1787-04-26 Manumission: Thomas

Identifier
NJS-EVE-01717
Source
Burlington County Deed Book A, Folio 180-181

Burlington County Deed Book A, Folio 180-181. Archival location: New Jersey State Archives, Department of State. Burlington County Clerk's Office, Deeds, 1785-1901 and Indexes, 1785-1921 & 1948 (CBUCL007).
Event Description
Burlington County Deed Book A, Folio 180-181, contains a manumission record for Thomas, who was released from slavery on 26 April 1787 in the City of Burlington. The manumission document states that Thomas was an adult between 21 and 35 years old, but the exact age was not recorded.

Thomas was manumitted by Samuel Shoemaker, a prominent Quaker politician from Philadelphia who was temporarily residing in Burlington in the late 1780s. The manumission document reveals that Samuel Shoemaker bought Thomas with the explicit aim of freeing him. Shoemaker bought Thomas from George Mitchell, a merchant in Burlington, on 3 April 1787, for the price of 25 pounds. Then, three weeks later, Shoemaker proceeded to manumit Thomas, writing: "Now be it known to all Men by these presents - That I the said Samuel Shoemaker being desirous to restore the said Thomas to his Natural Right of Freedom have absolved from Servitude, Manumitted & set free, & by these Presents do from Servitude absolve, Manumit & set free, the said Negro Man Thomas," so that Thomas would "be & Continue as free to all Intents & Purposes as the Citizens of any free Government Whatever."

The document was entered into the book by the County Clerk (John Phillips) on 7 May 1787. The manumission record was signed by the Overseers of the Poor for the township of Burlington (Abbott Williams and William Cooper) and Justices of the Peace for Burlington County (Thomas Fenimore and Joshua M. Wallace).

The source document was scanned by the New Jersey State Archives, which houses the original deed book.
Event Type
Manumission
Date
April 26, 1787
Location of Event
Burlington
Preceding Event
1787-04-03 Sale: Thomas
Primary Participants

Thomas
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04179
Role: Manumitted Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Transition
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Samuel Shoemaker (1725-1800)
Verbatim description from source:
"male negro slave named Thomas / being desirous to restore the said Thomas to his natural right of freedom"
Additional Participants

Samuel Shoemaker (1725-1800)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04074
Role: Enslaver, Manumitter

George Mitchell
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04073
Role: Former Enslaver Mentioned
Comment: sold Thomas to Samuel Shoemaker

John Phillips
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02923
Role: County Clerk

Abbott Williams
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04177
Role: Overseer of the Poor

William Cooper
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04178
Role: Overseer of the Poor

Thomas Fenimore
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02938
Role: Judge
Comment: Justice of the Peace for Burlington County

Joshua M. Wallace
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04075
Role: Judge
Comment: Justice of the Peace for Burlington County
Record Contributor
Jesse Bayker
Resource class
Event