Items

• Benjamin Chew, Jr. to James Raymond regarding multiple altercations, February 01, 1800
  Letter to James Raymond about altercations between Porter and Merrit, Yarm, and Jem, one of which resulting in the whipping of the latter two boys. The letter also mentions Lucy and her daughter. Chew is looking to Raymond to find out what happened, and confirm whether the "Black People" or Porter are at fault, and who needs to be punished (or in Porter's case, removed).
• Benjamin Chew to George Ford, July 03, 1789
  Letter and list of sundries accompanying planting tools provided by Sterling's shallop (a small boat). Chew advises that in addition to his Negroes, Ford can hire hands for the home if needed. Food and alcohol for the harvest workers are listed, including pork (which Chew specifies that he wants his workers fed vs. bacon), rum, and instructions to kill the oldest sheep for mutton if needed.
• Merrit Allee letter to Benjamin Chew Jr., January 20, 1800
  Letter from "Negro Merrit" to Benjamin Chew Jr. regarding permission to go to Whitehall Plantation, citing Joseph Porter's threats to shoot him if he attempts to go. Merrit makes his case by stating that he has never misbehaved or "used any person ill", asking for written permission to allow him to go.
• Whitehall Plantation and Kent affairs book, 1790
  Notebook kept by Benjamin Chew titled "Memos Book for Whitehall & Kent Affairs." Approximately 40 pages, with about 8 pages containing writing. Of note is a "List of Negroes at & belonging to Whitehall," which includes birth and death dates as well as family information and who they were hired out to.
• Agreement with Joseph Porter as Overseer at Whitehall, November 29, 1797
  Agreement with Joseph Porter as Overseer at Whitehall with a focus on the care and treatment of the enslaved people. The document states that "he will treat the Black people both young and old committed to his care with Tenderness Attention and Humanity that he will cautiously guard against striking any of them with an improper Instrument or Weapon, delivering their Meat provisions to them..." and continues to confirm that they will be provided lard or fat, wool clothing and the requirements when needed, and "will be specially careful to send for a Physician in due Season to such of the Black people as may be ill and require assistance". There is also a section regarding the keeping of cows for the butter and milk for the "Black people and children", as well as a supply of potatoes and turnips.
• Agreement detailing the hiring of enslaved girl Peg from Benjamin Chew by John Hoffecker, August 01, 1794
  Agreement with John Hoffecker for the hire of Peg, daughter of Lucy, for six years, as long as he resides on the farm. In the document, Hoffecker agrees to "feed and cloathe the said negro girl in a good and comfortable manner". He will also treat her in a humane and reasonable manner while she provide domestic duties. Witnessed and signed by James Raymond, penned for his father by Benjamin Chew, Jr. A note on the back advises Peg was moved shortly from Hoffecker's to Simon Vanwinkle's at the Cross Roads, for which a written agreement was held by Raymond.
• Agreement of responsibilities with George Ford as Whitehall Overseer, December 16, 1788
  Agreement of responsibilities with George Ford as Whitehall Overseer, including management and maintenance of the farm and plantation, as well as the enslaved people of Whitehall. About half way down, the document declares that Ford willÿ"treat the Negroes onÿthe Farm committed to his Care will & tenderly keep TwoÿNegro Women when it shall be necessary to spin Linnen or Woollen yarn for all the Negro?s & attend particularly toÿthe providing for them good & sufficient Cloathing &ÿapparel, that he will in Time send for a physician to suchÿof them as may be ill & require assistance?. Witnessed by Samuel Chew and Benjamin Chew, signed by George Ford.ÿ There is also a note on the back stating that Ford has continued yearly on the same terms.
• Bill of sale for a negro girl named Sarah to Benjamin Chew, 1754
  Bill of sale for Negro Girl from Sylvester Thompson to Benjamin Chew, sold for thirty pounds and ten shillings. The document states that Thompson does "grant Bargain and Sell unto the [sd] Benjamin Chew his Ex __ Adm & Assigns for ever my Negro Girl called and known by the name Sarah and all my Estate Right Title Interest Property Claim and Demand whatsoever of in and to this Negro Girl to Have and to hold the said Negro Girl to the sd Benjamin Chew...". Witnessed and signed by Samuel Chew, Jasper Spring (using his mark), and Sylvester Thompson, spelled "Silvestertom Son".
• Proposal of George Kennard to buy Whitehall
  Proposal of George Kennard to buy Whitehall for a total $25,000. Benjamin Chew ("BC") would "have the negro girl at James Raymond['s]" and 30 hams.
