For preservation and ease of access the early land records of Newtown, Connecticut, have been photocopied, and a compiled index has been prepared for the years 1707 to 1948.  But these modern indexes omit the references to race shown in the original indexes and are too voluminous to search for slave emancipations. Further, the photocopied deed books exclude all but the deeds themselves, omitting the original indexes, cautions against the recording of certain conveyances, some vital records, and other items of interest. And access to the dusty original volumes, now on high shelves, requires an improvised ladder.

A survey of these volumes 9 through 30, about 1766 to 1813, reveals emancipations and other matters relating to slaves and free negroes (the term usually applied). As required by state law, each emancipation is accompanied by an application and certificate stating that the slave desired freedom, was in good health, and was between 25 and 45 years of age. Freed slaves sometimes used Freeman or Freedom as a surname and sometimes used the surname of a current or former owner. Thus they are perhaps best recognized initially by their given names.

Much more detail on the lives of most of these slaves and free blacks may be found in a short book by Daniel Cruson, Newtown's Slaves: A Case Study in Early Connecticut Rural Black History, Newtown Historical Society, 1994, 92 pp.

Vol:Pg Date                 Name(s)                            Actions

13:295 18 Aug 1784 Cato Freedom                    Deed from Marcy Tousey of Woodbury for
                                                                                   Ł1/10/0, 1/2 acre near Ditchlot in the Farm
                                                                                    called Zoar, reserving the watercourse
                                                                                    through said land.

15:234 11 Jun 1778 Thomas Freeman                   Deed from Abel Morehouse of New Ashford,
                                                                                    Berkshire Co., MA, to Thomas Freeman,
                                                                                    negro, formerly belonging to Stephen
                                                                                    Morehouse, late of Redding, dec'd, for Ł43,
                                                                                    2 1/2 acres in Redding where Thomas's house
                                                                                    now stands and 5 acres in Newtown.

16:160 9 May 1791 Tobias                            about 30 yrs. of age, emancipated by
                                                                                   Nehemiah Curtis. Application and certificate
                                                                                   on 11 Apr 1791 [16:299].

16:300 25 Mar 1791 Sampson                           Negro man Sampson purchased for Ł30 by Josiah Curtis from Abraham Baldwin, "to serve in all respects as a faithful and obedient servant and is to make up all lost time for four years from Date except six Days every year to be allowed for recreation … in consideration of which at the end of four years he is to discharge and emancipate said servant."

17:302 6 Jan 1794 Eleck or Alexander             aged 26 on 3 Feb 1793, emancipated by Capt. Solomon Glover.

17:317 14 Jan 1794 Candace                            negro girl about 21, emancipated by Stephen Crofut.

17:424 11 Apr 1794 Ned or Ned Boot                    about 39 yrs. of age, emancipated by Abraham Booth.

18:fwd 9 May 1796 Zephaniah and Peggy (Booth) both aged 25 to 45, emancipation by Mr. Daniel Booth.

18:fwd 30 Jul 1796 Cesar or Julius Cesar             aged 25 to 45, emancipation by Mr. Ebenezer Beers.

18:343 17 Feb 1796 Ellick or Alexander Brisco     Deed /s/ Ellxeandrea Brisco (not by mark) for Ł16 to Allexander Deforest for 14 rods at Deep Brook.

18:697 12 Nov 1795 Lem or Lem Peters            age 30 on 5 Nov. instant, emancipation by Ezra Booth.

18:707 27 Nov 1795 Rose                                      negro girl who was 26 on 24 June last, emancipation by Peter Nichols.

18:722 4 Jan 1796 Sampson                             Certificate by Daniel Clark of Southbury who this day purchased Sampson of Elijah Nichols, engaging to free sd. Sampson after he has served "an adequate number of years to sufficiently compensate me for what I gave for him."

19:113 23 Mar 1797 Harry Hill                             age 27 on 17 May 1797, by John Beach, power of atty. for his mother, Mrs. Phebe Beach.

19:235 9 Oct 1797 Ned Booth                             Deed from Judson Fairman to Ned Booth, a free Black-man or Negro, for $167, 2 acres at Sluts Hill.

19:312 24 Feb 1798 Zephaniah Booth             Negro emancipated by David Booth. Deed from David Oakley for Ł27/10/0, 1/2 of a tenement and adjoining land at northern end of the Town Street.

19:393 30 Apr 1798 Philip or Philip Brisco            age 27 on 25 October last past, emancipation by Caleb Baldwin.

19:409 18 Jun 1798 Nancy or Nancy Bush            age 33 on 14 Aug last past, emancipation by Solomon Sanford

19:474 7 Jan 1799 Temp                            female negro servant. Emancipation by James Glover.

20:7        28 Feb 1799 Cato Freeman                     Deed from Moses Platt of Huntington for $15, 1 acre at Zoar.

