Mark Harris Jr. (b. 1818) · New Jersey Slavery Records

Guidance

This person of African descent has 2 related events in the database, listed at the bottom of this page.

This person is related to Rutgers University history. See our research guide Rutgers University & Slavery for more information about finding university affiliates and archival sources in our database.

Record Title

Mark Harris Jr. (b. 1818)

Identifier

NJS-PER-00013

Given Name

Mark

Family Name

Harris

Birth Date

27 July 1818

Sex

Male

Occupation

Maritime

Biographical Description

Mark Harris Jr. was a man of African descent who was born in New Brunswick, NJ, on July 27, 1818, to parents Ambo and Mark Harris Sr. Mark's parents were both enslaved at the time of his birth, but Ambo would eventually become free when enslaver John Neilson manumitted her. Mark was the youngest child of Ambo and Mark Harris Sr., and his older sisters were Clara, Ann, and Eliza.

Mark's birth was reported to the Middlesex County Clerk by enslaver John Neilson, who was the legal owner of his mother Ambo. Under New Jersey's gradual abolition law, Mark was considered a "slave for a term" of 25 years, and he was bound to serve John Neilson and his heirs until July 27, 1843, when he would become eligible for emancipation.

Upon John Neilson's death in 1833, John Neilson's son and heir James Neilson inherited a large portion of the Neilson estate and became Mark's legal owner. In 1833, James Neilson moved into his newly-constructed home, called the Wood Lawn mansion (now part of Rutgers University's campus), and 15-year-old Mark probably came to live and work at Wood Lawn at this time. In December 1838, when Mark was 20 years old, James Neilson sold Mark to Abraham Veghtes for the remainder of Mark's term of servitude, which was 4-years and 7-months. Upon the completion of 4 years and 7 months of service to Abraham Veghtes, Mark was to become free in July 1843.

What became of Mark in the 1840s is uncertain, but it is appears that he became a sailor some time after he attained freedom in 1843. A record on file in the port of New York indicates that a man named Mark Harris obtained a Seaman's Protection Certificate on February 14, 1848; his place of birth was listed as New Brunswick, NJ, his complexion was described as "yellow," and his age was listed as 26. Mark Harris Jr. would actually be 29 years old at this time. Discrepancies in recording ages were commonplace in this era, so despite the fact that the age does not perfectly match Mark Harris Jr.'s birthdate, it is likely that this Seaman's Protection Certificate belonged to him.

Keywords

African descent person

Rutgers University history

Place of Significance

New Brunswick