WHAT’S IN A NAME ? When your name is Quâcoo, plenty.
Quâcoo came to my attention in a will left by Hannah Alden of Middleborough. In an act of posthumous generosity to Noah, her youngest child, Hannah requested that Quacoo be sold off upon her death to pay for his “Learning.”
“[M]y Will is that my negro man Quâcoo be Sold as soon after my Decease as maybe with Conveniency, and the Money which he may be Sold for I do Give and Bequeath unto my Son Noah Alden to be Improved for him in Order to bring him up to Learning” (Mass., Plymouth). [A transcript of her will and inventory follow the list of sources below.]
Quâcoo was appraised at 65 pounds.
This arrangement worked out well for her son.
Noah went on to become a Baptist minister in Bellingham for many years. He also served as a delegate to the state convention to help draft the Massachusetts Constitution, the model for the federal one. He was a strong advocate of the separation of church and state (Walworth). In Article 3, this separation was written into law and still stands today.
“[N]o subordination of any one sect or denomination to another shall ever be established by law” (Mass. Legis.).
He is buried not far from where I am writing this today, just one town away (Find). His gravestone features an open book and what appears to be a winged soul rising to the heavens. Since experts disagree on the meaning of these and other symbols, we can only speculate (Farber). But I think Hannah would have been pleased that her son was known as a man of the book in life and in death.
Now to return to Quâcoo, we know nothing of how his life played out. According to the 1754 Massachusetts Slave Census, at least twelve enslaved black adults lived in Middleborough at that time (Primary). But we have no way of knowing if he is represented in the dozen.
However, as hinted at in the beginning, we can learn a fair amount about his story from his name, at least to his African origin.
There was a dazzling number of different naming traditions in the vast continent of Africa that developed over centuries, and many continue today. In one of them, children were given a name associated with the day of the week they were born on. This was true for Quâcoo.
Quâcoo’s mother gave birth to him on a Wednesday. If he had arrived a day earlier, he likely would have been named ‘Kobina’ and if a day later, ‘Yaw’ (Stewart). This naming practice was only one of many of his people.
The first words he heard his mother speak on that Wednesday long ago were in Twi. This language is and was spoken in the west African country of Ghana (then known by Europeans as the Gold Coast) by members of his ethnic group, the Akan. His birth probably occurred in Africa since this was true for most enslaved black people living in America before 1750.
When he was stolen away from his ancestral village, it was likely by another Ghanaian. A guide at the historic Elmina slave fortress, Philip Amoa-Mensah, relates that “Long before the coming of Europeans to the Guinea coast of Africa, our local people here themselves already had slavery in existence” (Modern). A likely scenario is that Quâcoo was resold along the coast to a European before his traumatic voyage to the New World.
Quâcoo and Noah. Sons of two different continents and two very different inheritances.
Susan Elliott
Historical Researcher
_____________________________________________________________
SOURCES
Farber, Jessie Lie. “Symbolism on Gravestones.” Association for Gravestone Studies. https://www.gravestonestudies.org/knowledge…/symbolism…
Findagrave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/24315310/noah-alden. Photo by Judy Nathanson.
Massachusetts Legislature. https://malegislature.gov/laws/constitution—
“Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-NHN4… : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1730-1733 and 1839-1845 vol 6-6U > image 153 of 589; State Archives, Boston. Transcribed by Susan Elliott May 12-13, 2020. https://www.familysearch.org/…/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-NHN4…
Primary Research. 1754 Massachusetts Slave census. http://primaryresearch.org/the-1754-slave-census/
Stewart, Julia. 1,001 African Names: First and Last Names from the African Continent. 1996.
