From the New Jersey Slavery Records
Henry Staats (also known by his nickname Harry) was a Black man enslaved by Abraham Staats of Franklin Township, Somerset County (in the present-day area of South Bound Brook). In the early 19th century, he lived with the Staats family at the Abraham Staats House, which is now a historical site open to the public in South Bound Brook.
In 1819, with permission from his enslaver Abraham Staats, Henry joined the African Association of New Brunswick in nearby Middlesex County. The permission slip written by Abraham Staats has been preserved as part of the African Association of New Brunswick collection, housed at Special Collections and University Archives at Rutgers University’s Alexander Library in New Brunswick. Henry’s name appeared on the organization’s membership rolls until 1822.
Henry was among the enslaved people enumerated as part of the estate inventory after the death of Abraham Staats in 1821.