The Abraham Staats House is a historic farm property located at 17 Von Steuben Lane in South Bound Brook, New Jersey. The house was originally constructed by Hendrick Staats in 1740 as a small two-room house and was greatly expanded over the following century by Abraham Staats and his children.
The Staats House is a historical site of enslavement. Abraham Staats (1743-1821) and his wife Margaret Du Bois Staats (1749-1822) lived at the house from 1770 until their deaths in the 1820s, and they held several Black people in bondage well into the 19th century. The South Bound Brook area was then considered part of Franklin Township, and records related to the Staats family and the people enslaved by them list Franklin Township as the location.
The borough of South Bound Brook acquired the house in 1999 for preservation, and the house is now open for public visitation and educational programming. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
Allentown is a borough located in western Monmouth County, bordering Mercer County. Allentown was incorporated as a borough in 1889 from portions of Upper Freehold Township. The community has a long history as a village founded in the 18th century by Nathan Allan. It was originally known as Allen's Town or Allenstown.
Amwell was a township that existed in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, from 1708 to 1846. It was a large area of about 200 square miles that included the present-day East Amwell Township, West Amwell Township, Delaware Township, Raritan Township, Readington Township, and portions of Clinton, Lebanon, and Tewksbury Townships.
Arneytown (or Arney's Town) is a historical community located in Upper Freehold township, Monmouth County, at the border with North Hanover township, Burlington County.
Asbury is a historic community located on the Musconetcong River in Franklin Township, Warren County (and partly in Bethlehem Township, Hunterdon County). Asbury was settled primarily in the mid-18th century, when all of present-day Warren County was still part of Sussex County. Some documents related to slavery in Asbury can be located among Sussex County records.
Not to be confused with Asbury Park in Monmouth County.
Atlantic County was formed from a portion of Gloucester County in 1837. Mays Landing in Hamilton Township serves as the county seat.
The earliest municipalities that formed in this area during the colonial era were Egg Harbor and Galloway. These existed when the area was part of Gloucester County. See Gloucester County to learn more about the demographics of this area during the slavery era and to see related events and people.
Bainbridge House is an 18th-century historic house located at 158 Nassau Street in Princeton, New Jersey. The house is owned by Princeton University (since 1877). Bainbridge House served for a long time as the home of the Historical Society of Princeton, and it is now operated by the Princeton University Art Museum.
Several enslaved persons are known to have lived at the house in the 18th century. The house was originally built in 1766 for a tanner named John Stockton (1734-1771). When Stockton died in 1771, the inventory of his estate showed that an enslaved man named Peter lived in the household.
After John Stockton's death, his heirs rented out the house to Dr. Absalom Bainbridge and his wife Mary. While Absalom Bainbridge lived at this house, he enslaved a man named Prime. Prime eventually attained freedom for his service during the Revolutionary War. Extensive information about Prime and his long quest for freedom is available with digitized archival sources. See the illustrated essay by Izzy Kasdin for the Princeton & Slavery Project, which draws on Giles R. Wright and Gloria Halpern's 1991 article in the Princeton History (the journal of the Historical Society of Princeton).
Baltimore is the most populous city in the state of Maryland. It was founded in 1729. Baltimore is an independent city (it exists outside of the jurisdiction of any county). Prior to 1851, Baltimore was the seat of the surrounding Baltimore County.
The Barron Estate was the home of the Barron family in Woodbridge, New Jersey, located near the First Presbyterian Church. The estate included the historical Barron House, located at 574 Rahway Avenue, which was built in 1803 for Joseph Barron, deacon of the First Presbyterian Church.
Several historical markers were erected by the Woodbridge Township Historic Preservation Commission on the property.
The following is the text of the Barron House historical marker:
"Home of Deacon Joseph Barron,
First Presbyterian Church.
One of many handsome colonial homes, it
remained in the Barron family, donors
of the money and land to build the
Barron Library
Circa 1803"
The following is the text of the Barron Estate historical marker:
"The Barron name is an important one in Woodbridge, as the family was one of the first to settle here in the late 17th century. The Barron family, noted patriots and philanthropists, made many contributions to the town. The Barron estate encompassed the land opposite First Presbyterian Church and continued west onto the property through which Barron Avenue runs. Two of the original structures built by the Barron family still stand: the Barron House and the Barron Library.
The Barron House at 574 Rahway Avenue was built in 1803 by Joseph Barron, a deacon of First Presbyterian Church, and his sons, John and Thomas. John managed a farm on the family estate and established a cabinet factory in Woodbridge. Thomas Barron held a partnership in a trading house in the West Indies trade. Upon his death, he bequeathed $50,000 for the establishment of a library.
The Barron Library at 582 Rahway Avenue was built in 1877 on land donated from the family estate by Thomas’ nephew, Civil War physician John C. Barron. It was the first free public library in Middlesex County. Constructed by renowned architect J. Clevland Cady in beautiful Romanesque Revival-style, the building is a supreme example of Victorian-era architecture and is listed on both the State and National Register of Historic Places. Since 1977 it has housed the Barron Arts Center.
More information visit www.wthpc.org Woodbridge Township Historic Preservation Commission."
Bedminster is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, located in the northwest part of the county and bordering Morris and Hunterdon counties. It was formed by Royal charter in 1749 and originally included also the present-day Peapack-Gladstone borough, until that borough broke off in 1912.
