This groundbreaking work documents the untold history of Salem and Cumberland County’s Indigenous-Moorish, African American, and Quaker families. From the legal recognition of freedom through manumission and freedman papers, to the landholding power of the Bunting family, to the spiritual center of Berry’s Chapel, this book traces the resilience of communities that refused to disappear. Drawing on courthouse archives, oral traditions, and family records, it restores dignity to ancestors whose stories were erased by time and discrimination.
🔍 Local Relevance
Features Berry’s Chapel, Quinton, Alloway, Gouldtown, Mannington, and Jericho communities.
Includes verified Salem County Courthouse and Clerk’s Office records (Freedman papers, manumissions, and mittimus warrants).
Documents Bunting, Pitts, Moore, Willet, Cuff, and Coursey family lines still present in the area.
Serves as both a genealogical resource and a community archive for future generations.
💡 Research & Future Projects
Each chapter includes a forward-looking section, “AI and Me,” which highlights how artificial intelligence may be used in the future to preserve genealogy, oral traditions, and local history — once grants and funding are secured.
🎯 Audience
Local history researchers
Genealogists & descendants
Educators teaching African American, Quaker, and Indigenous studies
Community members preserving regional heritage
💵 Pricing & Availability
Paperback: $19.99
Hardcover: $29.99
E-book (PDF/Kindle): $9.99
🌱 Community Impact Proceeds from this book will support: The Bunting Family Reunion Scholarship Fund Website maintenance for local history resources Genealogy record preservation fees