What is a “Negro Wench?” A “Negro Wench,” — to my 21st century ears, the phrase sounds derogatory and demeaning. Yet in 1801, my family ancestor Nehemiah Dunham used the phrase in a legal document to refer to one of his slaves. That made me curious. What exactly did he mean? Wench A wench generally … More “Negro Wench” Appendix: What is a “Negro Wench?”
For a descendant of post-Civil-War immigrants from Germany, finding slavery in your family tree is pretty shocking. Granted, this discovery came on my husband’s side of the family, but that makes it no less difficult to learn. Most of his relations were from the North, and the few relations from Virginia moved to the North … More The Ugly Truth: Examining Slavery in Hunterdon County, New Jersey
In 1765, a man named Adam Hope arrived in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Not much is known today about Adam Hope’s history or why he came to Hunterdon County. In fact, his parents remain a mystery. Slightly bit more is known about from where he came. A small grain of evidence suggests he may have come by way … More The Life of Revolutionary War Patriot, Captain Adam Hope
Not enough has been written about the Hope family of Hunterdon County, New Jersey. I know. I have looked. For my children, the Hopes (though Sarah Dunham Hope wife of Adam Hope) provide a gateway family to Mayflower ancestry. With the 400th year of the Mayflower’s arrival in Massachusetts rapidly approaching, my goal is to have fully documented ancestry … More Hopes of Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Scott’s parents will be married for 50 years this July. What a feat! They fell in love during the 1960s. Each came from separate parts of the country to attend a small liberal arts college in Iowa called Coe. They had never met, nor heard each other’s names. Neither knew what to expect from this … More Scott’s Parents Were Total Strangers When They Met or Were They?
Fines for selling liquor without a license these days can run into the thousands and the offense is chargeable (at least in my state) as a gross misdemeanor. Well it turns out, that in 1814, alcohol sales were not that much different. If you wanted to sell spirits, you needed a license or you could be charged. One … More Selling liquor without a license is illegal, and that hasn’t changed much for the last 200 years