Belle Vue was a 300-acre farm owned by George Farmer on the Raritan River opposite New Brunswick in the early 19th century. The area was, at that time, part of Piscataway. The location of Belle Vue is estimated to be in present-day Highland Park.
Bergen County is located in Northern New Jersey across the Hudson River from New York City. Hackensack serves as the county seat. During the slavery era, Bergen County was larger than it is today and included the entire area of present-day Hudson County and a portion of present-day Passaic County (those areas separated from Bergen County in the mid-19th century). Bergen was the stronghold of slavery in New Jersey.
County demographics from the 1800 U.S. census, when slavery in New Jersey reached its peak:
In 1800, Bergen County had the highest figures in all categories related to Black people and enslavement: the largest Black population (3,027), highest percentage of Black residents (20%, i.e. 1 in 5 residents were Black), largest number of enslaved persons (2,825), highest enslaved population percentage (18.6% of the total population), and highest rate of enslavement for Black residents (93.3% of Black residents living in slavery). Bergen had 202 free Black residents (6.7% of the Black population or 1.3% of the total population of the county). The total population of the county was 15,156, ranking 9th among New Jersey's 13 counties by population.
The original Bergen County courthouse was built in 1715 in the village of Hackensack (now the City of Hackensack). Since that time, Hackensack has served as the county seat almost continuously, with the exception of several years during the Revolutionary War when the court had to move after the British troops burned down the courthouse. The original courthouse (and its successors) included a jail. Black people captured as suspected runaways were held at the county jail in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Bernards is a township in the northern part of Somerset County, New Jersey. It was originally known as Bernardston in the 18th century. The name was officially changed to Bernards in 1798. The original territory of the township was larger than it is today. A large portion of Bernards was taken in 1806 to form Warren township. Additionally, in 20th century, the municipalities of Far Hills and Bernardsville broke off from Bernards township. Thus, slavery-era records that mention Bernards or Bernardston may be referring to locations in present-day Warren, Far Hills, or Bernardsville.
Bonhamtown is a historical community in present-day Edison Township, Middlesex County, NJ. During the era of slavery, the village of Bonhamtown was part of Woodbridge Township (Edison Township did not yet exist as it would be formed after the Civil War from portions of Woodbridge and Piscataway townships). Documents related to slavery in the historical community of Bonhamtown would be found among Woodbridge records.
Today, Borno is a state in northeastern Nigeria. Historically, Bornu Empire stretched beyond this region and included parts of present-day Chad, Niger, Sudan, and Cameroon.
Bound Brook is a borough in Somerset County, NJ, located along the Raritan River. The community gets its name from the stream called Bound Brook, a tributary to the Raritan River. The community was first incorporated in 1869, from portions of Bridgewater Township. During the era of slavery in New Jersey, present-day Bound Brook borough was part of Bridgewater Township. For this reason, records related to slavery in this community may be found among Bridgewater Township records.
Bow Hill mansion, built by enslaver Barnt DeKlyn in 1790, is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located in present-day Hamilton Township, Mercer County, near Trenton.
Bridgetown is the historical name of an area in present-day Rahway, New Jersey. It was originally a part of Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County. In the mid-19th century, this area was annexed to Rahway city and was transferred to Union County.
It is not to be confused with Bridgeton in Cumberland County, which was also known as Bridgetown in the past.
Bridgewater Township is located in Somerset County, NJ. The township was originally created by Royal charter in 1749. The county seat, Somerville, and all of the surrounding communities located on the north shore of the Raritan River in Somerset County were originally part of Bridgewater. Several communities broke off from Bridgewater in the 19th century and formed separate municipalities, including Branchburg Township (1845), Somerville (1863), Raritan (1868), and Bound Brook (1869). A small portion of Bridgewater was taken in 1806 for Warren Township.
Kings County is presently coterminous with Brooklyn, one of the five boroughs of New York City. It is located on the westernmost part of Long Island, across the river from the island of Manhattan. Early historical records mentioning places in Kings County often refer to the area as Long Island.
During the era of slavery in New York, Kings County encompassed many different towns and rural villages, such as Flatbush, New Utrecht, and Gravesend. Originally, only the area of Brooklyn Heights near the East River was called Brooklyn, but by the late 19th century, the growing City of Brooklyn annexed and subsumed all of the other municipalities in Kings County one by one. In 1898, the City of Brooklyn merged with Manhattan and the other boroughs to create the metropolis of Greater New York and giving shape to the municipal boundaries of present-day New York City.
Bucks County is a county in Pennsylvania, located north of Philadelphia and across the Delaware river from Trenton, New Jersey. It was founded in 1682 by William Penn. The county seat is Doylestown.
Burlington is a city on the banks of the Delaware River in Burlington County, New Jersey. It was first incorporated in 1693 and was originally the county seat of Burlington County until 1796 (when the county seat moved to Mount Holly). Additionally, during the Colonial era, Burlington and Perth Amboy shared the responsibility of hosting the New Jersey provincial legislature and courts, thus making Burlington the provincial capital, together with Perth Amboy. After the American Revolution, Trenton became the state capital in 1790.
