You never know where a record may pop up…
I’ve yet to find the time to properly dig into the Colemans of Edgecombe County, NC… they were neighbors of my guys. I’ve tracked them a bit… enough to pique my interest that some started out near modern Petersburg, VA in the late 1600s. One of these “Prince George County” Andersons settled for a time near Ococneechee Neck in Bertie County (the early Bertie) ca. 1733. That John Anderson left no descendants that I can find. It is interesting though, that he was there… and why? My guess is that he was involved in the Indian Trade as were numerous other folks. But that is not my point of this post.
The information that we are able to access now, due to the internet, is truly amazing… this obscure book references an obscure law case of 1793. The case references one Francis Coleman who made his way to North Carolina in 1705. He brought back an Indian Woman as a slave.
Virginia reports: Jefferson–33 Grattan, 1730-1880, Volumes 1-2; Volume 21 By Thomas Johnson Michie, Thomas Jefferson, Peachy Ridgway Grattan (pg495) Coleman v. Dick & Pat. October Term, 1793
This was an action of assault and battery, and false imprisonment, brought by the appellees, in the District Court of Petersburg.
Plea, that the plaintiffs are slaves—Replication, that they are free and not slaves, and issue thereupon. The jury found a special verdict in the following words viz. “We find, that the plaintiffs are lineally descended by the maternal line from Judith; that Judith was an Indian, or the descendant of an Indian. That she was brought into this state by a certain Francis Coleman, sometimes after the year 1705, and was held as a slave, to the day of her death. If the law be for the plaintiffs, we find &c.”
(The descendants of the slave Judith (Dick & Pat and others) won their freedom about 1793 in VA)
Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, Volume XXIX, Number 1 (01-FEB-1991)
Prince George County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, 1710-1713
p. 13 Will of William Borne of Bristol Parish, Prince George Co, of “sane & perfect memory” Estate to be equally divided between Fra. Coleman’s two sons; and I make him my executor; but if he happens to die at Carolina, I make his wife my executrix. 14 April 1708
Signed: Wm (X) Bornes
Wit: Rich’d Smith, MATTHEW ANDERSON
9 Jan. 1710, proved by above witnesses & recorded
Matthew Anderson,Sr. to Daniel Nance
02/11/1716 100 acres Pr. G. Co.
Pr. G. Co. Book 1713-1728 Part I page 139
Bounded by Bayley’s run, David Crawley, Francis Coleman, and Maj. Robert Munford.
James Anderson
Matthew Anderson
Prince George County Wills and Deeds 1710-1713, page 14.
Dee, 7 Feb. 1710, William Coleman Jr. of Prince George County, to Robert Munford of same, for 5 shillings, 100 acres of land called “Haycocks”, bounded by land of John Coleman, land of JAMES ANDERSON, William Coleman, Matthew Anderson, George Downing, Robert Tucker & Samuel Vaughn. Said land was given to said William by will of his father, Robert Coleman, late of said county, dec’d, dated 17 Jan. 1675, to hold land one year.
Matthew Anderson,Jr. to Robert Munford
02/07/1714/5 100 acres Pr. G. Co.
Lands next to Math. Mayse, John Mayse, formerly property of Henry Newcomb, “Haycocks”, Robert Tucker, John Coleman, formerly belonging to William Byrd.
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In the period of 1705-1708 (in my opinion) the only people settled around Occoneechee Neck, NC and the Tarboro area were Tuscarora Indians. Francis Coleman may have been trading with them. Or he may have made his way to South Carolina to trade with the Catawba, Cherokee or Chickasaws. All of which is a guess of course… but then… what else would he be doing?
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Oh… and Dr Cary… this is one of the reasons I think Peter Anderson may have come from Prince George County… the ancestor of the Bigins Sturdivant came from the same area of Virginia.
Andersons of Colonial N. Carolina 
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