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[Witness] whereof we have hereunto interchangeable ... our Hands and affixed our Seals this thirtieth Day of ... ... first Month (called January) in the Year of our Lord one thou- ... and seven hundred and eighty two. 1782. NB Before the Ensealing & Delivery hereof it is agreed that Rachel and Jack shall remain with us till they come of age, as was intend- ed with their Parents as mentioned : except as should be [other]- -wise minded Witness present Warner Mifflin Robert Hendry Matthew Hendry Margaret Hendry her mark M. around letter: "her mark" Hendry Record Examined. by Joseph Deakyne of Appoquinimink Hun - -dred in Newcastle County on Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free the following named Negros towitt, wit, Negro Woman named Margaret aged about twentysix Years, Girl named Eleanor aged four Years and three Months; Bay named Patrick born in the fourth month last : so that they the aforesaid Negroes and every of them shall be deemed adjudged and[] ta[k]... and for free People, that is to say Woman Margaret from [this] Day to be at her own Disposal and at Liberty to act for horse of [with]out the lett Hindrance or Molestation,[] ... or any n or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me ever But believing it may be lawful to reserve the Guard- [i]anship ... ...anship and Tuition of the young ones till they respectively ... arrive of lawful age, do therefor reserve the ... ...anship and young of the young ones 'till they respectively ... arrive of lawful age, do therefore reserve the faine over nor till she arrives to eighteen Years of age, and Boy Patrick ...e shall arrives to twentyone Years of age; wherein & during [s]aid [T]erm they shall be considered as apprentices, then as they so arrive to be at their Disposal as above. And I do hereby certify by my Desire that the above & foregoing Manumission be record- ed under the Direction of the Monthly Meeting of the People called Quakers of Duncreek for the greater Safety to the said Negro ... In Confirmation whereof I do hereunto set my H[and] and affix my Seal this 31st Day of the first Month one thou- sand seven hundred and eightytwo. 1782 Witness present Finwick Fisher Joshua Fisher junior Joseph Deakyne Record examined by
Whereas I [Jabez] Fisher of the County on Delaware, do set free free from Bondage my Man named Ebenezer aged about thirty six, and ... and for Myself my Heirs Executors and administrators release said Negro Man all my Right and Claim whatsoever his Person or to any Estate he may acquire, and hereby dec... said negro Man absolutely free, without any Interruption from Me or any Person claiming from or under Me forever In Witness hereof I do set my Hand and affix my... this Eighteenth Day of the second Month one thousand hundred and eighty two. Signed sealed and delivered In the Presence of Jabez Fisher Baptis Lay. Daniel Heaverlo. Javez Fisher [seal] Record Examined By Whereas I Jabez Fisher of the country of... on Delaware do set fee from Bondage my Negro Man named John aged about fifty-six and ... for myself said Negro an all my Right and Claim whatsoever to his Person or to any Estate he may acquire and her... & declare the said Negro Man absolutely free without Interruption from Me or any Person claiming ... under Me forever. In Witness hereof I do se... and affix my seal this Eighteenth Day of the se... one thousand seven hundred and eighty two. 1782 Signed sealed and delivered In presence of Jabez Fisher Baptis Lay. Daniel Heaverlo Javez Fisher. Record examined By Whereas I John Smithers of the Town of Dover and county of Kent on Delaware being possessed of a negro as a slave from an uneasiness in my Mind in holding her as such believing freedom to be the natural Right of all Men do hereby manu- mit and set absolutely free the said Negro named Minta aged about fourteen years and four months, so that henceforth she the said Negro girl shall be deemed adjudged and taken as [and], for a free Person, but believing it to be lawful to ...
hold the Government ... Guardian over her till she [age] to lawfull Age do therefore reserve the same till she arrive ... eighteen, then to be at her own Disposal and at Liberty to act for herself without the [Lett] Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. And further, I do hereby bind Myself my Heirs Executors & Administrators, and every of us in the penal sum of one Hundred Pounds in Specie, unto said Girl Minta, to be recovered from such of us as may attempt to deprive her of her Liberty afore-granted, according to the Purport and Meaning hereof; as also in the like sum to compel such of us so attempting to do or perform any others or further Act or Deed that she may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm her Liberty. And for Safety to the said Negro, I do hereby deposit this Instrument of Writing under the Direction of my friend Warner Mifflin, in order to recorded in a Book pro- vided by the Monthly Meeting of the People called Quakers or Duckcreek for the Purpose of recording Manumissions-- In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed my Seal, this twenty seventh Day of the second Month in the Year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and Eighty two.. 1782 Signed sealed & delivered In Presence of Us Warner Mifflin Nathaniel Smithers Rachel Smithers John Smithers [seal] Record Examined By.. Benjamin Hazle of Mutherkill Hundred and Coun ty of Kent on Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my Negro Man called Henry aged about fifty Years, so that henceforth be the said Negro [shall be] deemed adjudged and taken as and for a free Man at Liberty is act for himself without the Lett, Hindranc[e, or] Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons [claim???] or to claim by from or under Me forever And [???] do <del>hereby</del> promise for Myself my Heirs Executors & [Administrators] of us, and hereby [?ind] each & every of us that if he the said Henry [?] live to be unable to provide for his suppor tene[??] that [??] all and every such Time my Estate [shall]
provide in a [competent] [Man] such comfortable [Re] as he may stand in Need of: [and] [for] the Security hereof do deposit this Manumission in the Care of my Friend Warner Mifflin in Order to be recorded in a Book provided by the Monthly Meeting of the People called Quakers of Duck creek for the Purpose of Recording Manumissions. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto [Set] my hand & affixed my Seal this Eighteenth Day of the third Month on thousand Seven hundred and Eighty two. 1782 Benjamin Hazle Witness present Polly Gordon Warner Mifflin Record examined By I John Beauchamp of Kent County on Delaware do hereby manumit and Set absolutely free my Negro Girl named Jane aged about Sixteen years and four Months so that henceforth [the] the aforesaid Negroe Jane shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for a free Person, and when she arrives to eight- teen years of age then to be at Liberty to act for herself without the [Lett] [&] Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever, either to her Posterity, Persons or Property, and for the confirming whereof I bind myself, [Heirs] [Execu], administrators and every of us in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds unto the said Negro Jane and to her Issue, to be recovered from such of us as may attempt to deprive her of her Liberty as above granted, to be recovered by such> on whom such attempt may be made, as also in an additional like Sum to to compel such of us as may so attempt to do or perform any other or further reasonable Requisites in Order to further secure her Liberty, and for the Preservation of this Manumission. I do deposit the same in the Care of my Friend Warner Mifflin, in Order to be recorded in a Book provided by the Monthly Meeting of the People called Quakers of Duck creek for the recording such Writings. In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand and affixed my Seal this 13th Day of the [4th] Month A Domini 1782 John Beauchamp Witness Present [Joseph] Jenkins [Warner ]Mifflin Record Examined By
Whereas we, Timothy & Sarah Caldwell of Muthers kill Hundred and County of Kent on Delaware being pos- sessed of sundry Negroes as slaves, and also fully persuaded that the Practice of Slave-holding is inconsistent with Christianity, for which Reason, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free all the Negroes we are so possessed of as hereafter particularly named towitt, Solomon aged about thirty-eight; Negro Woman named Mariam aged about thirty-seven, Negro Man named Charles aged about thirty-six, Negro Man named Ham aged about thirty-six, Negro Woman called Sal alias Sarah aged upwards of thirty; Tobe Negroe Man aged about thirty one, Toney Negro Man aged about thirty Years, Stephen Negro Man aged about twenty three Years, Negro Woman called Poll alias Mary aged about twenty Years; Negro Girl named Rachel born July the second 1769; Negro Boy called, Sol, alias Solomon (son of Solomon aforesaid) born July the 3d Day 1770; Negro Girl called Cate, alias Catharine born October 24th Day 1773; Negro Boy named Peter born July 5th Day 1777; Negro Girl called Sall alias Sarah born the 23 Day of March 1779, Negro Girl named Pegg, alias Margaret, aged about two Years and ten Months, & Negro Girl named Sinah born the 23d Day of the Month called March 1781; Negro Woman called Lucy aged about forty Years: -- So that henceforth they the aforenamed Ne- groes and every of them shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People to all Intents and Purposes that is to say Sol, alias Solomon the elder, Mariam Charles Ham, Sal alias Sarah, Tobe Toney Stephen & Lucy to be at their own Disposal and at Liberty to act for them- selves from this Day, several of them having had their Liberty some time past. But believing it may be lawful to reserve the Guardianship over the Young ones till they arrive of lawful Age, do therefore reserve that Pero- -gative over Girl called Poll, alias Mary, Rachel, Sol alias Solomon, (the Younger) Cate alias Catharine, Peter, & Peg alias Margaret, till they shall arrive the Males to twenty-one Years of Age, and the females till they arrive to eighteen Years of Age, then they and every of them, as they respec- tively arrive to that Age, to be at their own disposal, and liberty
Liberty, as the older ones have at this time, without the least Hindrance or Molestation of us or either of us, or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under or under either of us forever. And further we do here by bind ourselves and each of Us, and each of our Heirs Executors and Administrators in the [penal], Sum of one hundred Pounds in Specie unto each the aforenamed Negroes to be recovered from such of us as may attempt to deprive them of their Liberty as afore granted; as also in the like Sum to compel such of us so attempting to do or perform any other or need in Order to further confirm their Liberty as aforesaid; the girls, Sal alias of Sarah and Sinah we do hereby aforesign to their Parents and natural Guardians till they arrive of age, and then to be entituled to all the Priviledge of the others. And likewise a negro Boy named Daniel aged [blank] who appears to have been left out in the will of Jonathan Caldwell by which he freed and all his other negroes, and it appearing clear his Inten tion was to see all at Liberty, for which Reason we do hereby manumitt him that when he shall arrive to twenty one, then to be at his Liberty as the others & entitled to the same Priviledges; and we do hereby deposit this Instrument of Writing in the keeping of out Friend War[ ]ner Mifflin in Order to be recorded in a book provi ded by the monthly meeting of the People called Quaker [of Duckcreek] for the Purpose of recording manumissions. In Testimony whereof we have hereunto interchang ably set our Hands and Seals this Sixteenth Day of the third month called March, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty two. 1782. Witnesses present to the signing sealing and delivery of the [Withins] foregoing manumissions. David Peterkin Franey Gatlin John Dickenson Lydia Dickenson Warner Mifflin Timothy Caldwell Sarah Caldwell Record Examined by
I William Liston of Newcastle County on Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free the following named Negroes towitt, Negro Man named John aged about twenty-nine Years <del>and Boy</del> and Boy named Perry aged about fourteen and half Years, so that henceforth they the aforesaid Negroes shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People, and at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or Under me forever, that is to say, Negro John from this Day to be at his own Disposal as above; but believing it may be lawful to reserve the Guardianship over the young one till he may arrive of lawful age, do therefore reserve the same 'till he shall arrive to twenty-one, then he the said Perry to be likewise at this Disposal as above. -- In Confirmation whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affix'd my Seal this thirteenth Day of the third Month one thousand Se- -ven hundred and Eightytwo. Before the Ensealing and delivery hereof I do agree to, and desire the above and foregoing Manumission may be recorded under the Direc- -tion of the Monthly Meeting of the People called Quakers of Duckcreek for the greater Safety and Security to said Negroes. Witnesses present Daniel Corbit Israel Corbit William Liston [seal] Record examined By... I Annaretter Soden of Muspilion Hundred and County of Kent on Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my Negroes as hereafter particularly named towitt Negro Man named Dover aged upwards of thirty six Years and Negro Woman named Latisha aged about twenty seven Years, so that henceforth they shall be deem- -ed, adjudged and taken as and for free People and at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. And further I do hereby bind Myself my Heirs Executors Administrators and
and every of them in the penal sum of one hundred Pounds in Specie to be recovered from such of us may attempt to deprive the or either of them their Liberty as [af] granted the Recovery to be by such on whom such attempt may be made and likewise in the like sum to compel such to attempting to do or perform any other or further act or Deed that they or either of them may request or needs for further confirming their Liberty as granted. In Witness where of I have hereunto it my Hand and Seal this 17 Day of 11th Month 1782 before the sealing and delivery hereof, I do desire Writing shall be recorded in a Book provided by Monthly Meeting of the People called Quakers of Duckcreek for recording Mamumissions Witness present Isaiah Rowland William Loden Ananreter Loden Warner Mifflin Record examined by Know all Men by these Presents what I Daniel Robertson of the County of Caroline Maryland do hereby manum discharge and let absolutely free my Negro Man called [? ]aged about fifty years; to that henceforth he shall be adjudged and taken as and for a free man to all Into and Purposes, and shall be at his own absolute Disposal to ? do for himself as any other Person free born [mayor] without the Lett Hindrance or [Molestation] of Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person's Whatsoever henceforth that may arise, against whom by warrant and defend his Liberty granted as above To the confirmation & Support whereof I bind myself my Executors Administrators & every of them in the just Sum one hundred Pounds in gold and Silver Specie to be -ed by the said Negro in Person or his attorney, of us or ? us, as above said Me my Heirs Executors Administrators make any Claim, Pretence of of Claim, or endeavours to infringe Liberty of the said Negro Man granted as above said [Wi?] my Hand and Seal his fourteenth Day of [t?] Month Anno Domini one thousand
seven hundred and eighty two, 1782 Signed Sealed & delivered In Presence of Us Jacob Emerson John Robertson Daniel Robertson [SEAL] Record Examined By I Isaac Griffin of Kent County Delaware State, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free all my Negroes hereafter named to witt Richard aged thirty-one; Ja- -cob aged twenty seven; Jemima aged thirty-eight; Sampson aged forty Years; So that from henceforth they shall be deemed and taken as free Men and Women, and at Liberty to act for themselves, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. And further I do hereby bind Myself my Executors Administrators and every of us in the [penal] Sum of one Hundred Pounds unto each Negro above named to be by them or either of them Received from either of us that Shall attempt in anywise to deprive them of their Liberty as above granted to them and each of them & their Heirs forever. As also in the like Sum of one hun- -dred Pounds to each and every of them to compel such of Us as may so attempt to do or perform any other or fur- -ther Act or Deed that either of them may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm or establish their equi- table Liberty as aforesaid. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed my Seal this 23d Day of Decem- -ber one thousand seven hundred & eighty two. 1782 Signed Sealed and delivered in Presence of Us. -- Samuel Pattison Josiah Wallace Isaac Griffin [SEAL] Record examined By...
I, Isaac Draper of Mutherkill Hundred in Kent County on Delaware, Farmer do hereby ma- numit and set absolutely free my Negro Girl named Hesse aged about fourteen years and four Months, so that henceforth she shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for a free Person, and when she shall arrive to eighteen Years of Age, then to be at her own Disposal and at Liberty to act for herself (till which Time she only is to remain with Me as an Apprentice) without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons, claiming or to claim by from or un- der Me forever. And further I do hereby bind Myself m Heirs Executors Admd. In Witness where- unto I do set my Hand and to this affix my Seal this twenty eighth Day of the first Month called January in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy eight. 1778. Isaac Draper Sealed & delivered In Presence of Us Warner Mifflin Elizabeth Mifflin I do hereby certify that the forego- ing Manumission was deposited in my keeping the Day of the Date above for the safe keeping thereof. Witness my Hand. Warner Mifflin. Record Examined By.
Know all Men by these Presents that I William Atkinson of Mutherkill Hundred in the Kent Coun- -ty on Delaware, Farmer do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my Negro Woman named Mar- -garet and her Children towitt, Girl named Minta aged about fourteen Years & five Months her Boy named Adam aged seven years & five months; Girl named Elizabeth (alias Bell) aged four Years and eight months: so that henceforth they the aforesaid Negroes shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People, that is to say Negro Woman Margaret from this Day to be at her own Disposal; and her Children as they shall arrive of law- -ful age; that is to say, Girls Minta and Bell, when they arrive to eighteen, and Boy Adam when he shall arrive to twenty one Years of Age, to be at their own Disposal and at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. And also I do hereby, further, bind myself my Heirs Executors administrators and every of us in the penal sum of one hundred Pounds lawful money of this Government, to each and every of the aforesaid Negroes to be recovered from such of Us as may attempt to deprive them of their just Liberty granted as aforesaid as also in the like Sum to oblige such of us as make such an attempt to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need in Order further to confirm their Liberty as aforesaid granted. In Witness whereunto I do set my hand and affix my Seal this sixth Day of the 2nd mo called February in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy eight 1778 William Atkinson Sealed & delivered in presence of Us Warner Mifflin William Roberts Susanna Weyatt x her mark Record examined by Warner Mifflin
I do hereby authorise & impower Warner Mifflin with the keeping or recording the within & foregoing Manumission as he may see proper, for securing the Liberties of the Negroes therein named Witness my Hands. -William Atkinson I do hereby certify my full and entire approbation to the Execution of the within Manumission for freeing the Negroes therein named. -Ann Atkinson Susanna Wayatt Mark William Roberts Record examined By Warner Mifflin Whereas my father Richard Dennham did bu his last WIll and Testament devise among other Things that Negro Woman named Dinah should be freed and set at Liberty on her Arrival to the Age of thirty-one, to which Age she is now arrived, and Whereas she hath before her Arrival to the afr'd Age born a Child called Rose now aged about ten Months, now, Know all Men by this present Writing that Isaac Donnham one of the Executors in the last Will and Testament of my Father afr named, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free the aforesaid Negro Woman Dinah and her Daughter Rose, so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People, that is to say receive from Me such Wages as is customary for Women for Six Months yet to come from this Day, whereby to take Care of the Child; and her Girl Rose when she shall arrive to the Age of Eighteen Years; each of them to the afr'd Times specify'd to be at their own Disposal and at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming to or to claim by from or under Me forever. Hereby binding myself my Heirs Executors Adm: & every of us in the penal Sum of of one hundred Pounds lawful Money of this Government unto each of the aforesaid Negroes, to be compelled from such of us as many attempt to deprive them or either of them of their Liberty.
Liberty granted as [afs'd], to be recovered from such of us as may so attempt, & oblige us to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm and establish the same -- In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my Hand and affix my Seal, this tenth Day of April in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Seventy eight 1778. -- Signed sealed delivered In Presence of Us. Warner Mifflin Isaac Downham (Seal) John Gilder Record Examined 73 y. Warner Mifflin Thomas Parke of Dover, Tonn in Kent County on Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my Negro Woman named Latisha aged about forty seven years, so that henceforth she shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for a free Woman & at Liberty to act for herself without the Lett Hindrance or molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. -- And also do further bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of by the above named Woman Latisha from such of us as may attempt to deprive her of her Liberty granted as [afs'd], as also to compel such of us as may so attempt, to day perform any other or further Act or Deed that she may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm her just Liberty afs'd granted. In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my Hand and affix my Seal, this thirteenth Day of April in the Year or our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy Eight 1778 Signed, Sealed & delivered In Presence of Warner Mifflin Thomas Parke (S-E-A-L) Mary Rush Jane Parke Record Examined By: Warner Mifflin
I, Ezekia Needham, of Kent County on De- laware, [Physicians] do hereby manumit and set abso- lutely free all my hereafter particularly named Negroes viz Negro Man named Caesar aged about twenty eight years, Negro Woman named Rachel aged about twenty years who has been at her Liberty upwards of four years, and also her three children [Howitt] girls Julia Susa, and boy Jonathan. So that henceforth they the aforesaid Negroes shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People, that is, Caesar & Rachel from this Day to be at their own Disposal and at Liberty to act for them -selves without the [Least] Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or un- der me forever; and the children of Woman Rachel to be and remain under the Government and Direction of their Parents 'till they arrive of lawful age, as other free born children are, and then to be at their Liberty as the others now are: And also my Negro Man called Jack aged about twenty four I do also hereby manu- mit and set absolutely free (reserving one years Service to be fully compleated and ended the twenty-seventh Day of the Month called April in the Year Seventeen Hun -dred & seventy nine) then in like Manner be the said Negro called Jack also to be at his own Disposal as the others; hereby also further binding myself my Heirs my Executors Admin. and every of us in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawful Money of the Govern -ment of the lower Counties on Delaware until each of the above named Negroes, to be recovered from such of us as may in any Respect attempt to deprive them of their just Liberty as afs'd, as also in the like Sum of one hundred Pounds to compel such of us as may so attempt to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need in Order to further Confirm and and establish their just and equita- ble Liberty as afs'd granted. In Witness where- -of I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed my Seal this twenty-seventh Day of the 4 mo., called April in the Year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred & Seventy Eight.
