Slavery
There were slaves in the 18th Century.
There were 15 to 20 slaves in Amherst including women and children.
These very few slaves included: Goffy, Tom, George, Rose, Tabitha, Jepthah, Venus and Caesar.
These slaves belonged to Rev. David Parsons (Goffy, Pompey and Rose). Ephrima Kellogg, Ebenezer Kellogg, Richard Chauncy, Josiah Chauncy owned Caesar. The others were owned by John Nash, John Adams, John Scott, Moses Hawley, Elijah Ingram and Daniel Kellogg.
We knew that there were slaves in Amherst because of Tax Records.
The slaves' lives involved farm work, domestic servants, hard labor, torn muscles and they had to work to exhaustion.
In 1783, slavery was abolished in Massachusetts as a result of the Quock Walker vs. Jennison decision.
Abolition | The African American Experience in Amherst | Angeline | Events of the Times | Life in Amherst | The Hills Hat Factory | Henry Jackson | The Town Poor Farm | Zion Chapel