Historical documents show that 17 people were enslaved by Hezikiah Alexandar during his time at The Rock House in Charlotte from 1774 up to his passing in 1801. I learned he had an enslaved cook named Bet who would combine her African-inspired dishes with traditional southern cuisine. Bet had a lot of mouths to feed, and I can imagine she ran a tight kitchen. She had no choice. Hezikiah and his wife, Mary, were busy birthing 10 children from 1752 – 1775. All of them survived to adulthood and the family lineage lives on in Charlotte to this day.  

During the birth of America, Hezikiah was a blacksmith and planter by trade, but had significant ambition, power, and influence. He was instrumental in leading Mecklenburg County to independence during the American Revolution and was a framer for North Carolina’s first Bill of Rights. His Rock House, which you will see in these photographs, is the last remaining structure in Charlotte’s Revolutionary history. It's 5000 square feet and was built by his slave labor. Tobacco was their primary cash crop, but peaches, corn, flax, and a small amount of cotton were also grown on the site.  

There is limited information about the slaves who made this statesman’s lifestyle possible, but their names live on: Abram; Ann; Bet and her daughters, Jenny & Jane; Hannah; Jack; Jean & her three children, Siah, Frank, & Nancy; Mary; Nance & her three unnamed children; another child named Nance; Rachel; and Sam.

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