The City of Burlington is surrounded by the municipality of Burlington Township. The city was originally part of the township, but the two separated in 1895 and are now considered distinct municipalities.
Burlington County is located in South Jersey and is the largest county in the state. It was one of the earliest counties established during the colonial era, and it was originally the seat of government for the Province of West New Jersey in the 17th century. Originally, the county seat was Burlington, but it moved to Mount Holly in 1796.
When it was created in the late 17th century, Burlington County was much larger than it is today and included the area that would later become Hunterdon County. This period was brief, and Hunterdon County separated in 1714. Then, in 1838, a portion of Burlington County south of Trenton was taken to form part of the new Mercer County, and in 1891, the area of Little Egg Harbor was taken from Burlington and moved to Ocean County.
County demographics from the 1800 U.S. census, when slavery in New Jersey reached its peak:
In 1800, Burlington was the 3rd most populous county in the state with a total population of 21,521. It ranked number 1 for the number of free Black residents, numbering 770, and representing 80.4% of the county's Black population. About 1 in 5 Black residents of Burlington were still living in slavery, and there were 188 enslaved residents counted (representing 19.6% of the Black population). The total Black population of Burlington was 958. In terms of total population percentages: 4.5% of the county residents were Black, enslaved people made up 0.9% of the total population, and free Black people made up 3.6% of the total population of the county.
Byram is a township in Sussex County, New Jersey. It was incorporated in 1798 and was originally formed from a portion of Newton township. The township's borders shifted multiple times from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century as it exchanged territory with the surrounding communities of Green, Sparta, Brooklyn, Stanhope, and Hopatcong.
Camden City is the seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located on the Delaware River across from Philadelphia. The campus of Rutgers University–Camden is located downtown near the waterfront.
In the 18th century, the waterfront area of present-day Camden was known as Cooper's Ferry and included several ferry landings operated by the Cooper family. Cooper's Ferry served as South Jersey's main entry point where slave ships docked. Hundreds of captive Africans—those who had survived the Middle Passage—were brought on shore and sold here.
Originally, since the Colonial era, Cooper's Ferry and the surrounding community were part of Newton Township in Gloucester County. In 1828, Camden City was established as a distinct municipality, but it was still in Gloucester County. Then, in 1844, a large portion of Gloucester County broke off to form the new Camden County, and Camden City became its county seat.
Camden County is located in Southern New Jersey across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. It was formed from a portion of Gloucester County in 1844. See Gloucester County to learn more about the demographics of this area during the slavery era and to see related events and people.
The earliest municipalities that formed in this area during the colonial era were Gloucester, Waterford, and Newton (which would later break up into Camden, Haddon, and surrounding municipalities). These existed when the area was part of Gloucester County.
The area of present-day Camden County had a considerable concentration of free Black people in the early 19th century, with about 9 out of 10 Black residents being free by the year 1800 (before New Jersey began a state-wide gradual abolition program). In the 1840s, free Black communities of Saddlertown (located in present-day Haddon Township) and Free Haven (now called Lawnside) developed in Camden County. These communities played an important role in the Underground Railroad and served both as stops and, for some people, final destinations in their quest to liberate themselves from slavery. The borough of Lawnside was incorporated in 1926 as the first independent self-governing Black municipality north of the Mason-Dixon line. It remains a majority Black municipality. The Lawnside Historical Society, located inside the historic Peter Mott House, plays a central role in preserving Black history of Camden County.
Cape May is the southernmost county in New Jersey, located principally on the Cape May peninsula surrounded by the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. It was one of the earliest counties formed during the colonial era and its boundaries have remained stable since 1710, except for the area around Dennis township, which was moved from Cumberland County to Cape May in the late 19th century.
County demographics from the 1800 U.S. census, when slavery in New Jersey reached its peak:
In 1800, Cape May was by far the least populated county in New Jersey. It had a total population of 3,066, while the bordering Cumberland County, which was the 2nd least populated county in the state, had more than three times as many residents. Being the most sparsely populated county, Cape May also had the smallest Black population, numbering 178 (representing 5.8% of the county's population). Enslaved people outnumbered free Black people in Cape May, with 55.1% of the Black residents living in slavery, while the remaining 44.9% were free. It was the only county in the southern part of the state where the majority of the Black residents were still living in slavery, presenting a contrast with the neighboring counties where the vast majority of Black residents were free by this time. Cape May had 98 enslaved residents (3.2% of the county population) and 80 free Black residents (2.6% of the county population).
The Casper and Abraham Shafer Grist Mill Complex is located at 928 Main Street in Stillwater Township, Sussex County, New Jersey. As of 2009, the property is on the National Register of Historic Places. The site is named for the original owners who established the mill in the 18th century, although most of the surviving structures at the mill complex date from the 19th century. Related historic structures in Stillwater include Casper Shafer's 18th-century stone house on Main Street and another dwelling, located across the Paulins Kill on Cedar Ridge Road, that is known locally as Casper Shafer's slave quarters.
Note that the name of the mill's owners is variously spelled Shafer, Shaver, or Schaeffer in historical documents and local histories.
Casper Shafer, an early German settler of Stillwater, established a mill on his property along the Paulins Kill in the early 1740s. The original mill was located about 1500 feet northeast of the current mill building. Around 1764, Shafer built a new gristmill at the current location; he also added a linseed-oil mill and a sawmill around this time. The mill was the commercial center of Stillwater.
