1803 Bill Of Mortality Dover New Hampshire First Execution Mortification Slaves

An uncommon historical record of mortality including a negro (slave) boy, the first execution in Dover and a midwife “Widow Lydia Marshall who in the course of her life assisted at the birth of more than one thousand children who died at age 85 cause old age.” (1792)

1803 Bill Of Mortality For the Society of Friends in Dover New Hampshire. From 1708-1791; also a General Bill of Mortality for Dover N.H.

Printed by James K Remich 1803

Bill Of Mortality includes deaths of “Negro boy of John Wentworth Esq, Drowned” June 21, 1779; and Peter Hanson Negro March 1791. (Research indicates Peter was a slave of Thomas Hanson, a Quaker in Dover who being convicted of the evils of slavery freed Peter sometime before 1773. “In 1769 Peter Negro Servt to Thomas Hanson, baptiz’d confessing his Sins”. Peter, born in Africa, was married but his wife and children were slaves in a neighboring town)

The negro boy who drowned, sadly was not even named and was likely a slave of the Wentworths.

Title page with an image of a coffin

Peter Mann left his own house 15th February about 7 o’clock in the evening & travelled about 2 miles and perished in the snow. He was found in the field of Ezra Young 10th April

Mr. Ellis fell from a pier of the bridge and broke his thigh and died

Ambrose Bampton supposed to weigh 400 pounds

John Burnham Hanson, insane, found dead in the river

Tabitha Jenkins, she was a Preacher among the Friends (old age)

Condition and notes: unsophisticated and unrestored, uncommon in the trade

Citations; Shaw & Shoemaker 3823; Austin 797

25 pages; self wraps

Title page heavily stained and foxed

A. H. Quint on title page

Scattered foxing throughout

Very fragile paper

see listing on eBay for additional info & photos