The printed form, “Bill of Sale for Slave,” from the Maiden Lane printers G & R Waite, documents the 1809 sale of a 16-year-old enslaved person, Abraham, for $175 to Josiah Hook and his “Executors, Administrators and Assigns”. A handwritten notice from 1815 on the reverse states that Abraham has changed his name to Thomas Cooper and will be going to sea aboard the warship USS Ontario. Common Council records, NYC Municipal Archives.
- Page 1: A printed bill of sale for an enslaved person. The bill has handwritten entries for the name, date and other details. The top of the document reads, “Know all men by these presents” and there is a signature at the bottom of the page that indicates the notary along with a date.
- Page 2: Back of bill of sale for enslaved person that includes a handwritten declaration along with the petitioner and the name of witness.
Transcription Note: The text below was transcribed using Handwriting OCR software and edited by staff from the NYC Department of Records & Information Services. Corrections and clarifications have been added in brackets.
Transcribed Text: Bill of Sale for Slave [G. & R. Waite, Printers, No. 64 & 38, Maiden-Lane.]
Know all Men by these Presents, That I Jamima Stout of the City of New York, for and inconsideration of the sum of One Hundred Seventy five dollars, current money aforesaid, have granted, bargained and sold, and by these presents, do grant, bargain and sell unto Jos[Josiah] C. Hook of New York a certain Negro Boy aged Sixteen years, or thereabouts,and known by the name of Abraham To have and to hold the said Abraham by these presents granted, bargained and sold unto the said Josiah C. Hook his Executors, Administrators and Assigns, for and during the space of Sixteen Years freely, quietly, peaceably, and entirely without any contradiction, claim, disturbance or hindrance of any persons whatsoever, so that neither I the said Jamina Stout nor any other for me or in my name, any Right, Title, Interest or Demand, of, in, to, or for the said Abraham ought to exact, challenge, claim, or demand at any time or times hereafter, for and during the time so granted, bargained and sold of the said Abraham by these presents, but from all Action, Right, Title, Claim, Demand, Possession and Interest thereof, shall be, wholly barred and excluded by force and virtue of these presents. And I the said Jamina Stout for myself. Executors and Administrators, the said Negro Boy unto the said Josiah C. Hook his Executors, Adminis-trators and Assigns, against the said Jamina Stout.
Aur Executors, Administrators and Assigns, and against all and every other person or persons whatsoever, shall and will warrant and defend by these presents, the Sale of the said Negro Boy unto him the said Josiah C HookIn witness whereof, the parties to these presents have hereunto set their hands and seals, on the Twelth day of May in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and Nine.
Sealed and delivered in the presence of
[Signed A. Butler], the 23 of May, 1809.
Jamina Stout