Rutgers-Aggregation

Items

• 1817, Dinah, Sale

  Enslaver Dr. William Van Deursen of New Brunswick (alumnus and long-time trustee of Queen's College, now Rutgers University) sold Dinah, age 22, to Jacob Klady, a New Brunswick landholder who intended to move to Ouachita Parish in Louisiana and take Dinah with him. At the time of the sale, Jacob Klady promised to manumit Dinah if she served obediently for 15 years in Louisiana. This promise was probably made by Klady in order to gain Dinah's consent for the relocation, since New Jersey law required registering the consent of an enslaved person before that person could be taken out of the State of New Jersey. Around the same time, William Van Deursen's brother Staats Van Deursen also sold a woman named Phillis to Jacob Klady for relocation to Louisiana.
• 1817, Mark Harris Sr., Membership or participation

  Mark Harris Sr. was among the founding members of the African Association of New Brunswick in 1817, and his name appears on the first membership roll in the association's minute book. He received permission from enslaver James Neilson to join the association. The following is a transcript of the permission slip written by James Neilson: "New Brunswick 21 Jan: 1817 I certify that I approve of the African Association of New Brunswick & give Mark Harris a Colored man belonging to me, liberty to join the same. James Neilson" Mark would continue to be a member of the organization until 1821.
• 1817, Phillis, Removal

  In 1817, Staats Van Deursen (Treasurer of Queen's College, later Rutgers Univesity) sold Phillis to a man named Jacob Klady, a New Jersey landholder who was getting ready to move to Ouachita Parish in Louisiana to establish a cotton plantation. Klady took Phillis to Louisiana with him. Phillis was aged 22 at this time. On September 23, 1817, Staats Van Deursen brought Phillis to the Court of Common Pleas of Middlesex County to obtain a removal certificate authorizing Jacob Klady to take Phillis to Louisiana where she would serve Klady as her new enslaver. The certificate was signed by two judges (Thomas Hance and John Fitz Randolph). The document stated that Phillis was examined by the judges and consented to move with Jacob Klady to Louisiana. The certificate was recorded by the County Clerk (William P. Deare) on October 8, 1817. A complete transcript of the removal certificate follows: "Phillis } State of New Jersey } Middlesex County } On the 23rd day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventeen Phillis the negro slave of Staats Van Deursen of the city of New Brunswick, in the county and State aforesaid, aged twenty two years was privately examined before us Thomas Hance and John F. Randolph two of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County of Middlesex, and on her examination did state and acknowledge to us that she was twenty two years old and that she was perfectly willing to leave the service of her present master and to remove with Jacob Klady to the State of Louisiana and that she would rather go with and serve the said Jacob Klady than continue with her present master. All of which we do hereby certify. In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands the day and year above written. - Thos. Hance John F. Randolph. - Received October 8th, 1817 recorded by Wm. P. Deare CLK"
• 1817, Phillis, Sale

  In 1817, Staats Van Deursen (Treasurer of Queen's College, later Rutgers Univesity) sold Phillis to a man named Jacob Klady, a New Jersey landholder who was getting ready to move to Ouachita Parish in Louisiana to establish a plantation. Klady took Phillis to Louisiana with him. Phillis was aged 22 at this time. Around the same time, Staats Van Deursen's brother William Van Deursen sold a woman named Dinah to Jacob Klady for relocation to Louisiana.
• 1817, Samuel Lane, Membership or participation

  Samuel Lane was one of the founding members of the African Association of New Brunswick, and his name appears on the first list of subscribers in January 1817. Lane was enslaved at this time. He received a permission slip from enslaver Andrew Kirkpatrick to join the organization. The following is a transcript of the permission slip signed by Andrew Kirkpatrick: "I do hereby give permission to my man Sam to become a member of and to attend the African Society in the city of New Brunswick, and to join them in all such things as shall be lawful and necessary, and at the same time consistent with his condition as a slave.

