Birth & Death Dates Unknown — Appears in 1758 Record

Sarah Ned was an Indigenous woman and the mother of Pardon. Pardon is described as a “mulatto” or “mustee”, indicating that his father was of African ancestry. He was indentured to Job Almy in what appears to be a privately arranged, rather than town mandated, indenture.

Job Almy and his neighbor, Abial Cook, did not get along. Pardon and Sarah became caught in the middle of their feud in 1758. Pardon reported a fire near Abial’s windmill, which Job ordered him to move closer to the mill or be beaten. Abial’s mill burnt down.

During the court battle that followed, Job’s orders and threats to Pardon came to light. Additionally, the court learned that Job promised Sarah £50 if she could convince Pardon to lie about being ordered to move the fire, and a new pair of shoes if she “spoke well in Court”. As a result of these revelations, Pardon was released from his indenture by the Rhode Island Court of General Sessions.^[1]Pardon petitioned that he be dismissed and discharged from any further service to Almy, and the court released him from his apprenticeship. Jane Fletcher Fiske,Gleanings from Newport Court Files: … Continue reading

Jenna Peterson-Magnuski, Museum Educator, LCHS

Based upon information first published in “If Jane Should Want to Be Sold: Stories of Enslavement, Indenture and Freedom in Little Compton, Rhode Island,” by Marjory Gomez O’Toole, published by the Little Compton Historical Society, 2016.

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