An enslaved woman identified only as the wife of Coffee and the mother of their child appeared in a Connecticut 1732 probate record for John Sheldon (1658-1732.)
Coffee his wife and child £130
Boy George 80
Boy Coffee 80
Boy Robbin 70
Girl Sue 60
(George Sheldon, History of Deerfield, Massachusetts (facsimile edition printed from the original in 1972; original edition printed by E.A. Hall for the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield, MA, 1895-96), Vol. II pp. 892, 293-296.)
A former resident of Deerfield, Massachusetts, John relocated to Hartford, Connecticut in about 1708, according to Deerfield town historian George Sheldon.It is likely John Sheldon enslaved all seven of these individuals after he left Deerfield, but extant evidence reveals he enslaved at least one African American person while he was living at least part of the time in Deerfield. On April 5, 1710, the estate of Henry Wolcott (1643-1709) of Windsor, Connecticut, "Dooe thare fore sell unto him the sd John Sheldin a negro lad Called Lundun of a bout foreteen years of age, by the best account wee Can come at, Which sd negrow rode behind sd John Sheldin towards Dearefeild on the last day of march in the yeare 1710-" (from the bill of sale) Sheldon of Deerfield, Massachusetts, paid 45 pounds for Lundun "in province bills." (George Sheldon, History of Deerfield, Massachusetts, Vol. II p. 891.)