Eight. 1778. Sign'd sealed & delivered in presence John Cowgille Warner Mifflin Ezekiel Needham [SEAL] Record Examined By. Warner Mifflin John Rowland of Sussex County on Dela- ware, Tanner, do hereby manumit and set abso- lutely free the following named towitt Negro Girl named Grace aged about<gap> </gap>and Negro Boy called, Dollar, aged about <gap> </gap>so that from henceforth they the aforesaid Negroes shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People and only to remain 'till they arrive a lawful Age with Me and my Heirs as Apprentices, that is to say, Girl Grace when she shall arrive to eighteen years of Age, & Boy Dollar when he shall arrive to twenty-one years of Age, then each of them as they arrive to the afs'd Ages to be at their own Disposal and at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person claim- -ing or to claim by from or under Me forever. And further, I do hereby bind Myself my Heirs Execu- -tors Admrs and every of us in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawful Money of this Government unto each of the afs'd Negroes, to be recovered from such of us as may attempt to deprive them or either of them in the like Sum of one hundred Pounds to compel such of us as may so attempt to do or perform any other or fur- -ther Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasona- -bly require or need in Order to further confirm or esta- blish their just and equitable Liberty granted as aforesaid. -- In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed my Seal this 27th Day of the [4]th Month in the Year of our Lord one
one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight, 1778. Signed sealed & delivered In Presence of Us. -- Warner Mifflin John Congill Thomas Shepherd John Ronland [SEAL] Record Examined By - Warner Mifflin I John Flynn of Kent County on Delaware from firm Persuasion that Slavery is incompatible with the royal Law of our blessed Lord, as well as to the general Scope Tenor and Spirit of his Gospel which breathes Mercy and Justice in the most extensive Manner to all his Creatures universally and indiscriminately, do here- -by manumit & declare absolutely free the following Ne- -groes, [wit] Jane a Negro Woman aged about Years, and her Children, towitt, William a Boy born, 22d of 12th Month 1773; Eve a Girl born 22d of 9th Month [177] Rachel a Girl born 9th of 5th Month 1778; and James a Boy born 29th of 6th Month 1780; So that from henceforth she the said Jane is & shall be at her own Disposal & Liberty to act for herself, without the Lett Hindrance of Me My Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Persons [under] Me claiming or to claim forever. -- And the two said Boys William and James when they arrive to the Age of twenty one years, and the girls Eve and Rachel when they arrive to the age of eighteen Years, shall each & every of them be truly & absolutely free as the above mentioned Woman now is declared to all Intents & Purposes, they & their posterity forever. - And [wither] do impower them the above Negroes & each of them, when then arrive to ma- -ture age as abovesaid, to recover from Me or my Heirs, (should I, they, or either of them attempt to infringe their Liberty granted as above,) the Sum of two hundred Pounds in [Specie] for the first attempt, and then in the same Sum to compound such of us so attempting to do or perform any further rea- sonable Act or Deed the [wither] & more fully to confirm [their] Freedom as aforesaid. In Testimony whereof I have to these presents set my hand & Seal this Second Day of the first Month 1781. -- Testes Daniel Mifflin. Joseph Jenkins. John Flynn [SEAL] Record Examined By - Warner Mifflin
Sussex County on Delaware the 6th Day of first month in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred & Seventy Nine 1779. Whereas I John Rowland of Sussex County Tanner have bought a Negro Man named Casar as a Slave, which is contrary to my Judgment as a Christian, and for which I have had Exercise & Sorrow, Now for the clearing of the Testimony of Truth, which I believe hath been manifest to me against this Practice, As far as in me layeth I do and desire to, take the Guilt and Blame thereof on myself; And further I do hereby declare that I consider I have no Right to the afd Caesar as a Slave, and do hereby bind myself, my Heirs Execu- tors, Administrators and every of us, who may abridge the __ Casar of the Privileges of a Freeman, from a Con- -sideration of his being my slave, in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawful money of the country afro. In Witness whereof I do hereunto set me and Seal the Day & Year above the Written Witness Warner Mifflin Sarah Rowland John Rowland [SEAL] Record Examined by Warner Mifflin I James Farrell of Mutherkill Hundred in Kent Coun- ty on Delaware, do herely (from a conviction that Freedom is the natural Right of all Men) manumit and set abso- lutely free Negro Woman named Jude aged about twen- ty nine years, and her children towitt, her Daughter na- med Sabina, born about the twentieth Day of the [__- ] 1774, and her Daughter Grace now about Sixteen Months olde, so that henceforth the aforesaid Negroes shall be deem- -ed adjudged and taken as and for free People, that is to say, Woman Jude from this Day to be at her own Disposal and at Liberty to act for herself; and her Children Sabina and Judge when they shall arrive to eighteen years of age then they and each of them as they shall arrive also
to be at their own Disposal and at Liberty to act for themselves, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons whatsoever claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever; reserving the Guardian ship of [Sabina] 'till she shall arrive to the aforesaid Age, to myself; Girl Grace to be and remain under her Mother and natural Guardian, 'till she arrives of Age as other free born Children are entituled to do hereby binding myself my Heirs Executors & Admi- -nistrators in the penal Sum of five hundred Pounds unto each the afs'd Negroes to be recovered from such of us as may attempt to deprive them of their just Li berty as afs'd. As also in the like Sum of five hundred Pounds lawful Money of this Government to compel such of us as may so attempt to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm their equitable Liberty as afs'd granted. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this Seventeenth Day of the third Month on thousand seven hundred and Seventy-nine. 1779. Witness present Warner Mifflin Jesse Newport Eleazar Farrell James Farrell his Mark[SEAL] Record examined By Warner Mifflin Catharine Ennalls believing Freedom and the Liberty of disposing of Property that any Person [may] acquire is the natural Right of every Man, of which he cannot in Justice and Equity be deprived of and whereas, I have been possessed of a negro Woman [named Syl- -via] aged upwards of forty years, from my fathers Estate and notwithstanding I am intituled by the oppressive Custom prevalent in our Country to a Power to hold her as a Slave, yet cannot find that I can do it with a good Conscience, for which Reason I did give her her Liberty some Time back, but never having given her any Secu- -rity for the same, wherefore Know all Men by this present Instrument of Writing that I do hereby manu- -mit and set absolutely free the afs'd Negro Woman named Sylvia, so that henceforth she shall be deemed
adjudged and taken as and for a free Person, and at Liberty to act for herself to all Intents & Purposes as though she had been born of Parents adjudged free by the Law, without the Lett Hindrance of Mo- lestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. In Witness whereunto I do set my Hand & affix my Seal this 27th Day of the fifth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine. 1779. Catharine Ennalls. [SEAL] Witness present Ann Bassett Warner Mifflin Record Examined By Warner Mifflin Whereas my Sister Elizabeth Bowman, that now is, (late Draper) did before her Marriage enter into an Article of Agreement with my Uncle Charles Dra- per on my behalf for two Negroes, to be my Property valued at what they were appraised to her, for so much towards my Dividend of my Mothers Estate, which I do now hereby agree to, that the said Sum that the said Negroes were appraised to stand against Me for so much of my Dividend of said Estate. And further do hereby manumit and set absolute- ly free the two Negroes towitt Negro Girl named Esther aged about sixteen years, and Boy named Anthony aged about nine years, so that henceforth they & each of them shall be deemed adjudged and taken as & for free Persons; and when they shall arrive of lawful age that is to say Girl named Esther when she arrives to eigh- teen, and Boy Anthony when he arrives to twenty-one years, then they and each of them to be at their Liberty and at their own Disposal to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of any Person or Persons
claiming or to claim by from or under me forever hereby binding myself my Heirs Executors & adm ed from such of us as may attempt to deprive them or either of them of their Liberty in any Respect, also in the like Sum of five hundred Pounds to compel such of as as may so attempt to do or [perf] any other or further Act or Deed that they or either [of] them may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm their just Liberty as ass'd. In Witness whereof I have hereunot set my Hand and affixed my Seal this sixteenth day of the twelfth Month, one thousand, seven hundred & seventy nine, 1779. Sarah Draper Witness present Jonathan Emerson Thomas Bowman Elizabeth Bowman Jemima Bowman Warner Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by this present Instrument of Writing that I Elizabeth Bowman (Daughter of Thomas Bow- man deceas'd of [Muspiliona] Hundred and County Kent on Delaware, do hereby manumit and set abso- lutely free Negro Woman named Rhoda aged about Eighteen years (which Negro woman was left a Legacy to me by my Father in his last Will) so that henceforth the aforesaid Woman Rhoda shall be deemed adjudged as taken as and for a free Woman and at Liberty to act for herself without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever, hereby binding myself my Heirs Exe- cutors and administrators in the penal Sum of five hundred Pounds good and lawful money of the lower Coun- ties on Delaware to be recovered from such of us, as may at- tempt in any Respect to deprive her the aforenamed Negro Rhoda
Rhoda or her Heirs of their just and equitable Liberty in the disposing of themselves or their Property, to be reco -vered by such on whom such attempt may be made from such of us as may so attempt: as also in the like Sum of five hundred Pounds to compel such of us so attempt -ing to do or perform any or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm their just Liberty none in- tended to be fully granted. In Witness whereof I do hereun- to set my Hand and affix my Seal, this sixteenth day of the twelfth Month in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred & seventy nine 1779. Elizabeth Woman mark Witness present Jonathan Emerson Thomas Bowman Elizabeth Bowman Jemima Bowman Sarah Draper Warner Mifflin Record Examined By Warner Mifflin Whereas my Father Thomas Bowman deceased did by his last Will bequeath Me a Legacy of a Negro Girl named Jude aged now about sixteen years and Six Months, and whereas I am convinced in my Judgment that Freedom is the natural Birthright of all Men, and from apprehension of my Duty therein, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free the said Negro Girl named Jude from Me Jemima Bowman, and from all Persons claiming or to claim by from or un -der me forever, so that after she shall arrive to Eighteen Years of Age thenceforth to be at her own Disposal and at Liberty to act for herself without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons forever claiming under Me. And further I do bind Myself my Heirs Executors and every of us in the penal Sum of five hundred Pounds good and lawful Money of the lower Counties on Delaware, to be
recovered by the above named Negro Jude or Heirs from such of us as may in any Respect attempt to deprive them or either of them of their just Liberty now intended to be fully granted them; as also in the like Sum to compel such of us as may so attempt, to do or perform any or further Act of Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need, in order to further confirm and establish their just Liberty now granted. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my Seal this sixteenth Day of the twelth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy nine. 1779. Jemima Bowman. [SEAL] Witness present Jonathan Emerson Thomas Bowman Sarah Draper Elizabeth Bowman Elizabeth (now Marke) Bowman Warner Mifflin Record Examined By. Warner Mifflin Whereas we Matthew Manlove, Susanna Manlove, Mary Manlove, & Jemima Manlove by Virtue of our Father Jonathan Manlove his last Will and Testament, became authorised with the disposing Power, and by the Customs prevailing, with Property in the following named Negroes, but under Consideration that Liberty is the natural Birthright of all men and that We cannot continue that Power without being guilty of a manifest Breach of the roy- al Injunction of our blessed Lord to do unto all Men as we would they should do unto us, Wherefore We do hereby manumit and set them absolutely free, that is to say, Mary a negro Woman aged about thirty seven and her Son called Pompey aged ... her Girl called Poll aged ... her Daugh- ter called Ann aged ... and her Son called Dollar aged ..., her Son Caesar aged ...
her Son called Philip aged [blank] her Daughter called Sarah aged four years her Son called Robert aged about one Year & nine Months and Negro Man named George aged about twenty-seven Years (who is an Ideot;) likewise one other Negro Man called George aged [blank], so that henceforth they the aforesaid Negroes shall be deemed adjudged & taken as & for, free People, and Mary, (who has been at Liberty near three Years) and George the eldest, from this Day to be at their own Disposal, and Pompey <del>Paul</del> Dollar Caesar Philip & Robert when they shall arrive to twenty one years of Age, & George the Younger; and Poll Ann & Sarah, when they shall arrive to eighteen Years of Age, then they and every of them to be at their own Disposal and at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of us or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under us or either of us forever; authorising the said Negro Woman with the two Children now with her towitt Girl Sarah and Boy Robert, till they respectively arrive at lawful Age, as any free Woman hath over their Children. And further We do bind ourselves our Heirs Executors & Administrators & every of us in the penal Sum of five hund- dred Pounds, to be recovered from such of us as may in any Respect attempt to deprive any of the aforesaid Negroes of their Liberty as aforesaid granted, to be recovered by such on whom such attempt may be made from such of us so at- -tempting: as likewise in the like Sum to compel such to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need. In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and affixed our Seals this seventeenth Day of the twelth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred
Hundred and seventy nine. 1779. Witness hereunto Warner Mifflin Timothy Mifflin Timothy Caldwell Sarah Caldwell Matthew Manlove Susanna Manlove Mary Manlove Jemima Manlove Record Examined By Warner Mifflin ____________________________________ I Nehemiah Tilton of Kent County on De- laware (Tanner) do hereby manumit and set ab- solutely free my Negro Woman named Thebe aged about twenty nine years, so that henceforth she the afro negro Woman Thebe shall be at her own Dispo- sal and at Liberty to act for herself as a free Woma[n] to all Intents & Purposes, without the Lett Hindrance on Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons, claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. And further I do hereby bind Myself my Heirs Executors adm Hanson Warner Mifflin Nehemiah Tilton Record examined By Warner Mifflin
Whereas John Welsh of Brandewine Hun- dred in Newcastle County on Delaware did by his last Will and Testament order and direct that a certain Negro Man named [Hazard] (by him the said John Welch purchased from Edward Rees) should be set at this Liberty in six Years, and Whereas I Peter Vandiver of said Hundred and County, was appointed Guardian in said Will unto two of the Children of the said John Welch, towitt his Son John and Daughter Jane, whereby the above named Negro [Hazard] hath fell to my Disposal, as also a Child of Negro [Hazard] left a Legacy by the aforenamed John Welch to his Son John aforenamed, Now for and in Consideration of his the said Negro Hazard giving Me Warner Mifflin & Joseph Shipley Securities for the Maintenance of the said Negro Boy named Hazard till he shall arrive to the age of sixteen Years, I do hereby manumit and set absolutely free the said Negro Hazard Senr, so that henceforth he shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for a free Man, & at Liberty to act for himself without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me as far as I have Power under the Authority given Me as afs'd, from any Person claiming under the afs'd John Welch forever him or any Property he may acquire. In Witness whereof, I have to hereunto set my Hand and affixed my Seal this fifth Day of the fourth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine. 1779. Note that the Boy Hazard is not to serve long- -er than 'till he arrives to the age of twenty one, being free'd by Will at that Age. Peter Vandiver. [SEAL] Witness present John James Wm. Shipley Ju. Record examined By. Warner Mifflin
I Joseph Bond of the County of Kenton Delaware Mariner do hereby manumit & set absolutely free my Negro Woman Sarah aged upwards of Eighteen Years, so that she shall be at her own Dispo sal, and shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for a free Woman to all Intents & Purposes without the Lett Molestation or Hindrance of any Person or Persons Whatsover. And I do permit release & forever quit all my claim Right and Demand of & to the said Negro Woman Sarah, as also her Son Benjamin upwards of two Years old, & her Daughter Hannah upwards of one Year old to be absolutely free and at their Mothers Disposal. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this Eighth Day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty. 1780. Jos: Bond [SEAL] Signed Sealed and deliver In presence of Us William [Bowness] Andrew Purdin Record examined By Warner Mifflin I Mary Ennalls of Kent County on Delaware do hereby, from an apprehension of Duty, and in Conformity to the royal Injunction of our blessed Lord, of doing unto all Men as we would be willing to be done by, manumit and set absolutely free all the Negroes I am possessed of as Slaves, towitt, one old Negro man judged to be near Seventy Years of Age called King, as also one other Negro Man na -med Cuffee, aged about twenty nine Years; so that henceforth, they the aforenamed Negroes, King & Cuffee shall be deemed, adjudged, and taken as
as and for free Men, and at Liberty to act for them- -selves, without the Lett Hindrance, or Molestation, of Me or any other Person, or Persons, claiming or to claim, by, from, or under Me, forever. Hereby impowering each the said Negroes with full Power, in their own Names, to recover from Me, my Heirs, Executors, Adm, or either of us, the Sum of one hundred Pounds lawful Money in Specie, on either of our attempting to deprive them, or either of them, of their just and equitable Li- berty granted as afs'd, or any Property, they or either of them, may acquire; to be recovered from such of us so attemptingl as also, I do here- -by bind each and every of us that may so at- -tempt, unto them and each of them, in the like Sum, to compel us to do or perform any other [or] further Act or Deed, that they or either of them may reasonably require or need, in Order to further confirm their Liberty as afsed. In Witness affix'd my Seal this 14th Day of the 3 month called March in the Year of our Lord one thousand Se= -ven hundred and Eighty. 1780. Mary Ennalls [SEAL] Witness present Charles Hillyard Elizabeth Hillyard Ann Bassell Warner Mifflin Record examined By. Warner Miflin Whereas my Husband William Macwell was pos- sessed of (in his Life time) two negroe Men as Slaves from the Custom of the Land, but being convinced that it was contrary to common Justice, many times express- -ed his Intention of setting them free; which was never- -theless neglected to be done during his Life time; Where- -fore I Naomi Maxwell Widow of William Maxwell also of Jones's Hundred in the County of Kent on Delaware being
being likewise convinced that Liberty is their just Right do therefore hereby manumit and set abso- lutely free as fully as in my Power the said Negroes towitt Negro man named Frank aged about twe- -ty seven, and Roger Man aged about twenty-five Years, so that from henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free Men, & at full and free Liberty to act for themselves as such without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. In Testimony whereof I have here unto set my Hand and affixed my Seal this third Day of the fourth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand and seven hundred & eighty 1780 her Naomi Maxwell mark Witness present Warner Mifflin Elizabeth Mifflin Record examined By. Warner Mifflin I Sarah Rayley of Sussex County on Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my Ne -gro Boy named Philip, so that henceforth he shall be deemed adjudged as & for a free Person and at Li- berty to at for himself without the Lett Hin- drance or Molestation of Me or any Person claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever; hereby authorising him with the the full Disposition of his Person or Property he may acquire. And further do bind Myself my Heirs Executors Adm & every of us unto the said Negro Philip, (to be recovered from such of us as may in any Respect attempt to deprive him of his Liberty afs'd granted the Sun of one thou -sand Pounds lawful Money of the lower Counties on Delaware, as also in the like Sums to Compel such of Us
as may so attempt to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that he may reasonably re- -quire or need in Order to further confirm his just Liberty granted as afs- In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affix'd my Seal this twenty sixth Day of the seventh Month called July in the Year of our Lord 1780. Sarah Rayley [SEAL] Witness present hereto Jon West Warner Nifflin Record Examined By Warner Nifflin August the 5th Day 1780, This is to certify that Harry is a free Man to deal for himself with Whom it may suit. Set free by Me Gaston Beachamp Examined by Warner Nifflin JJohn Gilder of Kent County on Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free the following named Negroes towitt Negro Woman named Phebe aged and Boy named Charles aged So that henceforth they the aforenamed Negroes shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People, out of the Line of Slavery, (which by the Laws and Usages of the Country I might have held them in,) and when they shall arrive of lawful Age, that is Woman Phebe, when she arrives to Eighteen Years of Age, and Boy Charles, when he shall arrive to twenty one years of Age, then they and each of them as they respectively shall arrive to the Ages afs'd shall be at their own Dis- -posal and at Liberty to act for themselves, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me, or any Person or Person claiming or to claim by from or under Me prevent and
And further I do hereby bind Myself my Heirs Executors Administrators and every us in the penal Sums of one hundred Pounds in Specie, to be recovered by either of the aforen med negroes in their own proper Names from such of as may in any Respect attempt to deprive them or ei -ther of them of their Liberty according to the true Intent and Meaning hereof, and then to oblige such so at- tempting under the like Penalty to do or perform an other or further act or Deed that he or she(on whom such attempt may be made) may reasobnalbly require or need. And whereas said Negro Woman Phebe has now a young Child born this Day that she may either take to herself or leave with Me till he arrived to twen -ty one years of age, then he shall in like Manner entituled to all the Priviledges granted to the other In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed my seal this twenty-ninth Day of the twelfth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty. 1780. John Gilder [SEAL] Testes Warner Mifflin Joseph Jenkins Record Examined By. Warner Mifflin I Benjamin Garland of the County of Ken upon Delaware Farmer do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my Negro girl Hagar about thirteen Years of age, so that henceforth she shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for a free Person, & then to act for herself as another free born Woman might or could do, to all Intents & Purposes, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me my Heirs or any other Person or Persons claiming by from or under Me forever: And do impower the Girl when of law. -ful age in her own person to recover from any of us,[who] may attempt to deprive her of her Liberty the Sum of
one hundred Pounds in Specie, and in the like Sum to oblige such of us so attempting to do any other or further act that may be needful, & she may reasonably require to further confirm her just Li -berty granted as aforesaid-In Testimony where of I have hereunto set my Hands & affixed my Seal this thirtieth Day of the Twelth Month 1780. In a Record or a more exact Account of her Age may be hereafter found, do agree that should she appear to be older, that notwithstanding she shall be free at the age of eighteen, agreedable to such account. Witness present. Joseph Jenkins Benjamin Garland Record examined By. Warner Mifflin Know all Men by these Presents that I Coe Gordon of Murtherkill Hundred in Kent County on Delaware Farmer, do hereby ma numit and set alsolutely free my Negro Woman named Ester, and her Child Catharine aged about one year & eight Months; and a Girl named Minta aged about nine years and three Months, so that hence forth they the aforesaid Negroes shall be deemed ad judged and taken as and for free People, that is to say, Negro Woman Ester from this Day to be at her own Disposal, and the two young ones when they shall arrive at Eighteen Years of Age to be at their own Disposal, and at Liberty to act for themselves with out the Lett hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of us in penal Sum of one hundred Pounds in Specie to each and every of the aforesaid Negroes, to be recorded from such of us as may attempt to deprive them of their just
just Liberty granted as aforesaid; as also in the like sum to oblige such of us as make such an attempt to do or perform any other or fur- ther Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need in order further to con- firm their Liberty as aforesaid Granted. In Witness where unto I do set my hands & affix my Seal this fifteenth day of the 6th month one thousand seven hun- dred & eighty one 1781. Coe Gordon Sarah Gordon Sealed & delivered in presence of us Benj.n Coombe Elizabeth Coombe John Dickinson Record examined by Warner Mifflin ___________________ I do hereby authorize & impower Warner Mifflin with the keeping or recording the within & forego- ing manumission as he may see proper for securing the Liberty of the Negroes therein named Witness my hand. Coe Gordon _______________________________ I do hereby manumit & set free a certain Negro Wo- man named Rosanna from Me & my Heirs Ex- ecutors & Administrators forever. As Witness my Hand & Seal this Sixth Day of March Anno Domi- ni, one thousand seven Hundred and Eighty one 1781. Stephen Barns Testis Wm Barns Jane Green To all whom it may concern Record examined by Warner Mifflin ____________________ I John Gordon of Kent County on Delaware do hereby manumit & set absolutely free my Negro Woman named Sue (alias Susanna) aged about twenty eight years, and her Children to witt Boy named Peter aged about eight years, boy named Charles aged about
five Years, and Girl named Henne aged about two Years and Boy named Jack alias John aged about one Month so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People, and at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person claiming by from or under Me forever; what is to say Woman, Sue, alias Susanna, from this Day to be at her Disposal, and her Children as they shall arrive or lawful Age, that is to say, Peter Charles and Jack when they shall respectively arrive to twenty one Years of Age, and Girl Henne when she arrives to eigh- teen Years of age, then each of them to be at Liberty as also and further I do hereby bind Myself my Heirs Exe- cutors & admd granted to be recovered by such of them on whom such attempt may be made. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & affixed my Seal this Eleventh Day of the third month in the Year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Eighty one 1781. John Gordon Witness present Warner Mifflin Manlove Emerson Hannah Gordon Record examined By Warner Mifflin I Mary Caldwell Widow do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my negro Woman named Ruth aged about twenty-five years, and her Child named Hannah aged about Seven Years, so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People, and at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett, Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever, that is to say Woman Ruthe from this Day to be at her own Disposal
