c. 1753-1856
When Flora Freeman died in 1856 at 102 or 103 the Centinel of Freedom called her “a venerable colored woman” and “an interesting representative of her people of the past generation”. The Centinel wrote Flora, “often entertained her guests with the recital of many thrilling incidents which occurred during the American Revolutions”.
Flora was a slave in Lodi, and then in Newark, owned by Johnathan (or Jedidiah?) Crane. She was manumitted in July 4, 1803. She was married to Sampson Freeman who died in 1812.
Noelle Lorraine Williams, in her research for 2022 Project for Empty Space exhibit The History of Newark’s Black Woman Slaves, found an excerpt from the 1803 Presbyterian records where a free colored woman named Jenny attempted to buy Flora’s freedom, but Mr. Dodd was trying to trick Jenny with a fake contract because he knew Jenny could not read.
Bibliography
Centinel of Freedom, Jan 29, 1856 “Local Matters”
1803 Presbyterian Records
Art piece, Noelle Lorraine Williams
US Presbyterian Church Records