George Farmer (1761-1818)

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This white person has 12 related events in the database, listed at the bottom of this page.
Identifier
NJS-PER-00483
Given Name
George
Family Name
Farmer
Birth Date
March 17, 1761
Death Date
October 7, 1818
Sex
Male
Occupation
Military and Militia
Landowning
Biographical Description
Captain George Farmer (1761-1818) was an enslaver who lived in Middlesex County. He was a soldier in the American Revolution. His father was Peter Farmer (1743-1805), his grandfather was wealthy slave trader Jasper Farmer (1707-1758), and his great-grandfather was the first mayor of New Brunswick Thomas Farmer (1675-1752).

George Farmer owned a farm of 300 acres on the Raritan River opposite of New Brunswick. He referred to his home as Belle Vue. After he died in 1818, his estate was liquidated to pay his debts, and a group of Black children, women, and men who had toiled at his estate were auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Shortly before his death, he sold a young Black woman named Hannah Grene to an enslaver who would take her down south to Virginia. His name also appears in a number of local newspaper items related to slavery.
Keywords
white person
enslaver
Places
Belle Vue, Highland Park (formerly in Piscataway)
Piscataway
Enslaver of
Cato (b. 1791)
Dinah (b. 1805) {daughter of Rose}
Dine (b. ca. 1797)
Elisha (b. 1795)
Hannah Grene (b. ca. 1797)
Leven (b. 1791)
Merch (b. 1781)
Name Unrecorded - Male {Farmer household}
Rachel (b. 1794)
Rose
Child of
Peter Farmer (1743-1805)
References

Bayker, Jesse, Christopher Blakley, and Kendra Boyd. "His Name Was Will: Remembering Enslaved Individuals in Rutgers History." In Scarlet and Black: Vol. 1, Slavery and Dispossession in Rutgers History, edited by Marisa Fuentes and Deborah Gray White, 58–81. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2016. See pp. 74-75. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1k3s9r0.7

This person is represented on the following page(s):
Find a Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8183647
Record Contributor
Isaac Guzmán
Jesse Bayker
Linked Sources

Author:

  • Certificate of Abandonment for Dinah, by George Farmer (Certificate of Abandonment for Dinah, by George Farmer , December 12, 1805. Archival location: Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries. Piscataway Township Records, 1682–1954 (MC 1359). Folder: Certificates of abandonment for negro children born of slave parents, 1805-1807, Ac. 1635 (physical location: BL drawer on-site at Alexander Library).)
  • Jailbreak notice for Rachel, by George Farmer (Jailbreak notice for Rachel, by George Farmer, "Ten Dollar Reward," Guardian, Or, New-Brunswick Advertiser, March 16, 1815, p. 1. Archival location: Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries. Loose Newspaper Collection (Ac. 3193). Box 27, Folder 15..)
  • Runaway ad for Cato and Leven, by George Farmer (Runaway ad for Cato and Leven, by George Farmer, "100 Dolls. Reward," Guardian, Or, New-Brunswick Advertiser, March 16, 1815, p. 1. Archival location: Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries. Loose Newspaper Collection (Ac. 3193). Box 27, Folder 15..)
  • Runaway ad for Elisha, by George Farmer (Runaway ad for Elisha, by George Farmer, "Fifty Dollars Reward," Fredonian, February 8, 1816, p. 4.)
  • Runaway ad for Merch and another Black man, by George Farmer (Runaway ad for Merch and another Black man, by George Farmer, "Forty Dollars Reward," Trenton Federalist, July 16, 1804.)
Linked Events

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