Black History Makers in Burlington County, New Jersey: Revolutionary War Era to the Mid-Nineteenth Century.

Antebellum Black history in Burlington County, New Jersey, has several fascinating historic figures that can become interesting classroom lessons. These include soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War, a clockmaker born before the Revolutionary war who owned a successful clockmaking business, a man who became so fascinated with Quakerdom that he pleaded throughout his life to become a member of the group, only to be rebuffed until he was seventynine, two settlers from an antebellum free Black community called Timbuctoo who were influential in their community's development, a physician, a prominent Underground Railroad operative, and others. Most were born enslaved, but some were born free. Many were assisted by Quakers, who clearly facilitated emancipation in many cases, even while clearly limiting their association with Black people in some cases. This article describes the lives of eight men whose lives contribute to our understanding of Burlington County during enslavement and emancipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]