Quotinf:'Mobile County had a large population of free blacks, many of whom were mulatto descendants of the Spanish and French. These Creole Negroes were well educated due to special provisions of Mobile law. They were prosperous merchants, barbers, blacksmiths, carpenters, draymen, and coachmen. Many were descendants of Pierre Chastang, who carried supplies for Andrew Jackson's troops during the War of 1812 and, when yellow fever spread in Mobile in 1819, cared for the sick and buried the dead. He was freed by popular subscription for these public services. When Chastang died in 1848, the Alabama Planter in Mobile lauded him as a "highly esteemed and respected" member of the community.38 In 1850 Mobile had 41 percent of the state's free blacks.

End Quoting.

Source Rogers, Ward, Atkins, Flynt