Some African-American Outlaw relatives:
Dr. Benjamin Speller
– great grandson of James Outlaw
Former Dean of the School of Library and Information Sciences at North Carolina Central University.
I was a tenured Professor at NCCU for 28 year (serving as Dean for twenty years). I retired in 2004 after serving as a librarian, researcher, planning and budgeting officer, and Academic Dean in the UNC System for 42 years. While at NCCU, I also taught Management and Systems Analysis for the School of Business and the NCCU Department of Human Sciences. After retirement, I taught courses on the Internet for the School of Library and Information Science at San Jose State University at the main campus and at its program at California State University at Fullerton for five years.
Ben Speller’s retirement dinner
photo by the NCCU Public Relations Department Photographer
“From left to right my brother, Dr. Leslie C. Speller, Sr. Ph.D. (Physics); my close cousin through the Outlaws, Bonds and Spellers, Dempsey Bond, Jr. and his wife, Mary Kay; and of course, me. We really enjoyed ourselves. The Bonds and Outlaws were represented in large numbers at the dinner. My dad’s only brother, late John T. Speller’s son, John Jr. was the surprise relative since he is very reclusive (like some of the Outlaws) and usually only comes to a family funeral. We had not seen him in about 8 years. Everyone said that I have now won hands down as the favorite relative on all sides of these families because quite a few hard core “no shows” at reunions and other family events came to this dinner.”
“Dempsey Bond’s great grandfather is David Cherry Outlaw, son of Edward Cherry Outlaw and nephew of David Standley Outlaw, 1806-1868 (the guardian and uncle of Edward Ralph Outlaw). His great great uncle, George Outlaw, was the mulatto overseer of his father’s, David Outlaw, Plantation and also the Plantation Estate of Edward Ralph Outlaw. Dempsey’s mother is Lula Outlaw. She and some of her brothers have red hair and bad eyesight as did David Outlaw. He is also the ggrandson of Cullen Capehart Speller and gggrandson of James Bond, all plantation owners that links us to the free mulattos, blacks, and slaves in northeastern Bertie County where we all now own land that comprised the Speller, Bond, and Outlaw Plantations.”
http://www.williamstonhomecoming.com/Bond/
James Outlaw 1858 – 1925
& Malinda Mitchell 1859 – 1928
Evidently Edward Cherry Outlaw and his wife who was a Miller both died and left Edward Ralph Outlaw an underage heir. His cousin David Standley Outlaw, the lawyer and political leader in Bertie, was his guardian. I assumed that he lived with his uncle, Walter Miller who never married. At age eighteen 1858, Edward Ralph fathered my great grandfather, James Outlaw, who also lived with Walter Miller. I assume that the slave woman who we have not been able to identify also lived in Walter Miller’s house.
There were conflicting opinions about the paternity of James Outlaw because many thought that David Outlaw, Edward Ralph’s guardian and cousin, was my great grandfather’s father but we knew different, because he had a son and other children that he recognized who l grew up with. They had his genetic markers, red hair and very bad eye sight.
When, my great grandfather married, Edward Ralph deeded him 500 acres of land down the road from Walter Miller’s Plantation. Everyone thought that Walt Miller had made the gift so that make the case stronger so to speak. By the time my great grand father died in 1925, he had 2,500 acres of land in Bertie and surrounding counties that we know about. – Ben Speller
three photos of the James Outlaw Family Cemetery on Outlaw Farm Road off US Highway 13/17 in Bertie County North Carolina
the memorial with the two headstones and two granite slabs are:
white marble headstone, James Outlaw, August 15, 1858 – September 1, 1925
grey granite headstone, Malinda Mitchell Outlaw, 1859 – 1928
Maggie Outlaw 1888 -1985
Here is a photo of my grandmother, Maggie Outlaw, 1888-1985, James Outlaw’s daughter. At the time of this photo, she was 94 and was blind from the same condition as her great uncle, David Standley Outlaw. She was born November 14, 1888 and died October 30, 1985. She married Turner Speller, 1887-1965.