After Casper Shafer's death in 1784, his son Abraham Shafer took over the industrial complex and rebuilt and expanded it in the late 1790s, adding a tannery near the mill. Before his death in 1820, Abraham Shafer added a fulling mill, a distillery, and a weaving shop. Sussex County records, as well as the family history written by the Rev. Dr. Casper Schaeffer (1784-1857), indicate that as many as a dozen enslaved Black people labored at Abraham Shafer's mill and house in the early decades of the 19th century.
The 18th-century mill structure burned down in 1844 and was immediately reconstructed by Abraham Shafer's sons; that 1844 mill building has been preserved to the present day.
Cayuga County is located in the Finger Lakes region of New York near Lake Ontario. Auburn is the county seat. The county was formed in 1799. It was originally much larger than the present-day area known as Cayuga County and included the present-day areas of Seneca County and Tompkins County. Seneca County and Tompkins County were formed from portions of Cayuga County in the early 19th century.
Charleston is the capital of West Virginia. Records created prior to the Civil War will refer to "Charleston, Virginia," because this was before West Virginia broke off to form a separate state.
The congregation of the Clove Church in Wantage, Sussex County, NJ, was formed in 1787 under the auspices of the Classis of New Brunswick of the Dutch Reformed Church. Elias Van Bunschooten was installed as pastor of the Clove Church and served in that capacity for nearly three decades until his death in 1815. Van Bunschooten came from a wealthy slaveholding family in Dutchess County, New York. He purchased a 1000-acre plantation at Clove, and he exploited enslaved labor while he was pastoring the Clove Church.
During Van Bunschooten's time, the congregation worshiped in a log meeting house. After Van Bunschooten's death, the church was reorganized as a Presbyterian congregation and a new building was erected in 1829 near where the log meeting house once stood. That 1829 church building is now on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places, known as Old Clove Church or alternatively as the First Presbyterian Church of Wantage.
Also associated with the church is the Old Clove Church Cemetery across Route 23, with graves dating back to the 18th century. Elias Van Bunschooten was originally interred there, although the General Synod subsequently removed his remains and had them reinterred at the Necropolis at the First Reformed Church of New Brunswick.
Cranbury is a township in Middlesex County, NJ. It was incorporated as a separate municipality in 1872, formed from portions of the surrounding townships, but the name was in use earlier and often appears on documents from the early 19th century, when it was usually written as "Cranberry." During the era of slavery in New Jersey, records related to the present-day area of Cranbury could also be found under South Brunswick Township or South Amboy Township.
Cumberland County is located in Southern New Jersey on the Delaware Bay. Bridgeton is the county seat. The county was formed in 1748, when it was split off from Salem County.
County demographics from the 1800 U.S. census, when slavery in New Jersey reached its peak:
In 1800, among New Jersey's 13 counties, Cumberland had the 2nd lowest overall population (9,529). It also had the 2nd lowest Black population in the state, numbering 346 Black residents, who made up only 3.6% of the county total. The majority of the Black residents were free, with 78.3% of Black people being free and the remaining 21.7% still living in slavery. Cumberland's free Black population numbered 271 (representing 2.8% of the county population), and enslaved population was 75 (representing 0.8% of the county population, and ranking the 2nd lowest in the state after Gloucester).
Deptford Township is located in Gloucester County, New Jersey. It was formed in 1695 and was initially known as Bethlehem. It was originally about five times larger than it is today and included the community of Woodbury (a colonial settlement that predated the formation of Deptford Township). In 1836, more than half of the original Deptford Township territory was taken to form Washington Township. After the Civil War, other municipalities broke off from Deptford, including West Deptford, Woodbury, Wenonah, Westville, and Woodbury Heights. The Borough of National Park was also originally part of Deptford Township. Records related to slavery in these municipalities may list Deptford as the location.
East Brunswick is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. It was established in 1860 from portions of North Brunswick. Records documenting slavery in this area would be found under North Brunswick.
East Windsor is a township located in present-day Mercer County (which was formed in 1838 from portions of Burlington County, Hunterdon County, and Middlesex County). Prior to 1838, East Windsor and neighboring West Windsor were part of Middlesex County. For this reason, many documents related to slavery in East Windsor and West Windsor can be found among Middlesex County records.
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, located on the the Delaware River. It borders Warren County, New Jersey (with the Delaware River serving as the border).
Edison is a township in Middlesex County, NJ. This township was originally called Raritan Township when it was formed in 1870 from portions of Piscataway and Woodbridge townships; the name was changed to Edison in 1954. This township did not exist as a separate municipality during the slavery era. Documents related to slavery in this area would be found among Woodbridge and Piscataway records.
Egg Harbor is a township located in Atlantic County. It takes its name from the Great Egg Harbor River which enters the Atlantic Ocean at Great Egg Harbor Bay. In the 18th century, the township was much larger and was originally called Great Egg-Harbour. It was then part of Gloucester County (Atlantic County was not formed until 1837). The township became smaller over time as portions were broken off to form many new municipalities in the 19th century (including present-day Atlantic City).
