African Americans in Greenwich Over 200 Years (1995)

This is the gravestone of Eliza Felmente in Union Cemetery, Greenwich. 

by Jeffrey Bingham Mead
Greenwich Time, Greenwich, Connecticut USA
July 30, 1995

It is not well known that residents of African ancestry have been living and working in Greenwich for more than 200 years. True, there were those who lived as slaves, but there weren't many.

Segregation never took root in town. Citizens mixed freely, conducting business, going to school and churches, as well.

In 1788, state law required all residents who held slaves to register the names and dates of all black children in their households. For example, Israel Knapp registered Jenny, daughter of Nelly, born June 25, 1789, and James, son of Nelly, born March 14, 1791. Dr. William Bush recorded Platt, born in July, 1789; Candis, born in July, 1791; Diana, born on April 9, 1793; and Rose, born Jan. 21, 1795.

As the 19th century began, there was an upsurge in the population of blacks in Greenwich. Black families with names such as Felmente, Green, Merritt, Bush, Peterson, Husted, Lockwood, Moore and others proliferated. Like the majority of the town's general population, these families worked as farmers and farm laborers. Even former slaves, called freedmen, owned land and transacted business throughout Greenwich.

Records of African-American marriages abound. Henry Felmote (or Felmente), a farm laborer and his wife, Sarah, were married by the Rev. Bissell of the Stanwich Congregational Church on Dec. 18, 1850. Ichabod Alan, 66, was married to Ann Webb, 42, on June 27, 1858 by the Rev. Seneca Howland of the Diamond Hill Methodist Church in Cos Cob. Washington P. Felmette married Esther Ann Todd of New York City on March 20, 1863. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Yarrington of Christ Episcopal Church. The Rev. Platt Buffett of the Stanwich Congregational Church officiated the marriage of Hannah peck and George Andman on Dec. 18, 1839. He did the same for William Wool and Elizabeth Monroe on March 23, 1863.

One interracial marriage is recorded -that of Charles Mills, who was black, to Mary Peck, who was white. They were married on Jan. 24, 1849 by the Rev. Platt Buffett of Stanwich.

James Lockwood recorded the birth of three children: Mary, born Feb. 12, 1813; William, born Feb. 25, 1815; and Luta, born July 23, 1817. George Peck baptized his five children in the Stanwich Church on Sept. 15, 1831 by the Rev. Platt Buffett. Numerous other births are recorded in church and town registers.

Inevitably, the deaths of African-Americans in Greenwich were recorded, as well. A man named Charles Moore died Sept. 24, 1821. George Felmetty drowned June 26, 1864. A seamstress, Jane Ann Husted, died July 16, 1851, aged 23 years. Her gravestone still stands in Union Cemetery.