1804-10-13 Manumission: Hannah Oakham

Title

1804-10-13 Manumission: Hannah Oakham

Identifier

NJS-EVE-00083

Source

Middlesex County Manumissions and Removals, page 56

Middlesex County Manumissions and Removals, page 57

Manumission of Hannah Oakham (certificate dated 1804-10-13, deed dated 1804-11-28), recorded in Manumissions and Removals Book, p. 56-57. Middlesex County (N.J.) Records, 1688-1929, Vol. XI (MC 784.1). Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries.

Event Description

Hannah Oakham was manumitted by Mary Minto of West Windsor, Middlesex County, New Jersey. West Windsor was part of Middlesex County at this time, but it would later become part of Mercer County in 1838.

The certificate of manumission was signed by the Overseers of the Poor of West Windsor (J Harrison, Henry Dye) and Justices of the Peace for Middlesex County (Daniel Agnew, William Holmes) on October 13, 1804. The document stated that Hannah Oakham was examined in court and met the eligibility requirements for manumission in New Jersey, i.e. the person was 21 to 40 years old and was "sound in mind and not under any bodily incapacity" of obtaining a livelihood. Hannah Oakham's exact age was not recorded in the document. This manumission was recorded by the Middlesex County Clerk (William P. Deare) on January 19, 1805.

Middlesex County records also include the deed of manumission signed by Mary Minto on November 28, 1804, and witnessed by Thomas P. Johnson. This document described Hannah as "negro woman slave named Hannah Oakham wife of Richard Oakham a free black man." The records contain a note explaining that the Oakhams purchased Hannah's freedom for the price of 50 pounds. Mary Minto had already received most of the purchase money for Hannah Oakham's freedom, but Hannah still owed 19 weeks of wages. As a free woman, Hannah would continue working for Mary Minto without receiving wages until the purchase price was fully paid off. Hannah's agreed-upon wages were 2 shillings and 6 pence per week. At this rate, her debt to Mary Minto would be paid off on April 10, 1805. The wages over the 19-week period from November 28, 1804, to April 10, 1805, would amount to 2 pounds 7 shillings and 6 pence. After April 10, 1805, Hannah could begin receiving cash wages for her work.

The following is a transcript of the note attached to Hannah Oakham's manumission records:

"Note all the purchase money which was to be paid Mrs Minto, to wit fifty pounds, is paid except the wages of Hannah till the tenth day of April next at two shillings and six pence per week. dated Nov. 28th, 1804. Thos. P. Johnson Witness"

Event Type

Legal: Manumission registration

Date

13 October 1804

Location of Event

West Windsor

Primary Participant

Hannah Oakham

Enslaver

Mary Skelton Minto (c. 1750s-1824)

Additional Participant

Daniel Agnew

William Holmes

J. Harrison

Henry Dye

William Philips Deare (d. 1826)

Thomas P. Johnson

Participant Details

DETAILS FOR PRIMARY PARTICIPANTS:

*** Hannah Oakham ***
Role: Emancipated Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Transition
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Mary Skelton Minto (c. 1750s-1824)
Verbatim description from source:
"negro woman slave named Hannah Oakham wife of Richard Oakham, a free black man"

==========

DETAILS FOR OTHER PARTICIPANTS:

Daniel Agnew
Role: Judge

William Holmes
Role: Judge

J. Harrison
Role: Government Official

Henry Dye
Role: Government Official

Thomas P. Johnson
Role: Witness

William Philips Deare (d. 1826)
Role: County Clerk

Mary Skelton Minto (c. 1750s-1824)
Role: Enslaver - Manumitter

Research Guide

Research Guide: Middlesex County Slavery Records

Record Contributor

Isaac Guzmán

Jesse Bayker