Elias Van Bunschooten's plantation was located in Wantage, Sussex County, New Jersey, where Van Bunschooten pastored the Clove Church from 1787 until his death in 1815. The property is said to have been 700 to 1000 acres. Van Bunschooten purchased it when he moved to Wantage and had a large house built there, about a mile and a half north of the Clove Church. He operated a farm and mill on the property. Among the enslaved people associated with Van Bunschooten's home in Wantage were a woman named Phebe, her son Martin, and a man named Caesar, who was a gardener.
Van Bunschooten's home has been preserved; it was placed on the National Register of Historic Sites. It is now known as the Elias Van Bundschooten Museum, and it serves as the home for the Chinkchewunska Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It is located at 1097 NJ Route 23, Sussex, NJ 07461.
The city of Elizabeth is located in present-day Union County, New Jersey, across Arthur Kill from State Island, New York. It was founded by English settlers in 1664 and was originally called Elizabethtown. During the first two centuries of its existence, Elizabeth was part of Essex County. Elizabeth and its surrounding area were taken from Essex County in 1857 to create the new Union County, which was the last county created in New Jersey. Due to the fact that Elizabeth was part of Essex County during the era of slavery, documents related to slavery in this area can be found among Essex County records.
Elkton is the county seat of Cecil County, Maryland. The town lies at the border with the state of Delaware. It was founded by Swedish settlers in the late 17th century. The area was originally known as Head of Elk because it is located at the head of navigation on the Elk River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The town was incorporated as Elkton in 1787.
Essex County is located in Northern New Jersey within the New York metropolitan area. Its county seat is Newark, the state's most populous city today.
Essex was one of the original counties formed in 1683 during the colonial era, and its boundaries have shifted considerably over time, shrinking the county territory. Sections of Essex were given to Bergen and Somerset counties in the first half of the 18th century. The area surrounding Patterson was split off from Essex and given to Passaic County when Passaic was formed in 1837. Then in 1857, half of Essex County split off to form the new Union County. Thus, slavery era records related to present-day Union County and to Patterson (which is in Passaic County today) would be found among Essex County records.
County demographics from the 1800 U.S. census, when slavery in New Jersey reached its peak:
In 1800, Essex County had 1,719 Black residents, ranking 6th in the state by Black population. The number of enslaved persons in the county was 1,521. In terms of population percentages, 7.7% of the residents were Black, and 6.8% of the residents were enslaved. About 88.5% of the county's Black residents were living in slavery, while 11.5% of Black residents were free; this percentage breakdown closely resembles the bordering counties of Morris and Middlesex. Essex had 198 free Black residents. It was the second most populous county in the state (after Sussex) with a total population of 22,269.
Farmingdale is a borough in Monmouth County. It was incorporated in 1903 from a portion of Howell Township. It is completely surrounded by Howell Township. Since the late 17th century, the area was known as Marsh's Bog (after an early proprietor named Jonathan Marsh). It became known as Upper Squankum in the early 19th century and then Farmingdale in the mid-19th century.
Finderne is an unincorporated community in Bridgewater Township, Somerset County, New Jersey, located east of Somerville. During the Colonial era, this area was known as Raritan (not to be confused with the modern-day borough of Raritan, which is located west of Somerville).
The Reformed Dutch Church of Raritan was organized in this area in 1699 and was famously pastored by the Rev. Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen beginning in 1720. It was the first Reformed Dutch Church in the Raritan Valley region. Historical references to the "Raritan Church" in the 18th century are talking about this church, which stood near the Raritan River just east of modern-day Main Street/Finderne Avenue. Finderne was also the original location of the Old Dutch Parsonage, which was erected around 1751 and was associated with the Raritan Church. In order to preserve the historic parsonage building, when the railroad was constructed in Finderne in the early 20th century, the parsonage was moved west to Somerville, where it now stands next to the Wallace House.
Flatbush was among the earliest colonial settlements established in Kings County on Long Island in the 17th century. It remained an independent city until 1894 when it was annexed by Brooklyn. Flatbush is now a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York.
Flemington is a borough and the county seat of Hunterdon County. It became the county seat in 1785 when the Hunterdon County courthouse and jail moved from Trenton to Flemington.
Flemington originally developed as a village within Amwell Township in the mid-18th century. In 1838, a large portion of Amwell Township broke off to form Raritan Township, and the village of Flemington was then at the center of the newly formed Raritan Township. Flemington separated from Raritan Township in 1910. Flemington is completely surrounded by Raritan Township.
Frankford Township is located in Sussex County, New Jersey. The township was formed on April 10, 1797, from portions of Newton Township. In the 19th century, portions of Frankford were taken to form several other municipalities: Lafayette Township and Sparta Township broke off in 1845, and the borough of Branchville broke off in 1898. Consequently, slavery era records that list Frankford as the location, may refer to places in present-day Lafayette, Sparta, or Branchville.
Franklin Township is located in the southeastern part of Somerset County, New Jersey, between Route 27 and Millstone River. Somerset County's Franklin Township is not to be confused with other municipalities of the same name located in other counties in New Jersey.
Somerset County's Franklin Township was formed in 1798. The municipality of South Bound Brook, located on the southern shore of the Raritan River, was originally part of Franklin Township, and it separated after the Civil War. For this reason, records documenting slavery in South Bound Brook may be found among Franklin Township records.