 15 Jan. 17. And Kirkpatrick"
• 1817, Thomas Boston, Manumission

  On June 12, 1817, Henry Rutgers manumitted a Black man named Thomas Boston. This manumission took place in New York City where Henry Rutgers resided. The manumission was certified by mayor Jacob Radcliff and Richard Riker, the Recorder of the City of New York. The deed of manumission and the accompanying certificate have been preserved by the New-York Historical Society as part of the New-York Manumission Society records collection.
• 1818, Mark Harris Jr., Birth

  Mark Harris Jr. was born on July 27, 1818, in New Brunswick, the son of Ambo and Mark Harris Sr. Ambo's enslaver John Neilson reported Mark's birth to the Middlesex County Clerk (William P. Deare). The following is a transcript of Mark's birth record in the County Clerk's register: "I certify that Mark born of Ambo my col'd servant woman (by Mark her husband) was born in New Brunswick 27 July 1818 New Brunswick County of Middlesex State of New Jersey. - John Neilson Received May 3d 1820 recorded by Deare Clk"
• 1818, Mark Harris Sr., Membership or participation

  Mark Harris Sr. was recorded as a member of the African Association of New Brunswick who paid dues during the meeting of September 5, 1818. He paid 50 cents membership dues. His name was recorded in the association's minute book as "Mark Harres."
• 1818, Samuel Lane, Manumission

  Slaveholder Andrew Kirkpatrick manumitted Samuel Lane on August 21, 1818. Samuel Lane was between 21 and 40 years old, but his exact age was not recorded by the county officials. Kirkpatrick noted that he manumitted Lane "especially in consideration of his services for several years to me rendered." Kirkpatrick described Lane as "negro man named Sam, but who calls himself Samuel Lane." The Middlesex County Book of Manumissions and Removals contains two records related to Samuel Lane's manumission. The Certificate of Manumission, issued on August 21, 1818, by officials Abraham Van Arsdalen (Overseer of the Poor of the township of North Brunswick), Thomas Hance and John Gillman (two Justices of the Peace for Middlesex County), appears on page 274. The Deed of Manumission signed by Andrew Kirkpatrick on August 21, 1818, appears on pages 274-275. These documents were recorded in the book by Middlesex County Clerk William P. Deare on August 24, 1818.
• 1819, Cato, Manumission

  Cato, aged 30, was manumitted by Abraham Van Arsdalen and William P. Deare, acting as executors for the estate of Elijah Hunt, deceased. Before his death, Elijah Hunt promised to manumit Cato in September 1819 (at the expiration of a 9-year term of service that began in September 1810). The manumission deed, signed by the executors on December 13, 1819, states: "Elijah Hunt late of the Township of North Brunswick in the County of Middlesex New Jersey dec'd, did in his lifetime by writing under his hand & seal covenant & bind himself on the 11th Sept. 1810 to manumit and set free his Negro Slave Cato in nine years from the date thereof, which term hath now expired," and thus the executors "in pursuance of the said covenant manumit and set free the said Negro Slave Cato aged about thirty years from slavery and servitude." The executors brought Cato to court to complete the process and obtain a certificate of manumission. The certificate of manumission was signed by the Overseer of the Poor of North Brunswick (who happened to be Abraham Van Arsdalen, one of the executors of Elijah Hunt's estate) and Justices of the Peace for Middlesex County (Thomas Hance and Nicholas Booraem Jr.) on December 13, 1819. The document stated that Cato was examined in court and met the eligibility requirements for manumission in New Jersey, i.e. the person was 21 to 40 years old and was "sound in mind and not under any bodily incapacity" of obtaining a livelihood. The deed and the certificate were recorded by the Middlesex County Clerk (William P. Deare, who was also one of the executors named in the documents) on December 24, 1819.
• 1819, Mark Harris Sr., Membership or participation

  Mark Harris Sr. was recorded as a member of the African Association of New Brunswick on January 1, 1819. He paid 50 cents membership dues. His name was recorded in the association's minute book as "Mark Harress."
• 1819, Samuel Lane, Membership or participation

