Coffee's child

first name
Coffee's child
last name
gender
unknown
birth, death year
-- , --
first, last year in records
1732, --
confidence level
confirmed identity
freed status (year freed)
enslaved
enslaver(s)
Sheldon, John;
location(s)
Deerfield, MA  
place of origin

Bio

A child whose name is no longer known appeared with his enslaved parents in a Connecticut 1732 probate record for John Sheldon (1658-1732) with his parents. A former resident of Deerfield, Massachusetts, John relocated to Hartford, Connecticut in about 1708, according to Deerfield town historian George Sheldon. (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.)

Coffee his wife and child  £130
Boy George                           80
Boy Coffee                            80
Boy Robbin                           70
Girl Sue                                 60

It is likely John Sheldon enslaved this child and his parents as well as the other four individuals after he left Deerfield. Extant evidence reveals Sheldon 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. 892.)