Description:

African American
Norwich, CT, 1791; April 5, 1792
Connecticut African American Sues White Man Over Chestnut Shingles
Various
[AFRICAN AMERICAN.] , Manuscript Document, Account of Simon Lord with Jack Searls, 1791, [Norwich, Connecticut]. 1 p., 7.75" x 4.5". General toning; very good.
Elisha Hyde, Partially Printed Document Signed, Summons of Simon Lord, April 5, 1792, Norwich, Connecticut. 2 pp., 6.75" x 8.25".

These two documents relate to a dispute over a delivery of chestnut shingles by free African American Jack Searls to Simon Lord in May 1791. When Lord refused to pay, citing the poor quality of the shingles, Searls filed a lawsuit against him. Justice of the Peace Elisha Hyde ordered Lord to appear before Justice of the Peace . on April 16, 1792. After hearing the testimony of both sides, Searls was awarded a judgment of 14 shillings for the shingles (including an offset of 2 shillings for wool that Lord had delivered to Searls), and 7 shillings, 9 pence for court costs.

Excerpts
[Account:]
"1791 May 5th Mr Simon Lord to Jack Searls Dr.
"To one thousand Chesnut Shingles £0..16—
" Supra Cr
"1791 Septr By 1 lb Wool 1/2 £0..1..2
"Balance due me £ ..14..10
"Errors Excepted Jack Searls"

[Summons:]
"To the Sheriff of the County of Newlondon his Deputy, or either of the Constables of the Town of Norwich within said County, Greeting.
"By Authority of the State of Connecticut, you are hereby commanded to summon Simon Lord of said Norwich to appear before ....a Justice of the Peace for said County at the Courthouse in sd Norwich on the 3rd Monday of April Instant at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, then and there to answer unto Jack Searles alias Jack Negro of Norwich Aforsaid in a plea that to the Plaintiff the Defendant render the sum of Twenty Shillings lawful Money which to the Plaintiff the Defendant justly owes by book, for one Thousand Chestnut Shingles...."

"The parties appeard the Defendt pleaded that the Shingles were not worth so much & the plaintif has Charged for them the Plf Testified under oath that he sold the shingles to the Defendt & told him that 16 shilling was his price and that if the Defendt would pay him in a fortnight he would abate one Shilling of the price, and that the Defendt took away the shingles. On considering the Testimony of both parties this Court find that the Defendt is indebted to the plaintif the sum of fourteen shillings & therefore consider that the Plaintif Recover of the Defendt the sum of 14/ Debt & his Cost taxed at 7/9 and that Exn go forth accordingly."

Historical Background
As slavery waned in Connecticut under the provisions of a 1784 gradual emancipation act, the number of free blacks in the state grew. In 1790, 2,764 enslaved persons remained in Connecticut. The number declined to 951 in 1800, 97 in 1820, 25 in 1830, and 17 in 1840. In 1844, then Governor Roger Sherman Baldwin proposed legislation to end slavery, but the General Assembly did not pass it until it was reintroduced in 1848. That act freed the six remaining slaves in the state.

In 1800, there were approximately 5,330 free blacks in Connecticut. However, many were little better off as free people than they had been in slavery. They could testify in court and own property, but their socioeconomic status remained poor. Although theoretically, free blacks who owned sufficient property could vote, an 1818 state law specifically denied them the right to vote. Only after the Fifteenth Amendment was ratified in 1870 could African Americans vote in Connecticut.

Many African Americans in Connecticut lived in cities, where they formed separate communities in poor neighborhoods and held low-paying jobs. Few could afford the property necessary to prosper as farmers; most in rural areas worked as field hands.

Simon Lord (b. 1733) was a hatter. On April 5, 1792, he advertised for "a stout active Boy about 14 or 15 years old, as an Apprentice to the Hatting business." In April and May 1793, he was again advertising for an apprentice.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 7.75" x 4.5"; 6.75" x 8.25"
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