Cesar Chelor (born in Wrentham, Massachusetts)^[1][2] was an African-American woodworker, toolmaker, plane-maker and was enslaved by the colonial entrepreneur and the earliest documented American plane maker^[3] Francis Nicholson (1683-1753).^[4][5][6][7] Chelor is the earliest documented African-American plane maker in North America.^[8][9][10]

Background

Chelor's exact birthdate is unknown; however, he is thought to have been born in 1720.^[11][8] He was owned by Nicholson as early as 1736. In 1741, Chelor was admitted to the Congregational Church in Wrentham Center when he was supposedly 21. Chelor would become a freeman when Nicholson died in 1753.^[12][13] Along with freedom, Nicholson willed Chelor a workshop, 10 acres of land, tools and materials to continue independently. Chelor was married to Juda Russell in 1758, with whom he had shared eight^{[lower-alpha 1]} children. In 1784, Chelor died without a will with an estate inventory valued at 77 pounds 2 shillings.^{[15][16][11][1]}

Notes & references