Slavery Era Account Books
Description
This collection contains a selection of images from two 19th-century account books that document black labor and black health in New Brunswick.
The account book of Abraham Blauvelt QC1789, chairman of the Queen's College Building Committee, records expenditures for the construction of the Old Queens Building. Among the entries recorded here, we find two payments to slaveholder Jacob Dunham for the construction labor of his enslaved man Will.
Jacob Dunham's ledger further documents Will's labor. Dunham regularly hired out Will to work at various sites in and around New Brunswick, and Dunham collected payment for Will's work.
Dunham was a physician, and his ledger also provides insight into the health services he provided to free and enslaved people of color in New Brunswick. Select images from Dunham's ledger are explored in our exhibit: Black Health in Early 19th-Century New Brunswick.
View all items in this collection sorted by date.
The account book of Abraham Blauvelt QC1789, chairman of the Queen's College Building Committee, records expenditures for the construction of the Old Queens Building. Among the entries recorded here, we find two payments to slaveholder Jacob Dunham for the construction labor of his enslaved man Will.
Jacob Dunham's ledger further documents Will's labor. Dunham regularly hired out Will to work at various sites in and around New Brunswick, and Dunham collected payment for Will's work.
Dunham was a physician, and his ledger also provides insight into the health services he provided to free and enslaved people of color in New Brunswick. Select images from Dunham's ledger are explored in our exhibit: Black Health in Early 19th-Century New Brunswick.
View all items in this collection sorted by date.
Collection Items
Record of payment to Jacob Dunham, $5.06 for labor of his negro on the foundation (Old Queens Building construction, entry 15)
On September 28, 1808, Abraham Blauvelt recorded a payment for $5.60 to Jacob Dunham “for labor of his negro.” This payment was for "foundation" work.
This is entry number 15 on page 1 of Blauvelt's account book. Blauvelt was the chairman of the…
This is entry number 15 on page 1 of Blauvelt's account book. Blauvelt was the chairman of the…
Account of William Jones (record of Will's labor)
Jacob Dunham's account book shows that Dunham hired out his enslaved man named Will to William Jones. Will worked for William Jones between August 4 and 13, 1817. This included work as "tending mason" with Mr. Chapman on August 5, 1817. William Jones…
Record of payment to Jacob Dunham, $39.88 for his negro's services doing masonry (Old Queens Building construction, entry 130)
On November 30, 1809, Abraham Blauvelt recorded a payment of $39.88 to Jacob Dunham for "his negro's" services. This payment was for "masonry" work.
This is entry number 130 on page 6 of Blauvelt's account book. Blauvelt was the chairman of the…
This is entry number 130 on page 6 of Blauvelt's account book. Blauvelt was the chairman of the…