunter Beatty, Mary Anna Beatty. Son: Henry (Gravely Hill Homestead from W. H. G. Beatty). Executors: W. H. Sprunt of Wilmington, N. C., N. McL. Beatty of Klondike, N. C. Witnesses: W. I. Shaw, N. M. Beatty. Clerk: W. M. McNeill. BEATTY, WILLIAM HENRY. May 16, 1849. Aug. Term 1853. Pleasant Retreat in Bladen County. Grandchildren: William H. Beatty, Douglas Beatty, children of my deceased son, Henry Benbury Beatty [note: I would suspect that "Benbury" should be "Bunbury" after Bunbury Day who was William Henry Beatty's mother's uncle], Margaret Holmes & Lucien Holmes, children of my deceased daughter, Margaret Ann Holmes. William, John, Eliza & Annabella, children of my deceased daughter, Annabella Pearson. Peter Mallett, "my best flute". Daughters: Margaret Ann Holmes (deceased), Sophia S. Mallett (deceased). Daughter-in-law: Jane S. H. Beatty, widow of my late son, John D. Beatty. Son-in-law: John S. Pearson, husband of Annabella Pearson. Sons: Hays White Beatty (my plantation Pleasant Retreat), Henry B. Beatty. Other legatees: Hugh Y. Waddell, son of the late Hugh Waddell, "my violin, the same having been the property of Hugh Waddell, Sr." "Toll Bridge known as Beatty's Bridge." executors: Son, Hays White Beatty, Grandson, William H. Beatty, son of my deceased son, William G. Beatty and Charles B. Mallett, son of my deceased daughter Sophia S. Mallett. Witnesses: Calvin J. Dickson, George W. Bannerman, William A. Wright. Clerk: J. I. McRee. >From # 5 DEED BOOK 4A p. 495 New Hanover Co. GEORGE TAYLOR & WILLIAM H. BEATTY, agent for HAYS G. WHITE to ABRAHAM NEWTON, (cos. not given), 14 Oct 1811, for $500 a negro fellow named LEWIS. Wit: AMBROSE SMITH. July Ct. 1813. Duplin Co. Deed Book 3A p. 521 JOHN GIBBS (SENR.) to CHARLES GIBBS, both of Duplin County., 17 Jan 1809, for 200 pds. one wench & child by the name of PEGGY & ABBY, the wench aged about 22 & the child about 7 months. Wit: JAMES WATKINS, WILLIAM WATKINS. Jan Ct. 1809. (note: From # 6: paraphrased. In Duplin County, 1809, John Gibbs, Senr. willed to his wife, Sarah, "negroes Dafne, Arthur, James & Cash". "Daughters Susanna Burns, Tamzarine Rogers & Zilpha Jernigan negroes Dafne, Arthur, Jim & Cash at wife's decease; dau. Sarah Bennet negro Toney". >From # 38 [Deed] BOOK # 10 16 9 Oct. 1832-John S. Pearson of Rowan County, N.C. of first part and Annabella Beatty of Bladen County, N.C. of second part and William H. Beatty of Bladen County in trust for Annabella Beatty of the third part, whereas Anna Jane White late of the County of Bladen . . .by her last will and testament bearing date 18 Dec. 1819 did bequeath to her Niece Annabella Beatty two negro boys viz: Louis and Alex and whereas a marriage is intended to be shortly had and solemnised [sic] between the said John S. Pearson and the said Annabella Beatty . . said negro boys to remain with William H. Beatty in trust for Annabella Beatty. Wit: Henry B. Beatty. 24 Jan. 1833. Proven before Robert Strange, one of the Judges of Law and Equity. 