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| Miss Emeline Pigott and the circa 1809 Jones House - New Bern, NC |
From the Bellair Plantation Collection, East Carolina Manuscript Collection:
"This image was taken from a 1903 New Bern calendar. The calendar is in our Bellair Plantation Collection. Emeline Pigott was born in Harlowe Township, Carteret County, on December 15, 1836. Emeline was a spy for the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. She carried contraband items in her large hoop skirts.
"General Ambrose Burnside landed on the coast of North Carolina on March 14, 1862, at the future site of Cherry Point Marine Air Corps Station’s, Officer’s Club. Miss Pigott’s fiance, private Stokes McRae, and the meager Confederate forces were forced out of New Bern and headed to Virginia.
"Stokes McRae was killed at Gettysburg and Miss Pigott vowed to carry on his cause. She was caught in 1865 with contraband such as clothing, combs, boots, personal letters and important documents reporting on Union troops, and placed in prison (Jones House).
"Miss Pigott, a genteel Southern lady, refused to have an African-American woman touch her body to search her. She ate an important document and tore up the personal letters while they tried to find someone else to search her. There are different stories as to what happened after she was caught, but she was finally released. She lived to a long life to age 82 and died on May 26, 1919.
"The Jones House (pictured above) at 231 Eden Street in New Bern was built for John Jones circa 1809; the west wing was added circa 1820, during the Federal period. Brothers John and Fredrick Jones both owned and operated their own turpentine distilleries. The distilleries supplied large amounts of turpentine for the use in sealing wooden hull-vessels. The house was used as a jail during the Civil War. Referred to as the 'Secesh Jail,' it is said to have housed Emeline Pigott. Tryon Palace Commission purchased the house in 1963 as its official guest house; it is also used as a gift shop for the palace."
Emeline Jamison Pigott was buried in the Pigott family graveyard on the north shore of
Calico Creek just off of what is now 20th Street and Emeline Place in
Morehead City.
The graveyard is cared for by the city, but is padlocked. Her headstone can be seen from the padlocked gate.
"Stokes McRae was killed at Gettysburg and Miss Pigott vowed to carry on his cause. She was caught in 1865 with contraband such as clothing, combs, boots, personal letters and important documents reporting on Union troops, and placed in prison (Jones House).
"Miss Pigott, a genteel Southern lady, refused to have an African-American woman touch her body to search her. She ate an important document and tore up the personal letters while they tried to find someone else to search her. There are different stories as to what happened after she was caught, but she was finally released. She lived to a long life to age 82 and died on May 26, 1919.
"The Jones House (pictured above) at 231 Eden Street in New Bern was built for John Jones circa 1809; the west wing was added circa 1820, during the Federal period. Brothers John and Fredrick Jones both owned and operated their own turpentine distilleries. The distilleries supplied large amounts of turpentine for the use in sealing wooden hull-vessels. The house was used as a jail during the Civil War. Referred to as the 'Secesh Jail,' it is said to have housed Emeline Pigott. Tryon Palace Commission purchased the house in 1963 as its official guest house; it is also used as a gift shop for the palace."
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Pigott Family
Pigott Family
Elijah Pigot, son of Culpepper Pigot and Elicia Freshwater, was born in 1725 in Northampton, Virginia and died in 1789 in Carteret County.
Elijah married Sevil Fulford (1738-1820). Their daughter Thamar Pigot (1762-1815) married Zephaniah Howland (1752-1834).
Levi Pigott was the son of Elijah and Sibyl. Levi was born in 1763 in Carteret County and died in March 1829 in Straits, Carteret County. Levi married Margaret Whitehurst (1760-1836) in 1788. Margaret was the daughter of John Whitehurst (1736-1795) and Susannah Fulford.
Levi Whitehurst Pigott (1798-1842 married Eliza A. Dennis on July 5,1827. Eliza (1808-1889) was the daughter of Reuben Dennis and Abigail Hatsell. Reuben was the son of William Dennis; Abigail was the daughter of Armistead Hatsell.
