Henry Ormond was born in Beaufort County, North Carolina in 1742. The youngest son of a prominent family, Ormond owned a plantation and at least five enslaved people. In July 1770 Ormond's enslaved people colluded together to murder their enslaver via asphyxiation and then attempted to over up the crime by putting his body on horseback and sending the horse down the road. Lucy, Annis, Phillis, and Cuffy were all later tried, found guilty, and executed for Ormond's murder.