• Return of assessment of Chew plantation Duck Creek Hundred, 1798
  Short assessment of Duck Creek Hundred plantation, declaring 42 slaves priced at 899 pounds, in addition to the 984 acres of land and other unspecified "taxable property". There is a note on the back reading "Assessment in Kent of Delaware Whitehall for $798".
• Payments to Richard Neil & Co. for sundries for enslaved people at Whitehall, 1793-1794
  Receipt for payments to Richard Neil & Co. for purchases of sundries for Whitehall, including molasses for Dick and salt for negro Bill.
• Account with John Raymond for Benjamin Chew's laborers and other farm material, 1801-1803
  Account with John Raymond including payments to Jacob and Pompey.
• Account with Andrew Naudain by Benjamin Chew, including sale of enslaved woman and her daughter, 1803
  Account with Andrew Naudain documenting sale of Lucy and daughter of Lucy to Mr. Naudine/Naudain.
• Clothes bought for enslaved people at Whitehall by Benjamin Chew, undated
  Note in Benjamin Chew's hand for various clothing purchased for enslaved people. Includes shifts and petticoats for Sylvia, Rachel, Lucy, Nan, Sarah, and Priscilla, shirt and trousers for Aaron and Bill, trousers for Jacob, Enos, and Lemon, and spare linen for the children.
• Whitehall account from Daniel Newman, 1753
  Account between Daniel Newman and Benjamin Chew. Includes "by his wifes___ [?]ÿ for delivering 3 of my Negro Women". Also sold wheat to William Sturgis.
• Whitehall expenses paid by Soloman Barnet, 1777-1779
  Includes payments for deliving babies for Big Rachel and Little Rachel, mention of wages for Sharper and Toney, and a quart of molasses for Lemman [Lemon] when sick. Also mentions purchases of rosin "to make the negroes shoes" and two other payments for making or mending the shoes.
• Payments of William Cohoon to Benjamin Chew, May 18, 1793
  "Seven years wages due from him [Cohoon] for my Negro Wench Sarah", 1785-1792 for 5 pounds/year plus clothing. Lists payments by year.
• Receipt for linen purchased for enslaved people's clothing, 1799 and 1802
  Linen "sent to W Hall" [Whitehall] purchased for shirts and shifts for Abby, Silvia, Lucy, and other unnamed women, and Phin and Ben. Also lining for "cloaths for Children" and Lemon, who is noted as dead. Linen also purchased in 1802 for trousers for men, shifts, another shirt for Abby, and six petticoats.
• Account due from sundries to Whitehall, including hiring out of enslaved peoples, 1786-1788
  Account due from sundries to Whitehall collected by Matthew Weeks. Enslaved people hired out include Peg, Sarah, Rachel, Latitia, and Rachel a second occasion.
• Account for mended shoes at Whitehall, February 15, 1790
  List of enslaved people's shoes mended to Mr. Chew from "Green", including Lemon, Cato, Absalon, Dick], and James.
• "Negro Wenches Hired Out from Whitehall", 1786
  Handwritten note by Benjamin Chew. He identifies enslaved woman Peg as being hired out to William Denny, Sarah to William Cohoun, Rachel to John Gilbert, and Tish to James Numbers. Does not specify what labor they were hired for.
• Detailed account for tailor work done for enslaved at Whitehall, 1788
  Detailed account received for Benjamin "Jew" [sic] for "Work Done for his Negroes By Henry Hoffecker. Signed by Hoffecker to confirm payment. Includes a pair of breeches for "his Negroe Dick", breeches for Negro Jake, nine upper jackets and nine pairs of breeches "for the Negroes" and lists Ben, Sharper, Cato, Enos, James, Dick, Lemon, Absalom, and Jake. Ben and Sharper have an "X" after their names, like a signature.
• Receipt for medical care for Negros issued by George Ford, 1795
  Receipt for Ezekiel Neidham and James Blundell for medicine or medical care "to Negros", January-June 1795. Issued by George Ford.
• Receipt for enslaved peoples' shoes at Whitehall, undated
  Reciept for shoes, recipients include enslaved people Abbey, Enos, Sharper, Jem, Abby, Enos.
• Fabric expenses for free and enslaved laborers of Whitehall, undated
  List of enslaved people and yards of fabric needed per person. Names include Abby, Sharper, Lemon, Jem Jr, Cato, Enos, Dick, Aaron, Jem Jr, Ben, Yarm, Silvia, Lucy, Sarah, Nan, Sal Jr, Sukey, and Phin. There is a side note of "24 yds lin for Men".