and her Child Hannah to her under her Parents directions as any other free born Child by duty are bound till she arrives of lawful age, then to at her own disposal likenwise: And further I do bind myself my Heirs Executors and every of us in the [penal] Sum of one hundred Pounds unto each of the af'd Negores to be recovered from such of us as may attempt to deprive them or either of them of their Liberty [and] in any Respect; as also in the like Sum to [comprise] such of us so attempting to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed they or either of them may reasonably need or require. In Witness [who] of I do hereunto Set my Hand affixe my Seal this Eighteenth Day of the third Month in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred & Eighty one. 1781. Mary Caldwell [SEAL] Witness present Warner Mifflin John Caldwell Esther Caldwell Record examined by Warner Mifflin J. Joseph Purdin of Murtherkill Hundred in the county on Delaware do hereby manumit and [free] absolutely free my Negro Girl named Celia aged about years so that she henceforth shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for a free Person and when she shall arrive of lawful Age [circ] Eighteen years, then to be at her own Disposal and [at] Liberty to act for herself, without the [Lett] Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. And further I do hereby bind Myself my Heirs Executors adm. and every of them unto Negro Celia win the penal Sun of one Hundred Pounds in Specie to be received from such of us as may attempt in any Respect to deprive
deprive her of her Liberty as aforesaid; as also in the like Sum to compel such so attempting to do or perform any other or further act or Deed that she may reason- -ably require or need in Order to further confirm her Liberty. In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my Hand and affix my Seal this ninth Day of the fourth month one thousand seven hundred and Eighty one 1781. Witness present Robert Dixon John Purden John Dickinson Warner Mifflin Joseph Purden Seal Record Examined By Warner Mifflin Know all Men by these Presents that We Joseph & Pati- -ence George of Kent County on Delaware do hereby ma- -numit & set absolutely free our Negro girl called Amey born the 8th Day of the 12th Month 1768; so that henceforth she the said Amey shall be deemed adjudged and taken as & for a free Person, and when she arives to the age of Eighteen years, shall be at her own Dispo- -sal, and at Liberty to act for herself without the lett Hindrance or Molestation of us or either of us, our Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person or Persons claiming or that may claim by from or under Colour or Pretence of Right de- -rived from us or either of us forever. And further We do hereby bind ourselves our Heirs Executors Administrators, each & every of us in the Sum of one hundred Pounds in Specie, to be recovered by her by Suit at Law, in her own Person Repre- -sentative or attorney from such of us as may attempt to deprive her of the full Enjoyment of the Liberty of her Person or Property she may acquire in any Respect what- -soever, as also in the same Sum of Specie as abovesaid to compel such of us as may so attempt to do & perform any or further act or Deed that she may reasonably require or need, for the further Confirmation of her Liberty granted as asforesaid. In Testimony we have hereunto interchangably set
set our Hands & affixed our Seals this Day of Sixth Month Anno q Domini, one thousand seven Hundred eighty and one 1781. Testes Henry Newell Margaret Newell Joseph George Patience George Record examined Warner Mifflin
further confirm or establish their just and equitable Liberty granted as aforesaid. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affixd my Seal this first Day of the fourth Month in the Year of our Lord seventeen hundred and eighty three 1783 Peter Clemmons [SEAL] Testes Isaac Lonber Mary Lonber Record examined By Warner Mifflin I do hereby discharge relase and set free, Bett allias Elizabeth Shippy, and her two children Jane and Flora: And as far as in my power, delcare them clear and absolutely free to all intents and purposes whatsoever, here by [gusting] all claim to them and their offspring forever. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal Second Month fourteenth Seventeen hundred and Seventy five 1775. Susanna Holliday [SEAL] Witness Present Susanna Pugh Robert Holliday Record examined by This Indenture Witnesseth that I Stephen Black of Kent Couty on Delaware being fully perswaded in Conscience that personal Liberty is the unalienable right of all Mankind; for which reason I do hereby manumitt and set absolutely Free all my Negroes hereafter particularly named (to witt) Isaac a man about forty years of age; one called Cato about twenty five years of age' a woman named Philis about Twenty five years of age. a Boy called Benjamin about Seven, a Girl called Nany about Five, a Boy called Isaac about four years o age, a Boy called James about two; a Girl called Sukey about three months old - To that henceforth they the aforesaid Negroes shall be deemed adjusged and taken as an for free people, that is to say Isaac, Cato and Phillis, from this day to bear their own disposal, and at Liberty to act for themselves: and Benjamin, Isaac & James, when they sall arrive to the age of twenty five years, and Nancy and Suckey, when they arive to the age of twenty Two years said, to be at their disposal, and at Liberty to act for themseles, without the Lett hindrance or Molestation of my or any Person or persons claiming or to claim, by from or under me forever-- turn over
In witness wherof I have hereunto set my hand and seal... Twentieth day of April Seventeen Hundred and Eighty on... Signed sealed and delivered Stephen Black (seal) in the presence of us Armwell Lockwood Toward Morgan Record examined by ______________________________________ I Rachel Fowler of Duck Creek Hundred and County of Kent, and state of Delaware do hereby manumit and sa... at Liberty, my Negro woman Pegg, so that henceforth she shall be tearmed judged and taken for a free woman; and a liberty to act for herself without the Molestation of any per... whatever, to claim by or under me forever, and further I do her... bind myself my heirs Executors and administrators and ever... of us, in Penal sum of one Hundred Pounds lawful money so <del>delaware</del> State, sealed with my seal and delivered this the twelth day of May seventeen hundred and Eighty four 1784. Witness present Rachel Fon... her mark (seal) Abram Parsons Record Examinied by ___________________________________________ Know all Men by these Presents that we Thomas and Miriam Cranmer of Kent County Delaware state do hereby manumit and set absolutely free our Negro Woman called Grace... about forty four years, so that from henceforth she shall be deem... adjudge and taken as and for a free Woman to all Intents and Purposes without the Lett hindrance or Molestation of a... or either of us, our heirs Executors or Administrators, or any other p... or persons claiming or to Claim by from or under us, or either of us forever And do hereby bind our heirs Executors Administrat... Unto the said Negro Woman called Grace, in the just sum of one Hundred Pounds Gold and Silver Current lawful Specie... this State, to be recovered by legal Process at Law by the said G... or her heirs of us, either of us, or our heirs, that may attempt to inf... the Liberty of her the said Grace or any of her heirs in any res... Whatsoever, which is hereby granted fully and absolutely with any manner of reservation-----In witness we have to these Pr... Set our hands, this twentieth day of the first Month one thousand Sev... Hundred and Eighty Six 1786 Sealed deliver In presence of Henry Newell, Joseph Gonge Thomas Cranmer (seal) Mariam Cranmer (seal)
Whereas I Joseph Wallace of Kent County delaware state in Consideration of Sixty Pounds Gold and Silver Specie to him paid and secured to be paid by John Forcum junior of the same place, for Six years Service of a certain Negro Man called Moses to Commence from the date of these presents, as [per] bill of Sale bearing equal date herewith by the said Joseph Wallace to the said John Forcum junior given Now, [Know] all Men by these presents that I Joseph Wallace afforesaid for and in consideration received of the said John Forcum do hereby (after the term of said Six years is fully expired which will be on the ninth day of the third Month one thousand seven hundred and nienty two, and Good regard to the said Negro owing, as well as to the Cause of Liberty in general) do herbey manumit release relin- -quish Claim and forever let free the said Negro Moses to that he shall Act for himself to all intents and purposes, without Lett hindrance Mo- -lestation Claim or demand of me the said Joseph Wallace my heirs Execu- -tors and administrators, or any Person or Persons claiming or to Claim by from or under me, Us or either of us, or under my Father William Wallace deceased. And for the more full Confirmation of Liberty to the said Moses after expiration of above term, I do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators in the just Sum of one Hundred [&] Fifty Pounds gold and Silver Specie as afforesaid unto the said Negro Man Called Moses or his attorney or Representative to be recovered by legal Suit or action of just Debt by the said Moses in his own Name after expiration of the above term his lawful attorney or Re- -presentative, from em the said Joseph Wallace my Heirs Execu- -tors or Administrators or any other person under us or William Wallace deceased, on any attempt of us or either of us to infringe the Liberty of said Moses hereby granted-- Witness my hand and seal this ninth day of the third Month one thousand seven Hundred and Eighty Six 1786-- NB that on the outside of the Original Manumission that the above mentioned John Forcum should not [lend] the said Negroe away so as to prevent his having his Liberty: was an [indorsement]. Joseph Wallace Testes Joseph Jinkins Samuel Williams Record Examined by Know all men by these Presents that I George Wilson of Kent County State, do herbey manumit and forever discharge my Negro Boys named John and Mingo, John aged Ten years the Last fifth month and tenth day. Mingo aged eight years last fourth Month seventeenth day.
So that they the aforesaid Boys shall from henceforth be deemed, adjudged, and taken, as and for free Person, and as they respectively arrive to the age of twenty one years, shall at their own Disposal, and at Liberty to act for themselves, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me, my Heirs, Executives and Administrators, or any other person or persons claiming or to Claim by from or under me forever; hereby given up to their Father Prince as their natural guardian the sole Power and Direction of them untill they shall arrive to mature age as aforesaid. To the true performance whereof, I bind myself my heirs Executors Administrators and assigns in the penal sum of one Hundred Pounds Gold and Silver Current lawful Specie to be [received] of Me or any of us, that may attempt to enslave of infringe the Liberty of any of either of said Negroes aforementioned, either by them, each either of them in person, or by their each or eitheir of their attorneys or Repr- sentatives. Witness my hand Hand and Seal this twentieth of Day of the Seventh Month one thousand seven hundred and Eighty six 1786. George Wilson [SEAL] Sealed and delivered In presence of us John Bowers James Lundergin. Record Examined, by This may certify whom it may concern that I do hereby [give] my Black Girl Sarah Daughter of Negro woman Rachel, and Negro Feane untill she the said Sarah arrives to the age of Eighteen years, at which Time she shall be absolutely Free, without any Lett or Molestation from me, or Claiming by from or under me, as witness my Hand this Ninth Day of June in the year of our Lord one Thousand one Hundred Eighty and Seven. 1787. Simon [Vanvinkle] Witness Present Robert Holliday Samuel Murphy x his mark N.B. that with the Original Manumission was handed a Note which certified that the afore- mentioned Girl Sarah, was born march the first in the year Seventeen Hundred Eighty Record Examined, by Whereas I Elizabeth Porter having a negro Woman ... me by my Father William Porter, late of Kent County on Delaware deceased as a Slave, but believing that Freedom is the right of all men and that I cannot act Consistant with the principle of doing as ... be willing to be done by, to hold said Negro as a Slave, [where]
I do hereby manumit and set absolutely free the aforesaid Negro Woman Named Esther, Aged about nineteen years, so that henceforth She shall be deemed adjudged and Taken as and for a free woman and at Liberty to act for herself without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me or any other person or persons claiming or to claim, by from or un- der me forever. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my Seal, this twenty seventh Day of the tenth Month in the year seventeen Hundred and Eighty Eight. 1788 Elizabeth Porter. [SEAL] Witness Present Samuel Hanson Jun or any Person or Persons Claiming or to claim by from or under me forever. And I the said henry Newel do mind myself my heirs Exec Adm and every of us in the Penal Sum of two hundred Pounds Lawful Money of the Delaware State to the above said Negroes or any of them, to be by them Recoverd by Legal suit from me my Heirs, Ext or Adm; or either of us who may attempt the Violation of this Manumistion, Retract the Disposal of any of their persons in any Respect whatsoever, or infringe any of their Just and equitable Liberties, hereof Granted & intended to be granted to them
this Posterity Forever. In Witness whereof I do [hereby] set my hand and affix my Seal the sixth day of the ... month one thousand seven hundred and eighty eight [1783] Henry Newell Seald and Signed in the presence of Isaiah Rowland Mary [Entersl] x her mark Tabith Newell I James Bostick of [Muspition] Hundred and County of Kent the Delaware State do hereby Manumit and set Absolutely Free my Negroes as hereafter particularly Named to witt Negroe woman nance Aged about Twenty seven Years her Children to witt her [youngest] named Rachel aged about seven Years, and her Girl Ann aged five Years, and her boy Named Solomon aged also my negro named robin aged about two years that Twenty Three years henceforth they the afr
Whereas my Brother William Turley deceased was posessed of two Negroe woman to witt woman named Jane aged about twenty two years at this time and Negroe Rachell aged about nineteen Years and which Two women now have Two Children each Jane to witt Sarah aged about Twenty months and Robert a boy about five months old and Rachels to witt Girl Hessee, aged about three years and Margaret aged about Two years which said women my Brother William Afm Crumpton Sally Crumpton John Crumpton in Witness of the above Salley Crumpton Joseph [Agdelott ] Nancy Crumpton Daniel [Rinas] George Crumpton
To all to whom these presents shall come greeting, whereas Abraham Ridgely of the Town of Dover, Kent County, is possessed of a certain Negro Boy Slave, named solomon aged about thirteen years, and he is willing and desirous that the said slave should be entitled to his freedom after making him a compensation for his Costs and Charges in the purchase of the said slave, and, in the maintenance of him while his Servises are and were of little value, and after rendering him capable of Obtaining an honest and decend livelihood by taken care of him in his infancy and raising him to a suitable age to provide for himself. Now know Ye that this said Abraham Ridgely in consideration that the said Solomon hath promised immediately after the execution of these presents to bind himself to serve the said Abraham Ridgly his Executors administrators and assigns for the term of Twelve years after the manner of an indented servant, hath and by these presents doth fully and absolutely manumit and set free the said Negro Boy Slavey Solomon hereby [remising] releasing and for ever quitting claim all and all manner of Right Title, Interest Property Claim and Demand whatsoever which he had or hath to the said Negro Boy Slave Solomon or his service and labour excepting only the performance of his promise aforesaid. I witness whereof the said Abraham Ridgely hath hereunto set his hand and Seal this twenty ninth Day of february Seventeen hundred and Eighty Eight Abraham Ridgely [SEAL] Sign'd sealed and Delivered in the presents of James MClymente Nicholas Ridgely
Manumitted 469 146 _______ 615 Slaves
[gap] John Jenkins Joseph Jenkins Timothy Jenkins Rebecca Jenkins Jabez Jenkins Thomas Jenkins Hannah Jenkins John Lomber [Isaac] Holliday Ann Hansen Samuel Senr. Holliday Robert Harle Barthia Widow Hunn Jonathan Hanson Samuel Junr. Hillyard Charls & Eliza. Hanson Thomas Hall John Hunn Nathaniel Mifflin Warner Maxfield Stephen Megean Mary Mecay Alexander Mifflin Daniel Junr. Mifflin Daniel Senr. Mifflin Daniel Senr. & Junr. Maxwell Nimrod & Eliza. Morris Jonathan Mollerton Elizabeth
Nock Thomas Junior Neab Jonathan Nock Thomas Senr. Nock Mary Nock Joseph Nock Joseph (Duck Creek) Norsell Henry & Margt. Oliver Leve Ozbourne Eunice Widow Regester Robert Regester David Rowland Samuel Rowland Saml. & Hannh. Roberts [gap] & Char. Mifflin Sipple Sylvia Sipple Ganall Spencer Luke Spencer Catharine Widow Spencer Joshua Sipple Lydia Smith Jane Sharpless Thomas
Turner ISaac Turner Hannah Wilson [?} & Mary
Page 1 Manumissions of [Hasees] by the Members of Duckcreek Monthly Meeting & some other Friends; Recorded according to Direction of [superscript] Meeting, 22 [superscript] Day of 2, [Month] 1777. I Warner Mifflin of the Country of Kent on Delaware Merch- -ant do hereby manumit & set absolutely free my negro Man called James (whom I set at Liberty some time back & gave an Instrument of Writing for said Purpose under my Hand & Seal) also my negro Woman called Mariah aged about twenty three, & her child Ann aged three years; and her child Lydia aged six years, to be absolutely free at eighteen years of Age: as also my negro girl called Melissa about twelve years of Age, also to be absolutely fee at eighteen years of Age: so that the said negro Man James and negro Woman Mariah shall be deemed adjudged & taken as & for free, and at their own Disposal all Intents and Purposes: and also her child Ann, & her child Lydia & the girl Melissa when they arrive to eighteen years of Age as afs�d without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of any Person or Persons whatsoever. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this twentysecond Day of the tenth Month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy four. 1774. Warner Mifflin Sealed & delivered in the presence of Joseph Jenkins Daniel Mifflin James Scarr Record Examined � Warner Mifflin
I Warner Mifflin of Kent County on Delaware Merchant fully persuaded in my Conscience that it is a Sin of a deep Dye to make Slaves of my fellow Creatures or to continue them in Slavery, and believing it to be impossible to obtain that Peace my Soul desires, while my Hands are found full of Injustice, as by unjustly detaining in Bondage those that have as just & equitable Right to their Freedom and Liberty of their Persons as myself, Therefore for remedying the same I do hereby declare all the Negroes I have, hereafter particularly named absolutely free, them and their Posterity forever, from me my Heirs Executors Administrators and every of them Towitt, Hannah an antient negro Woman; Ezekiel a Man about twenty five years of Age; Beniah a negro Man about twenty seven years of Age; Paul a negro Man about twenty years of Age; Nanny a negro Woman about thirty years of Age; and her girl Hannah about fourteen years of Age; Daniel her negro Boy about ten years of Age; her girl Jenny about five years of Age; girl Nanny about three years of age; Boy Abram about ten months old; negro Grace a Woman about twenty seven years of Age; her girl Betty about thirteen years of Age; Henny her girl about eleven years of Age; her Boy Richard about seven years and nine months old; girl Rebecca about three years old; hereby impowering them & each of them with full & free Liberty to commence Suit in Law against Me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any of us that may attempt to [inthral] imbondage or deprive of their Liberty in any Respect by [Colour] or Pretence of Right derived from Me: and I do hereby convey to them and each of them all the Right Power and Authority I have heretofore had to commence an Action against any Person that had heretofore got one of them out of my Posse- -ion & refused the Delivery back again; each one to stand in the Place for him or herself that I have had to stand for them in behalf of my own Interest in the same Case, when they shall be entitled to Recover all such Costs as they may be at in prosecuting the Suit from such of us may attempt as aforesaid. And I do hereby also lay it as a Charge on the Consciences of the Court or Jury before whom it may be brought that they particularly adhere to this Evidence in behalf of the aforesaid
Page 3 Negroes. But believing it to be my Duty to take upon myself the Power an authority of the young ones to raise & educate them 'till they arrive to lawfull Age, do therefore reserve that Perogative over the male 'till they arrive to twenty one years of Age & the female 'till they arrive to eighteen years of Age, which I do hereby direct to be determined by the Ages of each as particularly mentioned [as] afores'd calling them the very Age this Day, that they are said to be about such an Age - And whereas a negro Man named Solomon just came to me (upwards of forty years of Age) being left by my grandmother Mary Mifflin to serve which of her grand Children he pleases, & by Letter just receiv'd from my Father Daniel Mifflin one of the Executors in her Will named, informing Me (he the said Solomon) made Choice of Me: I do also therefore hereby declare said Negro Solomon absolutely free from Me & my Heirs forever, and do entitle him to all & every the Priviledges of the others on an attempt to deprive him as [afs'd] - And whereas I have heretofore manumitted & set free my negro Man James, Woman Mariah, & her children Lydia & Nanny; and also negro girl Melissa which Manumission or Clearance I deposited in the keeping of the month by Meeting of the People called Quakers of Duckcreek in this County which apprehend will be admitted to Record by Direction of said Meeting together with this, Now my Desire is, that this being produced, or a Copy hereof certify'd by the Clerk for the Time being to said Meeting; or in Case there should be no monthly Meeting of & for duckcreek, a certify'd Copy from the Clerk of the quarterly Meeting of said People called Quakers, to which Duckcreek monthly Meeting last belonged, certifying that such Record appeared; shall be adjudged taken & accepted as full as I can enforce it, as if I was personally present & acknowledged the whole thereof - And such I desire that may have anything of the kind before them, that they may particularly attend to & distribute Justice impartially to the poor Negroes and not [wreft] the Meaning hereof (the Consequences be to them that do [otherways]) my Intention being to clean them from Slavery to me my heirs or assigns forever; believing Freedom to be their natural & just Right. To which I do hereunto set my hand & affix my Seal this ninth Day of the first Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred Seventy & five. 1775 Warner Mifflin Sealed & Acknowledg'd in presence of us Joseph Jenkins Edward Cole Record; Examined - Warner Mifflin
Page 4 I Joseph Jenkins of the County of Kent on Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my Negro Man called Caleb aged about thirty years in such Manner that he may and shall be at his own Disposal; shall be deemed adjudged and taken for and as a Free man to all Intents and Purposes, without the least Molestation or Hindrance of Me or any other Person or Persons whatsoever. And further do remit release and forever quit Claim Right or Demand of and to the said Caleb. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & Seal this seventeenth Day of the first Month in the year of our blessed Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy five. 1775 Joseph Jenkins Testes Warner Mifflin Elizabeth Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin I Levi Oliver of Sutser County on Delaware do hereby manumit & set absolutely free my Negro Woman [Sohannah] aged about fifty one years (whom I have had in my Possession about four years) so that from henceforth she shall be deemed adjudged and taken for & as a free Woman, and at Liberty to act for herself without the Sett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any others Person or Persons Whatsoever. In Witness whereunto I have set my hand and affixed my Seal this thirtieth Day of the first Month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & Seventy five 1775. Levi Oliver Record Examined Warner Mifflin I Thomas Bonman of Kent County on Delaware [Tarmer] do hereby manu- -mit & set absolutely free all my Negroes; towitt Rhana an antient negro Woman; Anthony a Man upwards of forty years of Age; my negro Man James aged about twenty eight years & my negro Man Moses aged about twenty six years; so that they shall be deemed adjudged & taken as & for free People to all Intents and Purposes without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me or my Heirs, or any other Person or Persons Whatsoever; but that they are & shall be at their own Disposal. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed my Seal this fourteenth Day of second Month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy five. 1775. Thomas Bonman Witness present Warner Mifflin Elizabeth Mifflin Daniel Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Page 5 To all whom this may come know ye that Whereas my Grand-father Joshua Clayton of Kent County on Delaware did amend other devise that his negro Boy named Richard should serve ‘till he was twenty five years of Age and then to be free: And Whereas the said Negro Richard by sunday Ways & Means has fell into any Hands, last by Virtue of Administration on the Estate of my beloved Husband Jonathan Osbourne wherein the Time afore’ of him the said Negro Richard was apprais’d and inventory’d: And a Concern prevailing on my Mind with Regard to detaining him above lawfull Age, & therefore believing it will be most productive of Peace to my Mind and consistent with strict Justice to discharge him when ariv’d to lawfull Age I Eunice Osbourne of the County of Kent abovesaid do hereby manumitt & sett absolutely free the said Negro called Richard so that he shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for a free Man; but he being not yet of lawfull Age I do therefore reserve his Time ‘till the thirtieth Day of the eighth Month new net ensuing at which Time he (it is judged) will be of the Age of twenty one, then to be at his own Disposal to act for himself as a free Man to all Intents and Purposes without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me my heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person or Persons Whatsoever. In Testimony whereof I do hereunto set my Hand and affix my Seal this third Day of third Month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy five. 1775. Eunice Osbourne Witness present Warner Mifflin [Benjamin] Dawson William Hibson Record Examined Warner Mifflin I Ezekial Cowgill of Kent County on Delaware, [Farmer], do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my negro Woman called Abigail aged about forty seven years, so tat she shall be adjudged deemed & taken as an for a free Woman without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any other person or Persons Whatsoever But that she shall be at her own Disposal to act for herself to all Intents & Purposes as a free Woman. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my Seal this 3’d Day third Month one thousand seven hundred & seventy five. 1775 Ezekiel Cowgill Witness present. Warner Mifflin [Benjamin] Dawson John Cowgill Record Examined Warner Mifflin To all whom this may come know ye that Whereas my Father [Govey] Emerson did in his last Will & Testament devise order and direct that the following Negroes should be free at the Age of twenty five the male & twenty one the female And in his said last Will & Testament named Me one of his Executors, to whom the sole Administration was also granted, & I being on taking Letters of Administration qualify’d to make a true & perfect Inventory and conscionable Appraisment of all & [superscript] and being fully convinced in my Conscience that it is their just and equitable Right in common with other People to be free at lawfull Age towitt the male at twenty one & the female at eighteen, Under the [Consecration] whereof, of hereby declare the following Negroes (being the above recited) to be absolutely free towitt Negro York upwards of twenty three years of Age Negro London being […] 26th of 5th Month called June 1756, Ezekiel born about 15th of […] Month 1758.
