Caesar

first name
Caesar
last name
gender
male
birth, death year
-- , --
first, last year in records
1736, 1755
confidence level
confirmed identity
freed status (year freed)
enslaved
enslaver(s)
Childs, Timothy; Wells, Mary Hoyt; Wells, Jonathan;
location(s)
Deerfield, MA   Turners Falls, MA  
place of origin

Bio

Caesar was first enslaved by Jonathan Wells (1684-1735) of Deerfield, Massachusetts. Jonathan's widow, Mary Hoyt Wells (1703-1750) then became Caesar's enslaver and in 1741, she had him baptized. In 1745, he was "admitted to the Communion" of the church.

As early as 1742, Caesar had an account at Elijah Williams' store, where he purchased caps and buckles, among other things. On at least one occasion he paid for his purchases with two fox pelts.

In 1744, the Wells' daughter Mary (1727-1779) wed Timothy Childs, Jr. (1720-1781) of Deerfield and as early as 1746, Caesar is referred to in Williams' account book as "Cesar Timo Childs."

According to George Sheldon, author of the History of Deerfield, "'Cesar servant of Timothy Childs' is recorded several times as a soldier in the French and Indian Wars." (Vol. II, pg. 894)

Mary, Jr. and Timothy eventually moved to Turners Falls, Massachusetts, taking Caesar with them. He died there and Sheldon says of his passing, "friends from Deerfield visiting the Childses at the Falls found a negro slave whom they had taken with them from Deerfield sick unto death, and lying in a cold shed, on a rickety bedstead, with scanty covering, and not even a bed of straw under him, with nothing between his body and the bed-cords but an empty bed-tick. So passed away the Christian soldier." (History of Deerfield, Vol. II, pg. 894)


Primary Source Entries for Caesar

Entry Source Vol Name Date entry id
Cesar Wells Dr to a Cap 7-6 Elijah Williams Day Book April 26, 1742- Jan 16, 1746; Volume 1 1742 Oct 292
Cesar Ens Wells Dr to a pair of buckels 0-6-0 Elijah Williams Day Book April 26, 1742- Jan 16, 1746; Volume 1 1745 Oct 12 223
Cesar Wido Wells & Ens Wells Cr by 2 foxes Elijah Williams Day Book April 26, 1742- Jan 16, 1746; Volume 1 1745 Dec 13 290
  Cesar Wd Wells a pair of knee buckles 0-4-0 Elijah Williams Day Book April 26, 1742- Jan 16, 1746; Volume 1 1745 295
Baptized Caesar Servant to Widow Mary Wells he covenanting himself First Church of Deerfield [MA] Single 1741 Jun 14 315
"Caesar Servant to the Widow Mary Wells was admitted to the Communion of this chh" First Church of Deerfield [MA] Single 1745 Apr 28 310
Pd Wid Wells for Cesar three days on Cors's Island 1-4-0 Joseph Barnard Day Book 5/1737 - 8/1785 1741 May 404
Jonth Wells Dr to a Syeth dd to Ceasar 1-8-0 Joseph Barnard Day Book 5/1737 - 8/1785 1745 May 403
Cesar Wido Wells Dr to a pair of knee buckles 0-4-0 To Garlise 0-8-0 Williams and Field Account Book 1744-1746 1745 458

top of page