John Palmer’s (~1724-1750) 1750 probate estate inventory contains an entry for “Negro Man Tom,” valued at 46-13-4. When Palmer died, his estate was insolvent. In order to liquidate property to pay his creditors, the estate’s administrators, Jacob Fowle and Palmer’s widow, Susannah, placed an advertisement in a Boston newspaper to sell two of Palmer’s enslaved individuals: “to be sold…a likely Negro Man, about 25 years old, and a fine Negro Boy, about 14” [The Boston Gazette, October 30, 1750]. Though not identified by name, we can match the descriptions with Palmer’s inventory to conclude the “Negro Man” was Tom. The “Boy” refers to Prince, identified as a “Negro Boy” in Palmer’s inventory.

Bibliography:

The Boston Gazette or Weekly Journal, October 30, 1750.

John Palmer, Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881 Volume: Essex Cases 20000-21999, Page(s): 20435:19, Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.) https://app.americanancestors.org/DB515/i/13789/20435-co19/30384519. 20435.

Boston Gazette, November 13, 1750

Boston Gazette, October 30, 1750, 2

John Palmer probate inventory