Caleb Humaston (1715/16-1776) was a Waterbury farmer and
briefly served as town treasurer in the 1750s. He was also
one of Waterbury's representatives to the Connecticut General
Assembly during the French and Indian War. He lived in the
Northbury section of Waterbury, now part of the town of
Thomaston, and was one of the petitioners to the General
Assembly for the right to establish a parish in Northbury.
Humaston deeded four acres of his land in 1747 to Northbury
for a green next to the meeting house.
Humaston was married in 1738 to Susanna Todd, the daughter
of North Haven's Rev. Samuel Todd, who served as the first
minister of the Northbury church at about the same time.
Caleb and Susanna had ten children. Their eldest daughter
married Waterbury's Stephen Bronson, who was also a slave
owner.
The inventory of Humaston's estate, taken in 1777, reveals
two African Americans enslaved in his household: a man named
Mingo and a woman named Silve.
The first page detailing the distribution of Caleb Humaston's
estate. Collection of the Mattatuck Museum.
Humaston Estate Distribution, 1777
The second page detailing the distribution of Caleb Humaston's
estate and listing Mingo and Silve. Collection of the
Mattatuck Museum.
Humaston Estate Distribution, 1777
The third page of the distribution of Caleb Humaston's
estate. Collection of the Mattatuck Museum.
Humaston Estate Distribution, 1777
The fourth page detailing the distribution of Caleb Humaston's
estate and showing that his daughter Phebe was given a
partial right to use Silve as her slave. Collection of
the Mattatuck Museum.
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to Waterbury's Slave Owners List
