Amos Hull Sr.

Amos Hull was listed as “Amos Negro” in First Church of Christ records, but family records confirm them to be the same person. We do not know much about Hull’s early life, but in Northampton he appears to have been involved in the church to a significant extent. He was listed as being “In full communion” with the First Church – indicating full membership (First Church of Christ Records). We have also seen a record of Jonathan Edwards giving him catechism along with white children, asking him for the number of the kings of Judah.

The First Church of Christ Records list him as a “Servant” of Jonathan Hunt III, which indicates that Hunt enslaved him. We know that eventually Amos Hull was freed, though we do not know how he gained his freedom. In Electa Jones’ history of Stockbridge, she says that both of his son Agrippa’s parents were free. If accurate, this could indicate that Hull gained his freedom before Agrippa was born in 1759. Hull and his wife Bathsheba had five children. Amos was born in 1754, Asaph was born in 1755, Margaret was born in 1757, Agrippa was born in 1759, and Margaret was born in 1761.

We do not currently know Hull’s occupation, but we do have one record of his day-to-day life: his account with hat manufacturer and store owner Ebenezer Hunt (his enslaver’s uncle). Hull bought supplies from Hunt and paid for them with farm work instead of currency. Paying with labor or other goods (animals, other farm crops) was not uncommon during this period.

Purchases:

  • 1751: he bought wood, ploughing, and wheat. Paid for it in mowing, threshing, fanning, and reaping
  • Between 1754 and 1759: he bought hats, wheat, sugar, corn, wool, and beef. And he paid for the goods with labor in 1754 as follows: mowing, threshing (possibly in December of that year)

Another indication of what his life as a free person was like can be found in the 1761 valuation of Hull’s property. It noted that he owned two horses and a cow and valued these assets at £5, 10 shillings (Judd manuscript, Northampton volume 3, p. 97). ​

Amos Hull died on June 19, 1761 (First Church of Christ Records).