20:8 19    Feb 1799        Cesar Freeman or                   Deed from William Hill Fairchild for $50, 1 acre at Pearse lot.

                                        Cesar Bellamy

20:10 19 Feb 1799 Cesar Freeman or             Mortgage deed to William Hill Fairchild for $50, 1 acre at Pearse lot.

Cesar Bellamy

20:198 17 Sep 1799 Lynde                              age about 37, emancipation by Reuben and David Booth, executors of est. of Jonathan Booth, dec'd.

20:217 11 Nov 1799 Dorcas                               age about 29, emancipation by John Lott and David Beers.

20:259 6 Jan 1800 Jacob                 age 25 on 6 Sep 1799, emancipation by Philo Tousey.

21:225 6 Oct 1801 Boston                 age 32 in June last, emancipation by Elijah Nichols.

21:495 19 Nov 1802 Rose                         age about 32, emancipation by Wid. Phebe Beach.

22:200 22 Oct 1803 Dinar, wife to Boston Jennings Freeman Deed from Samuel Beers and Samuel Beers, Jr., for $63, 30 rods with dwelling house on Reading Rd. about 1/2 mile southwest of the church.

22:442 16 May 1803 Cato Freeman Quitclaim by Thomas Hays for $104 to Cato Freeman of Huntington rights to dwelling house erected by Elijah Jordan on land belonging to Henry Tomlinson in S.E. part of Zoar.

22:444 8 Apr 1803 Dinah age about 30, emancipation by Elijah Nichols.

22:467 12 Dec 1803 Prince or Prince Booth age 26 last October, emancipation by Widow Mary Booth.

22:467 5 Dec 1805 Cato Freeman Quitclaim by Cato Freeman for 25 shillings to Town of Newtown, rights to 20 rods of land for road leading from Elijah Sherman to Good Hill.

23:34 20 Feb 1804 Alexander Brisco a free negro. Quitclaim by Philo Booth for $1, rights to 1/4 acre with dwelling house near the plains.

23:35 1 Mar 1804 Time negro girl about 31 yrs. Sale by Sarah Nichols for $50 to Titus, a free Negro of the Town of Fairfield.

23:98 10 Oct 1804 Gilbert or Gilbert Platt age 29, emancipation by Jarvis Platt.

23:165 7 Jan 1805 Tobias Freedom a free Negro. Judgment in favor of Caleb Baldwin, exec. of estate of Caleb Baldwin, dec'd, for $100.26 plus costs. Execution by seizure of 15 rods with dwelling at Walnut Tree Hill, appraised at $19.

23:404 5 Sep 1805 Primus Hill Quitclaim by Moss K. Botsford for $70, 1/4 acre with dwelling house near north end of Newtown Street.

23:680 30 Mar 1806 Amos Bill of freedom from Shelton Beach, executor of est. of Hezekiah Beach, agreeing to free Amos on condition he pay $40 on 1 Sept next and 1 Sept in following year. Receipt of $40 by note of Birdsey Glover on 26 Sep 1806, and receipt of $40 by Joseph Nichols on 38 Nov 1807.

23:683 29 Oct 1806 Ned Hill age about 37, emancipation by John Botsford and Moss K. Botsford.

25:524 12 Jan 1809 Zephaniah Booth Freeman Mortgage deed for $50 to Samuel Beers, Jr., the westerly half of a house where I now live near head of main Town Street which I purchased of David Oakley.

25:535 7 Mar 1809 Primus Hill Quitclaim by Primus Hill for $75, house and 1/2 acre near head of Town Street .

26:128 15 Jan 1810 Pegge Hall, wife to Levi Hall Deed from Philip Nichols of Huntington for $40, 1/2 acre at pine swamp hill.

26:374 5 Nov 1811 Amos Beach of New Haven (Negro in index). Mortgage deed for $100 to Samuel Beers, Jr., 1/2 acre with dwelling house a little west of head of Town Street.

27:123 26 Sep 1812 Harry Hill or Harry Beach free negro of Newtown. Mortgage deed for $80 to Joseph Nichols, Samuel Beers, Jr., and Marcus Botsford, 2/3 acre with house which is my homestead about 2 mi. east of the church.

27:344 3 Aug 1812 Cesar Freeman age 25 to 45, emancipation by Cyrenius Hard.

27:422 27 Nov 1813 Cesar Freeman Deed from Thomas H. Green for $180, 2 parcels at Zoar.

For slaves in Fairfield see:  Chatfield, Priscilla A., "Emancipation and Sale of Slaves in Fairfield, Connecticut: From the Index of Fairfield, CT, Land Records." Connecticut Ancestry 42 (May 2000).  For Greenwich see:  Mead, Jeffrey B., Chains Unbound: Slave Emancipations in the Town of Greenwich, CT, 1995, paperback (available from the Historical Society of the Town of Greenwich).

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