New Britain herald., 1919-01-28

cd in the kensington church records,
as follows, Negro of Jacob Deming,
Sept. Is, 175S. 'Zilpah" daughter
of Negro of Jacob Deming, Feb. 10,
1866. Five years later, Jan. %, 1771
the widow of Jacob Deming gives an
instrument in writing to William
Jerome of Bristol, binding Il Negro
girl "Silpat' to serve him for sixteen
years, the said. girl to be suitably
clothed and cared for, rs appears on
page 81, History of Bristol. But
Widow Abigail Deming was still the
owner of the said slave girl as ap-
pears by the inventory of Widow
Deming's estate in the Decemb Der fol-
lowing. one item Of which. is, a Negro
girl "Silph" valued at 90 pounds.
The first record I find Of slave
or slave ownef within the limits Of
New Britain Is the will of Thomas
Stanley Of Stanley Quarter, dated
June 3, 1747. BY this will his wife
Esther was to take his Negro woman
Priscilla ito be her own forever"
also the service of his Negro girl
Katherine and Negro Richard until
his son Cad shall be twenty one. He
also wills the said Richard to his
son Cad when he is of age.
The will of stephen Lee, dated Nov.
26, 1747, gives his wife the service
of my Negro Richard' and also pro
vides that his youngest son Josiah
shall have liberty to purchase said
Negro at his appraised value" | am
unable to find any inventory of
Stephen Lees estate and therefore
cannot state how many slaves he own
ed at the time of his death.
The inventory of the estate of Tho
mas Stanley, (hereinbeforc named)
was taken Nov. 25. 1858 and included
the following items:
ITO Richard a Negro man IS pounds
TO Old NEGRO woman pounds
TO Katherine, a negro girl 40 pounds"
Perhaps the Old Negro woman was
Priscilla named in his will and Rich
ard and Katherine her children, born
on the Stanley farm.
Under the provision Of Thomas
StanIeys will his wife Esther CowleS
Stanley, in turn became a slave hold
er and the sole owner of Priscilla,
while his son Cad Stanley, who was
then of age, became the sole owner
of the slave Richard
The will OF Major John Paterson,
dated May II, 1883, mentions a
Negro girl Rose. Andrews Genealo-
gical and Ecclesiastical History of
New Britain page 1874. states that
Major PatersOn's "slaves when they
died, were buried on the high ground
back of his house where 1S49. at the
construction Of the railroad, two
graves were opened and one skull
disinterred." Only one slave is men
toned in Major Paterson's will and
there is no inventory Of his estate to
be found in the papers on file in the
Hartford Probate Court, hence 7 can
not state how many slaves he had. An
examination of the Court Records
proper shows that his will is the only
document ever filed in tho Probate
Court in connection with his estate
John Paterson was appointed Major
and Captain in March 1856 and held
both of these titles until his death
Sept. 5, 1862. Andrews states that he
had in his Company nearly one hun
drcd mon, mostly from WethersfieId
and Pennington. among whom was
his faithful Negro servant London"
A Negro "London" enlisted in the
Campaign of 1856 and served from
April 30 to Dec. /, in Capt. Hitch |
cocks company. A Negro of the same
name served in the Campaign of 1862, |
in Cap. Patorson's Company, from
March 5 to Dec. ); Capt. Roger Enos
being in command at the latter date. !
Andrews does not call "London" a
slave, and the fact that he enlisted
in the service indicates that he was
then free man, How long he had
heen Major Patersons servant does
not appear. No doubt he was the
first. if not the only New Britain
NEGRO to serve in the French and
Indian War. Furthermore, it appears
from Stiles History Of Wethersfeld. (
Vol. i, page 702 and Browns History !