Emeline Jamison Pigott, daughter of Levi Pigott and Eliza Dennis, was born December 15, 1835 in Bogue Sound, Carteret County and died May 26, 1919. On April 25, 1862, it has been said that Charity Hatsell Read, along with her sixteen-year-old daughter Julia Read, stood on the south end of the upper porch of the Hatsell House, in Beaufort, to watch the shelling at Fort Macon. With them was Charity’s friend Emeline Pigott.
Levi Pigott was the son of Elijah and Sibyl. Levi was born in 1763 in Carteret County and died in March 1829 in Straits, Carteret County. Levi married Margaret Whitehurst (1760-1836) in 1788. Margaret was the daughter of John Whitehurst (1736-1795) and Susannah Fulford.
Levi Whitehurst Pigott (1798-1842 married Eliza A. Dennis on July 5,1827. Eliza (1808-1889) was the daughter of Reuben Dennis and Abigail Hatsell. Reuben was the son of William Dennis; Abigail was the daughter of Armistead Hatsell.
Emeline Jamison Pigott, daughter of Levi Pigott and Eliza Dennis, was born December 15, 1835 in Bogue Sound, Carteret County and died May 26, 1919. On April 25, 1862, it has been said that Charity Hatsell Read, along with her sixteen-year-old daughter Julia Read, stood on the south end of the upper porch of the Hatsell House, in Beaufort, to watch the shelling at Fort Macon. With them was Charity’s friend Emeline Pigott.
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Col. Levi Whitehurst Pigott and wife Eliza Dennis moved from the Harlowe Township to Crab Point shortly before the Civil War. Pigott operated a large farm on Calico Creek, Morehead City, NC. It was there that daughter Emeline met and fell in love with Stokes McRae, who was part of an encampment near her parents' farm on Calico Creek. (Note: Montford Stokes McRae was in the class of 1856 at UNC.)
Montford Stokes McRae, born about 1837, was living in Montgomery County, North Carolina, when he enlisted on 01 July 1861--Company K, North Carolina 26th Infantry Regiment. He was promoted to full sergeant on May 1, 1862 and full sergeant major March 1, 1863. He died August 2, 1863 at Gettysburg, PA.
According to family history in a Civil War forum: Montfort Stokes McRae, called Stokes by his friends, came from Richmond County, NC. He enlisted in Wadesboro, NC in a company known as the Pee Dee Wildcats (later Company K). He was with the 26th during their posting on the Carolina coast in Carteret County; while there he became engaged to Emeline Pigott. By the Battle of Gettysburg, Stokes had been promoted to sergeant major. He was wounded during the assault on the position of the Iron Brigade on McPherson's Ridge. Stokes was wounded in the leg and the bullet broke his thigh bone. He died a month after the battle in Camp Letterman, the hospital camp that remained to treat the wounded of both armies just east of the town of Gettysburg.
Montford Stokes McRae, born about 1837, was living in Montgomery County, North Carolina, when he enlisted on 01 July 1861--Company K, North Carolina 26th Infantry Regiment. He was promoted to full sergeant on May 1, 1862 and full sergeant major March 1, 1863. He died August 2, 1863 at Gettysburg, PA.
According to family history in a Civil War forum: Montfort Stokes McRae, called Stokes by his friends, came from Richmond County, NC. He enlisted in Wadesboro, NC in a company known as the Pee Dee Wildcats (later Company K). He was with the 26th during their posting on the Carolina coast in Carteret County; while there he became engaged to Emeline Pigott. By the Battle of Gettysburg, Stokes had been promoted to sergeant major. He was wounded during the assault on the position of the Iron Brigade on McPherson's Ridge. Stokes was wounded in the leg and the bullet broke his thigh bone. He died a month after the battle in Camp Letterman, the hospital camp that remained to treat the wounded of both armies just east of the town of Gettysburg.
Emeline Jamison Pigott was buried in the Pigott family graveyard on the north shore of
Calico Creek just off of what is now 20th Street and Emeline Place in
Morehead City. The graveyard is cared for by the city, but is padlocked. Her headstone can be seen from the padlocked gate.
