1808-10-14 Birth: Edward Bellwood

Identifier
NJS-EVE-01750
Source
Transcriptions of Early County Records of New Jersey: Gloucester County Series Slave Documents

New Jersey Historical Records Survey Project, Division of Professional and Service Projects, Works Progress Administration. Transcriptions of Early County Records of New Jersey: Gloucester County Series Slave Documents. Newark: Historical Records Survey, 1940.
Event Description
The following birth record from Gloucester County was transcribed by the Historical Records Survey Project of the Works Progress Administration. The transcript was originally published in 1940 in the book titled Transcriptions of Early County Records of New Jersey: Gloucester County Series Slave Documents. The transcript is reproduced below as it appeared in that book.

The record indicates that a black woman named Phebe was enslaved by Robert Kennedy who lived in Sussex County, in the northern part of New Jersey. The document mentions Sussex County, but does not list the township where Robert Kennedy lived. This likely refers to Robert Kennedy of Greenwich, Sussex County (now in Warren County), the owner of the Kennedy House and Mill on the Pohatcong Creek, a property that is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Although Kennedy was Phebe's legal owner, by 1808 Phebe actually lived at the house of James Matlack in Woodbury (then part of Deptford Township), Gloucester County, presumably pursuant to some agreement between Kennedy and Matlack. While living at the Matlack household, Phebe gave birth to a boy named Edward Bellwood. The name of Edward's father was not recorded, but the child was listed as a "molatto" on the birth certificate, suggesting that his father was a man of European or mixed ancestry. James Matlack submitted the birth certificate to the Gloucester County clerk.

GLOUCESTER COUNTY DOCUMENT NUMBER: 1

TRANSCRIPT:

State of New Jersey
Gloucester County
Deptford Township
Woodbury.

To all whom it may concern:

This may certify that "Edward Bellwood" of the aforesaid mentioned Place (Molatto) son of Phebe - (A black woman) the property of Robert Kennedy of the County of Sussex) was born on Friday, the fourteenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight - 1808. at the House of James Matlack of the County and State aforesaid. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at the eighteenth day - February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred Nine. 1809.

James Matlack

[verso]

Certificate Edward Bellwood
A Male Child - of a Slave
rec'd and filed the 18th day of Feb 7 A D 1809.
Filed 10th February 1809
C. Ogden Clk.
Event Type
Birth
Date
October 14, 1808
Location of Event
Woodbury
Deptford
Primary Participants

Edward Bellwood (b. 1808)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04449
Role: Child
Age category: Infant
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Robert Kennedy (1734-1812)
- James Matlack
Verbatim description from source:
""Edward Bellwood" of the aforesaid mentioned Place (Molatto) son of Phebe"

Phebe Johnson
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04454
Role: Parent
Age category: Adult
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Robert Kennedy (1734-1812)
- James Matlack
Verbatim description from source:
"Phebe - (A black woman) the property of Robert Kennedy of the County of Sussex)"
Additional Participants

Robert Kennedy (1734-1812)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-02290
Role: Enslaver
Comment: legal owner of Phebe

James Matlack
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04448
Role: Enslaver, Reporter or Certifier
Comment: the child was born in his household

Charles Ogden
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04439
Role: County Clerk
Record Contributor
Kemy Rodriguez
Jesse Bayker
Resource class
Event