SLAVERY
IN BROOKHAVEN TOWN
History of Suffolk County
1882
SLAVERY.
It may be said that practically the settlers brought the
institution and custom of slavery with them. The first
record of its existence in this town appears December 9th
1672, when Richard Floyd of this town bought of Robert
Hudson, of Rye, a negro man named Antony, warranted to be
sound in wind and limb, for 48 pounds sterling in wheat,
pork or beef at market rates. The said negro was sold by
Richard Floyd to John Hurd, of Stratford, March 9th 1674.
December 13th 1677 John Thomas bought of Isaac Raynor, of
Southampton, a negro man " Samboe," for 38
pounds in whale oil at 2 pounds to the barrel, or in
other goods. March 18th 1678 Richard Starr, of
Brookhaven, sold a negro man named Martin to John Mann,
of Jamaica. May 5th 1683 Ralf Dayton sold his negro Jack
for a three acre lot in Newtown, eight Pounds of beef and
4 pounds. October 7th 1684 Captain John Tooker bought of
Isaac Arnold, Of Southold, a negro man named Dick.
The gradual abolishment of slavery began soon after the
Revolution. Under the act of February 27th 1788 persons
wishing to set free any slaves were required to obtain
licenses from the trustees and justices, which were
granted on evidence of the negroes being under fifty
years of age and capable of providing for themselves. The
town records show the certificates of 66 slaves set free
under that act during the years between 1795 and 1831-The
following are the names of their former owners, with the
number set free by each:
Mariam Brown, Mills Brewster, Joseph Davis, Daniel Davis,
Mary Davis, Thomas Helme, and Elisha Hammond, 1 each;
Noah Hallock, 3: John Homan, 1; John Howard, 1; William
Helme, 2; Joseph Homan, Jeremiah Havens, Jonas Hawkins,
Thomas S. Mount, Robert Hawkins, Sarah Helme, Zophar
Hallock, William Howell, John Havens, Joseph Jayne,
Daniel Jones, and Benjamin Jones, 1 each; Timothy Miller,
2; Richard Oakley, 1 ; Henry P Osborn, 3; Phillips Roe,
1; Richard Robinson, 2; Thomas S. Strong, 7; Selah
Strong, 1 ;Wessell Smith, 2; Theophilus Smith, 1; John
Smith, 2; Henry Smith, 2; Woodhull Smith, Thomas R.
Smith, Oliver Smith, Josiah Smith, and Ebenezer Smith, 1
each; Dr. Samuel Thompson, 4; William Tooker, 2; Abraham
Woodhull, 2; Mrs. Ruth Woodhull, Dr. David Woodhull,
Hannah Woodhull, and John Woodhull, 1 each.
Under the act of March 29th 1799, requiring the
registration of all slave children, in order that their
owners might hold them until they reached a certain age,
the following persons registered slave children born to
their
Samuel Carman 1, Joseph Davis T, Goldsmith Davis 1,
General William Floyd 2, Colonel Nicoll Floyd 17, Sarah
Hallock 2, Robert Hawkins 1, Joseph Hedges 3, Robert
Hawkins jr. 1. Ebenezer Jones 1, Joseph Jayne 1, Timothy
Miller 2, Sarah Miller 3, Daniel Petty 1, John Payne j,
Daniel Robert 1, Richard Robinson 4, Mrs. Mary Robert 7,
Samuel Smith 1, Oliver Smith 4, Joanna Smith 1, William
Smith 8, Josiah Smith 4, Woodhull Smith 7, General John
Smith 7, Theophilus Smith 4, Amos Smith 1, Stephen Swezey
1, Selah Strong 4, William Tooker 1, Nathaniel Tuthill 1,
Ruth Thompson 2, Samuel Turner 1, Jehial Woodruff 1, Ruth
Woodhull 2, Meritt S. Woodhull 2, James Woodhull 1, John
Woodhull 2, Mary Woodhull 1, Benjamin Woodhull 1, Abraham
Woodhull 1. Total number registered, 108.
Click Here to
see the list of people setting slaves free and the names of the slaves
who were set free.
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