Charles was an African American man residing in Pasquotank County, North Carolina. As a boy, Charles had been enslaved by Abel Trueblood. When Abel Trueblood died in 1759, he bequeathed Charles' labor to his son, Caleb Trueblood, along with that of several other enslaved people. Due to his religious beliefs, Caleb Trueblood freed Charles in about 1776. Later, North Carolina passed a law stating that enslaved people could not be freed without permission of the courts. In 1778 local officials arrested Charles, arguing that he had violated the law even though he had been emancipated prior to the law, and sold his labor at public auction. Any further information regarding this individual has not been located.