Phebe a girl born the 18th Day of 12th Month 1759 Negro [Lilpha] a girl born the 2nd Day of 11th Month 1762. Alice a Negro girl born 15th Day of 12th Month 1763. So that Negro York who is now of lawfull Age to be & is hereby declared now absolutely free & at his own Disposal; and the above named London and Ezekiel when they arrive to twenty one years of Age; Phebe, [Lilpha], & Alice when they arrive to eighteen years of Age to be then, & are hereby declared, at their own Disposal to act for themselves to all Intents and Purposes each & every them as free Men & Women, without the Sett Hin- -drance or Molestation of Me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person or Persons Whatsoever . . . . . . . . And having before omitted two negro Children towitt Sarah a girl born the 16th Day of 8th Month 1770 & negro Rachel a girl born in the 2nd Month 1772 do also declare them absolutely free & when they arrive to eighteen years of Age to be at their own Disposal as aforesaid. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affix’d my Seal this third Day of third Month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy five. 1775. Jacob Emerson Sign’d & sealed in presence of us John Cowgill Warner Mifflin [Benjamin] Dawson Record, Examined Warner Mifflin I Thomas Nock Junior of Kent County on Delaware do hereby manumitt and set absolutely free my Negro Man named Matthew aged upwards of twenty one years also my Negro Boy called Glasglow aged about thirteen years and seven Months so that they shall be deemed adjudged and taken as & for Freemen; that is today Matthew now from this Day, & Glasglow when he arives to the Age of twenty one years, at their own Disposal & at the Liberty to act for themselves as free Men to all Intents and Purposes without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me my heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person or Persons Whatsoever forever… And I do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators and every of them in the penal Sum of one hundred pounds unto each the aforesaid Negroes towitt Matthew & Glasglow to do and execute any other or further Act or Deed they may or either of them reasonably require or need for the further confirming and establishing unto them their just Right & Priviledge the Liberty of their Persons, which is hereby intended to be as fully and amply granted as they may or can enjoy the same. In Testimony whereof I do hereunto set my Hand & affix my Seal this fourth Day of third Month one thousand seven hundred and seventy five. 1775. Thomas Nock Junior Witness present John Cowgill Warner Mifflin [Benjamin] Dawson Record, Examined Warner Mifflin
To all whom this may come. I Sylvia Sipple of Kent County on Delaware Yeoman, do hereby manumit & set absolutely free my negro Man called Glasgow aged about thirty four years, so that henceforth he shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and fir a free Nab ti ask Intents & Purposes without the Lett Hindrance, or Molestation of Me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any of them, or any other Person or Persons Whatsoever: but that he shall be at his own Disposal to act for himself. And I do further bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of them in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this Government unto Negro Glasgo afore’, to do and execute any other or further Act or Deed which may be by him required or needed to confirm unto him his just Right & Priviledge, the Liberty if his Person [—] which is hereby intended to be granted unto him as fully & as amply as any Person whatever may or can enjoy the same. In Witness whereunto I do hereunto set my Hand and affix my Seal this fourth Day of third Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy five. 1775. Sylvia Sipple Witness present. Warner Mifflin. [Benjamin Dawson]. John Cowgirl.. Record Examined Warner Mifflin To all whom this may come Know ye, that I Garrett Sipple of Kent County on Delaware [Tarmer] do hereby manumit & set free, (from a Sense of its being my indispensable Duty) all my Negroes as hereafter particularly named Towitt my Negroes Sarah Drummer, Judea & Hannah, antient, who have been at their Liberty some Time: Grace a negro Woman judged to be about forty seven Years of Age set at Livertu some time back also Anthony a negro Man judged at fifty four Years of Age, Toney negro Man about twenty nine Years of age; Tal a Man aged about twenty five, Leah a Woman aged about twenty five, [Calo] aged about twenty Years & five Months, Peter Aged eighteen Years & about five Months Isaac a Boy about twelve Years & six Months, Dick a Boy aged about eleven Years & six Months, Eben A Boy about six years & five Months, Grace a Girl about nine Years & five Months, Henny a Girl about seven Years & five Months & Rachel a Girl about two Years old: so that they shall be from henceforth deemed, adjudged & taken as & for free Men & Women that is to say, Sarah Drummer, Judea, Hannah, Grace Anthony, Toney, Tal & Leah from this Day: [Calo], Peter, Isaac, Dick, & Even when they arive at twenty one Years of Age; & Grace Henry & Rachel When they arive to eighteen Years of Age; to be at their own Disposal to act for themselves as free Men and Women to all Intents & Purposes without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons Whatsoever. And in Order further to confirm & establish their Freedom as aforesaid I do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of them unto each the aforesaid Negroes in the penal Sum of one hundred pounds lawfull Money of this Government to do & execute any or further Act or Deed that may be by the or either of them reasonably requir’d or needed for such Confirmation to them of their just & equitable Right; the Liberty of the disposing of their Person & Property, which I hereby [intendes] fully to be granted to them in Witness whereof U do hereunto set my hand and affix my Seal this fifteenth Day of this Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred Seventy & five. 1775. Garratt Sipple Witness hereunto John Cowgill. [Benjamin] Dawson Warner Mifflin William Wilson Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Know all Men by this present Instrument of Writing that I John Edmondson of Kent County on Delaware Farmer do hereby manumit and set absolutely free from full Conviction of its being my indispensable Duty the following Negroes Towitt My negro Man called Abram aged (as judged) about forty years; Bett a Negro Woman aged about thirty Years (as judged); Pegg a Woman about twenty Years & her Child Nell fourteen Months old: so that they from henceforth shall be deemed, adjudged & taken as & for free People, that is to say Abram, Bell and Pegg from this Day & the Child Nell when she arives to eighteen Years of Age and at their absolute Liberty & Disposal to act for themselves in all Respects common with free Men & Women, without the Sett, Hindrance, or Molestation of my Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person or Persons whatsoever: hereby obliging myself my Heirs Executors & Administrators to teach or cause to be taught the negro Child named Nell to read the Bible: and further do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of us in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this Government unto each Of the aforesaid, to do or execute any other or further Act or Deed for the further confirming unto them their just Right as ads’d that they may reasonably require or need. In Witness whereof I hereunto set my Hand and affix’d my Seal this fifteenth Day of third Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy five. 1775. John Edmondson Witness by John Cowgill [Benjamin] Dawson Warner Mifflin William Wilson Record Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by these presents that Timothy Jenkins of Kent County on Delaware Farmer do hereby (under an Apprehension of Duty) manumit and set absolutely free all my Negroes as hereafter particularly named, Towitt my negro Man called Frank Baker aged about forty Years; David a negro Man about thirty six Years; Hannah a Woman about thirty six Years; Susannah a Woman about forty Years Jacob a negro Man about twenty four Years & eleven Months; Phebe a Woman sixteen years & seven Months; Nan a Girl about thirteen Years Jonathan a Boy born the twenty sixth Day of the 7th Month called July in the Year 1773 so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged & taken for & as free Men & Women that is to say, Frank David & Hannah (who have been at their Liberty near a Year) Susan- -nah & Jacob, all this Day: Phebe & Nan when they arive to eighteen Years of Age; and Boy Jonathan when he arives to twenty one Years of Age: all to be at their own Disposal to all Intents & Purposes (as free Men and Women) and at Liberty to act for them -selves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person or Persons Whatsoever. And do agree also to do my best Endea- -vours to teach or cause to be taught to read the Bible the three young ones towitt Phebe, Nan, and Jonathan: And I do further hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of us in the penal Sum of one hundred pounds lawfull Money of this Govern- -ment to each of the aforesaid Negroes to be recovered by them in their or either of their own proper Names (as free Men & Women) from any of us that may attempt to deprive them of their equitable Right granted as aforesaid which is hereby intended to be as [. . .]
fully and as amply (as any Freeman can enjoy the same) in Order to ratify and confirm as aforesaid. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & affix’d my Seal this sixteenth Day of third month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy five. Timothy Jenkins Witness present John Cowgill [Benjamin] Dawson Warner Mifflin William Wilson Record Examined Warner Mifflin Whereas my beloved Husband Richard Holliday in his Life Time was hopeful of in his own Right (according to the Custom of Havery prevailing among us) to the following Negroes Towitt, Cato a negro an about twenty four Years of Age (at this Time) Joyce a negro Woman [mom] about twenty six Years of Age, and her Boy Moses now about five Years of Age; Patience a negro Woman now about twenty one years of Age; Julia a negro Girl now about sixteen Years of Age; and he being convinced of the Iniquity & Injustice of detaining his fellow Creatures in Bondage, was desirous of granting unto them their just Right & Priviledge but not seeing his Way [clean] to do it to his Mind by Reason of an oppressive Law in Free relative to the freeing of Negroes, took a Promise from Me that I would discharge & set them free (in Case it was not done before, & should I be his [Servicer]) Notwithstanding before his Death some Time he did himself set free said Negroes Cato Joyce with her Child Moses (since which [s’] Negro Woman Joyce has borne two other children towitt Girl Rachel & Boy Cato) & also did at sunday Times hire [s’] Negro Man Cato & paid him Wages as to any other free Man. And I Ann Holliday of Kent County on Delaware, being also convinced of the Iniquity of Slavery, & also of the irreconcilable Inconsistency of such Practice in the Professors of Christianity (being totally derogatory to the royal Law of doing to others as we would be done by) as required by the great Author Engagement to my dear Husband as afs’, do hereby by Virtue of the Power and Authority in Me vested, declare the afs’ Negroes towitt Cato Joyce and her three Children [viz] Moses, Rachel, & Cato; likewise negro Woman Patience and Julia absolutely free, and that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged and taken for free Men & Women without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of any Person Whatever: And on any attempt made to deprive them of their natural and just Rights as afs’, I do hereby authorize every of them to stand for him or [] to vindicate the same, & to produce this as special Evidence for their Clearance also laying as a charge on the Consciences of the Court or Jurys that may have to judge herein, that they give Weight to this Testimony in behalf of the Negroe’s equitable and just Freedom: it being my Intention, and appearing from Conviction to be my Duty as well as the Requisition of my beloved Husband afore’s to set them absolutely free. And I the [af’] Ann Holliday hereby also do lay it as a Charge on my Children
that they make no Attempts to disannull this Manumission, being fully persuaded that such Action will bring on them heavy Guilt; let them closely consider their Parents have done this from Apprehension of Duty to their Maker. And I do also direct further that on this Manumission being produced, or a certify’d Copy hereof from the Clerk of Duck Creek monthly Meeting for the Time being (of the People called Quakers) or if no Monthly Meeting at such Time should be, then and in such Case, a Copy hereof certify’d by two reputable Persons of the [s’d] People (called Quakers) (certifying that such Record appear’d among the Records of s’d Meeting, the Intent & Meaning hereof may be thereby inforced; which is the absolute Freedom of the aforesaid Negroes. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affix’d my Seal this twenty fifth Day of the third Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & and seventy-five. 1775. But the above named Ann Holliday believing it just and equitable to have the Service of the negro girl, Julia, ‘till she arives to lawfull Age, do therefore reserve that Perogative over her for two years fully to be compleated and ended commencing from the Date hereof, she then being eighteen years of Age, then free as aforesaid. Ann Holliday Witness present to the Acknowledgm’t hereof Warner Mifflin Phebe Dickinson Record Examined Warner Mifflin I Luke Spencer of Sussex County on Delaware, Farmer, believing it to be my Duty from a Sense thereof, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free all my Negroes as here- -after particularly named, Towitt, my negro Woman Esther aged about thirty-five Years, my negro Man Jacob aged about twenty eight Years, & negro Girl Esther aged two Years, so that they shall be deemed adjudged & taken for free People henceforth; That is to say negro Woman Esther & Man Jacob this Day and Girl Esther when she arives to eighteen Years of Age, to be at their own Disposal and at Liberty to act for themselves as free Women & Man, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person orPersons Whatsoever. And further I do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators and every of us in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this Government, unto each the aforesaid Negroes, to do and execute any other or further Act that they may reasonably require or need for the further confirming and establishing unto them their just Rights & Priviledges as aforesaid: And I do further hereby impower them & each of them to recover from any Person or Persons the like Sum as afores’ if they may attempt to enslave them by Color or Pretense of Right derived from Me, as Damages to them by such Attempt. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & affix’d my Seal this thirty first Day of the third Month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy-five. 1775 Luke Spencer Witness Present John Cowgill Warner Mifflin Baptist Lay William Wilson Record Examined Warner Mifflin
that they make no Attempts to disannull this Manumission, being fully persuaded that such Action will bring on them heavy Guilt; let them closely consider their Parents have done this from Apprehension of Duty to their Maker. And I do also direct further that on this Manumission being produced, or a certify’d Copy hereof from the Clerk of Duck Creek monthly Meeting for the Time being (of the People called Quakers) or if no Monthly Meeting at such Time should be, then and in such Case, a Copy hereof certify’d by two reputable Persons of the [s’d] People (called Quakers) (certifying that such Record appear’d among the Records of s’d Meeting, the Intent & Meaning hereof may be thereby inforced; which is the absolute Freedom of the aforesaid Negroes. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affix’d my Seal this twenty fifth Day of the third Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & and seventy-five. 1775. But the above named Ann Holliday believing it just and equitable to have the Service of the negro girl, Julia, ‘till she arives to lawfull Age, do therefore reserve that Perogative over her for two years fully to be compleated and ended commencing from the Date hereof, she then being eighteen years of Age, then free as aforesaid. Ann Holliday Witness present to the Acknowledgm’t hereof Warner Mifflin Phebe Dickinson Record Examined Warner Mifflin I Luke Spencer of Sussex County on Delaware, Farmer, believing it to be my Duty from a Sense thereof, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free all my Negroes as here- -after particularly named, Towitt, my negro Woman Esther aged about thirty-five Years, my negro Man Jacob aged about twenty eight Years, & negro Girl Esther aged two Years, so that they shall be deemed adjudged & taken for free People henceforth; That is to say negro Woman Esther & Man Jacob this Day and Girl Esther when she arives to eighteen Years of Age, to be at their own Disposal and at Liberty to act for themselves as free Women & Man, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person orPersons Whatsoever. And further I do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators and every of us in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this Government, unto each the aforesaid Negroes, to do and execute any other or further Act that they may reasonably require or need for the further confirming and establishing unto them their just Rights & Priviledges as aforesaid: And I do further hereby impower them & each of them to recover from any Person or Persons the like Sum as afores’ if they may attempt to enslave them by Color or Pretense of Right derived from Me, as Damages to them by such Attempt. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & affix’d my Seal this thirty first Day of the third Month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy-five. 1775 Luke Spencer Witness Present John Cowgill Warner Mifflin Baptist Lay William Wilson Record Examined Warner Mifflin
against any Person or Persons who may attempt to deprive them of the Liberty hereby granted and intended to be granted unto them; when they shall be intituled to recover the like Sum of one Hundred Pounds as Damages for such Attempt, as often as it be made by any Person claiming by Colour or Pretence of Right derived from Me. And I do promise for me and my Heirs to do our best Endeavour to teach or cause to be taught each and every of the young ones to read in the Bible. In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my Hand & affix my Seal this first Day of the fourth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy five. 1775. Peter the above named Negroe Man has been at Liberty upwards of three years. Joshua Spencer Witness present John Cowgill Warner Mifflin Baptist Lay William Wilson Record Examined Warner Mifflin I Samuel Hanson of Kent County on Delaware farmer being convinced of the Iniquity & Injustice of detaining my fellow Men in Bondage and in Order to discharge myself from that iniquitous Practice, did on the twenty- -seventh Day of the first Month in the Year of our Lord one thousandseven hundred and seventy give and execute a Bond condition’d to require Me & my Heirs to set free and at full Liberty the negroes hereafter particularly named as they should arive to the Age of twenty-five Years, two of which Negroes towitt Charles Becket & Peter Beckett being ariv’d to the aforesaid Age have been accordingly discharged at said Age. But believing [under] from full Conviction that such Distinction made of reserving their Time longer than limited by Law for whites to serve appears with too much Partiality, Wherefore for remedying the same, I do now by this present Instrument of Wrighting, manumit & set absolutely free the whole including the two above named, (& for the greater Security to them do center their Names also herein) Towitt Charles Becket aged about thirty Years, & one Month; Peter Becket aged twenty three Years & two Months, Moses negro Man aged about twenty three Years & six Months, Dick aged about twenty years & six Months, Cato Boy aged about twelve Years and six Months, Rachel a Girl ged about ten Years and six Months: so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudg’d & taken as and for free People to all Intents & Purposes and at Liberty to act for themselves, that is to say, Charles Becket, Peter Becket (heretofore at Liberty) and Isaac Becket this Day, Moses Negro Man also this Day; Dick and Cato when they arive to twenty one, Girl Rachel when she arives to eighteen Years of Age; as also my Boy Joe (before omitted) aged about eight Years & six Months; also to be free as afs’d when he arives to twenty one Years of Age, & my Negro Woman Hagar antient, before set at Liberty: all of which the above Negroes as above particularly mentioned to be free according to the Purport [herself] and at Liberty to act for them- -selves as free Men & Women without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me
my Heirs, or any other Person or Persons Whatsoever. And further do hereby oblige me & my Heirs to do our best Endeavours to teach or cause to be taught the young ones t oread the Bible. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & affix’d my Seal this eighteenth Day of the fifth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hun- -dred and seventy-five. 1775. Sam.’l Hanson Sealed & deliver’d in presence of John Cowgill Warner Mifflin William Wilson Record Examined Warner Mifflin I John Dickinson of Kent County on Delaware, Farmer, being fully convinced of the great Inconsistency of detaining over fellow Creatures in Bondage, as Followers of Christ, it being derogatory to his Command enjoyn’d them “to do unto others as We would be done unto�: under a Consideration thereof and from man Apprehension of it’s being my indispensable Duty, do hereby manu- -mit and set absolutely free the following Negroes, towitt, Old NegroMan named Robin supposed to be upwards of sixty Years of Age, my negro Woman Nan born in the 11th Month 1731; my negro Man George born in the 10th Month 1745; Dick Man born in the 2d Month 1750; negro Woman Sidney born in the 7th Month 1751; negro Girl Cassey born in the 1 Month 1760; Boy Fill born in the 3d Month 1764; Girl Janny born in the 10th Month 1770 and Girl Sinah born in th 6th Month 1773; so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudg’d and taken as & for free Peoplpe, that is to say Robin, Nan, George, Dick & Sidney from this Day: Casssey Jane & Sinah when they arive to eighteen Years of Age; and Fill, when he arives to twenty one Years of Age, to be at their own Disposal and at Liberty to act for themselves as free Men & Woman, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person or Persons, forever. And I do hereby promise and agree to do my best Endeavours to teach or cause to be taugt the young ones to read the Bible: also I do further hereby bind myself, my Heirs, Executors, & Administrators unto each the aforesaid Negroes, to do & execute any further o toher Act or Deed that may be by them or either of them reasonably requir’d or needed to further confirm & establish unto them their just Liberty afs’d under the Penalty of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this Government. In witness whereof I do hereunto set my Han & affix my Seal this twenty second Day of the 7th Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy five. 1775. John Dickinson Junior Sealed & deliver’d in presence of Warner Mifflin. [Ebenezer] Mifflin Mary Dickinson Record, Examined Warner Mifflin
I Robert Holliday of Duckcreek Hundred & County of Kent or Delaware Merchant, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my negro Boy named George Whitford, born in the 8th Month 18th Day 1762 (from an Apprehension of its being my Duty) so that from henceforth he the s.d George Whitford shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for a free Person, that is to say, on his Arrival to the Age of twenty one Years to be at Liberty to act for himself in every Respect as a freeman without the Sett Hind- -drance or Molestation of me my Heirs Executors or Administrators, or any other Person or Persons Whatsoever, claiming by from or under Me. Hereby binding myself my Heirs Executors Administrators and every of us unto him the said George Whiford in the penal Sum of one hundred pounds lawfull Money of this Government to do and execute any other or further Act or Deed that he may reasonably require or need for further confirming unto him his just & equitable Right, his Liberty hereby granted. And also agree to do my best Endeavours to teach or cause to be taught the afs’d Boy to read the Bible. In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my Hand and affic my Seal this twelth Day of the eighth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & Seventy five 1775. Robert Holliday Witness present John Cowgill Warner Mifflin William Wilson Record, Examined Warner Mifflin I Stephen Maxfield of City of Philadephia Cabinet-maker, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my negro Man named Ezekiel Gales who has been at his Liberty about three Years, and aged now about thirty [Years]; so that henceforth he shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for a free Man to all Intents and Purposes and at Liberty to act for himself without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me my Heirs Executors or any other Person or Persons Whatsoever, claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. And further I do hereby bind myself, my Heirs, Executors & Administrators and every of us unto him the afs’d Negroe Ezekiel Gales in the penal Sum of one hundred pounds lawfull Money of the Government of Pennsylvania to do and perform any other Act or Deed that by him may be reasonably needed or required in Order to further confirm unto him his just Right afs.d. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & affix’d my Seal this seventh Day of the tenth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy five. 1775. Stephen Maxfield Witness present Daniel Mifflin Junior Warner Mifflin Record, Examined Warner Mifflin
