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Benjamin Ellicott’s Diary

April 17, 2015 By Marfy Goodspeed in Delaware Twp, Flemington, Hunterdon, Locktown, Warford Tags: Civil War, Ellicott's Diary

While processing the reams of archived material at the Hunterdon County Historical Society, archivist Donald Cornelius came upon a handwritten diary composed during the years of the Civil War. He was stunned and thrilled by what he found, a personal journal from a resident of Locktown written during those stressful years, 1861-1863. I am equally thrilled that he shared his find with me. Since the Civil War officially ended 150 years ago on April 9th, I would like to share with you the first pages of this fascinating document, written by Benjamin Harvey Ellicott.

Slavery in Hunterdon

April 9, 2015 By Marfy Goodspeed in E. T. Bush, Historians Tags: Civil War, slavery

unidentified slave family, from Google Images

In the most recent issue of the Hunterdon Historical Newsletter, Lois Crane Williamson wrote an article titled “The Last Slave in Franklin Township.” It shows that slaves were still living in Hunterdon County long after the Gradual Emancipation Act of 1804 was signed. The last advertisement for a runaway slave to appear in the Hunterdon Gazette was published on February 14, 1838: