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A chest and woodworking tools, believed to belong to the last person enslaved in South Jersey, will be on display until September at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey in the Noyes Arts Garage in Atlantic City.
Keeta Kay Cole donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the U.S. Census as a slave in South Jersey.
ATLANTIC CITY — Ralph Hunter has been collecting artifacts from Black history in South Jersey for decades, but what he recently obtained is something he considers “the greatest find of southern New Jersey.”
An antique tool chest and a collection of tools believed to have belonged to Lucy Harris-Jackson — the last person believed to have been recorded as a slave in South Jersey by the U.S. Census Bureau — was unveiled Monday at The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey.
Hunter, the founder of the museum, thanked those who donated the gift and said he was ecstatic about the chance to preserve history.
“It means more to me than anything that’s ever happened in southern New Jersey, that once again the African American (Heritage) Museum is in a position to receive such a great gift,” Hunter said.
About two dozen people gathered in the Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University to see the chest and discuss Harris-Jackson and her role in history.
Keeta Kay Cole, a former science teacher, donated the chest. She recalled how her father, who grew up outside of Pleasantville, used to have the chest. He had received it from his aunt, who in turn received it from her family. The aunt and her relatives had passed on an oral, family tradition saying that the chest had belonged to the last person who had been enslaved in Atlantic County.
Trying to downsize, Cole decided she wanted to do something with the chest and its tools to honor the history.
“It’s always just been down in my parents’ basement,” Cole said. “It’s got a home, it’s not going to sale, it’s going to history and I got goosebumps.”
She eventually connected with Robert Barnett, an amateur historian of the region who had written an article about Harris-Jackson and her status as the last person to be enslaved in South Jersey. Barnett poured through census data and other historical records relating to Harris-Jackson and ultimately determined a plausible timeline of how the tool chest was passed down over time. He delivered a presentation about his findings to the audience gathered at the Arts Garage.
“It kind of goes full circle,” Barnett, recalling how he first got in touch with both Cole and Hunter based on his research into the last person recorded as a slave in South Jersey.
Lucy Harris-Jackson, who went by several names and was given several different ages over inconsistent census records, was born circa 1780, according to Barnett’s research, and died sometime after November 1871. He found a record of sale that indicated Harris-Jackson had been enslaved by Mary English at a property on Steelmanville Road, before she was sold to and enslaved by William Holdcraft in 1838.
The 1850 U.S. Census, while not giving names, indicated that a slave was residing at Holdcraft household, located in what was then Egg Harbor Township. Barnett is confident that the person enslaved at the household was Lucy Harris-Jackson, who he believes to be the Lucy listed at the Holdcraft household in the 1860 and 1870 Censuses. Harris-Jackson’s presumed appearance on the 1850 Census made her the last slave recorded in South Jersey.
Abigail Holdcraft’s 1871 will asked that Harris-Jackson “be set at liberty,” even though the ratification of the 13th Amendment had formally ended slavery throughout the United States six years earlier.
Harris-Jackson’s son, Sampson Rattler, was born sometime before 1810 and died on July 16, 1882. He lived and worked on the property owned by Jonathan Albertson and his wife Asenath Lake Collins and next door to the property of Asenath’s brother Daniel Lake Collins. Rattler, Barnett theorizes, inherited the tool chest from his mother. It was then obtained by Asenath, who in turn passed it on Joseph Baker Collins, who in turned passed it on to Nettie Bertholf Collins. Lewis Risley Wolfe then inherited from Collins, his aunt, and passed it on to his daughter Keeta Kay Cole nee Wolfe.
Cole had taken the chest and its tools from her home in Lititz, Pennsylvania, in Lancaster County. Barnett, while previously an employee of the Federal Aviation Administration and a former South Jersey resident, emigrated to Ontario, Canada. He made the trip back down to South Jersey for the unveiling of the chest at the Atlantic City museum.
Brett Barbin, the deputy chief of staff for the 2nd state Legislative District, said that Assemblyman Don Guardian, R-Atlantic, had been planning to attend but was feeling sick.
“It’s really an honor to be here representing the state of New Jersey and to recognize this important contribution to Ralph’s already wonderful collection,” Barbin said at the event. “They (the artifacts at the museum) show what the African American contribution has been to South Jersey throughout history.”
Cole was visibly moved by the day. When someone rang a chime-like bell in the collection of tools that she had heard as a child, Cole began to tear up. She said that she was proud to be doing work to preserve history.
“I think part of it is simply because it’s taken that many generations to fully appreciate what it is and what it was, what the history of it was, and (that history) needs to be told to other people,” Cole said.
Hunter promised Cole during the ceremony that he would be committed to preserving the chest for posterity.
“We plan to be a great steward for this chest and these tools, and that they’ll be around for the next three, four hundred years,” Hunter said. “It’s important to hold onto history, especially South Jersey history.”
The chest will be displayed at the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey until September, when the museum, which puts on many traveling shows, will figure out how else it can be used to honor the history of South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey. (right) Anne Glapion of Egg Harbor Township looks over some of the contents in the chest.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey. A small sampling of the larger collection of tools in the chest.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey. AAHMSNJ Founder & President Ralph E. Hunter Sr. lays out some of the tools included in the chest .
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey. AAHMSNJ Founder & President Ralph E. Hunter Sr. listens as Cole (right) recalls her family tree.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey. Cole (right) recalling her family tree.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey. Historian Robert Lowe Barnett.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey. AAHMSNJ Founder & President Ralph E. Hunter Sr.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey. (l-r) Historian Robert Lowe Barnett., Cole, Bob Cole, and AAHMSNJ Founder & President Ralph E. Hunter Sr.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey. AAHMSNJ Founder & President Ralph E. Hunter Sr. taps on a series of chimes thought to have been used to call the slaves in for dinner.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey. Historian Robert Lowe Barnett gestures to a slide showing census data reflecting the number of recorded enslaved people in the region in 1850 at 1.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
On July 17 2022, at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, Inc., Keeta Kay Cole, from Lititz PA, donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the US Census as a slave in South Jersey.
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A chest and woodworking tools, believed to belong to the last person enslaved in South Jersey, will be on display until September at the Atlantic City African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey in the Noyes Arts Garage in Atlantic City.
Keeta Kay Cole donates a family heirloom woodworking tool chest, passed down through generations, which has a direct link with Lucy Harris, the last person formally designated by the U.S. Census as a slave in South Jersey.
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