I Mary Megear of Kent County on Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my Negro Girl named Violet aged about thirteen Years and eight Months, so that from henceforth she shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for a free person to all Intents and Purposes, and when she arives to lawfull Age viz eighteen then to be at her own Disposal and at Liberty to act for her- -self as a free Woman without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me or any other Person or Persons whatsoever claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. In Testimony whereof I do hereunto set my Hand & affix my Seal this twenty second Day of the twelth Month in the Year our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy five. 177. Mary Megear Sealed & acknowledg’d in presence of Warner Mifflin Ann Holliday Record Examined Warner Mifflin I Isreal Allston of Kent County on Delaware having under Me two Young Negroes viz a Negro Boy named John that I thought ‘till he should arive to twenty five Years of Age from Thomas Nock Junior, (& then by his Fathers Will he was to be free) also a negro Girl named Lydia Beckett, being free born, but bound to Me by the Overseer of the Poor before two Magistrates ‘till she shold arive to twenty one Years of Age; and whereas I am convinced of the Injustice of such Par- -tiality in the Distinction between them and the white’s do therefore hereby oblige myself my Heirs Executors and Administrators, under the Penalty of fifty Pounds to each the afs’d Negroes towitt Boy John, and Girl Lydia Beckett that they shall be free when they arive to lawfull age: that is when John arives to twenty one and Lydia when she arives to the Age of Eighteen Years to be free and clear of Me my Heirs Executors and Administrators and at full Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person or Persons whatsoever claiming or to claim under Me. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affix’d y Seal this sixteenth Day of the first Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy six. 1776- the Age of Negro is judged to be fourteen the first Day of this present Month and Girl Lydia about six Years old; Reference to the Indentures’ being had may more fully appear. Israel Allston Witness present to the Acknowledgm’ hereof Warner Mifflin William Wilson Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Whereas my beloved Husband John Bowers did in his last Will & Testament devise unto Me the following Negroes twit, Charles a negro Man aged about forty Years to & for my Use during my national Life, also his Wife called Fin aged about forty Years also to my own Use and Behoof forever; Now Rachel Bowers Widow of murtherkiln Hundred & County of Kent on Delaware do hereby manumitt & set absolutely free the afores’d Negroes (who have been at their own Disposal some Time) that is to say Man Charles for and during my natural Life as afs’d (he being then to return to my Son Isaac Lowber who also hath some time back absolutely discharged him) as also his Wife Fin and at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person or Persons Whatsoever claiming or to claim by from or under Me. And further do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of us to each the afs’d Negroes in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this Government to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that they may reasonably require or need to further confirm their just Liberty afs’d. In Witness whereof I have here- -unto set my hand & affix’d my Seal this 3d Day of [] 6th Month one thousand seven hundred & seventy six. 1776. Rachel Bowers [x her mark] Seal’d & delivered in presence of John Cowgill Warner Mifflin William Wilson John Dickinson Record Examined Warner Mifflin I Lyda Sipple of murtherkiln Hundred in Kent County on Delaware do hereby from an Apprehension of its being their equitable Right manumit & set absolutely free all my Negroes towitt, Anthony aged about nineteen Years the tenth Day of last Month; negro Woman named Barbara aged about seventeen Years & three Months, & her Child called Nanny aged abt 10 Months; so that henceforth they shall be deem’d adjudg’d & taken as for free People to all Intents and Purposes, that is to say, Anthony when he arives to the Age of twenty one & Barbara when she arives to eighteen Years of Age; then to be at their own Disposal, to act for themselves as free Man & Woman without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me Heirs or any other Person or Persons what- -soever claiming or to claim byfrom or under Me; and also the Child Nanny to be with its Mother & under his Disposal (as if free born) when she (that is the Mother) arives to Age as afs.d. And further I do hereby oblige myself my Heirs Executors Administrators every of us under the Penalty of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money Money [crossed out] of this Government to each of them the afs’d Negroes to do or execute any other or further Act or Deed that they may reasonably need or require to further confirm their just Liberty granted as afs.d. In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my hand and affix my Seal this 3.d Day of the 6th Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy Six. 1776 Lydia Sipple Witness present Mary Caldwell John Cowgill Warner Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Know all Men by this Instrument of Writing thatI Levu Oliver of Sussex County on Delaw,a do hereby manumit & set absolutely free my Negro Girl named Esther aged eleven Years and three Months, so that henceforth she shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for a free Person; and when she arives to eighteen Years of Age then to be at her own Disposal to all Intents & Purposes & at Liberty to act for herself and as a free Woman without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claiming under Me. And I do hereby oblige myself & my Heirs to do our best Endeavours to teach or cause to be taught her the aforesaid Negro Esther to read the Bible. And further I do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors and Administrators in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this Government to do and perform any other Act or Deed she may reasonably require or need to further confirm her just Liberty granted as afs.d. Witness my Hand and Seal this fourth Day of Sixth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy six. Levi Oliver Witness present unto the Sealing & Delivery Hereof John Cowgill Warner Mifflin William Wilson Record Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by these presents that I Vincent Emerson of murtherkiln Hundred in Kent County on Delaware Farmer, do hereby manumitt and set absolutely free all my Negroes as particularly hereafter named towitt, negro Man called George, aged (suppos’d) about fifty Years; Alice a negro Woman aged upwards of forty Years, Judah Woman aged about twenty two Years; Boy London born the 4th Day of the Month called July 1768; Boy George three years old (near); Boy Isaac about two years old; Girl Sarah aged about seven Years Girl Phillis aged about five Years & six Months; So that henceforth the afores,d Negroes shall be deemed Adjudged & taken as & for free People to all Intents and Purposes; that is to say, George, Alice, & Judah (who have been at Liberty some time) from henceforward; London George Isaac when they arive to twenty one Years of Age; Girls Sarah & Phillis when they arive to eighteen Years of Age, then to be at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves as free Men and Women without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons whatsoever claiming or to claim by from or under Me: further covenanting for myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of us to do out best Endeavours to teach or cause to be taught the young ones to read the Bible: and lastly I do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of us in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this Government unto the afs.d Negroes & to each of them, to do or execute any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm their just Liberty granted as aforesaid. In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my Hand & affix my Seal this fifth Day of the sixth Month in the Year [...]
of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy six. 1776, Vincent Emerson Witness unto the Sealing & delivery Warner Mifflin John Cowgill John Bowers Record Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by this present Instrument of Writing that I Jonathan Emerson of murthukiln Hundred of Kent County on Delaware (Yeoman) do hereby manu- -mitt & set absolutely free all my Negroes as hereafter particularly named viz Negro Man called Mingo aged as judged, near fifty Years, Andrew a negro an aged about thirty Years, negro Woman called Sidney aged about forty Years, negro Boy Absalom aged about twenty two years, Boy called London aged about twenty Years, Boy called George called about fifteen Years, Chester a Boy aged about fifteen Years, Boy Isaac aged about eight Years, Boy Hepney aged about six Years, Boy Daniel aged about four Years, James a Boy aged about twelve Months: so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for free People, that is to say Mingo, Andrew & Sidney (who have been at Liberty some Time back) and Absalom, from this Day, London, George, Chester, Isaac Hepney Daniel and James when they arive to twenty one Years of Age, then to be at Liberty to act for themselves as free People without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or my Heirs or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from Our best Endeavors to tach or cause to be taught the following named Boys or under Me. And I do also promise for myself & my Heirs that we will do to read the Bible, towitt, London, George Chester & Isaac; and whereas I do therefore hereby invest her with the Perogative over them as if they had been born when she was free: And further do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of them in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds any other or further Act or Deed that they may reasonably require or need in Order to confirm their just Liberty granted as aforesaid. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & affixd my Seal this fifth Day of the sixth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy six. 1776. Jonathan Emerson Sign’d seal’d & deliver’d in presence of us Warner Mifflin John Cowgill William Wilson Baptist Lay Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Know all Men by those presents that I Jane Smith Widow of Duckcreek Hundred in Kent Country on Delaware do hereby manumit & set absolutely free all my Negroes hereafter particularly named Viz my negro Man named Caesar aged twenty one Years & about eight Months; also my negro Woman named Ann aged about thirty sic years; so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People & at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under me forever And further I do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of us in the penal Sum of one hundred pounds lawfull Money of this Government to do & execute an other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them my reasonably require or need in Order to further conform their just Liberty granted as aforesaid. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & affix’d my Seal this eight Day of the Sixth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred seventy and six. 1776. Jane Smith Witness present to the sealing & delivery hereof John Cowgill Warner Mifflin Ezekiel Smith Record Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by these presents that I Barthia Hazel of duckcreek Hundred & County of Kent on Delaware (Widow) do hereby manumit and and set absolutely free negro Peter a Man aged near forty Years (who has had his Liberty some Time back) and also my negro girl named Phebe born the 7th Day of the third Month 1762; so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People, that is to say, Man peter this Day & Girl Phebe when she arives to eighteen Years of Age; to be at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves as free Man & Woman without the Lett Hindrance of Molestation of Me or any under Me. And further I do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Adimi- -nistrators & every of us in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this Government unto each the afs’ Negroes to do or execute any other or need in Order to further confirm their just liberty granted as aforesaid. In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my Hand & affix my Seal this eight Day of the Sixth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred seventy & six. 1776. Barthia Hazel Witness unto the Sealing & delivery John Cowgill Warner Mifflin John Bowers Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Know all Men by these presents that I Robert Register of little creek hundred in Kent Country on Delaware do hereby manumit & set absolutely free my Negro Boy Casar aged about eight years so that henceforth he shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for a free Person, (as if free born) and when he arives to twenty one Years of Age then to be at his own Disposal and at Liberty to act for himself as a free Man to all Intents & Purposes with- -out the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons what- -soever claiming or to claim from or under Me; engaging for myself & my Heirs to do our best Endeavours to teach or cause to be taught the afs’ Boy Casar to read the Bible: and further I do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of us unto him the said Negro Casar in the penal sum of one hundred pounds lawful Money of this Government to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that he may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm his just Liberty granted as aforesaid. In Witness whereof I do hereunto set m Hand & affix my Seal this eleventh Day of the sixth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred & seventy six. 1776. Robert Register Witness present to the Sealing & delivery hereof Before the sealing & delivery hereof the above named Robert Register reserves the above inserted Clause of teaching the above named Boy to read, to his own Pleasure if he sees proper so to do or not. Warner Mifflin Rebecca Stout Record Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by these presents that I Rebeccah Jenkins Widow of Kent County on Delware do hereby manumit & set absolutely free my negro Woman named Mariah aged about twenty two Yeas and her Child called [Lucke] aged about six Years so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged & taken as & for free People that is to say, Woman Mariah from this Day & Girl [Lucke]to remain as an Apprentice to me & my Heirs ‘till she arives to eighteen Years of Age, then to be at their own Dispo- -sal & at Liberty to act for themselves (that is Mariah this Day & Lucke when of lawfull Age afs’) as free Women without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons whatsoever forever every of us to do our best Endeavours to teach or cause to be taught the afs’ negro Girl Lucke to read the Bible. Hereby binding myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of us in the penal Sum of one hundred pounds lawfull Money of this Government to each the afs’ Negroes to do or execute any other or further Act or Deed that they either of them may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm their just Liberty granted as afs’. In Witness whereunto I have to this set my hand and affix’s my Seal this 4th Day of 7th Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred seventy sic. 1776. Rebecca Jenkins [x her mark here] Witness Present John Cowgill Mary Cowgill Ruth Regester Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Know all Men by these presents that I Thomas Sharpless of [St] Georges Hundred in Nw Castle Country on Delaware, Miller, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my negro Girl called Dido aged thirteen Years & four Months; so that henceforth she shall be deemed adjudged & taken as & for a free Person; and when she arives to eighteen Years of Age then to be at Liberty to act for herself as a free Woman, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me: further promising also to teach or cause to be taught the afs’d negro Girl Dido (that is to do my best Endeavours to teach or cause to be taught) to read the Bible. And lastly I do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of us in the penal Sum of one hundred pounds lawfull Money of this Government unto the above named Dido to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that she may reasonably need or require for to further confirm her just Liberty granted as afs’d. In Testimony whereof I do hereunto set my Hand & affix my Seal this eighteenths Day of the seventh Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six 1776. Thomas Sharpless Witness present Warner Mifflin Benjamin Dawson Record, Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by these presents that I Thomas Edmond Jon Farmer of Kent County on Delaware do hereby manumit & set absolutely free my negro Man called Jacob aged about twenty eight years & my negro Girl called Cassandra aged about nine Years; so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged & taken as & for free People that is to say the Man Jacob from the Day of the Date hereof & Girl Cassandra to remain as an Apprentice to me & my Heirs untill she drives to the Age of eighteen Years, & then to be at her own Disposal & at Liberty to act for herself as a free Woman. both which above named black People in above Manner & Time I do declare and certify absolutely free & by these presents do invest with the full & universal Liberty of his & her Person, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me or any other Person or Persons claiming or making Pretensse of claim or Right derived from or under Me: also promising and binding myself my Heirs Executors Administrators or Assigns herby to do my best Endeavour or their best Endeavours to teach or cause to be taught the s’d Negro Girl to read the Bible. For the punctual Performance of all every of the above Covenants I bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & Assigns in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this Government to each the afores’ Negroes, & to do or execute any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need in Order to confirm furthermore their just Liberty granted as afs’. In Witness whereunto I have to this set my hand & seal this 30th Day of the 7th Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy six. 1776. Thomas Edmondson Witness present Warner Mifflin Samuel Williams Joseph Jenkins Record, Examined Warner Mifflin
Whereas Anthony Woodcock & his Wife Elizabeth late the Widow of Jonathan Molleston did, by a Deed of marriage Settlement duly made & executed bearing Date the 17th Day of 7 Month 1775 (passed unto Isaiah Rowland) among other things therein men= =tioned, transfer in trust for her the afs’d Elizabeth eight Negroes whose Names are particularly hereafter cited & express’d, and in said Deed is a Paragraph as follows viz “And it is hereby agreed that if the said Anthony Woodcock & Elizabeth Molleston (now Woodcock) should agree to set the said Negroes free, tat then the s’d Isaiah Rowland shall in such Case give the s’d Negroes a full Discharge, anything herein to the [contia=] =vy notwithstanding,�: And Whereas it is agreed by each the Parties that is to say Anthony Woodcock & Elizabeth his Wife (Isaiah Rowland thereunto consenting by signing his Name for that Purpose hereunto) to according by set all the s’d Negroes free,, Now to all whom this many come Know Ye that Anthony Woodcock & Elizabeth his Wife of muspilion Hundred in Kent County on Delaware, do hereby manumit & set absolutely free the following named Negroes, that is Mingo aged about seventy Years, Peter aged about fifty-two years; Solomon aged about forty six years; Mariah aged about sixty years; Hannah aged about twenty Years; Jack a Boy aged about seven Years; Mariah Jun. a Girl aged about five Years; & Phillis a Girl aged about two Years: so that henceforth the afs’d Negroes shall be deemed adjudged and taken as & for free People, that is to say, Mingo, Peter, Solomon, Mariah, & Hannah from this Day to be free at Liberty to act for themselves, & Jack when he arives to twenty one & Girls Mariah Jun. & Phillis when they arive to eighteen Years of Age then to be also at their Liberty & free to act for themselves as free Men & Women to all Intents & Purposes without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of them the s’d Anthony Woodcock & Elizabeth his Wife or if Isaiah Rowland by Virtue of any Claim from any Right deriv’d as afs’d, or of any or either of their Heirs, Executors, Administrators or any other Person or Persons claiming by from or under them or either of them forever. And further they the said Anthony Woodcock & Elizabeth his Wife do covenant & agree to do their best Endeavours to teach or cause to be taught the young ones to read the Bible. In Witness whereunto the Parties above named have hereunto set their Hands and affix’d their Seals this fifteenth Day of the eleventh Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy six. 1776. [N. 13] it is further covenanted that a Boy called Jacob aged one Month, the Child of Negro Hannah above named, be free as the others on his arival to twenty one Years of Age & to be educated as the other young ones. Anthony Woodcock Elizabeth Woodcock Isaiah Rowland Witness present unto Anthony Woodcock’s & Isaiah Rowland’s signing Warner Mifflin Baptist Lay Witness present unto Elizabeth Woodcocks signing Warner Mifflin Thomas Bowman Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Whereas I Jonathan Neall of mutherkiln hundred & County of Kent on Delaware did by at an Instrument of Writing under my Hand & Seal daters 1st Day of 3d Month 1775 manumit three several Negroes as therein was specify’d viz James then aged upwards of thirty Years, & had been at his Liberty upwards of two Years as therein also certify’d: Simon then aged ten Years & an half & Aaron then aged six Years and nine Months. Now for the more full Confirmation to each of them their natural legal & unalienable Rights of Personal Liberty, do testify and declare that I do absolutely manumitt, sett free, & forever quit Claim to he above negro Man James, so that henceforth he be deemed adjudged & taken for a free Man to all Intents & Purposes: and in like Manner Simon & Aaron when they arive to Age of twenty one Years, reserving to myself their Tuition & Guardianship ‘till s’d Time; obliging & hereby binding myself my Heirs Executors Administrators to teach or cause s’d Boys to be taught to read the Bible within s’d Term. As Also my Negro Woman *Hagar not in former Manumission as Reference above, (she not being then in my Power or Possession) do as above & as fully manu- -mitt & declare free and at her own Disposal from the Date hereof: obliging my- self my Heirs Executors or Administrators as afs’ to do or execute any other Act or Deed that may be requested reasonably by them or either of them for heir more full and necessary Confirmation of full & absolute Liberty as aforesaid. For the true Performance whereof I bind myself, my Heirs, Executors, & Administrators afs’ to each of the s’d Negroes in the lawfull Sum of one hundred Pounds current Money of this Government to be recovered by Suit at Law by s’d Negroes from Me my Heirs, Executors, & Administrations afs’d or from any other Person or Persons under me making or pretending to derive claim. In Testimony have set my hand & Seal this 22d Day of the 1st Month 1777. Jonathan Neall Witness present Warner Mifflin John Dickinson John Bowers Record Examined Warner Mifflin *The Negroe Woman named Hagar mentioned not to be in the former Manumission had formerly belonged to him, and his wife for an affront in a [Passim] put her on Bond a Vessel just going to Carolina, for which place the Vessel turned into by sailed and, and the [Shipper] thereof sold her and made use of the Money, and died [concerning] no estate; so that Jonathan never got one far thing of it; and had two journies to Carolina before he could get her from the Man that had her, and then was obliged to give 100 Pounds beside the experience of 2 journies; he then bought her back and set her free, and his wife gave in a Paper to the Monthly Meeting Condemning her Conduct therein which was accepted as satisfactory, inasmuch as the Negroe was free’d
I Jonathan Hunn of [muspition] Hundred in Kent County on Delaware do hereby manutmit & set free all my Negroes hereafter particularly named Towitt my negro Man named Caesar aged about fifty Years (who has been at Liberty about eight years; Woman named Phebe aged upwards of thirty Years (who has been at Liberty about three years) & her Girl named Amey age about fourteen Years, her 2nd Girl Phebe aged about nine Years; her 3rd Girl Mariah aged about six Years & her boy John aged about two Years & her […] aged about two Months; also Woman named Thene, aged about twenty-two Years & her Son Caro aged about four Years; also Boy Anthony judged twelve Years of Age; Boy Daniel judged to be ten Years of Age: so that henceforth the afs’d Negroes shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for free People to all Intents and Purposes, that is to say, Caesar, Caro, Phebe and Thene from this Day to be at their own Disposal; and the Children of Phebe to be under her Government & at her Disposal ‘till they arive to lawfull Age that is Girls Amey Phebe Mariah […] ’till they arive to eighteen Years of Age & Boy John ‘till he arives to twenty one Years of Age: as also Woman Thene to likewise have the disposing Power of her Son Caro ‘till he shall arive to twenty one Years of Age: then all of them to be at Liberty to act as free Men and Women without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming by from or under Me forever And in like Manner also the Boys Anthony & Daniel (whose Time I reserve ‘till they arive to twenty one Years of Age) then to be free as aforesaid. In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my Hand & affix my Seal this 28th Day of the second Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy seven. 1777. Jonathan Hunn Sealed & acknowledged in the presence of Robert Holliday Ezekiel Cowgill Warner Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin I Alexander Mecay of Cedar Creek hundred in the County of Sussex on Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free all my Negroes as hereafter particularly named towitt Woman named Esther (who I manumitted some Time ago) and her three Children viz her girl Esther aged seven Years; her Girl named Alice aged five Years; her Boy named John aged three years: s that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged & taken as & for free People to all Intents & Purposes; that is to say, Woman Esther (who has been at her own Disposal as afs’) from this Day: but believing it just & equitable to reference the time of the young ones ‘till they shall arive of lawfulll age, do therefore reserve the Government & Direction of the Girls viz Esther & Alice ‘till they shall arive to eighteen Years of Ago, & of the Boy John ‘till he shall arive to twenty one Years of Age: then they and each of them (when ariv’d to the afs’d Ages) to be at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming by from or under Me forever. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and & affix’d my Seal this third Day of the third Month in the Year of or Lord one thousand seven hundred seventy seven 1777. Alexander Mecay Witness Present Isaiah Rowland Naomi Mecay [X her mark] Warner Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Whereas my Father Jaber Jenkins did by his Will and Testament give and bequeath me a Legacy of a Negro Man called Samuel Bunaee, and whereas I Jaber Jenkins of Kent County on Delaware, Chaise-Maker believe it to be the natural equitable and just Right of all Men to have the Liberty of disposing of their Persons and Property, for which Reason, I do hereby renounce all Claim & Demand whatsoever unto the arbitrary Perogative I might be tolerated in by the Laws & Usages of the Land, and set him the afs’d Samuel Bungee absolutely free, so that henceforth he shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for a free Man to all Intents & Purposes, and at Liberty to act for himself without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claim- -ing or to claim by from or under Me forever. And also do relinquish any Claim or Demand to any Hire or Wages he may have earned since my Fathers Death (he being let to his Liberty by Warner Mifflin, Executor to my Father, the greater Past of the Time since) & will to have refunded to him all such Sums of Money by him paid unto Warner Mifflin as Executors afs’d all which I do hereby likewise fully authorise Warner Mifflin to do and perform, without being answerable to Me; hereby fully releasing and aquiting him condoning thereof. In Testimony whereof I do hereunto set my Hand & affix my Seal this tenth Day of the fourth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & Seventy Seven 1777. Jaber Jenkins Witness present to the Acknowledgm’t hereof Warner Mifflin Daniel Mifflin Ann Holliday Record Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by these presents that I John George of Kent County on Delaware Farmer, do hereby manumit & set absolutely free all my Negroes hereafter particularly named Towitt negro Woman called Doll aged about thirty eight Years; negro Man called Jeffery aged about thirty five years; (who has been at his Liberty upwards of a Year) Woman called Nell aged upwards of twenty Years; her Child named Charles born in the 12th Month 1774. Also the Children of Doll above named Towitt her Daughter Esther aged eighteen Years & eight Months; her Boy called Sam born 1st Month 1761; Girl Called Pegg born in the 5th Month 1763; Girl called Bett born in the 9th Month 1766; Boy called Caleb born in the 8th Month 1769; and her Boy named Charles born in the 12th Month last: so that henceforth the afs’d Negroes shall be deemed adjudged & taken as & for free People to all Intents and Purposes; hereby renouncing all Claim on or over them for myself my Heirs, Executors, Administrators & every of us forever, as Slaves: in which I might have been tolerated by the Customs & Usages of the Land: declaring the afs’d Negroes Doll, Jeffery, Nell & Esther from this Day forth to be at their own Disposal and at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming by from or under Me forever. But Believing it Right to retain the young ones the young ones ‘till they arive to lawfull Age, do therefore reserve the same over Boys […] Caleb & Charles […] Doll afs’d and Charles the Son of Woman Nell till they shall arive to twenty one Years of Age; Girls Pegg & Bett ‘till they shall arive to eighteen Years of Age [...]
