Silve was an African American girl enslaved by a Waterbury
farmer named Caleb Humaston. Humaston lived in the Northbury
section of Waterbury, now part of the town of Thomaston,
and had ten children.
Humaston died in 1776; the inventory of his estate, taken
in 1777, shows Silve valued at £20 and a man named
Mingo valued at £42. Silve was bequeathed to Humaston's
widow and to his daughter Phebe Turner.
The second page detailing the distribution of Caleb Humaston's
estate and listing Mingo and Silve. Collection of the
Mattatuck Museum.
Humaston's Estate Distribution, 1777
The fourth page detailing the distribution of Caleb Humaston's
estate and showing that his daughter Phebe was given a
partial right to use Silve as her slave. Collection of
the Mattatuck Museum.
back
to Waterbury's African Americans List
