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Randolph County community learns history about plantation owner who had enslaved children

by 28 February 2024 · History / World History

AS THIS BLACK HISTORY MONTH COMES TO A CLOSE. THERE WAS A PRESENTATION TONIGHT IN ARCHDALE WHERE PEOPLE COULD LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FAMILY AND DESCENDANTS OF THOMAS LIDDELL. HE WAS AN EARLY RANDOLPH COUNTY CITIZEN AND A PLANTATION OWNER WITH A DEEP ROOTED HISTORY THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND TODAY. WXII 12 KARA PETERS SPOKE WITH SOME OF HIS DESCENDANTS AND JOINS US NOW WITH THIS REPORT. AFTER THE DEATH OF THOMAS LIDDELL IN 1794, 38 EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBERS WENT WENT ON TO BE SOLD HERE IN RANDOLPH COUNTY TUESDAY NIGHT. DESCENDANTS HAD A CHANCE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS HISTORY WHILE LOOKING AHEAD TO THE FUTURE. A ROOM FULL OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SOME DISTANT FAMILY MEMBERS ALL HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THOMAS LIDDELL. LIDDELL WAS A PLANTATION OWNER THAT FATHERED SEVEN CHILDREN WITH AN UNKNOWN ENSLAVED BLACK WOMAN, SUSAN COX IS A DESCENDANT OF THOMAS’S OLDEST SON, FRANK LIDDELL. YOU KNOW TO KNOW THAT THIS IS THIS IS HISTORY. OTHERS, LIKE WENDY FUNCHES, ARE STILL LEARNING MORE ABOUT HER TIES. I THOUGHT I WAS A DESCENDANT OF ESTHER LIDDELL, BUT THROUGH NEW RESEARCH THAT HAS COME UP IN THE LAST YEAR, I’M ACTUALLY NOT RELATED TO HER, BUT I AM. I AM A DNA MATCH TO THE TO OTHER DESCENDANTS FROM THIS FAMILY. WHEN THOMAS LIDDELL DIED IN 1794, HIS WILL CALLED FOR FRANK TO BE EMANCIPATED. HOWEVER, FOR THE REST OF FRANK’S SIBLINGS, FREEDOM DID NOT COME UNTIL 1816, WHEN LITTLE’S WIFE DIED. THIS RESULTED IN WHAT WOULD SOON BECOME THE LARGEST SINGLE SALE OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN RANDOLPH COUNTY’S HISTORY. YOU HAVE, I GUESS, A SENSE OF GUILT SOMEHOW. AND YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD WHO HAVE NOT HAD, UM, THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT I’VE HAD, YOU KNOW, AND WE’RE FROM THE SAME FAMILY. OVER TIME, DESCENDANTS OF THE LYTLE FAMILY HAVE DUNN ANCESTRY, WORK AND DNA TESTING. THEY EVEN HAD A REUNION LAST SEPTEMBER IN SOPHIA TO MEET ONE ANOTHER. MONDAY’S PRESENTATION WAS LED BY KENDRA LYONS, WHO GAVE A BREAKDOWN OF WHO THOMAS LIDDELL WAS AND HIS IMPACT STILL PRESENT IN RANDOLPH COUNTY. THEY’RE STILL CONNECTING COUSINS TO COUSINS. DNA IS HELPING WITH THAT. AND THEY’RE GOING TO YOU KNOW, TRY TO FIND DESCENDANTS OF ALL OF THE ENSLAVED INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE SOLD AND THOSE THAT STAYED IN THE IN THE AREA. A CHANCE TO LEARN ABOUT THE PAST. WHILE HAVING THE STRENGTH TO MOVE FORWARD AFTER. I’M A TRUE BELIEVER THAT WE HAVE TO START THE PROCESS OF HEALING SO I THINK WE CAN START HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS NOW TO BE ABLE TO BRIDGE THE GAP. DESCENDANTS OF THE LYTLE FAMILY TELL ME THAT THEIR NEXT REUNION WILL BE THIS YEAR IN OREGON. WE WILL HAVE A LINK TO RESOURCES REGARDING THE LYTLE FAMILY, ALL ON OUR WEBSITE AT WXII 12.COM IN RANDOLPH COUNTY. I’M KA

Randolph County community learns history about plantation owner who had enslaved children

After the death of Thomas Lytle in 1794, two of his enslaved children, Pink and Esther, went on to have 38 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren sold to slavery in Randolph County.

