Jack Leake
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This person of African descent has 5 related events in the database, listed at the bottom of this page.
- Identifier
- NJS-PER-04423
- Given Name
- Jack
- Family Name
- Leake
- Sex
- Male
- Biographical Description
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Jack Leake was a black man who lived in Deerfield Township, Cumberland County, in the late 18th century. He was enslaved by Nathan Leake, Esq., and Hannah Leake. When Nathan Leake died in 1790, his will stipulated that Jack should be freed, and Jack attained freedom as a result.
Several manuscript records held at the Cumberland County Historical Society document events in the life of Jack and his family, which included his wife Hannah and his sons George, Tubel, John, and Thomas. Documents signed in the 1810s indicate that Jack adopted the last name Leake and was, by that time, a resident of Greenwich, Cumberland County.
Jack's wife and sons were not freed by the will of Nathan Leake and remained in bondage to Nathan Leake's heirs after Jack attained freedom. Between 1791 and 1793, Jack made payments to purchase the freedom of his sons, Tubel and George, from the executors of the estate of Nathan Leake, that is, from Nathan's widow, Hannah Fithian Leake, and Nathan's son, David Leake. In 1799, Jack's wife, Hannah, was manumitted by Nathan Leake's heirs. It is not known whether or not Jack had to pay for Hannah's freedom, as this information was not recorded in Hannah's manumission deed. Jack and Hannah's son John was born in 1796, while Hannah was still enslaved, and thus John was born into slavery. John served Nathan Leake's daughter Ruth and her husband, William Garrison. When John turned 14, Jack Leake secured a written promise from the Garrisons that John would be freed after another 10 years of service, at age 24.
Jack's youngest documented son was Thomas, born in 1803. Because Jack's wife, Hannah, was free by that time, John was born free. When Thomas turned 11 years old, Jack Leake made an indenture agreement binding out Thomas to serve the Thompson family of Deerfield for 10 years until the age of 21. While in service to the Thompsons, Thomas was to learn how to read and write, and he would receive 20 dollars and a new suit of clothes when he completed his term of service at age 21 — arrangements that were typical for apprentices, rather than slaves, in New Jersey. - Keywords
- African descent person
- Spouse of
- Hannah Leake
- Record Contributor
- Jesse Bayker
- Linked Events
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Primary Participant in:
- 1790-12-20 Will (of Nathan Leake): Jack Leake (Role: Person Listed in Will)
- 1791-11-21 Sale / Promise to Manumit: Tubel Leake (Role: Buyer)
- 1793-04-18 Sale / Manumission: George Leake (Role: Buyer)
- 1810-06-27 Term Indenture / Promise to Manumit: John Leake (Role: Parent)
- 1814-03-21 Term Indenture: Thomas Leake (Role: Parent)
- Resource class
- Agent