1790-04-14 Manumission: Phillip Bitto

Identifier
NJS-EVE-01834
Source
Manumission certificate for Phillip Bitto, manumitted by Thomas Thorn of Chesterfield, Burlington County

Manumission certificate for Phillip Bitto, manumitted by Thomas Thorn of Chesterfield, Burlington County, April 14, 1790. Archival location: Burlington County Historical Society. Elizabeth H. Matlack Collection (MSS 224). File 1.
Event Description
A manumission certificate for Phillip Bitto was filed in Chesterfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey, on April 14, 1790. Phillip Bitto was manumitted by Thomas Thorn. The loose copy of the manumission certificate (held at the Burlington County Historical Society) indicates that a copy of the document was also entered into Book of Deeds C by the County Clerk, John Phillips. The certificate was signed by two Justices of the Peace for the county (John Pope and Isaac Cowgill) and two Overseers of the Poor for the township (John Thorn and John Middleton Jr), who confirmed that Phillip Bitto was sound in mind and body and was an adult between the ages of 21 and 35 at the time of the manumission. Phillip's exact age was not recorded in this document.

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Transcript of the source document:

"State of New-jersey.

Burlington }
County, ss. }

We do hereby certify, that on the
fourteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord 1790, Thomas Thorn of the Township
of Chesterfield in the County of Burlington, brought
before us, two of the Justices of the Peace of the
County aforesaid, and two of the Overseers of the
Poor of aforesaid Township, his Negro Slave,
named Phillip Bitto; who on View and Examination
appeared to us to be sound in mind, and not under
any bodily Incapacity of Obtaining a support,
and also is not under Twenty-one years of Age,
nor above Thirty-five: In Witness whereof,
we have hereunto set our Hands, the day above
written.

John Pope } Justices.
Isaac Cowgill. }

John Thorn }
John Middleton Junr } Overseers of the Poor.

Recorded in the Clerks Office for the County of Burlington at Burlington in
Book C of Deeds

Phillips"
Event Type
Manumission
Date
April 14, 1790
Location of Event
Chesterfield
Primary Participants

Phillip Bitto
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04747
Role: Manumitted Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Transition
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Thomas Thorn
Verbatim description from source:
"Negro Slave, named Phillip Bitto"
Additional Participants

Thomas Thorn
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04748
Role: Enslaver, Manumitter

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

John Pope
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04060
Role: Judge
Comment: Justice of the Peace for Burlington County

Isaac Cowgill
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04072
Role: Judge
Comment: Justice of the Peace for Burlington County

John Thorn
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04751
Role: Overseer of the Poor
Comment: Overseer of the Poor for Chesterfield Township

John Middleton Jr.
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04752
Role: Overseer of the Poor
Comment: Overseer of the Poor for Chesterfield Township
Record Contributor
Jesse Bayker
Resource class
Event