The Archdale Public Library had a room full of community members, and some distant family members, all there to learn more about Thomas Lytle.Lytle was a plantation owner who fathered seven children with an unknown enslaved Black woman.Top StoriesJaxton Brown found in canceled North Carolina Amber Alert, parents Destinee Cothran and Justin Brown on the runNorth Carolina couple arrested, charged after abducting grandchildren, found in High Point, deputies sayVideo: A driving range exchange goes viral after a man gives unsolicted swing tips to golf pro Georgia BallGet the latest news stories of interest by clicking hereSusan Cox is a descendant of Thomas’s oldest son, Frank Lytle.”To know that this is history, you know?” Cox said.Others like Wendi Funchess, are still learning more about her ties. “I thought I was a direct descendant of Esther Lytle, but through new research that has come up in the last year, I’m actually not related to her but I am a DNA match to other descendants from this Lytle family,” Funchess said.When Thomas Lytle died in 1794, his will called for Frank to be emancipated. However, for the rest of Frank’s siblings, freedom didn’t come until 1816, when Lytle’s wife died. Two of Lytle’s children, Pink and Esther, had children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who remained enslaved and subject to sale. This resulted in what would soon become the largest single sale of enslaved people in Randolph County’s history. Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts”You have, I guess, a sense of guilt somehow and you think about the people who have not had the type of opportunities as I’ve had, and we’re from the same family,” Cox said.Over time, descendants of the Lytle family have done ancestry work, and DNA testing. They even had a reunion last September in Sophia to meet one another.Tuesday’s presentation was led by Kendra Lyons, who gave a breakdown of who Thomas Lytle was, and his impact still present in Randolph County. “They’re still connecting cousins to cousins, DNA is helping with that and they’re going to try to find descendants of all the enslaved individuals that were sold and those that stayed in the area,” Lyons said.A chance to learn about the past, while having the strength to move forward.”I’m a true believer that we have to start the process of healing, so I believe we need to start having these conversations now to be able to bridge the gap,” Funchess said.Descendants of the Lytle family tell me their next family reunion will take place this year in Oregon. NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here

RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. —

The Archdale Public Library had a room full of community members, and some distant family members, all there to learn more about Thomas Lytle.

Lytle was a plantation owner who fathered seven children with an unknown enslaved Black woman.

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Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here

Susan Cox is a descendant of Thomas’s oldest son, Frank Lytle.

“To know that this is history, you know?” Cox said.

Others like Wendi Funchess, are still learning more about her ties.

“I thought I was a direct descendant of Esther Lytle, but through new research that has come up in the last year, I’m actually not related to her but I am a DNA match to other descendants from this Lytle family,” Funchess said.

When Thomas Lytle died in 1794, his will called for Frank to be emancipated. However, for the rest of Frank’s siblings, freedom didn’t come until 1816, when Lytle’s wife died. Two of Lytle’s children, Pink and Esther, had children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who remained enslaved and subject to sale. This resulted in what would soon become the largest single sale of enslaved people in Randolph County’s history.

Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts

“You have, I guess, a sense of guilt somehow and you think about the people who have not had the type of opportunities as I’ve had, and we’re from the same family,” Cox said.

Over time, descendants of the Lytle family have done ancestry work, and DNA testing. They even had a reunion last September in Sophia to meet one another.

Tuesday’s presentation was led by Kendra Lyons, who gave a breakdown of who Thomas Lytle was, and his impact still present in Randolph County.

“They’re still connecting cousins to cousins, DNA is helping with that and they’re going to try to find descendants of all the enslaved individuals that were sold and those that stayed in the area,” Lyons said.

A chance to learn about the past, while having the strength to move forward.

“I’m a true believer that we have to start the process of healing, so I believe we need to start having these conversations now to be able to bridge the gap,” Funchess said.

Descendants of the Lytle family tell me their next family reunion will take place this year in Oregon.

NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |

Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here

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