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Slavery and New Hampshire

© Christina Coruth

Curious, complicated, ambivalent, and contradictory are words that could well describe the New Hampshire reaction to slavery and its attendant issues. Events in New Hampshire that occurred in the years leading up to the Civil War provide a microcosm of a country in turmoil.

Ships departing Portsmouth Harbor, engaged in the triangular trade common during America's Colonial period. That is, part of the trip to deliver exports and pick up goods to be returned, included a stop to pick up slaves. New Hampshire's economy of subsistence farming didn't lend itself to the development of plantations dependent upon slave labor. Wealthy and politically powerful people owned most of the slaves in New Hampshire. By the time of the American Revolution, slavery was made illegal in the state, yet there was no emancipation of those already living in slavery.

Sentiment against slavery was on the rise. This was reflected in these State statistics:

1790 - 158 slaves in NH
1800 - 8 slaves in NH
1820 - "786 free persons of color in this state."1

Despite the lack of a legally mandated emancipation, many of the rich and powerful had second thoughts, and freed their slaves. Among those who had a change of heart early on, was John Langdon. Prior to the American Revolution he supported slavery. Within ten years, he would have a change of heart and free his slaves as a matter of conscience. Langdon’s career left no doubt that he was among the rich and powerful. He served as President of New Hampshire, worked on the US Constitution, worked to get the State to ratify it, and was elected to the US Senate. Subsequently, he was elected president of the Senate.

Senator Langdon's daughter, Elizabeth alerted President Washington and the First Lady that their runaway slave, Ona Judge, was living in Portsmouth after having spotted Ona there. Ona Judge listed as Oney Judge in Washington's papers, was the daughter of Betty, a dower slave, and Andrew, an indentured servant. She ran away in June of 1796 after having served twelve years as Mrs. Washington's personal maid. The President wrote to the Secretary of the Treasury asking him to instruct the Collector of Customs in Portsmouth, Joseph Whipple, to take Ona into custody and send her back to Virginia. Whipple apparently intended to carry out his orders until he met with and talked to Ona. According to the story, he was so impressed with her desire for freedom that he decided not to send her back. He wrote to Washington, informing him that the anti-slavery climate was such that sending Ona back might cause a negative public reaction and that it might be wiser to seek her return through the courts. Washington wrote to Whipple suggesting how he might capture and return Ona. However, he instructed Whipple not to do anything that could create a violent reaction from the residents of the area. Whipple agreed and then did nothing. Ona established a life in Portsmouth.

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