Star. Modern Ghana. “Ghana apologizes to slaves’ descendants.” https://www.modernghana.com/…/ghana-apologizes-to…
Walworth, Mrs. Ellen Hardin, Ed. Daughters of the American Revolution. “The Massachusetts Convention of 1788, Which Ratified the Constitution of the United States.” The American Monthly Magazine, Vol. 2, 1893. p. 379. https://books.google.com/books?id=NARnKkMEqNEC&pg=PA379…
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Hannah Alden’s transcribed will and probate inventory follow:
Know all men by those Present that I Hannah Alden of the Town of Middleborough in the County of Plymouth in New-England Widow & Relict to John Alden late of Middleborough foresd Deceased being at this time ^present^ time very weak & full of Pain yet of Sound disposing Memory & Understanding Blessed be God for the Same: and being sensible of my own Mortality, and knowing that it is appointed for man once to dy (sic) Do make & Ordain this to be my last Will & Testament to remain firm & inviolable forever, That is to say first & principally I Recommend my Soul to God that gave it and my Body I Commit to ye Earth to be decently buried, Hoping to Receive the Same in Glory at ye General Resurrection through the merits of Jesus Christ — and as for my outward Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me I Give & Dispose of the Same in Manner following: Imprimis I Give & Bequeath unto my five Daughters Thankfull Hannah Lydia Mary & Abigail to be equally Divided among them all my Wearing Apparrell (sic) & moveable Estate that was left me by my late Husband John Alden to be at my Dispose they first Paying out of the Same all my just Debts & funeral Charges, also before the Division of ye Abovesd moveables there shall be taken out sufficient enough to pay for a Pair of Grave Stones for their father’s Grave and also for a Pair for my own Grave, and my Will is that my negro man Quâcoo be Sold as soon after my Decease as maybe with Conveniency, and the Money which he may be Sold for I do Give and Bequeath unto my Son Noah Alden to be Improved for him in Order to bring him up to Learning & my Will is that my loving Brother Benjamin White be Executr to this my last Will & Testament In Witness whereof I the Above said Hannah Alden have hereunto Set my hand & Seal this Eighth day of Septembr 1732 —Signed Sealed & Declared by ye above named Hannah Alden to be her last Will & Testament In Presence of Us Thomas Knowlton Elijah Knowlton David Allen
Note before Signing [ye?] one Word in ye Sixth one Word in the 10th & Some Words in ye 16th & 17th Lines were rasd (sic) out
Hannah Alden (Seal)
[Paper cut off of bottom of page leaving a name illegible]
Marshfield January 1 1732. Thomas Knowlton Elijah Knowlton & David Allen made oath yt they Saw Hannah Alden Sign & Seal & heard her Declare the above written to be her last Will & Testament, and that they at ye Same time Set to their Hands as Witnesses in ye Presence of ye sd Testator and that according to ye best of their observation She was then of a Disposing mind & memory. Before Israel Winslow Judge of Probate
________________
HANNAH ALDEN’S PROBATED INVENTORY
This Inventory taken of the Estate of Mrs Hannah Alden of Middleborough in the County of
Plymouth in New-England [Decd?] by us the Subscribers January ye 5th 1732/3 –
Item to her Wearing Apparerell (sic) £30- 18- 0
To One Negro Man 65- 00- 0
To Neat Cattel 117- 00- –
To horse kine 17- 00- 0-
To Sheep 9- 00- 0-
To fat Swine 13- 02- 6
To lean Swine 3- 12- 0
To Hay 45- 10- 0
To Cart & Wheels 9- 15- 0
To Horse ffurniture (sic) 9- 12- 6
To Bibles & other Books 1- 12- 6
To Cash 0- 06- 0
To Axes Sithes (sic) & other tools 2- 13- 6
To two trunks & a painted Box 0- [12?]- 0
To Bees & Honey 1- 02- 6
To a Small blanket ^ a yrd ^ of [gaid?] & some small bits of Cloth 2- 00- 6
To table linnen (sic) 3- 2- 6
To Pillow [cases?] Sheets & other Linnen 11- 5- 00
To One Bed & ffurniture 13- 11- 6
To One Ditto 10- 18- 0
To One Ditto 9- 16- 6
To Chairs 2- 10- 0
To 3 Silver Spoons 3- 07- 6
To Silver Buttons & Silver Money 1- 06- 2
To an old gold Ring 0- 10- 0
To Necklaces 0- 03- 0
To Lace Thread Sewing Silk Glass ware a [dawn?] Sieve & other small things 3- 09- 10
To Wheels Knitting Needles & Shoe makers tools 1- 01- 0