  Samuel Lane was recorded as a member of the African Association of New Brunswick who paid dues during the meeting of January 1, 1819. He paid 50 cents membership dues (the customary 6-month dues for free persons of color). His name was recorded in the association's minute book as "Samuel Lain." Samuel had been previously enslaved by Andrew Kirkpatrick, but had been manumitted four months prior to this event.
• 1820, Mark Harris Sr., Membership or participation

  Mark Harris Sr. was recorded as a member of the African Association of New Brunswick on January 1, 1820. He paid 50 cents membership dues.
• 1820, Mark Harris Sr., Membership or participation

  Mark Harris Sr. was recorded as a member of the African Association of New Brunswick on July 1, 1820. He paid 50 cents membership dues.
• 1820, Phillis Neilson, Membership or participation

  Phillis Nelson became a member of the African Association of New Brunswick on January 1, 1820, with the permission of enslaver John Neilson. The following is a transcript of the permission slip written by John Neilson: "Phillis a colored woman has my entire approbation to join the Affrican Association. New Brunswick 1 Janry 1820 John Neilson" The minute book for the association records Phillis as a member who paid dues during the meeting of January 1, 1820. She paid 25 cents membership dues (the customary 6-month dues for enslaved members of the organization). Her name was recorded in the minute book as "Phillis Nelson."
• 1820, Phillis Neilson, Membership or participation

  Phillis Neilson was recorded as a member of the African Association of New Brunswick who paid dues during the meeting of July 1, 1820. She paid 25 cents membership dues (the customary 6-month dues for enslaved members of the organization). Her name was recorded in the association's minute book as "Phillis Nelson."
• 1820, Samuel Lane, Membership or participation

  Samuel Lane was recorded as a member of the African Association of New Brunswick who paid dues during the meeting of January 1, 1820. He paid 50 cents membership dues (the customary 6-month dues for free persons of color). His name was recorded in the association's minute book as "Samuel Lain." This is the last time his name appears in the organization's records. He was a member from 1817 to 1820. At the time of this event, Samuel was a free man. He had been previously enslaved by Andrew Kirkpatrick, but was manumitted in 1818.
• 1821, Mark Harris Sr., Membership or participation

  Mark Harris Sr. was recorded as a member of the African Association of New Brunswick on January 1, 1821. He paid 50 cents membership dues. Additionally, he promised to contribute 50 cents as part of an effort to raise funds for printing 500 pamphlets with Gustavus V. Caesar's address to the association. This was the final time Mark Harris's name was recorded in the association's minute book. He was a member from 1817 to 1821.
• 1821, Phillis Neilson, Membership or participation

  Phillis Neilson was recorded as a member of the African Association of New Brunswick who paid dues during the meeting of January 1, 1821. She paid 25 cents membership dues (the customary 6-month dues for enslaved members of the organization). Her name was recorded in the association's minute book as "Phillis Nelson."
• 1822, Ambo Harris, Manumission

  Slaveholder John Neilson manumitted Ambo Harris on January 16, 1822. Ambo Harris would have been in her 30s at the time, but her exact age was not recorded on the manumission documents. The manumission certificate refers to her as "female slave named Ambo" and does not list her last name, but other archival documents indicate that her family name by marriage was Harris. The manumission certificate was signed by the Overseer of the Poor of the Township of North Brunswick (Abraham Van Arsdalen) and two Justices of the Peace for Middlesex County (James Dunham and Nicholas Booraem Jr.). The original certificate was preserved in the Neilson Family Papers. A manuscript copy of the manumission certificate for Ambo, dated January 16, 1822, appears on page 351 in the Book of Manumissions for Middlesex County; a copy of John Neilson's deed of manumission for Ambo, dated January 18, 1822, appears on page 353. The documents were recorded in the book by Middlesex County Clerk William P. Deare on January 16, 1822, and January 21, 1822. Relatedly, John Neilson also manumitted Phillis Neilson on the same day.
• 1822, Benjamin, Manumission

