Samuel Anderson: The Last Flatbush Slave
Augustus W. Harris
Samuel Anderson, my great-great-grandfather, was born 17 February 1813 at Jeremiah Lott’s farm, on Flatbush Avenue near Cortelyou Road. His mother was Isabella Butler, a slave in Jeremiah Lott’s house, while his father, Samuel Anderson, was owned by Richard Remsen.
In 1813, Flatbush Town, a small farming community, was the leading center for slave holding in Kings County. Seventy-three percent of its households owned at least one slave and over sixty percent owned five or more slaves. The average per household was 5.7 slaves.
Stories about Flatbush farm life say the farms produced almost everything they needed, including supplies, clothing and food. Farmers divided the work by gender and everyone (slaves, owners, and bond servants) shared the chores.
Men collected timber, cultivated and harvested crops, tended animals, hunted, and mended tools. Women were responsible for the domestic work, including cooking, sewing, washing, ironing, soap and candle making, egg gathering, and taking care of poultry. Slaves, both male and female, were also responsible for tending the fireplace, cleaning the chimney, and slaughtering animals.
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July 20
NYPL-Finding Clues in Family Photos
This class invites attendees to explore genealogy research through family snapshots and other historic photographs. Attendees will gain insights ...
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July 21
NYPL-Database Weekends: Proquest Historical African American Newspapers
In anticipation of our upcoming Genealogy program on July 25th, hosted by Walter Scott, this session will focus on one ...
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July 25
NYPL-Genealogy: Become a Family History Hunter
Come join us for a program in Genealogy. Program will introduce you to Ancestry. Com. Various issues relating to Genealogical ...
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July 26
NYPL-Getting Started in Genealogy Research
Start your family history research at NYPL. Learn about the library’s genealogy resources, discover essential research methods and strategies, identify ...
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August 9
NYPL-Newspapers in Genealogy Research
Discover the abundant uses of historical newspapers for genealogical and local history information in the numerous microfilm and digital collections available ...
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August 9
NYPL-Genealogy Research with Maps
New York Public Library’s Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division collections are national and international in scope, and ...
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August 16
NYPL-Researching Ship Passenger Lists
Get started using the genealogy research methods and resources related to ship passenger lists for vessels arriving at U.S. ports in the 19th ...
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