Sands of Time–The Phelps Family and their Kin in
Orange, Caswell, Person, Alamance Co NC.
Latham Mark Phelps – Henrietta Phelps Lawson Jeffries was born a slave in Halifax County, Va. She married her first husband at age 15. The marriage lasted 7 years – her husband died and left her a widow at 22.
She remarried at 23 and lived a relatively normal Southern life until her 54th year when she was hauled into a Caswell County, NC Court in December 1911 to answer the charge of practicing medicine without a license.
Her specific crime was providing midwifery services to countless women (white and black) in Caswell County. The summarized account of her trial (below) is a beautiful illustration of the sympathetic relationship existing between the races in Caswell County, NC 100+ years ago, and documented in files maintained by the Caswell County Historical Association.
The Trial of Henrietta Phelps Jeffries, Caswell County, North Carolina
The account is typed but unsigned. The facts related are substantially as follows:
At the December, 1911, term of Superior Court in Caswell County a case of unusual interest was scheduled for trial. A true bill had been found by the Grand Jury on an indictment of an old black woman named Henrietta Jeffries charged with practicing medicine without a license. The case had been widely discussed in the county and when the case was called the courtroom was filled to capacity.
Judge Charles M. Cooke was presiding and the solicitor or state prosecutor was S. P. Graves. The state carefully picked its jury, but when the defendant was asked if she was satisfied with the jury she replied: “If the Judge has no fault with the jury, it suits me all right.”
The solicitor then began the usual questions: “Are you ready for trial?” “Yes, I’se ready.” “Are you guilty or not guilty?” “I don’t know zackly what you mean by that, but if you mean that I helped these white women when they needed me the most, then I’se guilty.”
As she said this Judge Cooke became quite interested. A tear glistened in his eye, and his old wrinkled face took on a glow. It was evident that she had the judge’s sympathy. He looked at her for a moment, and he realized that she was “an old granny woman” and a midwife of the old school.