Browse Items (288 total)

In this short bill of sale, William Williams of New Marlborough New York sells an 18-year-old enslaved Black man named Cesar to Charles Phelps Jr. of Hadley. Williams received Sixty-Five Pounds Thirteen Shillings & four pence in Massachusetts Bay…

Charles listed all of his livestock and crops along with how much they are worth in the year 1777. He also wrote the amount of land and houses he owns. At the end he tallied up the amounts and noted this inventory would be taxed that year.

Charles Phelps is writing to his son Moses while he is in college, informing Moses he hopes he is doing well and learning as well as behaving. Charles also suggests Moses write in his free time and not play cards. Charles goes on to inform Moses that…