Then each & every of them (when arrived to the ads’d Ages) to be at their own Disposal & at Liberty to Act as afs’d as free Men & Woman. In Testimony whereunto I have hereunto set my Hand and affix’d my Seal this twentieth Day of the fourth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy seven. 1777. John George Witness present to the Acknowledgm’t hereof Warner Mifflin Rachel George Daniel Mifflin Record, Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by those presents that I David register of Kent County on Delaware Weaver do hereby manumit and set absolutely free all the following named Negroes from Slavery Twit Boy called Nero aged twelve Years & five Months; Boy called George aged six years & sic Months; Boy named Daniel aged three Years & ten Months: So that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People: And when they shall arive to lawfull Age, that is twenty one, then each of them to be at Liberty to act for themselves as free Men without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. Witness my Hand and Seal this eleventh Day of the fifth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy seven. 1777. David Register Witness present to the Acknowledgm’t hereof Warner Mifflin Ezekiel Cowgill Robert Regester Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by these Presents that we Thomas & Elizabeth Bowman of muspilion Hundreed in the County of Kent in Delaware, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free the following named Negroes Towitt Jack an old Man, & Nanny his Wife aged about fifty Years; Man Thomas aged about forty Years, & his Wife Sarah aged about thirty sic Years (all of whom have been at their own Disposal near three Years) negro Cato aged about twenty three Years; Thomas the youngest aged about twenty one Years Boy named Isaac aged thirteen Years & two Months; & the Children of Thomas & Sarah towitt Esther aged about thirteen Years; Tom aged about ten Years; Boy Anthony aged about eight Years Girl Sarah aged one Year & three Months: [&] also a negro Girl named Dinah aged about nine Years: so that henceforth they the afs’d Negroes shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People; that is Jack & Nany his Wife; Thomas and Sarah his Wife; Cato & Thomas the younger to be & remain at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves as free Men & Women without the Sett Hin- -drance or Molestation of us or any Person claiming or to claim by from or under us or either of us forever; as also Boys Isaac, Tom & Anthony when they shall arive to the Age of twenty one Years; & Esther, Sarah & Dinah when they shall arive to eighteen
Years of Age, then likewise to be at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves as the others above named: But inasmuch as Sarah the Child of Thomas & Sarah was born since they have been for themselves, We therefore resign the Governm’t to them over her ‘till she arives of lawfull Age. In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our Hands & affix’d our Seals his 24th Day of 5 Month. 1777. Thomas Bowman Elizabeth Bowman Witness present to the Acknowledm’t hereof Anthony Woodcock Warner Mifflin Elizabeth Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin I Martha Williams of [St] Georges Hundred, New Castle County on Delaware Widow, do hereby manumitt and set absolutely free my negro Man Thomas aged about twenty five Years, so that henceforth he shall be adjudged, deemed, & taken as and for a free Man to all Intents & Purposes, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me my Heirs or Assigns or any other Person or Persons whatever: but that he shall be at his own Disposal to all Intents & Purposes. An further I do hereby oblige Me my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of us to do or execute any other or further Act or Deed for the further confirming or establishing the said negro Man called Thomas his Freedom & Liberty, that the monthly Meeting of the People called Quakers of Duck-creek from time ti time may thing requisite to direct or order, to which I do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & Assigns unto Negro Thomas as afs’d in the penal Sum of fifty Pounds sterling Money of Great Britain for complying therewith. In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my Hand and affix my Seal this twenty second Day of second Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred seventy and five 1775. Martha Williams [X her mark] Witness present Warner Mifflin William Wilson Susanna Turner Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Know all Men by these presents that I Edward Fisher of muspilion Hundred in Kent County on Delaware, Farmer, do hereby manumit & set absolutely free the following named Negroes, Towitt, negro Woman called Nan aged about thirty-five Years and her Child named Lydia aged about twelve Months; also Woman called Ambo aged about twenty Years; Girl named Judah aged seventeen Years; Girl Rhoda aged fourteen Years & two Months; Boy Peter aged three years & 2 Months Girl Comfort aged three Years & about one Month: so that henceforth the afs Negroes shall be deemed, adjudged and taken as and for free People to all Intents & Purposes as though they were born free, that is to say Woman Nan from this Day, as also her Child Lydia to be under her Direction ‘till it arives of lawfull Age; negro Woman Ambo also this Day free; & Girls Judah, Rhoda, & Comfort when they arive to eighteen Years of Age; and Boy Peter when he arives to twenty one Years of Age: then all to be at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for them- -selves as free People without the Lett Hindrance, or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons whatsoever forever claiming or to claim by from or under Me: hereby binding myself; my Heirs, Executors, Administrators & every of us in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds, lawfull Money of this Government to each the afs’d negroes to do or execute any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm their just Priviledge granted as afs’d. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & affix’s my Seal this twenty-seventh Day of the sixth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy six. 1776. Edward Fisher Sign’d seal’d & deliver’d in presence of us Warner Mifflin Jemima Bowman Record Examined Warner Mifflin I Thomas Nock of murtherkiln hundred & County of Kent on Delaware fully persuaded in my own Breast of the Iniquity of detaining my fellow Men in Bondage & believing it to be the natural equitable & unalienable Right of all Men to have the Liberty of disposing of thei Persons & Property, do from the full Conviction thereof renounce & forever disclaim all Right or Demand, for my [sey] & my [successors], to to the arbitrary Perogative I might have been tolerate of in by the partial Law of the Land, over all the following Negroes viz Sarah a negro Woman aged fifty nine Years; Alice a negro Woman aged near forty one Years; George a negro Man aged about thirty-nine Years; Mingo a negro Man aged thirty one Years; Jonathan a negro Man aged twenty eight Years & 7 Months; Lydia a negro Woman aged 25 1/2 Years; Demby a negro Man aged 24 Years & ten Months Bett a negro Woman aged twenty three Years; Nell a negro Woman aged twenty Years
and Avis a negro Girl aged near 16 Years, all of which have been at their Liberty above two Years, except Avis whose Tie I reserve ‘till she arives to eighteen Years of Age; & the Majority of them have had proper Discharges from under my Hand & Seal: and the Children of Lydia viz Richard born the 11th Day of [the] 11th Months 1772; & Mary born the 29th Day of 1st Month 1774; and Mingo born (since she was at Liberty)the 9th Day of the 12th Month 1775. Likewise Bell’s Children born since her Discharge from me viz Ann born the 27th Day of 7th Month 1773; James born 19th of 3’d Month 1775: Also Nells born (since her being at Liberty called Anthony) the 11th of 9th Month 1776, all which Children I surrender up to their Months Tuition till the Boys arive to twenty one Years & the Girls to eighteen Years of Age then free as aforesaid. All and every of said Negroes as above specify’d & their Posterity forever I do declare absolutely free & at Liberty to act for themselves (young ones at Ages above specify’d) without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. And on any attempt ade to Deprive them or either of them of their just Liberty granted as afs’d by Me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person claiming or pretending to derive Right from us or either of us I do hereby authorize them or either of them to stand for himself herself or themselves and to produce this (or a Copy hereof from the Clerk of duckcreek monthly Meeting for the Time being of the People called Quakers, or if no monthly Meeting of said People be then and there held, then a certifying that such Record) appear’d among the Records of the s’d Meeting) it shall be a special and sufficient Evidence for them or either of them; & or Action to recover one hundred Pounds current lawfull Money of this Government as forfeited by such Attempt with all Costs they may be at in prosecuting the same from such of us as may attempt as aforesaid. In Testimony I have hereunto set my hand & affix’d my Seal this twenty-fifth Day of the sixth Month one thousand seven hundred & seventy seven 1777. Thomas Nock Sealed & acknowldg’d in presence of James Nock Joseph Jenkins Record Examined Warner Mifflin
To all whom this may come Know ye that I Isaac Lowber of Kent County on Delaware Farmer, out of a conscientious Discharge of my Duty and doing Justice to them, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my following named Negroes towitt Charles my negro Man age about thirty nine Years, & Mingo my negro Man aged about thirty five Years; and Prince my negro Man aged about thirty three Years; & my negro Girl Bett aged fourteen Years the fifteenth Day of the eleventh Month last 1774. So that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged and taken as & for free Men and Woman, that is to say, my negro Man Charles Mingo & Prince this Day, and negro Girl Bett when she arives to the Age of eighteen Years; to be free & at their own Disposal to act to all Intents & Purposes as other free Men and Women for themselves, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation; and I do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors, and Administrators, in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this Government unto each of the above named Negroes, towitt Charles Mingo Prince & Bett, that I or my heirs Executors, Administrators, or some of us will and shall do & execute any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need for further confirming and Ratifying unto them their just right and Priviledge; which is hereby intended to be granted unto them as firmly and as amply as any Person enjoys the same, that is the absolute Disposal of their Persons: believing it to be the natural & inherit ant Right of all Mankind. In Witness whereof I hereunto set my hand & affix my Seal this eighteenth of the 3rd Month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy five. 1775. Isaac Lowber Witnesses Present Rachel [] Bowers John Bowers Marryann Bowers the above negro man Charles is the Negro refer’d to in Margin of 24th Manumission Page No. of this Book. Record Examined Warner Mifflin
I Daniel Mifflin of Kent County on Delaware Merchant do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my negro Boy named Abram born the 16th Day of the 1st Month 1763 so that henceforth he shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for a free Person as fully as though he was free born; & to remain with Me as an Apprentice ‘till he shall arive to lawfull Age [] twenty one years, then to be at his own Disposal at Liberty to act for himself as a free Man with- out the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming by from or under Me forever. In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my Hand and affix my Seal this fourth Day of the seventh Month in the year of our Lord on thousand seven hundred seventy & seven. 1777 Daniel Mifflin Witness Present to the Ackno -ledgement hereof. Warner Mifflin Joseph Jenkins Record, Examined Warner Mifflin The five following Manumissions were executed by a Friend, a Merchant, of the City of Philadelphia, for Slaves whom he heretofore sold in this our Government, & late redeemed by Consideration to their Masters paid and s’d slaves manumitted, continuing still to dwell among us, ’twas thought proper that their Manumissions be admitted to Record among the Manumissions of this Meeting.
Whereas I Joshua Fisher of Philadelphia Merchant did some Years ago sell and dispose of a certain negro Man named James as a Slave but have since (upon Consideration that in so doing I exercised a Power which, however it may be navigated by the Laws of the Land, one human Creature cannot & ought not to have over another) purchased him from John [Harmanson] his last Master with a View of setting him free. Now therefore know all Men, that I the said Joshua Fisher, from an Apprehension that It is my Duty as a Christian to do, have and by these presents do for myself my Heirs & Executors fully and absolutely manumit and set free the said James whom would hereafter call by the Name of James Freeman, hereby fully acquitting and discharging the said James Freeman of and from all Manner of Claim & Demand of Me or any Person whatsoever claiming by from or under Me. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and & Seal the nineteenth Day of the April one thousand seven hundred & seventy six. Joshua Fisher Seal’d & Deliver’d in the presence of us Hugh Hing Samuel R. Fisher. Record Examined Warner Mifflin Whereas I Joshua Fisher of Philadelphia Merchant did some Years ago sell & dispose of a certain negro Man named Cato as a Slave, but have since (upon Consideration that in so doing I exercised a Power which, however it may be navigated by the Laws of the Land, one human Creature cannot and ought not to have over another) purchased him from Gilbel- -cher Parker his last Master with a View of setting him free. Now therefore know all Men, that I the said Joshua Fisher, from an Apprehension that It is my Duty as a Christian to do, have & by these presents do for myself my Heirs and Executors fully and absolutely manumit and set free the said Cato, whom I would hereafter call by the Name of Cato Freeset hereby fully acquitting and discharging the said Cato Freeset of and from all Manner of Claim & Demand of Me or any Person whatsoever claiming by from or under Me. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & Seal the twen- -ty-ninth Day of the eight Month one thousand seven hundred & seventy six. Joshua Fisher Signed and deliver’d in the presence of us John [Hazzard] Willliam Hazzard Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Whereas I Joshua Fisher of Philadelphia Merchant did some Years ago sell & dispose of a certain negro Woman named Sue as a Slave, but have since (upon Consideration that in so doing I exercis’d a Power which, however it may be Warranted by the Laws of the Land, one human Creature cannot and ought not to have over another) purchased from his last Master Levin Mibly her son Paris with a View of setting him free, the said Sue being deceased; Now Therefore Know all Men, that I the said Joshua Fisher, from an Appre- -hension that It is my Duty as a Christian so to do, have and by these presents do for myself my Heirs and Executors fully and absolutely manumit and set free the said Paris whom I would hereafter call by the Name of Paris Freedom hereby fully acquit- -ting and discharging the said Paris Freedom of and from all manner of Claim and Demands of Me or any Person whatsoever claiming by from or under Me. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the twenty fourth Day of the tenth Month. 1776. Joshua Fisher Sealed and deliver’d in the presence of us Thomas Robinson Samuel Rowland Record Examined Warner Mifflin Whereas I Joshua Fisher of Philadelphia Merchant did some Years ago sell & dispose of a certain negro Woman named Sue as a Slave, but have since (upon Consideration that in so doing I exercised a Power which, however it may be warranted by the Laws of the Land, one human Creature cannot and ought not to have over another) purchased from her last Master Levin Mibly her daughter Sabina with a View of setting her free the said Sue being deceased; Now Therefore know all Men, that I the said Joshua Fisher, from an Apprehension that tt is my Duty as a Christian so to do, have and by these presents do for myself my Heirs & Executors fully and absolutely manumit and set free the said Sabina whom I would hereafter call by the Name of Sabina Freedom, hereby fully acquitting and discharging the said Sabina Freedom of and from, all manner of Claim and Demands of Me or any Person what- -soever claiming by from or under Me. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this twenty fourth Day of the tenth Month. 1776. Joshua Fisher Sealed and deliver’d in the presence of us Thomas Robinson Samuel Rowland Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Whereas I Joshua Fisher of Philadelphia Merchant did some Years ago sell & dispose of a certain negro named Jem as a slave, but have since (upon Consideration that in so doing I exercised a Power which, however it may be Warranted by the Laws of the Land, one human Creature cannot and ought not to have over another) purchased from his last Master John Burton Senior, his son Cato with a Viewof setting him free. (the said Jem being already by me unpurchased and manumitted by the Name of James Freeman.) Now Therefore Know all Men, that I the said Joshua Fisher, from an Apprehension that it is my Duty as a Christian so to do, have and by these presents do for myself my Heirs & Executors fully and absolutely manumit and set free the said Cato whom I would hereafter call by the Name Cato Freeman, hereby fully acquitting and discharging the said Cato Freeman of and from all manner of Claim and Demands of Me or any Person whatsoever claiming by from or under Me. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & Seal the 26th Day of 10th Month. 1776. Joshua Fisher Sealed & deliver’d in the presence of us Thomas Robinson. Samuel Rowland Record Examined Warner Mifflin The following Manumissions were executed by a Friend living within the Confines of Virginia, in which Place there being no monthly Meet- -ing of Friends settled to him contiguous, his Manumissions and there- -fore admitted to Record here as deemed a Member Resident of this Monthly Meeting To all whom this may come Know Ye that I Daniel Mifflin of Accomack County in the Colony of Virginia , Farmer, being convinced of the Iniquity & Injustice of detaining my fellow Creatures in Bondage (it being contrary to the standing & perpetual Command unjoined by our blessed Lord to his followers to do unto others as we would they should do by us) and also further believing that after such Manifestation and Conviction made known, the continuing in Violation thereof will in our his Displeasure, & debar me of the Enjoyment of the Peace promised to his faith- -full Followers, & therefore believing it to be my Indispensable Duty, in Obedience to his Requirings & Command as aforesaid, to grant to them their Natural just & inherent Right & Priviledge, the Liberty of their Persons (which I do hereby manumit & set absolutely free from a [fate] of Slavery & unnatural Bondage the following particularly named Negroes towitt James a young man […]
the 5th Day of the 8th Month the 1762; Daniel born the 13th Day of 11th Month. 1760; Girl Searborough born in the 8th Month 1766; Boy Robert born the 19th of the 3rd ‘ Month 1766; Girl Sal born […] ; Boy Littleton born […] & Boy Abraham born on or about the 28th day of 12th Month. 1770; the Children of negro Woman named Leah towitt Betty Girl born the [1] Month 1760; Boy Abram born the 16th Day of 1 Month 1763; Girl Sabra, born the [1] Day of 7 Month 1765; and Boy Sampson born in the Spring 1769; & Boy Isaac born […] the Children of Woman named Sarah towitt Boy Daniel born the […] Girl Thamar born […] So that they from henceforth be deemed adjudged & taken as and for free People, that is to say, the male towitt Ben, Fisher, Ned, Sam, Jacob, Ben, Jonathan, Abel, Stephen, York Moses, Andrew, George, Arthur, Jacob, Levin, Beniah, Daniel, Robert, Littleton, Abraham, Abram, Sampson, Isaac, Daniel & James, when they arive to the Age of twenty one years; and the female towitt Hannah, Rhoda, Betty, Peggy, Nanny, Rhoda, Charity, Hannah, Tabitha, Rebecca, Esther, Leah, Betty, Patience, Jude, Candis, Rachel. Barbary, Judith, Peggy, Dinah, Nanny, Comfort, Scarborough, Sal, Betty, Sabra, & Thamar, when they arive to the age of eigh- -teen years; their to be at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves. & shall be deemed, adjudged, & taken as & for free Men and Women without the Lett Hindrance, or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons whatsoever; & to be at full & free Liberty to appear for themselves & each in their own proper Names as free Men & Women to vindicate their Liberty against Respect. And I do hereby also lay it as a Charge on my Children that none of them attempt, by Colour of Right authorized by any unjust Law usage or Custom that may tolerate them in such attempt, to deprive them of their Liberty as aforesaid:my Intention being hereby to set them in the full Enjoyment of Freedom, believing it to be their just Right assigned them by the Supreme Creator of all, in common with the Rest of Mankind: hereby also […]
laying it as a Charge on the Consciences of the Courtsor Jurys before whom this may be brought that they particularly attend to this Evidence in Favor of the poor Negroe’s equitable Liberty; & also to consider the Consequences when a Day of final Reckoning overtakes them if they wrongfully oppress their fellow Men. In Witness whereof I do hereunto set my Hand and affix my Seal the is eight Day of the fourth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy five. 1775. Daniel Mifflin Witness present hereunto Warner Mifflin. Baptist Lay. Walker Mifflin. I do hereby certify that I fully approbate my Husband’s executing the foregoing Manumission for the Freedom of the Negroes therein named Witness my Hand. Ann Mifflin The foregoing and following Manumissions Manumissions were delivered into my possession by my Father Daniel Mifflin to be recorded which is now Done and examined by Warner Mifflin. To all whom this may come Know Ye that I Daniel Mifflin of Accoinack County in the Colony of Virginia Farmer being fully convinced of the Iniquity & Injustice of detaining my fellow Creatures in Bondage (it being contrary to the standing & perpetual Command enjoined by our blessed Lord to his followers, to do unto others as we would they should do unto us) and also further believing that after such Manifestation & Conviction made known the continuing in open Violation thereof will incur his Displeasure & prevent his Peace (promised to his faithfull Followers) being handed fourth to Me. Therefore believing it to be my indispensable Duty in Obedience to his Requirings & Command as aforesaid to grant unto them their natural just and inherent Right and Priviledge, which they are intituled unto by Nature, under the Consideration & Conviction aforesaid, I do hereby declare all the Negroes Hannah, Peter, & Will antient Negroes, Binah Ben, Jude, Esther, James, George & Charity judged at fifty years & upwards Barbary, & Moll upwards of forty years of Age; Sarah, Peggy, James (called Kent) Ladock & George (called Healpone) & Polly aged thirty years & upwards; […]
Woman called, Dublin-Leah, aged about twenty nine years; Rachel Woman aged about thirty, Man Ned, Joshua, & Woman Phebe upwards of twenty one; Nimrod Man under thirty Years of Age; Jeoran a Man aged near thirty seven years; Thamar a Woman aged near thirty five years; Leah Woman aged upwards of thirty-two years; Patience Woman aged upwards of thirty years; Jude Woman aged thirty years, about; Sophia Woman aged near thirty years; Man called Gilbert aged twenty eight— years; Perry a Man aged upwards of twenty-five years, Lydia Woman aged about twenty four years; Man named John aged upwards of twenty one years; Woman named Isabella aged about twenty years; Woman named Sarah, Daughter of negro Esther, aged about nineteen years; So that henceforth they the aforesaid Negroes, every & each of them shall be deemed, adjudged & taken as and for free Men and Women to all Intents and Purposes without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me my Heirs Executors, or any other Person or Persons whatsoever: but that they be at their own disposal & at liberty to act for themselves as free Men & Woman; and at full and free Liberty as free Men & Women each in their own proper Names to vindicate their natural & just Right, the Liberty of their Persons against my Person or Persons that may attempt to deprive them of the same in any Respect whatsoever. And I do hereby lay it as a Charge on my Children that none of them attempt (by Colour of any unjust Law, Usage or Custom that may tolerate them in such Attempt) to deprive them of their Liberty as aforesaid: my Intention being hereby to set them in the Enjoyment of Freedom, believing it is them their just Right assigned them by the Supreme Creator of all, in common with the Rest of Mankind, hereby also laying it as a Charge on the Consciences of the Courts or Jurys before whom this may be brought, that they particularly attend to the is Evi- -dence in favor of the poor Negroe’s equitable Liberty: and also to consider the Consequence, when a Day of final Reckoning overtakes them, if they wrongfully oppress their fellow Men. And further do direct that the following named Negroes, having spent the Prime of their Time in my Service, & I do hereby promise & engage for them, that they be entitu- -led to a Maintainance when needed from my Estate, towitt Nanny […]
Binah, Ben, Jude, (dublin); Jude, Hannah, Esther, Peter, Will George, James, Charity, Moll, Barbary & Sarah. In Witness whereunto I have set my Hand and affixed my Seal this eighth Day of the fourth Month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five. 1775 Daniel Mifflin Witness present hereunto I do hereby signify my full & entire Approbation Warner Mifflin my Husband's executing the foregoing Manumission Baptist Lay for the freeing the Negroes therein particularly named Walker Mifflin Witness my Hand Ann Mifflin Record Examined Warren Mifflin Copy of an Indenture made & executed by Daniel Mifflin Senior and Junior, for Freedom of Slaves according to an Act of Assembly of Maryland, Recorded Court of Worcestr (for Reference of above Attains see Margin [of ]page)
do covenant & agree to & with the said Negroes & their Heirs, that they are by these presents forever manumitted & set free, and that We the st hereof Warner Mifflin William Wilson Jospeph Nock Elizabeth Wilson Recorded, Examined Warner Mifflin
I Mary Nock of Duckcreek Hundred in Kent County on the Dela- ware do hereby manumit & set absolutely free all my Negroes as hereafter particularly named towitt Isaac young Man aged […] […] and Hampshire a Boy aged born in [4th day] 9th Month. 1765, and Patience a Girl aged […] so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for free People, but to remain with Me & under my government and Direction as Apprentices ‘till they arive to lawfull Age, that is to say, Isaac & Hampshire ‘till they arive to twenty one Years of Age, and Girl Patience ‘till she arives to eighteen Years of Age, then to be at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves as free Men and Woman without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claiming by from or under Me forever: And further, I do bind myself my Heirs, Executors, Administrators, and every of us in the penal Sum of one Hundred Pounds lawful Money of this Government to each the aforesaid Negroes. to be recovered from such of us as may attempt to deprive them or either of them of their just Liberty granted aforesaid by either of them on whom such Attempt shall be made. And I do further bind every of us in the Sum to do or execute any other or further Act as they or either of them may rea= sonably require or need to further confirm their Liberty as aforesaid. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affix’d my Seal this Day of the 12th Month. in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred seventy & seven. 1777 Mary Nock Sealed & deliv’d in presence of us John Cowgill John Lamborn Isaiah Rowland Mary Swayne Ann Holliday Record Examined warner Mifflin I Samuel Rowland of Sussex County on Delaware Yeoman do hereby manumit & set absolutely free my Negro Girl called Frances aged about sixteen Years, so that she shall henceforth be deemed ad- -judged and taken for & as a free woman to all Intents & Purposes and at Liberty to act for herself without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever: And I do hereby further bind myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of them in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawful Money of this Govern= -ment unto the aforesaid Negroe Frances, to be recovered of such of us as may […]
