New Haven County Superior Court Costs for African American Prisoners, 1790

Version: 11 (current) | Updated: 12/3/2025, 7:24:22 PM

Added description

Description

New Haven County Superior Court Costs for African American Prisoners, 1790

Overview

This archival collection comprises digitized legal cost records produced by the State of Connecticut in 1790. It is part of the Connecticut State Library’s “Black, African American, and Indigenous History” (BAAI) project, which digitizes and describes New Haven County Superior Court (NHSC) files that involve marginalized communities. The collection includes scanned TIFF and JPEG images, OCR‑extracted text, and associated metadata for four sub‑collections: Prince Negro costs, Tom Negro costs, boarding costs for multiple prisoners, and the Joseph Fisher bill.

Background

The documents were created by state officials in Branford, Guilford, and New Haven and reflect the financial accounting of court‑related expenses for African American prisoners in the late‑18th century. They were entered into the library’s PINAX metadata system and are catalogued under the NHSC BAAI record group. The BAAI project, funded by a National Historical Preservation grant, seeks to illuminate African American and Indigenous legal histories within Connecticut’s court records.

Contents

  • Prince Negro Costs Case Files – Two cost entries documenting the transport of “Prince Negro” from Branford to a New Haven jail, including payment recipients (Jonas Pantue, John R. Throop) and associated personnel.
  • Tom Negro Costs 1790 Collection – Three cost entries for the apprehension of “Tom, Negro,” signed by Abraham Augur and directed to attorneys Moner Bishop and Eber Kelsey.
  • Boarding Costs for Multiple Prisoners, 1790 Collection – A bill and confirming order detailing state payments for boarding and supplies for several prisoners, many identified as African American.
  • Joseph Fisher Bill 1790 Collection – A single bill issued by Joseph Fisher, including metadata and high‑resolution images.
Each sub‑collection contains scanned reproductions (TIFF and JPEG) and OCR‑text files, with descriptive metadata that records creators, dates, subjects, and geographic locations.

Scope

The collection covers the year 1790 and focuses on the financial aspects of court proceedings involving African American prisoners in New Haven County, Connecticut. It includes cost entries for transportation, boarding, and related expenses but does not contain full case files, transcripts, or broader criminal proceedings. The material is bound to the geographic area of Branford, Guilford, and New Haven and is thematically centered on legal costs, prisoner care, and the administrative record‑keeping of early Connecticut jurisprudence. The collection is part of the NHSC BAAI database and is available for scholarly research on 18th‑century African American legal history.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

@pinax_metadata:document {id: "01KBJT8MDC7SGS2K2XY9GJ5PMQ", title: "New Haven County Superior Court Costs for African American Prisoners, 1790", type: "Collection", creators: [@state_of_connecticut, @abraham_augur, @joseph_fisher], institution: @connecticut_state_library, created: @date_1790, language: "en", subjects: [@legal_documents, @black_african_american_and_indigenous_history, @costs_concept, @prince_negro, @tom_negro, @jonas_pantue, @john_r_throop, @charles_chauncey, @crime_concept, @apprehension_costs_concept, @boarding_costs_concept, @prisoners_concept, @new_haven_county_superior_court], description: "Collection of legal documents and costs related to African American prisoners in New Haven County, Connecticut, including cases involving Prince Negro and Tom Negro in 1790.", access_url: "PLACEHOLDER", source: "PINAX"}

@costs_concept:concept {definition: "Monetary expenses associated with legal cases and prisoner transport"}

@crime_concept:concept {definition: "Criminal offenses leading to apprehension"}

@apprehension_costs_concept:concept {definition: "Costs incurred for capturing and transporting prisoners"}

@boarding_costs_concept:concept {definition: "Expenses for lodging and feeding prisoners"}

@prisoners_concept:concept {definition: "Individuals detained in custody"}

@file_pinax -> metadata -> @pinax_metadata:document

@pinax_metadata -> describes -> [@prince_negro_costs_case_files, @tom_negro_costs_1790, @boarding_costs_multiple_prisoners_1790, @joseph_fisher_bill_1790]

@abraham_augur -> contributed to -> @pinax_metadata:document

@joseph_fisher -> contributed to -> @pinax_metadata:document

@state_of_connecticut -> contributed to -> @pinax_metadata:document

@prince_negro_costs_case_files -> referenced in -> @pinax_metadata:document

@tom_negro_costs_1790 -> referenced in -> @pinax_metadata:document

@boarding_costs_multiple_prisoners_1790 -> referenced in -> @pinax_metadata:document

@joseph_fisher_bill_1790 -> referenced in -> @pinax_metadata:document

@prince_negro_costs_case_files -> addressed to -> [@jonas_pantue, @john_r_throop] {when: @date_1790}

@tom_negro_costs_1790 -> part of -> @nhsc

@boarding_costs_multiple_prisoners_1790 -> creator -> @state_of_connecticut

@joseph_fisher_bill_1790 -> part of -> @new_haven_county_superior_court_files

@nhsc_baai_project -> focuses on -> @black_african_american_and_indigenous_history

@nhsc_baai_project -> uses -> @ct_state_library_database

@ct_state_library_database -> includes field -> @nhsc_baai_cases_papers_subject

@file_pinax -> documents -> @prince_negro_costs_case_files:collection

@file_pinax -> documents -> @tom_negro_costs_1790:collection

@file_pinax -> documents -> @boarding_costs_multiple_prisoners_1790:collection

@file_pinax -> metadata for -> @joseph_fisher_bill_1790

@file_pinax -> contains -> @pinax_metadata:document

Metadata

Version History (10 versions)

  • ✓ v11 (current) · 12/3/2025, 7:24:22 PM
    "Added description"
  • v10 · 12/3/2025, 7:20:08 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v9 · 12/3/2025, 7:15:43 PM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v8 · 12/3/2025, 7:13:40 PM · View this version
    "Reorganized into 4 groups"
  • v7 · 12/3/2025, 7:13:38 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KBJT4TYVSG2ZE9YX3G7VN8JM"
  • v6 · 12/3/2025, 7:13:37 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KBJT4SN0YV33Z19X207RPEK0"
  • v5 · 12/3/2025, 7:13:35 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KBJT4QYVFTZV6NTF2YWRBT7R"
  • v4 · 12/3/2025, 7:13:34 PM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KBJT4PP3YYE0393ZJGKCBQTC"
  • v3 · 12/3/2025, 7:12:19 PM · View this version
    "Added OCR to 6 files"
  • v2 · 12/3/2025, 7:11:51 PM · View this version
    "Set parent to 01KBJT1ABC66MAMWRVHJQJQN69"

Additional Components

reorganization-description.txt
# Reorganization Summary

The files were grouped based on the individuals mentioned (Prince Negro, Tom Negro, Zadock Negro) and the nature of the costs documented (transportation, apprehension, boarding). Each group represents a distinct set of documents related to specific individuals or types of expenses from 1790. The Joseph Fisher bill stands alone as it doesn't directly relate to the other named individuals.

## Groups Created

- **Prince_Negro_costs_1790**: Documents related to costs associated with Prince Negro in 1790, including transportation and boarding fees.
- **Tom_Negro_costs_1790**: Documents related to costs associated with apprehending and boarding Tom Negro in 1790.
- **Boarding_costs_multiple_prisoners_1790**: Documents listing boarding costs for multiple prisoners, including Prince Negro, Tom Negro, and Zadock Negro, in 1790.
- **Joseph_Fisher_bill_1790**: Document related to Joseph Fisher's bill from 1790.

Parent

01KBJT1ABC66MAMWRVHJQJQN69

Children (4)