The 1810 census of Waterbury shows a free African American
woman named Time living with a free African American man
named Dick. Both were listed as head of household. Dick
Freeman is known to have had a long history in Waterbury,
but this is the only known reference to Time in Waterbury.
On October 16, 1772, two enslaved African Americans, named
Time and Dick, were married in Wallingford, Connecticut.
Both were then enslaved by Capt. Moses Rice. They may
or may not have been the same couple that lived in Waterbury
in 1810.
In 1789, Time filed for divorce. She still lived in Wallingford
but was now free, not enslaved. In her petition, Time stated
that Dick's "affections were alienated" from her
eleven years earlier and that he left her for another woman
with whom he lived "in a state of adultery" in
Cheshire. Time's divorce was granted.
In the 18th century, Dick had been enslaved by two Waterbury
residents, Rev. James Scovill and Stephen Bronson. Bronson's
grandson wrote, in his 1858 History of Waterbury,
that Dick had been sold several times by either Scovill
or Bronson with the understanding that he might
return when he chose. Wallingford is approximately
20 miles and Cheshire 10 miles from Waterbury. It seems
possible that the Dick and Time who were married in Wallingford
could be the same couple who appear in the 1810 census
of Waterbury, 21 years after their divorce.
Certificate written by Elisha Whittelsey verifying that
Time and Dick were married in 1772. Collection of the
Connecticut State Library, State Archives.
Time's Petition for Divorce, 1789
Collection of the Connecticut State Library, State Archives.