African-Americans in Middletown 1661-1850: Enslaved Africans Contributed to Town’S Growth by R.W

N FIRST S OW ETT T LE LE R D S D I D E M S C f E o N Y D T A E N I C e T S M O S id NEWSLETTER of hethe SOCIETY of MIDDLETOWN FIRST SETTLERS DESCENDANTS CONNECTICUT, U.S.A. 1650-1700 Vol. 11, No. 2 www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ctsmfsd/Index.html Fall 2011 A SUMMARY OF RESEARCH African-Americans in Middletown 1661-1850: Enslaved Africans contributed to town’s growth By R.W. Bacon Americans and African-Americans Editor, The Middler documented in Middletown before By 1770, Since its inception in 2000, SMFSD 1700. Previous issues of The Middler has encouraged the study of the included articles on Native Americans there people and events of 17th and 18th- in early Middletown. This issue were century Middletown, Conn. From the explores the African-American two outset it has never been a secret that presence in Middletown from the 17th slave (1) enslaved Africans were on the century to the early 19th century. The scene with the early settlers since the aim is to provide a baseline of infor- dealers 1660s, and that (2) enslaved Africans mation useful to those who wish to on Main contributed labor to Middletown’s explore the subject further. Street. growth into the 19th century. A general view of slavery in In 2009, two changes to SMFSD Connecticut. For over a century, the bylaws were unanimously approved sanitized view of slavery in Connecticut however, there has been increased by member vote. These changes was that it had minimal impact in awareness of slavery in early New redefined SMFSD’s pre-1700 qualify- comparison to plantation slavery of the England, and of how the labor of ing ancestors to include any Native southern states. In the past decade, enslaved Africans in the South sup- ported the economy of the North. This increased awareness in SMFSD’s Triennial Meeting in 2012 Connecticut was spurred by articles in to coincide with CSG’s October Seminar Northeast, the Sunday magazine of the Hartford (Conn.) Courant. The series By R.W. Bacon coincide with the annual one-day was expanded into a book in 2005, Editor, The Middler genealogy seminar presented by the Complicity: How the North Promoted, Planning began in spring 2011 for Connecticut Society of Genealogists. Prolonged, and Profited from Slavery. SMFSD’s 2012 Triennial Meeting, and Scheduled for October 2012, the The attention garnered by Complicity in an effort to offer attendees an even multi-day Triennial Meeting will offer was followed by news coverage of the richer experience, the dates will the research opportunities and social Documenting Venture Smith Project, events of past gatherings, but with the which continues its research into the added option of the CGS seminar – life of this remarkable man. Venture In this issue . and the experience of the fall season in Smith (1727-1805) was brought to New African-Americans in Early Middletown . 1 New England. (Prior meetings in continued on page 6 2012 Triennial Meeting Plans . 1 2000, 2003, 2006, and 2009 were held Member Notes & SMFSD News . 2 in late August or early September.) Meet Marge Piersen, SMFSD Secretary . 3 The dates of the 2012 Triennial ~ DUES are DUE! ~ New Book by SMFSD’s Donald Sage. 4 Meeting are not set at this writing, Annual Membership dues ($20) are due Middletown’s Bustling Seaport Era . 5 November 1, 2011. Please send payment to: but details will be posted on the Feature Graphic: Mike Campbell 18th-Century Slave Notices . 9 SMFSD web site as soon as they are Do it SMFSD Treasurer Thank Membership Information. 11 known. Look for information in the Today 3570 Willow Street You spring 2012 Middler. !!! Bonita, CA 91902-1226 !!! MIDDLETOWN NEWSLETTER of the SOCIETY of MIDDLETOWN FIRST SETTLERS DESCENDANTS he Mid e CONNECTICUT, U.S.A. CONNECTICUT, USA SMFSD NEWS a few months, another Nathaniel Bacon – an adolescent from nearby Bramford SMFSD welcomes three new members; and possibly the Bacons’ son, fled England for Connecticut, never to answers a variety of genealogy inquiries return.” However, the scholar’s footnote references only a very sketchy genealogy • Welcome new members. SMFSD prospective members can document web site with no source documentation! extends an enthusiastic welcome to their descent from early Middletown Your persnickety editor informed the three new members since the last issue settlers for his review. Middler editor curious that Gaskill’s slip from scholarly of The Middler: Barbara Walls R.W. Bacon – also the compiler of rigor into barely plausible conjecture Hanson, AM-294, Scottsdale, Ariz. (1st SMFSD web site content – fields some was unfortunate, and that the most settler George Hubbard); Mary Jane membership inquiries, but mostly current findings on the origin of McLaney Jones, LM-295, Savage, Md. responds to occasional questions about Middletown first-settler Nathaniel (1st settler George Hubbard); and individuals or