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1780, Unnamed Black woman [Bray], Sale
Item
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Title
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1780, Unnamed Black woman [Bray], Sale
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Identifier
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NJS-EVE-00177
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Event Description
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In December 1780, John Bray of Raritan Landing, NJ, placed an advertisement in the Trenton newspaper New Jersey Gazette seeking to sell a 32-year-old Black man, his 24-year-old wife, and their 15-month old child.
Bray stated that he would prefer "to sell them together" but that "a few miles separation will not prevent the sale." Thus the family may have been separated as a result of this proposed sale.
A complete transcript of the advertisement from the December 20, 1780, issue of the New Jersey Gazette follows:
"To be SOLD cheap,
By the Subscriber,
A NEGRO MAN about thirty-two-years of age, a negro woman about twenty-four, with a child of fifteen months, not for any fault, but want of employ. They being man and wife would make it most agreeable to sell them together; however a few miles separation will not prevent the sale. Any person inclining to purchase will receive satisfactory accounts of their characters by applying to
JOHN BRAY.
Raritan Landing, Dec. 11, 1780."
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Date
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December 1780
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Primary Participant Description (verbatim)
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negro woman
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Sex
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Female
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Age
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Adult
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24
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Record Contributor
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Jesse Bayker
Slave sale ad for married couple with child