Franklin Township borders the municipalities of New Brunswick, North Brunswick, and South Brunswick, which are located in Middlesex County. The road known today as Route 27 serves as the county boundary between Somerset and Middlesex, i.e. the boundary between Franklin township and the aforementioned municipalities in Middlesex County. This is a historic road that connected New Brunswick and Princeton and was part of Kings Highway in the Colonial era. Several villages and unincorporated communities were located along this road, including Three Mile Run, Six Mile Run, and Ten Mile Run. Because these communities spanned both sides of the county line, researchers looking for slavery records related to this section of Franklin township are encouraged to survey both Somerset and Middlesex County records.
Franklin is a township in Warren County, New Jersey, established in 1839 from portions of Greenwich, Mansfield, and Oxford townships.
Not to be confused with other municipalities of the same name located in other counties in New Jersey.
Fredon is a township in Sussex County, New Jersey. It was incorporated in 1904 from portions of four surrounding townships (Andover, Green, Hampton, and Stillwater). Fredon did not exist as a separate municipality during the slavery era. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, the western section of present-day Fredon was part of Hardwick township, and the eastern section was part of Newton township. Thus, records related to slavery in the area of present-day Fredon may list Hardwick or Newton as the locality.
One of the oldest historical sites in this area is the Yellow Frame Presbyterian Church located at the border of Fredon, Sussex County, and Frelinghuysen, Warren County.
Freehold is a historical community located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Freehold Township was formed in 1693 and is one of the oldest municipalities in the state. Freehold was the site of the county court since the early 18th century. Because of this, the town was typically referred to as "Monmouth Court House," and people living in the area often recorded their place of residence as "Monmouth Court House" rather than Freehold township well into the 19th century.
Originally, Freehold was much larger than it is today, and thus slavery-era records listing "Freehold" might be relevant to other nearby municipalities outside of present-day Freehold. Throughout the 19th century, sections of the township broke off to create parts of Millstone, Jackson, Colts Neck, Marlboro, and Manalapan. Today, Freehold Borough (the county seat of Monmouth) is a small municipality surrounded on all sides by the larger entity of Freehold Township. During the slavery era, the distinction between the borough and the township did not exist. The borough broke off from the township only after the Civil War.
The General John Frelinghuysen House is a building on the National Register of Historic Places located in Raritan, Somerset County, New Jersey. It was the home of John Frelinghuysen (1776-1833), who bought the property in 1801 and lived there for most of his life until 1833 (except for several years when he resided in Millstone). At that time, this area was part of Bridgewater Township.
This is a historical site of enslavement as John Frelinghuysen held several people in bondage while he lived at the house.
The building now houses the Raritan Public Library.
Gloucester County is located in Southern New Jersey on the Delaware River. The county seat is Woodbury. Gloucester County was one of the original counties created in New Jersey during the Colonial era, and it was originally much larger than it is today. A portion of Gloucester County was separated to form Atlantic County in 1837, and another portion was separated to form Camden County in 1844. Due to this history, documents related to slavery in present-day Camden and Atlantic Counties can be found among Gloucester County records.
County demographics from the 1800 U.S. census, when slavery in New Jersey reached its peak:
In 1800, Gloucester was distinguished as the only New Jersey county where more than 9 out of 10 Black residents had attained freedom (this at a moment in time when the enslaved population of the state was peaking and 3 out of 4 Black New Jerseyans were living in slavery). Overall, 91.4% of Black Gloucester county residents were free, and 8.6% were enslaved. There were 707 Black residents in the county (ranking 9th in the state for total Black population), representing 4.4% of the total county population. Gloucester had 646 free Black residents, ranking 2nd for the number of free Black residents in the state, behind the more populous neighboring Burlington County; these free Black residents represented 4% of the county's total population. Gloucester had the smallest number of enslaved residents in the state, numbering 61 or 0.4% of the county population.
Greenwich Township, Warren County, is located in northwestern New Jersey. The township was initially formed circa 1738 in Hunterdon County. As county borders shifted, it moved to Morris County and then Sussex County by 1750. Early 19th-century slavery records for Greenwich can be found among Sussex County records. When Sussex County was divided into Sussex and Warren Counties in 1824, Greenwich Township became part of Warren County.
Not to be confused with other places of the same name in New Jersey, such as Greenwich Township in Gloucester County and Greenwich Township in Cumberland County.
Hackensack is the county seat of Bergen County, New Jersey, and is located on the western shore of the Hackensack River. Note that the present-day City of Hackensack did not exist as a separate municipality until 1921. However, the unincorporated village of Hackensack dates to the early colonial era, and it has been the county seat of Bergen since 1710 (except for a few years during the American Revolution when the county court had to move to several other locations temporarily). The historical Hackensack village was originally centered around the area of the Green (now a city park), and the first Bergen County Court House was built there in 1715. Archival documents that mention the court in Hackensack are referring to this location on the Green, where a courthouse and jail once stood.
The unincorporated village of Hackensack was officially located within the larger township of New Barbados. Established in the late 17th century, New Barbados was originally a huge township that spanned from the western shore of the Hackensack River all the way to the modern-day Sussex County border (most of present-day Passaic County was once part of New Barbados Township in Bergen County). Over the course of 200 years, New Barbados broke up into a multitude of different municipalities, until only a small portion of the original township was intact by the turn of the 20th century. In 1921, that small remaining portion of New Barbados was renamed Hackensack City, consistent with this small area's long history as Hackensack village.
