When he was free, Joe Belding lived in Northfield, MA. The following comes from History and Proceedings of the PVMA, Annual Meeting 1879, 'Slavery in Massachusetts', Phineas Field, pg. 486: "Joe Belding, with his family, lived in the 'Burt House', which was where the house of Eli Colton now stands, in 1817. When his old master came to take him back to New York, Joe told him not to come near, for he would split his head if he did, and his master returned without him."