Amos Sr. Newport, who was born around 1710 on the west coast of Africa, was taken from his homeland circa 1715, and brought to Newport, Rhode Island. He decided to adopt the name of his new city as his surname. As a child, he was sold by David Ingersoll of Springfield, MA to Joseph Billings of Hatfield, MA in 1729 for 50 pounds.
Years later, in 1766, Amos sued Billings, his former enslaver, for keping him even though he was a free man. He claimed that he had been assaulted, falsely imprisoned, and deprived of his lawful liberty. Unfortunately, he lost the case and was ordered to pay Billings 16 pounds and 6 shillings. This information can be found in the "History of the Black Population of Amherst, Massachusetts" on pages 101-105.
Joseph Billings was an original proprietor of Hatfield, Massachusetts. He purchased Amos Newport in 1729, and in 1766, Newport unsuccessfully sued Billings for his freedom. Newport had charged that on Dec. 1, 1765, Billings made "an assault upon him...and...falsely imprisoned and restrained [him] of his lawfull liberty..."
| Entry | Source | Vol Name | Date | entry id |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Paine, Metita and Amos Newport of Hat. 12/6/1806 | Deerfield Vital Records to 1850 | Marriages | 1806 Dec 6 | 1476 |