The historical Hackensack village (and its successor Hackensack City) on the western side of the Hackensack River is not to be confused with a separate place called Hackensack Township, which was a large township on the east side of the same river. The historical Hackensack Township (which existed from 1693 to 1871) was much larger than Hackensack village, and these two places stood across the river from each other.
Hackensack Township was a historical municipality that existed in Bergen County, New Jersey, from 1693 to 1871.
The entire eastern section of Bergen County that lies between the Hudson River and the Hackensack River was originally considered part of Hackensack Township when it was formed in 1693. The northern part of this area was annexed to Harrington Township in 1775. Hackensack Township's borders then remained stable for the next hundred years. In 1871, Hackensack Township broke up into Ridgefield, Englewood, and Palisades, and thus, Hackensack Township ceased to exist.
Hackensack Township is not to be confused with the historical Hackensack village that eventually became the modern City of Hackensack in the 20th century. That village was on the western shore of the Hackensack River, i.e., across the river from Hackensack Township. Archival documents that mention the Bergen County court at Hackensack are referring to the Hackensack village where the county courthouse and jail stood since 1715, not to Hackensack Township.
Hackettstown is a town in Warren County, New Jersey. It was created in 1853 from a portion of Independence township. Historically, the name Hackettstown was associated with this area since the 18th century, long before the town was incorporated as a separate municipality. Until the creation of Warren County in 1824, this area was considered to be part of Sussex County.
The Republic of Haiti is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It occupies the western portion of the island, while the Dominican Republic is located on the east side of the island.
Haiti won its independence as the result of the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804), a massive slave revolt that resulted in the overthrow of the European colonial power and the establishment of the first Black republic in the Caribbean. In the course of the Haitian Revolution, plantations were confiscated from European colonists. Some of the ousted planters relocated to the United States. Prior to the revolution, the west side of the island was under French rule and was called Saint-Domingue.
Hallett's Cove is the historical name of present-day Astoria neighborhood in Queens, New York. It was named for an early New Netherland settler William Hallett who established his home there.
Hamburg is a borough in Sussex County, NJ. The historical community of Hamburg dates back to the 18th century, although it was not incorporated as a separate municipality until 1920.
Hamilton Township is a suburb of Trenton in Mercer County, New Jersey. This area was formerly part of Burlington County during the slavery era. Hamilton Township was formed in 1842 from parts of Nottingham Township (which does not exist anymore).
Not to be confused with Hamilton Township in Atlantic County, New Jersey.
Hanover is a township in Morris County, New Jersey. European settlement in the area began in 1685 along the Whippany River. Hanover was one of the original townships that was established when Morris County was created from a portion of Hunterdon County around 1740. Hanover Township was originally much larger than it is today. In the 18th century, parts of Hanover were taken to create Mendham and Roxbury townships. Throughout the 19th century, parts of Hanover were taken to create other municipalities, including Chatham, Rockaway, and Boonton. Additional sections were taken in the 20th century for Florham Park, Mountain Lakes, Morris Plains, East Hanover, and Parsippany-Troy Hills. Thus, slavery-era records that refer to Hanover Township may be referring to places located in the surrounding municipalities and outside the boundaries of present-day Hanover.
Hardwick is a township in Warren County, New Jersey, bordering Sussex County. The surrounding area was considered to be Morris County until 1753. The township of Hardwick was established in 1750 from portions of Greenwich Township and was originally much larger than it is today. Its borders shrank through partitions and annexations in the 18th and 19th century. The townships of Blairstown and Frelinghuysen in Warren County and townships of Stillwater and Green in Sussex County were all at one time a part of Hardwick Township, and records of slavery in those modern municipalities are likely to be filed under Hardwick.
Hardwick was part of Sussex County until 1824 when the new Warren County was established. Some documents related to slavery in Hardwick can be found among Sussex County records since the area was part of that county from 1753 to 1824.
Hardyston Township is located in Sussex County, New Jersey. It is sometimes spelled Hardistown or Hardiston in historical records. It was created from portions of Newton Township in 1762. Over time, portions of Hardyston were taken to form Vernon Township (1793), Sparta Township (1845), Franklin (1913), and Hamburg (1920).
The Henry Dusenbery Mansion House has been preserved as part of the New Hampton Historic District and is located on Musconetcong River Road in Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County, NJ. The mansion house was built in 1792 for Henry Dusenbery, a prominent local merchant whose nearby storehouse on Musconetcong River Road has also been preserved.
This mansion is a historical site of enslavement as Henry Dusenbery held at least one person in bondage while he resided in New Hampton.
Highland Park is a borough in Middlesex County, NJ. Highland Park is on the other side of the Raritan River from New Brunswick, NJ.
Highland Park did not exist as a municipality during the era of slavery in New Jersey. Until 1870, this area was part of Piscataway. For this reason, records related to slavery in present-day Highland Park may be found among Piscataway Township records.
Hillsborough is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, originally incorporated in 1771. The present-day borough of Millstone was originally part of Hillsborough and broke off into a separate municipality in 1892. Likewise, the borough of Manville was part of Hillsborough and separated in 1929.