attempt to deprive her of her Liberty as aforesaid; and likewise in the same Sum to compel such of us, as may make such an Attempt, to do or per- -form any other Act or Deed that she may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm and establish her just Liberty granted as aforesaid. _ In Witness whereof I do hereto set my Hand & affix my Seal this Eleventh Day of the first Month in the Year of Our Lord one thou- -sand seven Hundred & seventy eight. [NB] I do hereby before the sealing and delivery hereof reserve the Government over the aforesaid Negra Frances, ‘till she arives of lawful Age towitt eighteen, & then to be free as above said. Samuel Rowland Sealed & deliv’d in the presence of Warner Mifflin Isaiah Rowland William Wilson Philena Lay. Susanna Cox Record Examined Warner Mifflin Whereas Isaac Turner of Queens Ann’s County Maryland deed intestate leaving a Widow of several Children, and he in his Life Time having a number of Negroes held as Slaves and Whereas his Widow and Administrator hath since intermarried with Samuel Rowland of Sussex County on Delaware, and by the Laws of the Provence of Mary- land the Widow was intituled to one third part thereof, and the other two thirds divided among the children, that is to say, the Appraised Value, some of which Negroes have been delivered to some of the Chil- -dren & set free. Now Know all Men by these presents that We Samuel and Hanna Rowland do hereby manumit & set absolutely free the residuary Part of the aforesaid Negroes, being the whole that remain in our Possession, towitt Negro Man named Jusey aged about thirty Years, Woman named Pegg about twenty-five years, Woman Phillis aged about Seventeen Years, Boy named David aged about fourteen years, Girl named Cate Aged about eleven Years, Boy named Jacob aged about seven Years, and Boy named Peter about two Years; so that henceforth the aforesaid Negroes shall be deemed adjudged & taken as & for free People, that is to say, Man Jusey and Woman Pegg from this Day to be at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves; and Girls Phillis & Cate when they arive of lawful Age, towitt, Eighteen; and Boy David Jacob and Peter when they arive to lawful Age, towitt, twenty-one; then they, as they arive at the aforesaid Ages, to be at their own Disposal at Liberty to act for themselves as free Men & Women […]
Without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of us or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under us of either of us forever: hereby binding ourselves our Heirs Executors Administrators and every of us unto the aforesaid Negroes and to each of them in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawful Money of the Go= -vernment of the lower Counties on Delaware, to be recovered from such of us as may attempt to deprive them or either of them of their Liberty granted as aforesaid, by such of them on whom such Attempt may be made; as also in the like Sum to compel such as may so attempt, to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm their just Liberty granted as aforesaid. In Witness whereof We have hereunto set our Hands and affixed our Seals this eleventh Day of [the] first Month, in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy Eight. 1778. Samuel Rowland Hannah Rowland [X her mark] Sealed & deliv’d in presence of us Warner Mifflin Isaiah Rowland Isaac Turner John Turner Philena Lay Elizabeth Cowgill Hannah Turner Record Examined Warner Mifflin I Isaac Turner of Sussex County on Delaware Joiner do hereby manumit & set absolutely free my Negro Man called Robert aged about twenty-one Years, so that henceforth he shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for a free Man to all Intents & Purposes, and at Liberty to act for himself, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under me forever. _ And I do further hereby bind Myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of [crossed out them] us in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawful Money of this Government unto the aforesaid Negroe Robert to be recovered from such of us that may attempt to deprive him of his Liberty granted as aforesaid; and likewise in the same Sum to compel such as may make such attempt to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that he may reasonably require or need, in Order to further confirm & establish his just Liberty granted as aforesaid _ this eleventh day of [the] first Month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
Hundred and seventy eight. 1778. Isaac Turner Sealed & delivered in the presence of Warner Mifflin Samuel Rowland [Hannah Rowland X her mark] Isaiah Rowland John Turner Record examined Warner Mifflin Whereas my Father Isaac Turner of Queen Anns County in the Province of Maryland died intestate & left a number of Negroes in Slavery to which I was intituled by an Act of Assembly of said Province to a Dividend with the other Children. And Whereas my Step-Father Samuel Rowland of Sussex County hath this Day agreed to let Me have a negro Girl named Lucy aged about five years which I agree to take for my Share or Dividend thereof. Now Know all Men by this Instrument of Writing that I Hannah Turner of the last mentioned Place, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free the above named Girl Lucy, so that henceforth she shall be deemed, adjudged, & taken as and for a free Person; and when she shall arive to eighteen years of Age, then to be at her own Disposal and at Liberty to act for herself as a free Woman, she & her Posterity forever; without the Sett, Hin- =drance, or Molestation of me, or any other Person or Persons, claiming or to claim, by from or under Me. And further I do hereby bind Myself my Heirs Executors & Administrators and every of us unto the aforesaid negro Girl Lucy in the penal Sum of One Hundred Pounds lawful Money of this Government to be recovered by her from such of us as [&] attempt, to deprive her of her Liberty granted as af’sd & also in the like Sum from such of us [may so] attempt to oblige the doing any other or further Act or Deed that she may reasonably require or need in order to further confirm & establish her just & equitable Liberty granted as afs’. In Testimoney whereof I do hereunto set my Hand and affix my Seal this Eleventh say of [] first Month, one thousand seven Hun- & seventy eight. 1778. Hannah Turner Sealed & deliver’d in presence of us Warner Mifflin Samuel Rowland Susanna Cox Elizabeth Cowgill Isaiah Rowland Record Examined Warner Mifflin
I Samuel Hansen Junior of Little-creek Hundred in Kent County on Delaware, Farmer do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my negro Woman named Grace aged about Thirty two Years, and her children towitt, her Boy named Philand aged about thirteen Years, her Girl Henny aged about ten Years her Boy Charles aged five Years & one Month, Girl Nanny about fourteen Months old; so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged & taken as & for free People, that is to say Woman Grace & her Child named Nanny to be free from Me from this (the Children to be under Power of Disposal of the Mother, the natural Guardian thereof) ‘till she shall arive to lawful Age; and the other three to be & remain under my Government ‘tll they arive to twenty-one, that is to say Boy Philand Charles ‘till they arive to twenty-one Years of Age, and Girl Henny ’till she arives to eighteen Years; then they & everyone of them to be at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves (as Woman Grace is from this Day) without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming or to do by from or under Me forever and further I do hereby bind Myself mu Heirs Executors, Administrators, and every of us in the penal Sum of one Hundred Pounds to be recovered from such of us as may at- =tempt to deprive them or either of them of their just & equit- =able Liberty granted as afs’sd, to be recovered by each of them on whom such attempt may be made; And further also in the like Sum to oblige every of us that may so attempt to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that they may reasonably require or need in Order to secure their Liberty as af’sd. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & affix’d my Seal this twenty-seventh Day of [Yo] first month, in the Year of our Lord, one thousand seven Hundrred and, seventy-eight. 1778. Samuel Hansen Sealed and deliver’d in presence of us Nehemiah Tilton Lydia Hansen Warner Mifflin Record examined Warner Mifflin
Know all Men by this present Instrument of Writing that We Charles & Elizabeth Hillyard of Kent County on Delaware do hereby, from an Apprehension of Duty & a Belief that Freedom is the unalienable & Birth-right of all Men, manumit & set absolutely free all the Negroes we are possessed of as hereafter particularly named Towitt Old Negro Woman Maria, Negro Man named Prince and his Wife Belinda, & their Child named Hannah aged about four Years, their Boy Daniel about ten Months old; Woman Moll (antient) and her Boy named London aged about four Years; Negro Men named Sam, Joe, and Solomon; Woman named Esther, & her Boy named Curtis aged about eighteen Months, who have been set at their Liberty upwards of two years & four Months: also negro Man called Jacob & his Wife Jude, and their Child named Fedilia aged about four Years, who have been at their Liberty upwards of one Year; Negro Man named George aged twenty two Years; Boy named Dick aged eighteen Years; Boy called Scot aged about fourteen Years; Boy called Prince aged eleven Years & ten Months; Girl called Mer aged about fifteen Years, Girl named Maria aged eight Years and ten Months; Girl named Phebe aged about sixteen years; Girl named Henny aged about twelve Years & six Months; Girl named Bett aged about nine years: so that henceforth they the aforesaid Negroes & every of them shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for free People, that is to say: Old Woman Maria Price & his Wife her child London, Men Sam Joe & Solomon; Woman Esther & her child Curtis, Man Jacob & his Wife Jude & their Child Fedilia, together with Man George, each & every to be free & clear of us & our Heirs from this Day forever; the children to be under the Government & Direct- =tion of their respective Parents as free born Children, ‘till they shall arive to lawful Age; then they & evert of them to be at their Liberty to act for themselves as their Parents now are; without the Sett Hin= -drance or Molestation of any Person claiming or to claim by from or under us forever: & Boy Dick, Scot, & Prince when they shall [arive to] twenty one Years of Age, & Girls Mer, Meria, Phebe, Henny and Bett
when they arive to eighteen years of Age, then they & every of them to be at their Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves as the above mentioned who are now free, to be & remain with us & our Heirs as Apprentices ‘till they arive to lawful Age as above specified, then they the afs’ Negroes & their Posterity forever to be free from us & our Heirs. And further we do hereby bind ourselves our Heirs, Executors, Administrators & every of us jointly & severally in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this Government of the lower Counties on Delaware, unto the afore’, Negroes & to each of them, to be recovered by any or either of them, from such of us, or our Heirs as may attempt to deprive them or either of them of their Liberty granted above; as also in the like Sum to compel such of us as may so attempt to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that they the afs’d Negroes or either of them may reasonably require or need in Order To further confirm & establish their just and equitable Liberty granted as above. In witness where we have hereunto set our Hands & affix’d our Seals this 20th Day of [Yo] 4th Month called April in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred & seventy-eight. 1778. Charles Hillyard Elizabeth Hillyard sealed & deliv’d in presence of us Warner Mifflin. Mary Smith Record Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by this present Instrument of Writing that We Henry & John Farson of Duckcreek Hundred in Kent County on Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free the following named Negroes towitt Negro Man called Simon aged about fifty Years, who has been at Liberty about two years; also Woman named Flora aged about fifty Years, who has been paid Wages for three Years; Jacob a Man aged about thirty Years; Abram a Man aged about twenty six years; Rachel a Woman aged about eighteen Years, & her Child named Eben aged two Months & some Days: so that henceforth they they the forenamed Negroes shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for free People to all Intents & Purposes; that is to say Simon Jacob Abram Flora & Rachel from this day to be at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of us or either of us, or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under us or either of us forever either them or their Posterity. And likewise Boy Eben when he shall arive to lawful Age, to be entituled to the same Priviledge of disposing of himself as the others now have. And further we do hereby bind ourselves and each of us, & each of our Heirs Administrators & every of us
Jointly and severally in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawful Money of the lower Counties on Delaware, unto each of the aforesaid Negroes, to be recovered by such of them on whom an At= =tempt may be made to deprive them in any Sort of their Liber= -ty from such of us as may so attempt […] As also in the like Sum of one Hundred Pounds like lawful Money to compel such of us as may so attempt to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm and establish their just & equitable Liberty as aforesaid. In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our Hands and affix’d our Seals this twenty-eighth Day of the fourth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred & seventy eight. 1778. Henry Farson John Farson Signed sealed & deliver’d Isaac Jackson Warner Mifflin David Farson Record Examined Warner Mifflin I Thomas Hanson of the County of Kent on Delwaware, do hereby set free from Bondage my Negro Man named York when he shall arive at the age of twenty-one Years, which will be on the twelfth Day of the fifth Month Anno Domini, one thousand seven Hundred and seventy eight; and do for Myself my Executors & Administra= =tors release unto the said Negro all my Right, and all Claim whatsoever as to his Person, or to any Estate he may acquire, hereby declaring the said Negro Man York absolutely free, without any Interruption from Me, or any Person claiming under Me. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this thirteenth Day of the fourth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred & seventy eight. Thomas Hanson Sealed & delivered in the presence of Isaac Jackson John Churchman Record Examined Warner Mifflin
I Thomas Hanson of Kent County on Delaware do hereby set free from Bondage my hereafter named Negroes [Vir] My Negro Girl named Celia, born [1] Day of 9th Month 1760; also my Negro Girl named Hannah born 22d of 2d Month 1762; also my Negro Boy named Israel born 5th Day of 10th Month 1764; also my Negro Boy named Daniel born 23d Day of 10th Month 1765; also my Negro Boy named Charles born 26th of 3d Month 1767; also my Negro Girl named Barbara born 10th of 6 Month 1769; also my Negro Boy names Aaron aged about […] also my Negro Girl named Martha aged about […] also my afs’d Negro Hannah’s young Child named Rebecca aged about […] whichNegroes, each & every of them I do release from a hate of Slavery hereby declaring that they shall be free as they each arive to lawful Age; that is to say, the Males at the Age of twenty-one Years, & the Females at the age of eighteen Years. And do for Myself, my Executors, and Administrators release unto the s’d Negroes, & to each and every of them, all my Right, & all Claim whatsoever as to their Persons or to any Estate they may acquire; hereby declaring the said Negroes namely Celia Hannah, Israel Daniel Charles, Barbara Aaron Martha and Rebecca absolutely free without any Interruption from Me or any Persons claiming or pretending to claim under Me. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this thirtieth Day of the fourth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred and seventy eight. Thomas Hanson Sealed & delivered in the Presence of Isaac Jackson John Churchman Record Examined Warner Mifflin
I Thomas Hanson of Kent County on Delaware do hereby set free from Bondage my hereafter named Negroes [Viz] my negro Man named Cooper about forty years of Age, who has been a his Liberty & away from me about […] Years: also my negro Woman Ann about forty years of Age & been at her Liberty about […] Years; also my Negro Man Jack about thirty […] Years of Age, who has had his Liberty and away fromMe about two Years; also my Negro Woman named Jude about twenty five Years of Age, who has been at her Liberty about twenty five Years of Age, who has been at her Liberty & away from Me about two years & a half; also my negro Woman named *Joan, who had Liberty &left Me before she was eighteen Years of Age, with her young Chid named Phebe, which child is now about […] And do for Myself my Executors & Administrators release unto the said Negroes and to each and every of them, all my Right and all Claim whatsoever as to their Persons or to any Estate they may acquire; hereby declaring the said Negroes Namely, Cooper, Ann, Jack, Jude & Joan, absolutely free from the Date hereof, & the Child Phebe to be free when she shall arive to the eighteenth Year of her Age, without any Interruption from Me or any Person or Persons claiming or pretending to claim under Me. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & Seal this thirtieth Day of the fourth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred and seventy-eight. Thomas Hanson Sealed & delivered in the presence of Isaac Jackson John Churchman *Joan was born [4th Day] of 8th Month 1759. Record Examined Warner Mifflin
I David Wilson of Newcastle County on Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my Negro Woman Named Catharine aged about thirty Years, so that henceforth she shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for a free Woman and at Liberty to act for herself without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under me forever. And further I do hereby bind Myself my Heirs Executors and Administrators, & every of us in the penal Sum of one Hundred Pounds unto Negro Catharine afore-named, to be by her recovered from such of as may attempt in anywise to deprive her of her Liberty as above granted to her & her Heirs forever. As also in the like Sum of one Hundred Pounds lawful Money of the Government of the lower Counties on Delaware to compel such of us, as may so attempt, to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that she may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm & establish her equitable Liberty as aforesaid. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand, and affixed my Seal this second Day of [Y’o] fifth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred & Seventy eight - 1778. David Wilson [seal] Sealed & delivered by David Wilson in the Presence of Robert Holliday Samuel Starr by Mary Wilson in presence of Thomas Lea *Mary Wilson, as Party to the above Manumission being a Member of our Society, and her Husband not, made it necessary that her Acknowledgement & Concurrence thereto should be before the Meetings Approbation for the Recording thereof in the Society Records, she therefore voluntarily for that purpose sign’d her Name as above in Presence of Thomas Lea, the other 2 being Evidences to her Husbands Execution Whereof. Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Know all Men by this present instrument that We Henry and Margaret Newell of Motherkiln Hundred in Kent County on Delaware do hereby manumit & set absolutely free all our Negroes hereafter particularly named towitt negro Woman named Chloe aged upwards of fifty Years, and her Children towitt Chloe aged about […] Years, her daughter named Doll aged ten Years, & her Daughter named Bridget aged seven Years, & her Daughter named Elizabeth aged three Years; So that henceforth they the aforesaid Negroes shall be deemed adjudg= =ed and taken as & for free People, that is to say, negro Woman named Chloe and her Children Doll Bridget Elizabeth from this Day, they remaining under her Direction, as the Mother & natural Guardian, ‘till they arive to lawful Age, as other free Children are bound by Law of Duty to do, hereby reserving the Time of her Daughter Chloe ’til she shall arive to lawfull Age, viz to the Age of Eighteen Years; then they & every of them as they arive to said Age of eighteen Years to be absolutely free, as their Mother is from this Day, and at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves (as other free People are) without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of us or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under us forever. And further We do hereby bind ourselves our Heirs Executors Administrators & every of them in the penal Sum of one Hundred Pounds unto each the above named negroes, to be recovered from such of us may attempt to deprive them of their just Liberty granted as aforesaid. And further do bind each of us as may so attempt in the like Sum unto each of them to compel such so attempting to do any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them (on whom such attempt may be made) may reasonably require or need, in Order to further confirm & establish their just & equitable Liberty granted as afore’d. In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our Hands & affixed our Seals this 18th Day of the first Month in the Year of our Lord turn over
one thousand seven Hundred, & seventy-nine. _ 1779 Henry Newell [sea] Margaret Newell [seal] Witness present unto the Signing & Sealing hereof Warner Mifflin Mary Wilson Record Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by this Instrument of Writing that we Nimrod Maxwell & Elizabeth Maxwell, of Motherkiln Hundred and County of Kent on Delaware, do hereby manumitt & set absolutely free the following named Negroes; towitt, Negro Man named Pompey aged about forty five Years, & his Wife named Hannah aged about thirty-three Years; so that henceforth they the above named Pompey & his Wife shall be deemed adjudged and taken as & for free People, and at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of us, or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under us forever. And further we do hereby bind ourselves our Heirs Executors Administrators & every of them in the penal Sum of five hundred Pounds lawfull Money of the lower Counties on Delaware, unto each the aforesaid Negroes, to be recovered from such of us as may attempt to deprive them, or either of them, of their just Liberty granted as afs’d. As also in the like Sum to compel such of us may so attempt, to do & perform any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them, may reasonably require, or need, in Order to further confirm their Liberty as afs’d granted. In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our Hands & affixed our Seals this Nineteenth Day of the first Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred & seventy nine. 1779. Nimrod Maxwell [seal] Elizabeth Maxwell [seal] Witness present to the Sealing & Delivery hereof Warner Mifflin Deborah Wilson [X her mark] Record Examined Warner Mifflin
Know all Men by this present Instrument of Writing that We William & Mary Corbit of George’s Hundred in New Castle County on Delwae do hereby manumit & set absolutely free our negro Man named Mark aged about thirty-five Years so that from henceforth he shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for a free Man, and Liberty to act for himself without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of us or either of us, or nay Person or Persons claiming by from or under us forever And further we do hereby bind ourselves our Heirs Executors and Administrators & every of them jointly & severally unto the above named Negro Mark in the penal Sum of two hundred Pounds lawful Money of this Government, to be recovered from such of us as may in any Respect attempt to deprive him of his Liberty granted as afs’d; as likewise in the like Sum to compel such of us as may so attempt to do or perform any other or further Act of Deed that he may reasonably require or need, in Order to further confirm his just Liberty granted as aforesaid Witness our Hands & Seals this Seventeenth Day of the second Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred and seventy nine. 1779. William Corbit Mary Corbit Witness present John Cowgill Ezekial Cowgill Warner Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin I John Hall of Georges Hundred & County of New Castle on De= -laware do hereby manumit & set absolutely free the following named Negroes, towitt, Negro Woman called Sarah aged upwards of fifty years, (who has been many years at her Liberty) Negro Man named Charles aged about twenty six Years, & his Wife called Sal alias Sarah, aged about twenty two Years (who was to be free by Indenture at thirty one); & their Children viz Daughter Dinah aged about Nine Years & their Son named Charles aged about two Years: so that they the afs’d Negroes from henceforth shall be deemed adjudged and […]
and taken as and for free People, and at Liberty to act for themselves to all Intents & Purposes, without the Sett Hin= =drance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever; author= =zing the afs’ Charles, & Wife Sal, (or Sarah,) with full Power over their Children as other free People have, ‘till they arive to lawful Age: And further I do hereby bind Myself my Heirs Executors & Administrators & every of them in the penal Sum of one Hundred Pounds lawful Money of the Government unto each the aforesaid Negroes to be recovered from such of us as may attempt to deprive them of their Liberty as afs’d granted. As also in the like Sum to compel such of us as may so attempt to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need, in Order to further confirm their just Liberty as affs’ granted. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & affixed my Seal this sixth Day of the fourth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred & Seventy-Nine 1779. John Hall [seal] Witness present John Merifs Mary Merifs Warner Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin Whereas I have heretofore manumitted and set free at lawful Age all the Negroes I had remaining under my Di= =rection except Negro Boy named Aaron aged now about twelve Years, and Boy named Isaiah born in the [Y’9th M’o] 1778 who were directed by my Fathers Will to serve ‘till they should arive to twenty five Years of Age, but not finding myself easy so to continue their Servitude, do therefore hereby manumit and set them absolutely free as though they were free born, that when they shall arive to lawful Age, towitt twenty-one, then they and each of them to be at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming by from or under Me forever.