  Benjamin, aged 28, was manumitted by Robert Boggs of North Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey. The certificate of manumission was signed by the Overseer of the Poor of North Brunswick (Abraham Van Arsdalen) and Justices of the Peace for Middlesex County (Thomas Hance and Nicholas Booraem Jr.) on July 27, 1822. The document stated that Benjamin was examined in court and met the eligibility requirements for manumission in New Jersey, i.e. the person was 21 to 40 years old and was "sound in mind and not under any bodily incapacity" of obtaining a livelihood. The deed of manumission was executed on July 27, 1822, by Robert Boggs. These documents were recorded by the Middlesex County Clerk (William P. Deare) on July 27, 1822.
• 1822, John Annin, Manumission

  John Annin, aged 25, was manumitted by James Parker (1776-1868) of Perth Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey. The manumission documents listed the man as "John Annin (usually called Jack)." The certificate of manumission was signed by the Overseers of the Poor of Perth Amboy (Joseph Marsh and Charles Ford) and Justices of the Peace for Middlesex County (James Skinner and Robert Arnold) on August 8, 1822. The document stated that John Annin was examined in court and met the eligibility requirements for manumission in New Jersey, i.e. the person was 21 to 40 years old and was "sound in mind and not under any bodily incapacity" of obtaining a livelihood. The deed of manumission was executed on August 8, 1822, by James Parker in the presence of James Skinner and Joseph Marsh. The deed was unusually detailed and provided additional information about Jack and about James Parker's reasons for manumitting him at this time. James Parker's deed stated that he had purchased Jack in 1807 from Joseph Annin of Somerset County, New Jersey. At the time of this slave sale in 1807, Jack was a 10-year-old boy, and James Parker promised to manumit the boy on his 25th birthday. James Parker also mentioned in the deed that he chose age 25 to manumit Jack because that was the age of manumission provided for boys born after July 4, 1804, under New Jersey’s gradual abolition law. Because Jack was born in 1797, seven years before gradual abolition began, he was not eligible for manumission under this law, and he was considered a slave for life. Nevertheless, James Parker agreed that Jack should attain freedom at age 25. James Parker was a New Jersey legislator and a supporter of the gradual abolition process. Both the certificate and the deed were recorded by the Middlesex County Clerk (William P. Deare) on August 20, 1822. ----- The following is a complete transcript of pages 364-365 in the Clerk's Book of Manumissions where these documents appear: "364 / Certificate } 
John Annin } 
als. Jack } State of New Jersey } Middlesex County } To wit, We do hereby certify that on the eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty two, James Parker of the township of Perth Amboy in the said County of Middlesex brought before us two of the Overseers of the Poor of the said township and two of the Justices of the Peace of the said County his slave named John Annin (usually called Jack) who on view and examination appears to us to be sound in mind and not under any bodily incapacity of attaining a support and also is not under the age of twenty one years nor above the age of forty years. — In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands the day and year above written.
 Joseph Marsh }
 Charles Ford } Overseers of the Poor of the said township of Perth Amboy — 

James Skinner } 
Robt Arnold } Justices of the Peace for the said County of Middlesex

 Received Aug. 20th, 1822 & recorded by Deare CLK
 
Manumission }
 John Annin } als. Jack } 
To all whom these presents shall come— Whereas I James Parker of Perth Amboy in the said County of Middlesex and State of New Jersey am entitled to the services of John Annin (usually called Jack) as a slave for life having purchased the same of Joseph Annin of Somerset County in the year one thousand eight hundred and seven the said John being then the age of ten years or thereabouts, And it having been always my intentions to manumit and - 365 / - set free the said John at the age of twenty five years the period fixed by law for those who were born since the fourth day of July 1804, and he having now or lately attained that age. Now know all men by these presents that I the said James Parker in execution of my said intention and in consideration of the faithful services rendered me by the said John Annin have manumitted and set free, and by these presents do manumit and set free him the said John Annin my said slave of and from all services due and from all claim and demand whatsoever which I may or can have upon him as a slave as aforesaid - so that the said John Annin shall hereafter be and considered a free man - In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this eighth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundrend and twenty two. — James Parker Signed sealed and delivered } in the presence of } James Skinner - Joseph Marsh } State of New Jersey } Middlesex County } Be it remembered that on the eighth day of August 1822 before me James Skinner one of the Justices of the Peace for the County aforesaid personally appeared James Parker known to me as the grantor in the written deed of Manumission & to whom I made known the contents thereof - who did acknowledge that he signed sealed and delivered same as his act & deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned. — James Skinner Recorded August 20, 1822 & recorded by Deare CLK"
• 1822, Miller, Manumission

