Peter was a man of mixed African American and American Indian ancestry. A resident of Perquimans County, North Carolina, Peter was enslaved by Quaker Samuel Smith from at least 1772 until Smith manumitted, or freed him, in about 1776, likely due to Smith's religious convictions. Later when the State of North Carolina tried to reenslave those individuals that Quakers had freed, a group of citizens from Perquimans submitted a petition to the county court, requesting that an exception be made for Peter. Citing Peter's history of good behavior, as well as his services to the community in killing bears, wolves, and other dangerous wildlife, the petitioners asked that Peter be allowed to remain a free man of color. The outcome of the petition was not recorded.