African American History in Cape May County: Stories of Resilience and Legacy

-Introduction and Armour/Coachman Profiles by William Walker, Senior in the Sociology & Anthropology program at Stockton University, 2025

Cape May County holds a significant and often overlooked African American history, enriched by resilience, survival, and community spirit. This page is dedicated to sharing and preserving the narratives of individuals and families whose lives illustrate the complex historical tapestry of Cape May County. From the struggles of enslavement to the triumphs of freedom, their stories remind us of the enduring strength and determination of African American communities.

This webpage is a work-in-progress in collaboration with the Museums’ African American Roots Project. Additional historical narratives and archival resources will be added in the future, check back soon for more information!

Profiles of Historical Individuals

Ishmael Armour 1801-1887

Ishmael Armour (2nd) was born in 1801 in Fishing Creek, Cape May County, to Ishmael Armour (1st) and Nancy (surname unknown). He was born into servitude, two years before his father, Ishmael Armour (1st), was manumitted by Levi Smith. In 1812, at the age of 11, he was sold by Zebulon Swain to John Townsend of Middle Township. John Townsend manumitted Ishmael (2nd) in 1826. 

In 1840, Ishmael married Julia Seagraves. Their children were Charles (1841–1929), Harriet (1842–1854), Enoch (1845–1864), John (1847–1867), Bulah (1849–1929), Ishmael (1852–1933), Mary (1855–1864), Frances (1858–?), and Violet (1860–?). The family lived in the Goshen area.

Throughout his life, Ishmael Armour (2nd) paid for goods and services through a combination of cash and manual labor, including ditching, cutting wood, and construction work. He appears in local ledgers for working on building projects and shipyards and for cutting wood with Jacob Smith. He maintained a medical account with Dr. John Wiley between 1841 and 1857, paying for treatments with cash and labor. In 1848, he paid Dr. Wiley for five vaccinations, likely for members of his family.

Later records involving the Armour family show that Ishmael's son, Ishmael Armour (3rd), born in 1852, went missing under unclear circumstances. Newspaper articles and court documents from the late 19th century detail the community's efforts to declare him legally dead after years of absence.

Ishmael Armour (2nd) died in 1887 in Goshen, New Jersey. He is buried in Goshen, and photographs of Ishmael and Julia Armour are preserved today in the archives of the Cape May County Historical & Genealogical Society.

Left: 1812 Bill of Sale for Ishmael Armour; Right: 1826 Manumission of Ishmael Armour; Originals held in the Cape May County Historical & Genealogical Society Archives

William Coachman 1775-1824

William Coachman, known as Bill, was born around 1775. He was originally enslaved by John Holmes before being sold to Elijah Godfrey in 1779 at about four years old. In 1793, Bill was sold again to George Hand. In 1802, Hand indentured Bill to Jonathan Leaming with an agreement that Bill would be granted freedom once the work outlined in the indenture was complete. Later that year, Bill completed his work, began living independently, and paid taxes as a free Black resident of Cape May County.

Unbeknown to Bill, George Hand also illegally sold him to Captain Henry Course of Philadelphia in 1802. In a clear case of "Blackbirding", Course abducted Bill during the night in 1804, bound him on a ship owned by Savage Stillwell, and sold him in Savannah Georgia to a Captain Spencer. With the help of a free Black sailor named Tate on Course/Stillwell's ship, local white and Black residents of Cape May County, and the Pennsylvania Abolition Society in Philadelphia, Bill was rescued and returned to Cape May County. For a detailed account of Bill's harrowing experience, read The Tale of William Coachman: Kidnapped in Cape May and Sold into Slavery.

Bill married Lavinia Armour in 1806, a woman manumitted in 1803 by John Hand of Middle Township. Church records list her name as "Bina Almer." Both Bill and Lavinia worked for the Overseers of the Poor in Middle Township, providing care for sick and dependent community members. After Bill’s death in 1824, Lavinia continued this work independently, building a reputation for nursing the sick and preparing remedies, including her well-known purge beer and cakes.

Bill Coachman died in 1824, reportedly from exposure to cold weather. Lavinia survived him by several decades, living into the 1860s, and remained an active and respected member of the community.

William Coachman purchased a variety of goods from Aaron Leaming between 1807 and 1823. The photo above shows the balance of his account between 1816 and 1823. He purchased sundries and chalk, and had a balance he owed on molasses carried over from a previous ledger kept by Leaming. Bill paid for these goods with cash and muskrat skins. (Aaron Leaming Daybook, 1809-1827, pg. 67; Cape May County Historical & Genealogical Society archive).

Sources & Credits

These visuals represent a small fraction of the documents preserved and accessible at the Museum, highlighting crucial moments in Cape May County’s African American history. The dedication of museum archivists, historians, and community members of the African American Roots Project has contributed to the preservation of these invaluable records, ensuring that the voices and stories of African American individuals and families continue to be heard and honored.