Hopewell is a historical community located in Mercer County, New Jersey. Prior to the creation of Mercer County in 1838, Hopewell was part of Hunterdon County. Consequently, records documenting slavery in the area typically refer to Hopewell, Hunterdon County.
Hopewell Township was established in 1700 during the colonial era. The historic center of the community was located around a meetinghouse known as the Old School Baptist Church. Another important settlement in the township was a village originally called Queenstown, which by the late 18th century was known as Pennington. In the 1890s, these two population centers broke off from the larger Hopewell Township and formed their own separate municipalities called Hopewell Borough and Pennington Borough. Both of these small boroughs are completely surrounded by the larger Hopewell Township today. The distinction between Hopewell Township and Hopewell Borough did not exist during the slavery era.
Hudson County is located in the northeastern part of New Jersey across the Hudson River from New York City. It was formed in 1840 from the southern portion of Bergen County. Due to Hudson County's late creation, slavery records for this area will be found among Bergen County records.
Jersey City, which is now the county seat of Hudson, was originally established as Pavonia in the 1630s during the Dutch colonial period (when the colony was still known as New Netherland). Pavonia was the first place where enslaved Africans were brought to labor in the region that would eventually become New Jersey.
This area was the stronghold of slavery in New Jersey for generations while it was part of Bergen County. During the slavery era, Bergen County had the highest concentration of Black residents (20% of the population) and by far the largest number of enslaved people in the state. See the linked record for Bergen County for demographics and related events and persons.
Hunterdon County is located in the western part of New Jersey, along the Delaware River north of Trenton. Its county seat is Flemington. It was formed in 1714 from the northern part of Burlington County. Originally, for the first 25 years of the county's existence, Hunterdon included all of northwestern New Jersey, including the entire territory of present-day Morris, Sussex, and Warren counties. That territory split off in 1739. Thus, records mentioning "Hunterdon County" between 1714 and 1739 may be referring to areas in these other counties.
Note also that the city of Trenton was in Hunterdon County during New Jersey's slavery era. Trenton and the surrounding area (including Ewing, Lawrence, and Hopewell) were moved to Mercer County when that county was created in 1838. Due to this history, many archival records related to Trenton (and the surrounding area of present-day Mercer County) will mention Hunterdon County.
Hunterdon County slavery-era birth certificates of Black children (Series CHNCL004) and manumission documents (Series CHNCL003) have been digitized by the New Jersey State Archives. See the Related Resources field for links to those collections, which include documents related to Trenton.
County demographics from the 1800 U.S. census, when slavery in New Jersey reached its peak:
In 1800, Hunterdon County had 1,740 Black residents, ranking the 5th in the state by Black population. The number of enslaved persons in the county was 1,220. In terms of population percentages, 8.2% of the residents were Black, and 5.7% of the residents were enslaved. About 70.1% of the county's Black residents were living in slavery, while 29.9% of Black residents were free. There was a significant free Black population numbering 520 persons; this was the 4th largest free Black population in the state. Free Black people made up 2.4% of the overall county population. The total population of the county was 21,261, ranking 4th among New Jersey's 13 counties by population.
Independence Township is located in Warren County, New Jersey. It was originally created on November 11, 1782, from Hardwick Township, while the area was still part of Sussex County. Most of Independence Township became part of the newly created Warren County on November 20, 1824. Documents related to slavery in Independence Township may be found among Sussex County records.
Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean. It was historically part of the British West Indies and was a leading exporter of sugar since the Colonial era. Jamaica's development was wholly dependent on slave labor and the plantation economy.
Jérémie is a commune and capital city of the Grand'Anse department in Haiti. It was established during the French colonial era, when the country was known as Saint-Domingue.
Kennedy House and Mill is a property on the National Register of Historic Places, located on the north bank of the Pohatcong Creek in Greenwich Township in Warren County. It is associated with Robert Kennedy (c. 1733-1812) and his son Robert H. Kennedy (1787-1859). The main house was constructed c. 1815-1825, but some other aspects of the property were developed earlier by the elder Robert, who had a mill on the property.
Sussex County records confirm that the elder Robert Kennedy held Black people in slavery while he lived on this property.
Kings County is presently coterminous with Brooklyn, one of the five boroughs of New York City. It is located on the westernmost part of Long Island, across the river from the island of Manhattan. Early historical records mentioning places in Kings County often refer to the area as Long Island.
During the era of slavery in New York, Kings County encompassed many different towns and rural villages, such as Flatbush, New Utrecht, and Gravesend. Originally, only the area of Brooklyn Heights near the East River was called Brooklyn, but by the late 19th century, the growing City of Brooklyn annexed and subsumed all of the other municipalities in Kings County one by one. In 1898, the City of Brooklyn merged with Manhattan and the other boroughs to create the metropolis of Greater New York and giving shape to the municipal boundaries of present-day New York City.
King's Bridge refers to a toll bridge across the Spuyten Duyvil Creek, which connected Manhattan Island to the southern part of Westchester County (present-day Bronx). The bridge was built in the late 17th century and was used heavily for transportation north of New York City throughout the Colonial era. Although the King's Bridge does not exist anymore, the modern neighborhood of Kingsbridge in the Bronx still carries the name and marks the area that was once serviced by the bridge.
