1820-01-25 Manumission: Peter Lewe

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Identifier
NJS-EVE-00553
Source
Middlesex County Manumissions and Removals, page 323
Middlesex County Manumissions and Removals, page 322

Manumission of Peter Lewe (certificate dated 1820-01-25), recorded in Manumissions and Removals Book, p. 322-323. Middlesex County (N.J.) Records, 1688-1929, Vol. XI (MC 784.1). Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries.
Event Description
Peter Lewe (also referred to as Peter Manning) was manumitted by William F. Manning, the son and heir and administrator of the estate of Jeremiah Manning, deceased.

The certificate of manumission for Peter Lewe was issued on January 25, 1820. The certificate was signed by the Overseers of the Poor of Woodbridge (Richard Cutter and Joseph Crowell) and Justices of the Peace for Middlesex County (Ichabod Potter and Josiah Ford). The document stated that Peter Lewe 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. Peter Lewe's exact age was not recorded in the document. This document was recorded by the Middlesex County Clerk (William P. Deare) on January 26, 1820.

Note that Jeremiah Manning had died sixteen and a half years earlier in June 1803. It appears that Jeremiah Manning died without a will. Unlike most other manumissions performed after the death of an enslaver, this one was not related to wishes expressed in the enslaver's will, but rather fulfilled the promises that Jeremiah Manning had made while he was still alive.

The certificate of manumission recorded by the County Clerk provided additional details about the situation, mentioning that Jeremiah Manning intended to manumit two enslaved persons during his lifetime: Dianna Lewe and Peter Lewe. Dianna had been set free in 1801 (see related manumission event for Dianna Lewe), but Peter was not given his freedom before Jeremiah Manning's death in 1803, and continued in slavery until 1820.

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The following is a complete transcript of the certificate of manumission, appearing on pages 322-323 in the Middlesex County Book of Manumissions:


"Certificate }
Dianna Lewe }
Peter Lewe }
als. Manning }

Whereas Jeremiah Manning late of the Township of Woodbridge, County of Middlesex & State of New Jersey, deceased in his life time was owner of the slaves called Dianna Lewe and Peter Lewe / or otherwise / Dianna Manning & Peter Manning. And whereas on the 14th day of June 1801 the said Dianna was manumitted according to Law as by a certificate for that purpose will appear, and it being the intention of the said Jeremiah that the said Peter should also be manumitted whenever the same was practicable. Therefore William F. Manning of the Township aforesaid, one of the sons, and one of the heirs and admns of said Jeremiah on the 25th day of January 1820 brought before us (two of the overseers of the poor of the Township aforesaid & two of the Justices of the Peace of said county) the said Peter Lewe (otherwise Peter Manning) who on view and examination appears to us to be sound in mind and not under any bodily incapacity of obtaining
a support, and also is not under the age of twenty one years, nor above the age of forty years, these are to certify the same. Witness our hands the day and year above written —

Richd Cutter }
Joseph Crowell } Overseers of the Poor of the Township of Woodbridge

Ichabod Potter }
Josiah Ford } Justices of the Peace in & for the County of Middlesex

Received 26 January 1820 & Recorded by
Deare Clk"
Event Type
Manumission
Keywords
Estate (deceased enslaver)
Date
January 25, 1820
Location of Event
Woodbridge
Related Event
1801-06-13 Manumission: Dianna Lewe
Primary Participants

Peter Lewe {or Manning}
Person identifier: NJS-PER-01431
Role: Manumitted Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Transition
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- Jeremiah Manning (1736-1803)
Verbatim description from source:
"Peter Lewe (otherwise Peter Manning)"

Dianna Lewe {or Manning}
Person identifier: NJS-PER-00444
Role: Mentioned Person
Age category: Older Person
Status: Free
Additional Participants

William Ford Manning (1767-1850)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-01367
Role: Executor or Administrator

Jeremiah Manning (1736-1803)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-00031
Role: Enslaver, Deceased

Ichabod Potter
Person identifier: NJS-PER-00032
Role: Judge

Josiah Ford
Person identifier: NJS-PER-00300
Role: Judge

Richard Cutter
Person identifier: NJS-PER-00312
Role: Overseer of the Poor

Joseph Crowell
Person identifier: NJS-PER-00285
Role: Overseer of the Poor

William Philips Deare (d. 1826)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-00008
Role: County Clerk
Record Contributor
Isaac Guzmán
Jesse Bayker
Resource class
Event