M. 23 Feb 1763 in Somerset County, New Jersey
Husband: Peter Abraham Dumont
D. 3 Oct 1820 in Hillsborough, New Jersey
Many people may not realize that during the 18th century, slavery was quite common in places like New Jersey. Sarah Hegeman presents an example of this in her married life and widowhood.
Sarah was born in Somerset County on March 13, 1744 to Adrian Hegeman and Sarah Terhune, the oldest of their five children. Sarah’s heritage was primarily Dutch, although her mother’s exact pedigree is unknown.
On February 23, 1763, Sarah married Peter Abraham Dumont, a man who had lost his first wife two years earlier. He brought at least one young child, a daughter, into the marriage, and possibly two. Sarah gave birth to a daughter of her own a year later; she went on to have seven more. Of her eight children, four died young. The family lived in Hillsborough, where Peter was appointed sheriff in 1774. He also served as an officer in the American Revolution, and afterwards, as a judge.
Along with his civic duties, Sarah’s husband also ran a farm, and as was common in New Jersey, he owned slaves. Slavery was practiced in the state until well into the 19th century. The phasing out began in 1804 when a law was passed freeing slaves born after that date when they reached adulthood, but those born before 1804 were to remain slaves until they died.
Evidence of slavery in Somerset County is in this 1826 notice for a runaway slave.
Peter wrote out his will in 1817, and at the time, he owned six slaves. One was specified to go to Sarah, a woman named Eve. Did Sarah have a special relationship with Eve? It’s impossible to say. Sarah didn’t inherit the entire house, just a bedroom with furnishings. Two of her sons were to split the bulk of the estate, and they were ordered to provide their mother with firewood delivered to her door, and “bread and meat” for the rest of her life.
Peter passed away before June 22, 1818, and on July 6th, Sarah made out her own will. In it she directed that from her estate, $250 would go to her son John, and her daughter Sarah Van Arsdalen would receive everything else. She didn’t leave anything to her other two sons Abraham and Peter because she felt they got more from her husband’s will. She mentioned “a negro woman Eve” as one of the possessions she bequeathed to her daughter. Her signature was very shaky and she may have been in ill health at the time she made the will.
Sarah died on October 3, 1820. The entire estate was valued at about $1,000 and Eve was worth $75 of that. Presumably the orders she gave in the will were carried out and Eve went to her daughter, Sarah. It isn’t know if the woman was ever freed.
Children:
1. Sarah Dumont — B. 9 Mar 1764, Somerset County, New Jersey; D. 28 Feb 1846, Somerset County, New Jersey; M. Christopher Van Arsdalen (1760-1840), 30 Apr 1789, Somerset County, New Jersey
2. Abraham Dumont — B. 24 Mar 1767, (probably) Somerset County, New Jersey; D. 28 Aug 1775, (probably) Somerset County, New Jersey
3. John Dumont — B. 5 Sep 1769, Somerset County, New Jersey; D. 7 Jul 1822; M. Mary Perlee, before 22 Jul 1797, (probably) Somerset County, New Jersey
4. Adrian Dumont — B. 7 Aug 1773, (probably) Somerset County, New Jersey; D. 13 Sep 1774, (probably) Somerset County, New Jersey
5. Abram Dumont — B. 23 Aug 1775, (probably) Somerset County, New Jersey
6. Abigail Dumont — B. 1 Mar 1777, (probably) Somerset County, New Jersey; D. 8 Aug 1777, (probably) Somerset County, New Jersey
7. Abraham Dumont — B. 16 Jun 1778, Somerset County, New Jersey; D. 9 Nov 1858, (probably) Somerset County, New Jersey; M. Judith Davis, 6 Jun 1799, (probably) Somerset County, New Jersey
8. Peter Dumont — B. 7 Nov 1782, Hillsborough, New Jersey; D. 12 Aug 1860, Hillsborough, New Jersey; M. Magdalen Davis (1781-1870), 6 Nov 1805, (probably) Somerset County, New Jersey
Sources:
"Wallerand Dumont and his Somerset County Descendants," John B. Dumont, Somerset County Historical Quarterly, Vol. 1, 1912
Will of Peter A. Dumont, Somerset County, New Jersey, 23 Oct 1817
Will of Sarah Dumont, Hillsborough, New Jersey, July 6, 1818
Family bible of Christopher Van Arsdalen