family lines. Most Bacon (1630-1705) in Bramford, Suffolk, Martha John McLaney Wiseman, interesting recently were inquiries about England, are on the SMFSD web site. LM-296, Westminster, Md. (1st settler the veracity of a tidbit in a 2005 book by • Changes at Godfrey Library. George Hubbard). British scholar Malcolm Gaskill entitled Beth Mariotti is the new director at • SMFSD volunteers answer Witchfinders: A 17th Century English Godfrey Memorial Library, SMFSD’s genealogy inquiries. One service that Tragedy (Harvard University Press). archives repository. She replaces SMFSD volunteer board members The book is a 384-page scholarly look at James R. Benn, who served in the render is answering genealogy inquiries the 1640s witchcraft craze in East position for one year. Ms. Mariotti, of that come our way from time-to-time via Anglia, and its most notorious Branford, Conn., is a professional our web site. Or registrar, Don Brock, “witchfinder,” Matthew Hopkins. On genealogist with experience research- receives the bulk of membership page 100 the author refers to an accused ing New England, Italian, and inquiries, and dispenses tips on how Bacon family and surmises that “within Jewish family history. N FIRST S OW ETT T LE For more of Liz Warner’s local history, LE R D S D I D E M S C f check out “Middletown Patch’ online E o N Y D T A E N I C T S O It is impossible to research rian and National Register specialist S Middletown, Conn. history and with Cunningham Preservation 1650-1700 genealogy without encountering Associates. Her book, A Pictorial along the way the masterful book History of Middletown, carries a e originally published in 1990, A modest and misleading title, since it is he Mid Pictorial History of Middletown by so much more – a thoughtful, broad, NEWSLETTER of the Elizabeth A. Warner. and flowing narrative summary of SOCIETY of MIDDLETOWN FIRST SETTLERS DESCENDANTS For a decade Ms. Warner wrote a Middletown’s history. 1650-1700 – Middletown, Connecticut, U.S.A. column, “Middletown in the Past,” for The Middletown Patch site is part of www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ctsmfsd/Index.html the Middletown Press. Now, for those a growing ‘Patch’ network of local eager for more of her insights into news and information sites designed Vol. 11, No. 2 Fall 2011 Middletown history, there is the local for communities deemed underserved news web site, Middletown Patch, by existing local media. The sites are Please send articles, letters, news items, and corrections to: which features new articles online edited and managed by professional The Middler (www.middletown-ct.patch.com). editors, writers, and photographers c/o R.W. Bacon, Editor Recent topics of Ms. Warner’s local who live in the respective communi- P. O. Box 489 Newburyport, MA 01950 history articles include schools, dairy ties, in consultation with an advisory (E-mail: [email protected]) farming, manufacturing, storms, fires, board of community members. The cemeteries, geographical features, editor of Middletown Patch is SMFSD OFFICERS neighborhoods, public buildings, and Cassandra Day, a veteran reporter and President . Barbara Stenberg Vice President. Rita Urquhart architectural preservation. editor for newspapers in Connecticut, Secretary . Margery Piersen A native and still a resident of including the Middletown Press. Treasurer . Mike Campbell Middletown, Liz Warner has taught Historian . history at the Independent Day School Registrar . Donald Brock Middler Editor . R.W. Bacon in Middlefield for over 25 years. She Visit www.middletown-ct.patch.com, then also works as an architectural histo- search “Liz Warner” to read her articles. 2 MIDDLETOWN NEWSLETTER of the SOCIETY of MIDDLETOWN FIRST SETTLERS DESCENDANTS he Mid e CONNECTICUT, U.S.A. CONNECTICUT, USA Meet Marge Piersen, SMFSD secretary since 2006, and avid genealogist with multiple areas of study By R.W. Bacon Marge: My background is mostly Editor, The Middler one of two basic stories no matter This is the third in a series of which way I trace my family tree. So, profiles that give our members across aside from reading history to better the U.S. an opportunity to get to know understand my Puritan ancestors’ more about the “cousins” and fellow experiences, I like to study the few genealogy enthusiasts who keep exceptions. SMFSD going. This fall The Middler Peter Grant (c. 1631-1713) was one interviews Marge Piersen of Deerfield, of the 400 Scotsmen captured by Ill., who has been secretary of SMFSD Cromwell at the Battle of Dunbar who since 2006. Marge volunteers behind survived the forced march to London the scenes managing the membership and were sent to America to be database and planning our Triennial indentured. He was indentured to the Meetings, and front-and-center Iron Works at Saugus, Mass., and later representing the organization at became a prominent citizen in genealogy conferences.

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