1815-01-03 Sale: Elizabeth

Identifier
NJS-EVE-00669
Source
Receipt issued to James Neilson for Elizabeth

Receipt issued to James Neilson for Elizabeth, January 23, 1815. Archival location: Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries. Neilson Family Papers, 1768-1908 (MC 933). Box 4, Folder 45: J & J Neilson - Papers relating to purchase of slaves.
Event Description
Elizabeth, a Black woman, was sold by the Middlesex County sheriff at a public auction as a result of a lawsuit. It appears that Elizabeth's enslaver John Powers was indebted to Staats Van Deursen (treasurer of Queen's College). Staats Van Deursen brought a lawsuit against John Powers, and a Writ of Execution was issued ordering the sheriff to sell Elizabeth at public auction.

Sheriff Abraham Van Arsdalen sold Elizabeth to James Neilson (trustee and benefactor of Queen's College, later Rutgers University) on January 3, 1815, for the sum of 250 dollars. On January 23, 1815, James Neilson paid the sheriff for the sale and took possession of Elizabeth, as shown in a receipt issued by the sheriff on that date.

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The following is a transcript of the receipt:

"Rec'd New Brunswick 23d January 1815 from Mr. James Neilson two hundred & fifty Dollars in full payment of a certain Negro Woman named Elizabeth, belonging to the personal estate of John Powers, sold by me on the 3d day of January Inst by Writ of an Execution at the suit of Staats Van Deursen which negro I do hereby deliver to his possession.

$250

Abrm Van Arsdalen
Sheriff"
Event Type
Sale
Date
January 3, 1815 – January 23, 1815
Location of Event
New Brunswick
Primary Participants

Elizabeth
Person identifier: NJS-PER-01513
Role: Sold Person
Age category: Adult
Status: Enslaved
Enslaver(s) of this participant:
- John Powers (1759-1831)
- James Neilson (1784-1862)
Verbatim description from source:
"Negro Woman named Elizabeth, belonging to the personal estate of John Powers"
Additional Participants

John Powers (1759-1831)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-01512
Role: Enslaver, Party
Comment: original enslaver of Elizabeth

Abraham Van Arsdalen (d. ca. 1825)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-00276
Role: Seller
Comment: Sheriff

James Neilson (1784-1862)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-00009
Role: Enslaver, Buyer

Staats Van Deursen (b. 1773)
Person identifier: NJS-PER-00460
Role: Party
Comment: brought lawsuit agains John Powers
Record Contributor
Jesse Bayker
Resource class
Event