To Iron Ware as Pots Kettles Andirons Trammels Tongs & fire [slice?] & other iron ^ware^ 5- 02- –
To Brass ware 3- 09- 6
To Plows, Chains Horse gears, [Beetle?] & Wedges Hoes & other Iron 5- 12- 6
To flax 5- 09- 6
To tubs churns dishes trays & other wooden Ware 1- 18- 8
To Stillyards Chopping Knife Knives & Forks 0- 17- 6
To Earthen Ware 1- 9- 7
To Pewter 3- 15- 9
To Bells 0- 14- 0
To a large table 2 pair of Cards [affork?] & [Racks?] as Baskets 1- 7- 6
To Indian Corn 65 bushels 16- 5- 0
Barley To oats 11 Bushl 1- 13- 0
Barley 3 Bushl 1- 01- 0
To 5 Bushl of Rie (sic) 1- 15- 0
To 80 [Wt?] of Tobacco 2- 06- 8
To Woolls (sic) 1- 11- 0
To a Riddle & half Bushl 0- 04- 0
To Bags 1- 04- 6
To upper Leather & sole Leather 1- 01- 0
To Woorsted (sic) Woollen (sic) & tow Yarn 6- 09- 10
To Meat Tubs 1- 00- 6
To 37 ½ Pound Tallow 1- 14- 0
To Shingle Stuff Rail Stuff Board Logs & Coale (sic) Wood 4- 19- 0
To 29 Barls of Cyder at 8s –e Barl 11- 12- 0
To Cask 3- 12- 6
To Pork & Beef in the Barrls 7- 00- 0
To a Grind stone 2 Sheep Skins & Part of a Spade 0- 09- 6
To a [fro (sic)?] & a Part of the [Haidll?] 0- 09- 0
To a Portmantle 00- 12- 0
To a Small tub of hogs fat 0- 08- 9
To Debts due to ye estate by Bills Bonds & Book Debts 33- 09- 0
To Bees Wax 5 Pound and a half 00- 15- 0
To Boards 00- 03- 0
The Sum total [?] Excepted (sic) £513- 10- 9
Debts due from ye Estate 79- 6- 10-
Samuel Bennett
Thomas Knowlton
John Weston
February the fifth Anno Domini 1732 – Benjamin White Esqr Executr Named in ye County of Plymth Deceasd Made Oath that the above [?] written Instrumt is a true & perfect Inventory of ye Estate of ye sd Hannah Alden as far as is come to his Knowledge & if more hereafter appears he will also give it in —
Before Isaac Winslow Judge of Probate
“Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-NHN4… : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1730-1733 and 1839-1845 vol 6-6U > image 153 of 589; State Archives, Boston. https://www.familysearch.org/…/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-NHN4…
http://primaryresearch.org/the-1754-slave-census/
Stewart, Julia. 1,001 African Names: First and Last Names from the African Continent. 1996.
Star. Modern Ghana. “Ghana apologizes to slaves’ descendants.” https://www.modernghana.com/…/ghana-apologizes-to…
Walworth, Mrs. Ellen Hardin, Ed. Daughters of the American Revolution. “The Massachusetts Convention of 1788, Which Ratified the Constitution of the United States.” The American Monthly Magazine, Vol. 2, 1893. p. 379. https://books.google.com/books?id=NARnKkMEqNEC&pg=PA379…
___________________________________________________
Hannah Alden’s transcribed will and probate inventory follow:
Know all men by those Present that I Hannah Alden of the Town of Middleborough in the County of Plymouth in New-England Widow & Relict to John Alden late of Middleborough foresd Deceased being at this time ^present^ time very weak & full of Pain yet of Sound disposing Memory & Understanding Blessed be God for the Same: and being sensible of my own Mortality, and knowing that it is appointed for man once to dy (sic) Do make & Ordain this to be my last Will & Testament to remain firm & inviolable forever, That is to say first & principally I Recommend my Soul to God that gave it and my Body I Commit to ye Earth to be decently buried, Hoping to Receive the Same in Glory at ye General Resurrection through the merits of Jesus Christ — and as for my outward Estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me I Give & Dispose of the Same in Manner following: Imprimis I Give & Bequeath unto my five Daughters Thankfull Hannah Lydia Mary & Abigail to be equally Divided among them all my Wearing Apparrell (sic) & moveable Estate that was left me by my late Husband John Alden to be at my Dispose they first Paying out of the Same all my just Debts & funeral Charges, also before the Division of ye Abovesd moveables there shall be taken out sufficient enough to pay for a Pair of Grave Stones for their father’s Grave and also for a Pair for my own Grave, and my Will is that my negro man Quâcoo be Sold as soon after my Decease as maybe with Conveniency, and the Money which he may be Sold for I do Give and Bequeath unto my Son Noah Alden to be Improved for him in Order to bring him up to Learning & my Will is that my loving Brother Benjamin White be Executr to this my last Will & Testament In Witness whereof I the Above said Hannah Alden have hereunto Set my hand & Seal this Eighth day of Septembr 1732 —Signed Sealed & Declared by ye above named Hannah Alden to be her last Will & Testament In Presence of Us Thomas Knowlton Elijah Knowlton David Allen
