Posted on 04/20/2005 2:29:39 PM PDT by nickcarraway
PORTSMOUTH - One of the sets of remains discovered by construction workers on Chestnut Street could give insight into whether slavery once existed in the city, experts say.
Scientists have found evidence of a leg infection on remains found under Chestnut Street in 2003, which the state archaeologist says adds to the probability the remains belonged to black slaves buried downtown.
While inconclusive, the sign of infection - found on the tibia bone of an adult man - suggests that the person had been in shackles at one time, according to state archaeologist Richard Boisvert.
"There are few things that are conclusively evidence of someone being a slave," said Boisvert, who announced the discovery at a city meeting last week. "If you put the information in context, it goes to building your argument that that person was a slave."
However, Dr. Marcella Sorg, a University of Maine forensic scientist conducting studies of eight sets of remains removed from the site in 2003, said the evidence should not lead one to jump to conclusions.
"You can say that something is consistent," Sorg said. "But it’s very difficult to jump to a conclusion with information like this. It’s a temptation."
Sorg said the infection was probably caused by an injury that broke the man’s skin. Unfortunately, she added, the state of his remains make it impossible to prove the theory that he had once been in shackles.
"Although shackles have been suggested as one possible source of infection, the ankle portion for this person is not preserved, so this hypothesis cannot be explored further," Sorg said.
A total of 13 remains, believed to be those of early black residents, were found in the area of Chestnut and Court streets during a sewer upgrade project that year. Eighteenth-century historical documents refer to the area as a "Negro Burying Ground."
The extent of forgotten burial grounds throughout the city is unknown. The burial ground unearthed in 2003 had gone unnoticed for centuries, covered by decades of development and a street in a busy section of downtown.
Boisvert said archaeologists are still lacking a smoking gun to prove that the grave sites positively belonged to slaves. However, he added, evidence continues to mount.
The excavation in Portsmouth is similar to recent discoveries of African-American burial grounds in New York City and Philadelphia that went forgotten for centuries. They add to the growing body of evidence of slavery having existed in northern cities, Boisvert said.
"What we know and what we can prove are two different things," he said.
"Given the date of the cemetery and that there were very few African-Americans in Portsmouth who were not slaves, you have to conclude that the people who were buried there were slaves in that time period."
Slavery, in New England? Who knew (sarcasm).
But that won't keep this article from blaring it in the headline.
It's a given that there was slavery in New England, Massachusetts was the first state to outlaw slavery (by judical fiat, btw) some time around 1795.
But shackles would just as easily indicate that the person was a prisoner as a slave.
BTW, Portsmouth, NH was part of Massachusetts until 1821. Coastal New Hampshire was ceded by Massachusetts as part of the Missouri Compromise. All of Maine calved off Massachusetts at that time.
I wonder what they are going to say about my dog when they dig it up in 200 years. Possibly that he was fed too many pig ears.
I want the New Hampshire flag immediately banned from all public places and pickup truck windows, since it is clearly a symbol of slavery.
Reparations are due.
I thought it was more bond slavery than chattel slavery. I could certainly be wrong (I think I'm remembering from 5th grade!).
The injury could also indicate a runaway slave who because of his escape, lived the last of his life as a free man in a northern state.
Well I know that one of my ancestors who lived in Stratham, NH
married a woman who brought a slave into the marriage so I guess it was more common that people think.
LOL.
Lots of NE fortunes were build on the slave trade - it wasn't until all the ship owners were able to find a more profitable cargo that there was any significant support in mASS. to end the practice. The bad ECONOMICS of the slave trade were what finally killed it off. William Wilberforce (a, GASP!! radically RELIGIOUS Minister in England, the HORROR!)launched and continued the morality based movement against the slave trade for decades. Religious 'fanatics' the bete noir of all liberals launched the movement, the reality of the lousy Economics tipped over the popular support. (PLEASE NOTE: I am NOT saying the mASSES were economically sophisticated, they just recognized an opportunity to make more money with less effort in efforts which did not involve slavery. A level of perception that completely escapes today's residents up here.)
Oh, well I suppose that explains why Portsmouth was the colonial capital of New Hampshire.
But I thought evil, mean-spirited white people of the South were the only ones who ever enslaved Blacks?! EVER!!
New Englanders, being good Calvinists, had (had?) a tradition of externalizing their morality, some would say of being busybodies. The culture in New England could not stand the contradiction of being a democracy ostensibly founded on the principles of equality and legalized slavery. The culture also mitigated against wholesale importation of slaves.
I don't know that there is any evidence that slave trade was ever more than an incidental part (if that) of the economy of New England.
"The culture in New England could not stand the contradiction of being a democracy ostensibly founded on the principles of equality and legalized slavery. The culture also mitigated against wholesale importation of slaves."
Uhmmm, no. The first slave port in the American colonies was established in Massachusetts, in 1638.
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