Slavery at Locust Lawn
According to the 1798 New Paltz Tax records (before Josiah had Locust Lawn built), Josiah was registered as having a total of eight enslaved people living at his residence; three males and five females; all the males and one of the females were aged between 12 and 50 years of age and thereby subject to taxation.
According to the 1810 Federal Census, Josiah held four individuals in bondage.
A receipt dated 1813 to 1814 for the services of John Hait, cobbler. Services included soling, lining, caping, bottoming and binding boots for self and "Negro". The money is recorded in pounds, shillings and pence.
By 1820, when the Hasbroucks were living at Locust Lawn, the number of enslaved women, men and children had multiplied to 12; five male children under 14, two men aged 26-44, three female children under 14 and two women aged 26-44. There is no evidence of where these individuals were housed.
Probable Slave Dress, Early 19th Century. Locust Grove Collection, Poughkeepsie, NY.
Blue inwoven stripes on white, coarse cotton or linen homespun fabric. Hand sewn with three-quarter-length wide sleeves, straight construction, with an open bodice. Natural waist-long skirt, gathered with an A-line shape, with a narrow panel across the top, possibly to create additional length. The hem is reinforced with white cotton fabric along the interior. The stripes of the bodice create a V-shaped design along the back, which was altered and taken in. The front bodice is darted, with gross-grain tape along the neckline. A small, short, braided tape was sewn on one side of the waist to create a loop.
~ Taken from In Defiance: Runaways from Slavery in New York's Hudson River Valley, 1735-1831, by Susan Stessin-Cohn and Ashley Hurlburt Biagini