Ben Speller
Maggie Outlaw at age 85
Can you tell me if you are related to Ada Bond daughrer of Annie Outlaw. They both are buried in Windsor NC in Bertie County on Outlaw Rd?
Hello I am the grand-daughter of Alice Outlaw of Bertie, Co North Carolina( her father was Samuel Outlaw) of Bertie Co. North Carolina.
Hello Tamika, I am an independent film producer that is currently researching Samuel T Outlaw (blacksmith in Onancock, VA) for videos that we will be producing, to be viewed in conjunction with a museum in honor of Samuel and his work. Was Samuel your great-grandfather? If so may I contact you?
Was this work produced? Is there a link? Samuel Jr’s sister, Serena Outlaw Smallwood, was my great grandmother.
How are you? My great grandmothers name was Alice outlaw. I was brought up in foster care so I don’t know much about my family history. She had a daughter named Mary Alice outlaw. I just wanted to see if we are related?
Yes. I visited the Outlaw and Bond cemeteries last
Friday, April 21, 2023.
Hi, I am african american and I have traced my Outlaw relatives from Haywood County, Tennessee to Windsor, Bertie, North Carolina and have found two of my ancestors Sam & Lucy Outlaw to Ralph Edward Outlaws Will that I happened to learn about on this website. I have ancestry.com DNA match with white Outlaws that list Ralph Edward Outlaw in the public family tree as their ancestors
I assume you are on the ancestry register, please see if we are kin.
My name is Lewis Bond my grandmother was an Outlaw and my dna also goes back to Edward Outlaw , Rascoe, Smallwood and Gilliams.
Yes. I am related to the Outlaws. Edward Ralph Outlaw is my great great grandfather. I am also related to the Rascoe’s and Gillam’s through my mother who is a Bond and her mother was a Gillam and Rascoe too. Also DNA verified.
My name is Michael Wilson and my grandfather married Lucy beaulah Rascoe her father and mother name was John Rascoe and Nancy (James) Rascoe. I don’t know if is any relation or not.
are you related to jack outlaw from bertie his son was born in brownsville tenn his name was tillie outlaw and tillie had 18 kids it seems like the bonds and outlaws always lived next to each other and always had kids together
Tillie is my great great grandma
I am not sure who you are but my father was jack outlaw one of the sons of tillie an sara outlaw from Brownsville tenn if you would like to talk you can reach me at [email protected]
my father was jack outlaw one of tilly outlaw sons I remember the bonds name being spoken of in the family my uncle ed outlaw ran a store just outside of brownsville
tillie outlaw was my grandfather he had a son name jack outlaw my father an there was about nine brothers an sisters in the family tillie was married to sara my grandmother
My name is Manson Thomas Collins, my grandmother’s name was Sally Anne Outlaw. She married a Thomas Collins from Lafayette, Kentucky aka as the camp ground on Camp Campbell. aka as Fort Campbell.
Since my first post, there are a few corrections. She was born August 22 1864 in Tennessee, father unknown, mother’ maiden name Judice or Judie Outlaw.
Mrs Austin I think we may be related some how I have a picture of a gro. store that was just outside of town of Brownsville that was owned by my uncle ed outlaw on the roof of the store are the names W. Austi , Judy, an M. Wills M,Wills dated my mother for a while we knew him as man wills an he had a son who lived there whos last name was Austin who went to jail a few times for making moonshine you can reach me at [email protected]
Hi, I know little about the outlaws in my family. My dad was Clyde Nathan Outlaw his mom was Jean Davis my mom said my dad was 1 of 2 boys by his dad. But that’s where the info stops. Don’t know much about my dad dad…
Who Is GW Outlaw From Bertie NC?
Did Maggie Outlaw have a younger sister named Hattie?
Yes. She married a Grandy.
My great great grandmother was Hattie outlaw. Relocated to Alabama and married a Thomas. Went back to Colerain,NC bertie co.