David Mapps was a wealthy and respected free black Quaker sea captain and farmer from Lower Bank. John Pearce in Heart of the Pines provides biographical information, and scattered througout the index are references to numerous land transactions. David (c. 1763-1838) and Grace Mapps (d. 1833) became members of the Little Egg Harbor Meeting in 1799. He served as an overseer of the meeting and was a member of its school committee. ¹ They were widely known for their hospitality to traveling Quakers, and became members of LEH Meeting in July 1799. Grace died in 1833 and in 1835 David married Anna Douglass [not Bustill] ^{2, 3} (1800-1891)], a granddaughter of Cyrus Bustill (1732-1806), a prominent Philadelphia African American in the late 1700s. ⁴

The date is unknown, but at some point David moved from Lower Bank to Tuckerton. ⁵

David Mapps' obituary is in the March 23, 1838 edition of The Liberator, an abolitionist newspaper, is here, and his will can be found on Ancestry.com. ⁶ A transcription of the will is in process and may appear in a later installment of this series.. The will was written in 1835 and the witness' testaments are dated 1838 so the death date of 1838 is inferred here.

"It is my will and I hereby order my said Executors that all the money arising from the sale of my estated to be kept at interest secured safe by [Bond?] Mortgage &c and applyed for the following purposes" and he describes a payout to his wife Anna Mapps of two hundred dollars per year, in half yearly payments, and should he and his wife Anna "have any issue [children] to be supported and educated under the care and guardianship of their mother in a [???] comfortable manner until they arrive at lawful age out of said funds." Note that the will was executed at the beginning of his marriage to Anna so he named "issue" not children's names. The will has 14 numbered articles of disposition.

Another obituary in the February 19, 1838 Newark Daily Advertiser says: "Died. At Tuckertown, N.J. 6th inst. DAVID MAPPS, of the African race, aged 75 - a highly intelligent and respectable man."

The maiden name of David Mapps' first wife Grace is often reported as unknown, but there is some evidence to say that it is Sulery or Sulsey. Some online Ancestry trees give that, and David's will names the heirs of George Sulsey, Charles Sulsey, and Asa Sulsey, which is a possible clue that this was Grace's family. ⁷

Anna Mapps (age 50), David's widow, is found in the 1850 US Census along with children Grace (age 15) )and David Mapps (age 13). This Wikipedia Grace A. Mapps link (c. 1835-1897) says that Grace is her mother. But if the dates are accurate, and the will not naming Grace (the child) it seems that Grace is the child of David and Anna, not David and Grace.

In addition to David Mapps' will, there are ongoing probate record account papers, ⁸ as per the will, see above. There is a renunciation of one executor, and a running inventory of the probate account and payouts.

The Mount Holly City Directory 1881 has the entry: "Annie Mapps, widow of David, 215 E. Pearl."

The January 16, 1891 Tuckerton Beacon has the obituary: "Mrs. Annie Mapps, a colored lady who lived in this place a number of years ago, during which time she was held in high esteem by all who knew her, died at Burlington, Jan. 9."

More about David Mapps and his relatives in the next installment.