200 7 Jan. 1834-Peter S. Bacot of South Carolina To William H. Beatty-$200-a negro man named Will that formerly belonged to Miss Ann Jane White was willed by sd Anna Jane White to William H. Beattty during his life and then to her brother Hays G. White being dead and only one of his children living to wit: Anna Jane White now Anna Jane Bacot-I Peter S. Bacot do sell the afsd negro man Will to William H. Beatty. Wit: Daniel Campbell, H. W. Beatty P. K. Clk. 494 24 Sept. 1829-Elizabeth Lock To John D. Beatty, William Sutton, James Meredith, Thomas Lee and James M. Anders. . . have executed a bond with me, signed as securities in sum of Nine Thousand Dollars to John Anders in order to procure a conveyance from sd John Anders to myself the sd elizabeth Lock of property conveyed in trust by Benjamin Lock to sd John Anders for use of myself. . .my negro men Ben and Bill, a negro woman Rachel and Rose and her child, an infant daughter. . . my 2 tracts of land 200 acres in each, my stock of cattle, hogs, one mare, household and Kitchen furniture. Wit: G. W. Bannerman, Patrick Kelly. Feb. Term 1837. David Lewis, Clk. Deed Book 8 10 21 March 1840-William H. Beatty to Maj. John S. Pearson $800 for a negro mane named Dick, a bricklayer & plasterer by trade & about 27 years of age. Wit: J. D. Beatty. August Term 1841. David Lewis, Clk. 407 9 Nov 1844-H. W. Beatty to J. B. Brown, Jr.-$525-a certain negro man slave Joshua about 29 years old. Wit: W. S. Anders. Aug Term 1845. David Lewis, Clk. >From # 36 Deed Book 7 578 10 Sept 1814. William Streety to Robert Gibbs - jdgt in favor of Geo Gibbs against George H. Gibbs-certain slave. Wit: W. G. Beatty. May Term 1815. J. S. Purdie, C. C. 580 13 March 1815. Robert Gibbs to Chas. P. Mallett-$150. . .a certain negro girl named Mary. Wit: W. H. Beatty. Mat Term 1815. J. S. Purdie, C. C. >From # 45 313 Jane S. H. Beatty, 48, F, N.C. Mary H. Beatty, 21, F, N.C. Jane G. Beatty, 20, F, N.C. William H. G. Beatty, 19, M, Farmer, N.C. Lucian Beatty, 17, M, N.C. Margaret J. Beatty, 15, F, N.C. Mariah J. Beatty, 13, F, N.C. George H. Beatty, 11, M, N.C. Annabella E. Beatty, 3, F, N.C. George Hayse, 20, M, B(black), Cooper, N.C. Maurice Hayse, 21, M, B, Cooper, N.C. Malcom Hayse, 16, M, B, Hireling, N.C. 338 William H. Beatty, 81, M, Farmer, Ireland Hayse W. Beatty, 38, M, Farmer, N.C. William G. B. Pearson, 13, M, N.C. John S. Pearson, 11, M, N.C. >From # 108 a number of black families with the Beatty name (Beaty, Beattie), but no Lucien listed. >From # 37 Deed Book 11 21 26 April 1822-Gab'l Holmes to John Beatty for the love and friendship which I bear to him and his wife Jane - two negro girls named Jude and Celia. May Term 1822. Handwriting of Gab'l Holmes proved by oath of Lucian Holmes. Duncan McInnis, Clerk. 323 11 Sept. 1824-Thos. Cashwell to Wm. G. Beatty-$350-2 negro men slaves called Ed and Ishmal aged 20 and 28 yrs. late the property of John Cashwell, Sr. dec'd. and by sd John conveyed by deed of gift to the said Thomas. Wit: Jno Melvin, Thos. Smith. Nov. Term 1824. Ack'd. James, try the form on-line at www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/archives/arch/mail.htm for help in getting more information. I have THE HENRY BEATTY FAMILY and WILLIAM HENRY BEATTY entries from the Bladen County Heritage Book if you need the whole story of the Beatty/Gibbs families. Neither entry mentions any slaves. I hope that you can find some little tidbit in this. Dee For details on sources used, refer to this link: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncbladen/lookups.htm