1818-01-16 Birth: Baas · New Jersey Slavery Records

Identifier

NJS-EVE-01322

Source

Somerset County Register of Black Children, Manumissions, and Removals, Book A, Page 238

Somerset County Birth Certificate, Part II, Series 1, Item 19

Somerset County Birth Certificate, Part II, Series 1, Item 54

Somerset County Register of Black Children, Book A, Page 238. Somerset County Clerk's Office.

Certificates of Births of Black Children and Slaves, 1818-1840. Series 1 (1818-1820), Item 19. Somerset County Clerk's Office.

Certificates of Births of Black Children and Slaves, 1818-1840. Series 1 (1818-1820), Item 54. Somerset County Clerk's Office.

Event Description

Somerset County birth records of enslaved children contain two separate records for Baas, son of Merriam, enslaved by Andrew Howell. The certificates have a 1-month discrepancy in the date of birth. Baas was born either on January 16 or February 16, 1818.

The first slip of paper submitted by his enslaver, Andrew Howell, is filed in Certificates of Births of Black Children and Slaves, 1818-1840, Series 1, Item 19. It states:

"On the 16 January 1818 was born male negro child named Baas of the negro woman slave Merriam property of Andrew Howell.

[signature] A. Howell
1 September 1818"

The second slip of paper was signed about three months later and filed in Certificates of Births of Black Children and Slaves, 1818-1840, Series 1, Item 54. County Clerk Samuel Swan copied this record into his register (Book A) on page 238. This record states:

"Negro male child named Baas born the 16 February 1818. Mother negro woman slave for life named Merriam property of

[signature] A. Howell
28 Nov 1818"

Neither slip of paper listed Andrew Howell's place of residence, but he was well known as a resident of Bridgewater township, so it can be assumed that Baas was born in that area.

Event Type

Birth

Date

January 16, 1818

Date Certainty

Questionable

Location of Event

Bridgewater

Primary Participants

Baas (b. 1818)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-03094
Role: Child
Age category: Infant
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Andrew Howell (ca. 1768-1834)
Verbatim description from source:
"negro male child named Baas"

Merriam
Person identifier: NJS-PER-03095
Role: Parent
Age category: Adult
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Andrew Howell (ca. 1768-1834)
Verbatim description from source:
"negro woman slave"

Additional Participants

Andrew Howell (ca. 1768-1834)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-03087
Role: Enslaver

Samuel Swan (1771-1844)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02553
Role: County Clerk

Record Contributor

Saketh Mandayam

Jesse Bayker