White enslaver John Nunn was paid $187.50 by the University of Virginia for the labor of Squire and two additional enslaved persons. This event is recorded in the Proctor's Daybook, September 25, 1822.
White enslaver John Kelly was paid $70 by the University of Virginia for Willis's labor. This event is recorded in the Proctor's Daybook, September 25, 1822.
White enslaver Edmund Bacon was paid $70 by the University of Virginia for Wilson's labor. This event is recorded in a September 25, 1822, entry in the Proctor's Daybook.
Jackson was contracted to labor at the University of Virginia by white enslaver Pallison Boxley. This event is recorded in an October 30, 1822, entry in the Proctor's Daybook.
White enslaver Charles Bankhead was paid $109 by the University of Virginia for a year of William's labor and skill as a blacksmith. This event is recorded in an October 22, 1822, entry in the Proctor's Daybook.
This unnamed enslaved person was mentioned in an entry in the University of Virginia Proctor's Daybook, November 11, 1822, concerning the "labour amount for monthly and day hires."
White enslaver David Watts was paid a balance of $5.50 by the University of Virginia Harry's labor. This event is recorded in the Proctor's Daybook, November 25, 1822.
White enslaver Twyman Wayt was paid $60 by the University of Virginia for Phil's labor. This event is recorded in the Proctor's Daybook, November 25, 1822.
White enslaver L. M. George was paid $15 by the University of Virgina for Zachariah's labor digging the foundation for Hotel AA. This event is recorded in the Proctor's Daybook, November 25, 1822.
Jackson was contracted to labor at the University of Virginia by white enslaver Pallison Boxley. This event is recorded in a November 26, 1822, entry in the Proctor's Daybook.
White enslaver Richard Price was paid $65 by the University of Virginia for James's labor. This event is recorded in the Proctor’s Daybook, November 26, 1822.
White enslaver John Douglass was paid $65 by the University of Virginia for John Edward's labor. This event is recorded in the Proctor's Daybook, November 26, 1822.
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.
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.
Harry was contracted to labor at the University of Virginia by white enslaver and University Proctor Arthur Spicer Brockenbrough. This event is recorded in the Proctor's Daybook, 1822.
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.
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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"
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"
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.
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.
Sukey was contracted to labor at the University of Virginia by white enslaver Joseph Brand. This event is recorded in the Proctor's Daybook on an 1822 list of "hires."
White enslaver Twyman Wayt was paid $60 by the University of Virginia for contracting Phil's labor. This event is recorded in the Proctor's Daybook, February 7, 1823.
White enslaver Lucy J. Poindexter was paid $59.25 by the University of Virginia for Barrett's labor. This event is recorded in the Proctor’s Daybook, February 24, 1823.
White enslaver Blake Harris was paid $70 by the University of Virginia for Ben's labor. This event is recorded in the Proctor's Daybook, February 24, 1823.