Note before Signing [ye?] one Word in ye Sixth one Word in the 10th & Some Words in ye 16th & 17th Lines were rasd (sic) out
Hannah Alden (Seal)
[Paper cut off of bottom of page leaving a name illegible]
Marshfield January 1 1732. Thomas Knowlton Elijah Knowlton & David Allen made oath yt they Saw Hannah Alden Sign & Seal & heard her Declare the above written to be her last Will & Testament, and that they at ye Same time Set to their Hands as Witnesses in ye
Presence of ye sd Testator and that according to ye best of their observation She was then of a Disposing mind & memory. Before Israel Winslow Judge of Probate
________________
HANNAH ALDEN’S PROBATED INVENTORY
This Inventory taken of the Estate of Mrs Hannah Alden of Middleborough in the County of Plymouth in New-England [Decd?] by us the Subscribers January ye 5th 1732/3 –
Item to her Wearing Apparerell (sic) £30- 18- 0
To One Negro Man 65- 00- 0
To Neat Cattel 117- 00- –
To horse kine 17- 00- 0-
To Sheep 9- 00- 0-
To fat Swine 13- 02- 6
To lean Swine 3- 12- 0
To Hay 45- 10- 0
To Cart & Wheels 9- 15- 0
To Horse ffurniture (sic) 9- 12- 6
To Bibles & other Books 1- 12- 6
To Cash 0- 06- 0
To Axes Sithes (sic) & other tools 2- 13- 6
To two trunks & a painted Box 0- [12?]- 0
To Bees & Honey 1- 02- 6
To a Small blanket ^ a yrd ^ of [gaid?] & some small bits of Cloth 2- 00- 6
To table linnen (sic) 3- 2- 6
To Pillow [cases?] Sheets & other Linnen 11- 5- 00
To One Bed & ffurniture 13- 11- 6
To One Ditto 10- 18- 0
To One Ditto 9- 16- 6
To Chairs 2- 10- 0
To 3 Silver Spoons 3- 07- 6
To Silver Buttons & Silver Money 1- 06- 2
To an old gold Ring 0- 10- 0
To Necklaces 0- 03- 0
To Lace Thread Sewing Silk Glass ware a [dawn?] Sieve & other small things 3- 09- 10
To Wheels Knitting Needles & Shoe makers tools 1- 01- 0
To Iron Ware as Pots Kettles Andirons Trammels Tongs & fire [slice?] & other iron ^ware^ 5- 02- –
To Brass ware 3- 09- 6
To Plows, Chains Horse gears, [Beetle?] & Wedges Hoes & other Iron 5- 12- 6
To flax 5- 09- 6
To tubs churns dishes trays & other wooden Ware 1- 18- 8
To Stillyards Chopping Knife Knives & Forks 0- 17- 6
To Earthen Ware 1- 9- 7
To Pewter 3- 15- 9
To Bells 0- 14- 0
To a large table 2 pair of Cards [affork?] & [Racks?] as Baskets 1- 7- 6
To Indian Corn 65 bushels 16- 5- 0
Barley To oats 11 Bushl 1- 13- 0
Barley 3 Bushl 1- 01- 0
To 5 Bushl of Rie (sic) 1- 15- 0
To 80 [Wt?] of Tobacco 2- 06- 8
To Woolls (sic) 1- 11- 0
To a Riddle & half Bushl 0- 04- 0
To Bags 1- 04- 6
To upper Leather & sole Leather 1- 01- 0
To Woorsted (sic) Woollen (sic) & tow Yarn 6- 09- 10
To Meat Tubs 1- 00- 6
To 37 ½ Pound Tallow 1- 14- 0
To Shingle Stuff Rail Stuff Board Logs & Coale (sic) Wood 4- 19- 0
To 29 Barls of Cyder at 8s –e Barl 11- 12- 0
To Cask 3- 12- 6
To Pork & Beef in the Barrls 7- 00- 0
To a Grind stone 2 Sheep Skins & Part of a Spade 0- 09- 6
To a [fro (sic)?] & a Part of the [Haidll?] 0- 09- 0
To a Portmantle 00- 12- 0
To a Small tub of hogs fat 0- 08- 9
To Debts due to ye estate by Bills Bonds & Book Debts 33- 09- 0
To Bees Wax 5 Pound and a half 00- 15- 0
To Boards 00- 03- 0
The Sum total [?] Excepted (sic) £513- 10- 9
Debts due from ye Estate 79- 6- 10-
Samuel Bennett
Thomas Knowlton
John Weston
February the fifth Anno Domini 1732 – Benjamin White Esqr Executr Named in ye County of Plymth Deceasd Made Oath that the above [?] written Instrumt is a true & perfect Inventory of ye Estate of ye sd Hannah Alden as far as is come to his Knowledge & if more hereafter appears he will also give it in —
Before Isaac Winslow Judge of Probate
“Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-NHN4… : 20 May 2014), Probate records 1730-1733 and 1839-1845 vol 6-6U > image 153 of 589; State Archives, Boston. https://www.familysearch.org/…/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-NHN4…