  Miller was manumitted by Abraham Schuyler Neilson of North Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey. The certificate of manumission was signed by the Overseer of the Poor of North Brunswick (Abraham Van Arsdalen) and Justices of the Peace for Middlesex County (Nicholas Booraem Jr. and James Dunham) on May 18, 1822. The certificate identified the enslaver as "Abrm. S. Neilson of the firm James H. Neilson of the Township of North Brunswick." The document stated that Miller was examined in court and met the eligibility requirements for manumission in New Jersey, i.e. the person was 21 to 40 years old and was "sound in mind and not under any bodily incapacity" of obtaining a livelihood. Miller's exact age was not recorded in the document. The original certificate was preserved in Neilson Family Papers, held at Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries. A copy of this document was recorded by the Middlesex County Clerk (William P. Deare) on May 18, 1822, in his Book of Manumissions on p. 359. The transcript of the original certificate follows: "State of New Jersey Middlesex County to wit, We do hereby certify that On this eighteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & twenty two, Abrm. S. Neilson of the firm James H. Neilson of the Township of North Brunswick in the County of Middlesex aforesaid, brought before us, the Overseer of the poor of the said Township of North Brunswick, and two of the Justices of the Peace of the said County of Middlesex, his male slave named Miller, who on view & examination appears to us to be sound in mind, and not under any bodily incapacity of obtaining a support, and also is not under the age of twenty one years nor above the age of forty years. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands the day & year above written Abrm. Van Arsdalen } Overseer of the poor of North Brunswick Nicholas Booraem Jr. } James Dunham } Justices of the peace"
• 1822, Phillis Neilson, Manumission

  Slaveholder John Neilson manumitted Phillis Neilson on January 16, 1822. Phillis's exact age was not recorded on the manumission certificate, which noted only that she was not over 40 years old as required by New Jersey's law regulating manumissions. Since we know that Phillis was born before 1787 when she was sold with her mother to John Neilson, we can calculate that Phillis would have been between 35 and 40 years old at the time of the manumission in 1822. Only Phillis's first name was recorded on the manumission certificate, but other archival documents from the African Association of New Brunswick indicate that she used the last name Neilson (or Nelson) in the 1820s. The manumission certificate was signed by the Overseer of the Poor of the Township of North Brunswick (Abraham Van Arsdalen) and two Justices of the Peace for Middlesex County (James Dunham and Nicholas Booraem Jr.). The original certificate was preserved in the Neilson Family Papers. A manuscript copy of the manumission certificate for Phillis, dated January 16, 1822, appears on page 351 in the Book of Manumissions for Middlesex County; a copy of John Neilson's deed of manumission for Phillis, dated January 18, 1822, appears on page 352. The documents were recorded in the book by Middlesex County Clerk William P. Deare on January 16, 1822, and January 21, 1822. Relatedly, John Neilson also manumitted Ambo Harris on the same day.
• 1822, Phillis Neilson, Membership or participation

  Phillis Neilson was recorded as a member of the African Association of New Brunswick who paid dues during the meeting of January 1, 1822. She paid 25 cents membership dues (the customary 6-month dues for enslaved members of the organization). Her name was recorded in the association's minute book as "Phillis Nelson." At the time of this meeting, she was still an enslaved woman, but she would be manumitted by John Neilson fifteen days later. This is the last time that Phillis's name is recorded in the organization's minute book; she was a member from 1820 to 1822.