"[L]iberty must at all hazards be supported.
We have a right to it, derived from our Maker.
But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us,
at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood."
-- John Adams, 1765
A Trainband (or training band) was the basic tactical unit of the colonial militia. Men were required to join the local trainband. In wartime, military units were formed by selecting men from the trainband.
New Jersey's first permanent European settlement was in 1660.
She married Edward Slater in Piscataway. Edward was born about 1644.
Edward had been put in prison in 1681 for speaking out against the governor. The History of Middlesex County, New Jersey states that Edward Slater was a freeholder in the township in 1683, and owned a large number of acres. He was the first clerk of the courts of the county.
Elizabeth and Edward's children included:
Filoretta Slater Martin (1691, married Benjamin Martin),
Phebe Slater Doty (1693, married James Doty),
Caleb Slater (1695),
Elizabeth Slater (1697),
Abraham Slater (1700), and
Aleeshia Slater Skibbo (1702, married Henry Skibbo).
In 1699/1700, Elizabeth's sister Priscilla's husband, John Langstaff, and Edward Slater were involved in anti-English, pre-revolutionary activities. The court wanted to hold proceedings in the Piscataway Public house. The townspeople were opposed to this and nailed the door shut.The sheriff attempted to break the door open and John and Edward stopped him forcibly. One account of this incident is below and another is on the Priscilla and John Langstaff page.
The inventory of the estate of Edward Slater was made on February 11, 1702/03 was made by George Drake and Thomas Grub. It amounted to £94.6.10. On may 29, 1704 administration was granted to his widow, Elizabeth Slater.
A freeholder is the owner of a freehold estate which is an interest in land that is not fixed by a specified period of time, but which may last during the lifetime of a person.
In the 17th century jails were used as places to hold people accused of crimes until they were brought to trial, but not as places of punishment. A debtor could be held in jail until he paid his debts and political dissidents were also jailed. Punishments included execution, maiming, public humiliation and monetary fines.
Piscataway Township in New Jersey was first settled in 1666 by Quakers and Baptists who had left the Puritan colony in New Hampshire.
