1808, Sojourner Truth, Will
- Title
- 1808, Sojourner Truth, Will
- Description
-
On January 4, 1808, shortly before his death, Charles Hardenbergh (1765-1808) signed his last will and testament in Hurley, Ulster County, NY, in the presence of witnesses William Hutchins, Cornelia Hardenbergh, and John C. Hardenbergh. The will was proved by the Surrogate of Ulster County on May 10, 1808, following Charles Hardenbergh's death.
In this document, Hardenbergh declared his wish for his estate to be liquidated and the proceeds divided among his heirs, writing "it is my will and desire that all my real and personal property shall be sold by my executors herein after named within a convenient time after my decease." Hardenbergh did not mention any specific enslaved people in his will, but an inventory of his estate revealed that Hardenbergh's "real and personal property" included four enslaved individuals: Sojourner Truth (known as Isabella at the time), her mother Betsey, a boy named Peet (likely referring to Sojourner Truth's brother Peter), plus another man named Sam.
According to The Narrative of Sojourner Truth, at the time of Charles Hardenbergh's death, she was nine years old: "Isabella and Peter, her youngest brother, remained, with their parents, the legal property of Charles Ardinburgh till his decease, which took place when Isabella was near nine years old." (Narrative of Sojourner Truth, p. 17) - Identifier
- NJS-EVE-00036
- Event Type
- Legal: Will
- Action Status
- Completed
- Date
- January 4, 1808
- Following Event
- 1808, Sojourner Truth, Probate
- Source
- Will of Charles Hardenbergh, Hurley, NY, January 4, 1808. In Ulster County, NY, Surrogate's Office, Wills, Vol. D (1804-1814). Pages 196-198.
- Sojourner Truth. Narrative of Sojourner Truth. Edited by Olive Gilbert. Battle Creek, MI: Review and Herald Office, 1884.
- Primary Participant
-
Sojourner Truth (c. 1797-1883)
- Freedom Status
- Enslaved
- Enslaver
- Charles Hardenbergh (1765-1808)
- Age
- Child
- 9
- Witness
- William Hutchins
- Cornelia Hardenbergh
- John C. Hardenbergh
- Judge
- Daniel Broadhead Jr.
- Source Resource
- https://records.njslavery.org/api/items/1625
- Source Site
- https://records.njslavery.org/s/doc/page/home
- Sex
- Female
- Contributor
- Jesse Bayker
Linked resources
Part of 1808, Sojourner Truth, Will