1797 Registration: enslaved and free Black people in Northampton

Identifier
NJS-EVE-01920
Source
Report of Blacks in Northampton, addressed to Robert Smith Jr of Burlington

Report of Blacks in Northampton, addressed to Robert Smith Jr of Burlington. Archival location: Burlington County Historical Society. Abolition Collection (MSS 5). Box 1, Folder 1: Negroes Census Records.
Event Description
A report of Black people residing in Northampton, Burlington County, was provided to Robert Smith Jr of the New Jersey Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery. The report is undated. Other documents in the same file suggest that the society collected these reports circa 1797–1798.

The report enumerates 27 men (by name), 20 women (one by name and 19 as wives), and indicates that 9 families have children (total number of children uncertain). The list includes both free and enslaved people, but does not explicitly note the freedom status of each person, making it challenging to confirm who was free or enslaved. Some lines list a dollar amount representing the family's "worth in dollars," i.e., the estimated property that the family holds, with William Boen and wife being the most prosperous with a worth of $300. Most lines do not list an amount. Some people are listed by first name only, while others include a last name. Only one line mentions the name of an enslaver associated with the person, making it explicit that this person was enslaved ("Primos slave to L. Rosel"). The people who have property are presumed to be free. The freedom status of other individuals is unconfirmed.

Note that one family, that of Thomas Brown and wife and children, appears to be listed twice. This family was counted only once in the totals provided above.
Event Type
Registration
Date
1797 – 1798
Date Certainty
Approximate
Location of Event
Northampton
Primary Participants

John Guy
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04869
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Free
Comment: listed as: Jno. Guy. Wife & Children. Industrus.......... 20

Primos
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04870
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- L. Rosel
Comment: listed as: Primos.. Slave to L. Rosel

Isaac
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04873
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Isaac…

Primos
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04874
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Primos & Wife. Sober

William Boen (ca. 1735-1824) {Heston}
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04868
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Free
Comment: listed as: Wm Boen & Wife Sober.......... 300

Zacariah
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04875
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Zacariah & Wife

Daniel Plomery
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04876
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Daniel Plomery

John Plomery
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04877
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Jno. [Plomery]

Jacob Plomery
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04878
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Jacob [Plomery]

Prince
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04879
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Prince Wife & 3 Children

Thomas Brown
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04880
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Thos. Brown Wife & 2 [Children]

Jessy Ash
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04881
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Free
Comment: listed as: Jessy Ash Wife (Shoe maker) Industrus.......... 200

Hannah Williams
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04882
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Hannah Williams Industrus

Cato Bounds
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04883
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Free
Comment: listed as: Cato Bounds Indus:.......... 50

Benjamin Franks
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04884
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Free
Comment: listed as: Benjn Franks & Wife Indus:.......... 20

Sip
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04885
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Sip

Luke
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04886
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Free
Comment: listed as: Luke & Wife.......... 20

James Hug
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04887
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: James Hug Wife & [Several Children]

Jesse Coones
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04888
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Free
Comment: listed as: Jesse Coones - Wife & Children. Indus:.......... 50

John Richardson
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04889
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Jno. Richardson Wife [& Children]...

Anthony Pero
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04890
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Free
Comment: listed as: Anthony Pero & Wife.......... 200

Charles Green
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04891
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Charles Green Wife & Children. Indus...

Jacob Trusly {Trusty}
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04892
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Jacob Trusly & Wife...

Aaron Sill
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04893
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Aaron Sill Wife & Children...

Brister
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04894
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Brister... (Chimny Sweep)...

James Hugh
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04895
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: James Hugh Wife & Children

Moses
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04896
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Unknown
Comment: listed as: Moses & Wife...

Sip White
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04897
Role: Registered Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Free
Comment: listed as: Sip White & Wife. Sober.......... 30
Additional Participants

Robert Smith Jr.
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04841
Role: Recorder
Comment: Robert Smith Jr received the report, but was not the person who performed the enumeration

L. Rosel
Person identifier: NJS-PER-04871
Role: Enslaver
Comment: listed as enslaver or Primos
Organization
New Jersey Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery
Record Contributor
Jesse Bayker
Resource class
Event