In Testimony whereof I do hereunto set my Hand & affix my Seal this twenty fourth Day of [] fifth Month 1779. Thomas Nock Witness Present John Smith Warner Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by these presents that We Nimrod Maxwell and Wife Elizabeth of the County of Kent upon Delaware, from a Conviction that it is our religious Duty, do hereby manumit discharge & forever set free the following Negroes being all that remain in our Posession, towitt Celia a Woman aged about eighteen Years & three Months, Isaac a Lad about nineteen Years & six Months, Charles a Boy twelve Years in the fourth Month last, David a Boy six Years in the eighth Month last, Catharine a Girl two Years in the tenth Month last, Peter a Boy one Year old in the fifth Month last; so that they shall be deemed adjudged and taken as & for free People to all Intents & Purposes as if legally born free, they & their Heirs from us & our Heirs Executors Administratos or any other Person or Persons claiming by Right or Pretence of Claim or Right derived from us or either of us forever: That is to say, Celia from the Date hereof in all Respects shall be at full Liberty & her own Disposal to act for herself; and each of the above Boys [] Isaac Charles David & Peter when they arive to the Age of twenty one years to be calculated from their Ages specify’d, calling them the very Ages that they are said to be about []. And Catharine when ariv’d to the Age of eighteen Years; reserving to ourselves the Guardianship & Tuition of them viz each of the young Ones till the time above ascertain’d. And We do hereby bind ourselves our Heirs Executors & Administrators to them & each of them their Heirs Executors Administrators in the Sum of one thousand Pounds good & lawful Money to do any other or further Act or Deed requisite, or that they may reasonably require , for the further Confirmation of the just and natural right of all Men & Women, viz the Liberty of their Per= =sons, which without Equivocation or mental Reservation, is
hereby meant to be given them: also impowering them or either of them or their Heirs to recover the like Sum as afores’d from us or our Heirs on any attempt of us or either of us to deprive them of their Liberty in any Respect. In Confirmation We have hereunto set our Hands and affix’d our Seals this 11th Day of the sixth Month Anno Domini. 1779. Nimrod Maxwell [seal] Elizabeth Maxwell [seal] Sign’d, Seal’d, & deliver’d, and acknowledged in the presence of Joseph Jenkins Walker Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by these presents that I Joseph Nock, of Motherkiln Hundred & County of Kent upon Delaware being fully convinced of the Iniquity & Injustice of detaining my fellow Men in Bondage for Term of Life, as inconsistent in my Judgement to the Tenor of the Gospel delivered us by Christ & his Apostles, and irreconcilable to that special royal Injunction of our Redeemer, “Do unto all Men as ye would they should do unto you,� do therefore from full Conviction of Duty declare, & manumit, my Negroes here- -after named & their Posterity forever absolutely free from Me viz James a negro Man aged about twenty two Years now immediately from the Date hereof to be at his own Disposal; Major a Boy born [Y . . .] Day of the 2d Month 1761; & Boy George born the […] Day of the […] Month; both which last menti =oned, after they arive at the Age of twenty one Years, to be in the like Manner at their own Disposal and Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person claiming as afs’d. And further I do hereby bind Myself my Heirs Executors Administrators & every of them to each of aforesaid Negroes in the just & full Sum of two hundred Pounds current lawfull Money of this Government to be recovered with Costs, on any Attempt
At Law that may, by Me m Heirs, Executors, Administrators, or other Person claiming as afs’d be made to deprive them or either of them of their just Liberty, (hereby as fully intended to be granted them as any Person may or can enjoy the same,) by each or either of the said Negroes in their Persons or Attornies from Me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person from by or under my Right making Suit on said Account. In Confirmation hereof I do hereunto set my Hand and affix my Seal this ninth Day of the seventh Month Anno Domini. 1778. Joseph Nock Sealed & acknowledged in the presence of Daniel Mifflin Joseph Jenkins Walker Mifflin Warner Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin I John Dickinson of the County of Kent upon Delaware Farmer, do hereby manumit & forever discharge the following Negroes viz Jane a Girl born about the middle of the 8th Month 1775; (which Negroes lately fell to Me by a Re= =division of my Wifes Fathers Estate) so that from henceforth they shall be deemed & adjudged as free as tho’ legally so born to all Intents & Purposes from Me my Heirs Executors or Administrators or any other Person or Persons claiming or making Pretend of Claim by from or under Me, they & their Posterity forever _ And do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors & Administrators in the penal Sum of one thousand Pounds lawful Money of this Government to them the said Negroes & each of them, their & each of their Heirs Executors & [A’m] to do any other Act or Deed that may be to them or either of them necessary and reasonably required for the further Con- -firming to them the fully absolute Liberty & Disposal of their Persons granted & fully intended to be granted aforesaid also impowering them & their Heirs each & either of them or […]
either of their Heirs to recover from Me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any from or under Right pretended to be derived from or either of us making Claim, the like Sum above mentioned or any attempt tp infringe, or divest them of the Enjoyment of their Personal Liberty, to be recovered from us or either of us as afs’d so attempting, by Suit at Law by the the said Negro in Person, either of them or Attornies: reserving only to Myself or my Heirs the Tuition & Guardianship, till the s’d Girl arives to the Age of eighteen and the Boy to twenty one Years; hereby obliging Myself my Heirs & within said Term to do my and their best endeavors to educated them to read and write. In Confirmation whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affix’d my Seal this 24th Day of the 7th Month. 1779. John Dickinson [seal] Testes Warner Mifflin Joseph Jenkins Record Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by these presents that I Thomas Jenkins of Kent County on Delaware Taylor, have manumitted and discharged & by these presents do manumit discharge and forever quit Claim to a negro Man called William (alias William Bungee) having, (thro’ the corrupt Practice of Slavery, which however warranted by the partial and unjust Laws of Men, I deem repugnant to my religious Duty, as a Christian fallen to Me by Inheritance: so that he the said William Bungee henceforth & from the Date hereof is & shall be deemed adjudged & taken for and as a Freeman, & at Liberty to act for himself in all Respects & to all Intents & Purposes whatsoever, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me my Heirs Executors Administrators or Assigns or any other Person or Persons claiming or to make Claim, or Pretence of Right derived from Me forever. And further do bind Myself my Heirs Executors & Administrators in the penal Sum of five thousand Pounds good & lawful Money of this Government to him the said William Bungee his Heirs Executors or Administra= -tors, that I my Heirs Executors or Administrators will at the reasonable Request
of Him the above said William Bungee, his heirs & [] do and perform any other Act or Deed. which to him or any of them may be needful & reasonably demanded, for the further Con- -firmation of the free & absolute Disposal of his or their Per= =sons, which is hereby intended to be fully granted him and his Posterity without Fallacy or Reserve: also impow- -er him s’d W.’m Bungee or his Heirs to recover by Suit at Law, from me my Heirs Executors or Administrators the like Sum above said on any attempt of us or either of us to deprive him them or either of them of their natural & unalienable whereof I have to these Presents set my Hand & affix’d my Seal this 22d Day of the 10th Month Anno Domini 1779. Thomas Jenkins [seal] Testes Warner Mifflin Joseph Jenkins Baptist Lay Walker Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin Whereas We Thomas & Elizabeth Bowman have time back manumitted and set free all the Negroes we were possessed off from an Apprehension of Duty and Whereas our Mother Sarah Draper did in her Life-time sell and dispose off a Negro Woman named Dinah, and I the said Elizabeth Bowman before our Marriage did also sell a Negro Man named Isaac Miller, But finding Uneasi= =ness to remain in our Minds for & on Account of the said Negroes, we have since purchased them in Order to discharge them from Slavery; Now therefore Know all Men by this present Instrument of Writing that We Thomas & Elizabeth Bowman of Muspilion Hundred in Kent County on De= =laware do hereby manumit & set absolutely free the afore -named Negro Woman named Dinah aged about fifty Years (who has been at her Liberty near two Years) likewise the afore- -named Negro Man named Isaac Miller aged about fifty Years: so that henceforth they the said Negroes Dinah, & Isaac Miller shall be deemed adjudged & taken as & for free People
and at Liberty to act for themselves without the Sett Hin= =drance or Molestation of us or either of us or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under us forever. In Testimony whereof, We do hereunto set our Hands and affix our Seals this Sixteenth Day of the Twelfth Month, in the Year of our Lord, one thousand seven Hundred seventy & Nine. 1779. Thomas Bowman [seal] Elizabeth Bowman [seal] Witness present Jonathan Emerson Warner Mifflin Record Examined Warner Mifflin Know all Men by this present Instrument of Writing that I Jonathan Morris of Chester County Pennsylvania Physician, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free the following named Negroes, towitt, Negro Man called Dick, alias Richard, aged about thirty-years, molatto Man named Nathan aged about twenty-three Years, and negroe Girl named Grace aged upwards of sixteen Years; all which Negroes fell to me by the last Will and Testament of my Brother Samuel Morris of Newcastle County on Delaware, where said Negroes now reside, so that hence- -forth they shall be deemed and taken as and for free People, and at Liberty to act for themselves, without the Sett Hin- drance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming by from or under Me forever either in their Persons or Property they may acquire. In Testimony whereunto I do set my Hand and affix my Seal this twenty-seventh Day of the eleventh Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred and Eighty. 1780. Jonathan Morris [seal] Signed Sealed and delivered in the Presence of Us Ann Evans Alice Morris Ann Morris Warner Mifflin Record Examined by Original Warner Mifflin
I Nathaniel Hunn of Kent County on Delaware, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free, Negro Man named Solomon aged about forty Years, who has been at his Liberty about 3 Years, so that henceforth he the said Negro Solomon shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for a free Man, and at Liberty to act for himself, without the Lett Hindrance or Mo- -lestation of Me or any Person claiming or to claim by from or under Me for ever. And further I do hereby bind Myself my Heirs Executors Administrators and ever of us in the penal Sum of one Hundred Pounds in Specie to be recovered by him such of us may attempt to deprive him of his Liberty in any Respect- as also in the like Sum of one Hundred Pounds in Specie to com- -pel such of us so attempting to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that he may reasonably require or need, in Order to further confirm his Liberty as afs’d. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed my Seal this eighth Day of first Month in the Year of our Lord, one thousand seven Hundred and eighty one. 1781, Nathaniel Hunn Witness Present Daniel Mifflin Warner Mifflin Record Examined by Warner Mifflin To all whom these presents may come Know Ye that I William Corbit of Newcastle County and Province of Pennsylvania Tanner for Sundry Reasons and lawfull Motives, do hereby declare that after the Expiration of five Years and two Months after the Date hereof, fully and forever discharge, quit Claim to all Right Title Intereste and Demand, which according to Law Custom Usage of otherwise howsoever I have had, now have, of in to or upon a certain Negro Man named Mark; so that neither I the said William Corbit nor my Heirs Executors Administrators shall or will by any Interest Property or Benefit or any Persone under Me or for Me, unto the abovesaid Negro Man named Mark named after the above Term of five Years & two Months after the Date hereof, and the said Negro shall enjoy all Liberty to all Intents and Purposes that I can assign said Man to deal trade pass and repass without the Hindrance or Molestation by any Person under Me Whatsoever, In
Witness whereof I have hereunto sett my Hand and Seal this first Day of June one thousand seven hundred and seventy six William Corbit [seal] Benjamin Dawson James Jackson I do hereby certify that the abovenamed William Corbett, as he became Uneasy at the reserve aforesaid after s’d Negro was entituled by pure Equity to his Freedom, being much advanced lawful Age to enjoy the same as a Freeman, & being attentively concern’d to do the Man Justice for said Reserved time, satisfied a Com- -mittee of our Monthly Meeting appointed to judge thereof that he s’d William Corbett had fully Complied with the Demands of Justice for the same which was also approbated by the Meeting: a Reference to the Appointment of s’d Committee on the […] Day of […] Month and their Report on the […] Day of the […] Month next1783 On the Records of s’d Monthly Meeting, being had will appear [1st Month 31] 1783. Joseph Jenkins Clerk of said Mo. of Duckcreek Meeting Record examined by Warner Mifflin Meeting Whereas I Ann Roberts of Northampton county in Virginia, being possessed of a Number of Negroes as Slaves, and through the adverse Occurrence permitted by divine Providence, under the present calami- tous Dispensation to overtake us (whereby I am separated from my Husband and one Child) thereby, in my own Experience have to witness the grievous Hardship of being forcibly separated from those near Connexions whereunto the African Race has for a long Series of time been subject- -ed by the oppressive Practice of making them Slaves which I am fully persuaded is inconsistent with Chrisi -anity and totally derogatory to the Injunction of Jesus Christ our holy Lawgiver, where he enjoins his Follow- -ers , that whatsoever they woukdl that others should do unto them, they should suffer it to be the governing Rule of their Conduct to do so by them, which I do fully be- lieve to the indispensability obligatory on Me; & altho’ my Husband Humphrey Roberts may yet be living Nevertheless as no human Prospect appears of his Return in a short Space, if ever, believe it my Duty as full as
in my Power to manumit and set absolutely free all the Negroes I am possessed of in the Manner and form following in which my Eldest Son Charles Mifflin, being under the former Laws, Heir to all those Negroes after my Decease, and now willing to unite with Me herein, which for the more full and clear Liberating them is concluded on Wherefore, Know all Men by this present Instrument of Writing that we Ann Roberts of the County abovesaid and Charles Mifflin of the City of Philadelphia for the Reasons abovementioned hereby manumit and set free the following named Negroes, as fully and entire as is in our Power to do viz Negro Woman called Ca- -tharine aged upwards of seventy Years, second Cate aged about forty seven Years, and her Son Thomas calld Tom aged fifteen Years; Woman named Mary aged about thirty three Years, & her Children Sam, alias Samuel about fourteen Years; Girl called Nell aged eight Years, and Harry aged one Year and eight Months, Negro Woman named Tabitha aged about thirty one Years; her Son Adam aged fourteen Years Jacob about six Years; and six Months old, her Son called Joe, alias Joseph, about four Years and six Months old; Leah Woman aged about thirty Years, her Children James aged four Years & nine Months, & Eli aged one Year & six Months old; Woman Rhoda aged about twenty Years, her son Jacob aged about twenty- -three Years, Woman named Jane aged eighteen. her Son Ezekiel aged seven Months, Negro named Daniel aged fifteen Years, his Sister named Priscilla aged thirteen Years Woman named Grace aged about twenty five Years, her Child named Gilbert aged seven Years, Woman named Adar aged Nineteen Years, her Children towitt Abigail aged four Years & nine Months, & Peter aged one Year & three Months, WOman named Lucretia aged about twenty Years; her Child George aged three Years, Woman Anady aged twenty-one Years, Boy named Stephen, Grand Son of old Cate, aged about fourteen Years: So that the afore- -named Negroes, from henceforth shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People as full & to all Intents and Purposes as it is in our Power to grant the same. But in asmuch as Ann Roberts hath taken a [Cropper] and agreed
to put several of the Negroes aforementioned under him for and during the Space of one Year, for which Reason, a Reserve is made of one Year of all those that are lawful Age, till the first Day of the Year one thousand seven hun- dred & eighty three; then Negro Woman called Cate & Cate second Mary Tabitha Leah Rhoda Judah Jane, Grace, Adar, Lucretia, Anady to be at their own Disposal; and Boys Thomas Sam Harry, Adam Jacob Joseph James Eli Jacob Ezekiel Daniel Gilbert Peter George & Stephen when they shall respectively arrive to twenty one Years of Age; and Girls Nell Priscilla & Abigail when they respect- -ively arrive to eighteen Years of Age, then they and each of the aforenamed Negroes to be respectively at their own Disposal and at Liberty to act for themselves as free People, without the Lett Hindrance or Molesta- -tion of us or either of us our Heirs Executors Administr- -tors or any of us forever. In Witness whereof We have hereunto set our Hands and affix’d our Seals this seventh Day of the first Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand Seven Hundred & Eighty two. 1782. Before the Sealing and delivery hereof it is disco- vered that Negro Boy named John aged about four- -teen Years was omitted to be mentioned in the Body of this Manumission whose Freedom is intended when he arrives to lawful Age as the others which is hereby con- -firmed in like Manner; and Reasonable Compensation agreed to be made to those over Age for the Years Service reserved in the foregoing. Ann Roberts [seal] Sealed & delivered in Presence of us (by Ann Roberts) Ann Roberts Junior Edward Roberts James Spady [x his mark] Warner Mifflin Philadelphia 3d Month 25th 1782. Charles Mifflin [seal] Witnesses to C. Mifflins Signing & delivering this Article Samuel Lewis Warner Mifflin Record examined By Warner Mifflin
I Hannah Jenkins of the County of Kent upon Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my Negro Girl named Lydia, born on the 15th Day of the 4th Month 1771; so that henceforth she shall be deemed adjug- -ed and taken as & for a free Person to all Intents & Purposes and when arrived to the Age of Eighteen Years (until which Time I reserve the Direction & Guardianship over her) then to be at her own Disposal & Liberty to act for herself, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me my Heirs Executors or Administrators or of any other Person or Persons claim- -ing or to claim from or under Us forever: And do im- -power the said Lydia to recover from either of us, or any other Persons pretending to derive Right from Me us or either of us on any attempt or endeavour to enthral or deprive her of her Liberty granted as aforesaid the just & full Sum of one hundred Pounds in Specie, spanish Dol- -lars at seven shillings & six Pence, & then in the same Sum to compel us, either or any of Us, to do or perform any other Act or Deed, which she may reasonably request, or may be needful the more fully to confirm & establish her Liber- -ty as aforesaid granted. As Witness my hand & Seal this 18th Day of the 5th Month 1782. Hannah Jenkins [seal] Testes Joseph Jenkins Daniel Mifflin Record examined By Warner Mifflin I John Jenkins of the County of Kenton Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free my Negro Man called Aaron aged about […] who has been at his Liberty at the Discretion of my Guardian ever since he became twenty one Years old, and being now Myself of lawful Age, do confirm what my Guardian Warner Mifflin did for Me relinquishing all and every Demand that any Law of the Land could entitle Me to recover for any Service or Time, which said Aaron has wrought since he became twenty one Years of Age; and do declare him to be at his own Disposal, & shall be deemed adjudged & taken as & for a free Man to all Intents and Pur- -poses without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person or Persons claiming under Me forever.
forever. In Testimony whereof I do hereun- -to set my Hand & affix my Seal this 19th Day of the 7th Month Anno Domini one thousand seven hun- dred & eighty two. 1782. John Jenkins [sea] Testes Joseph Jenkins John Smith Record examined by Warner Mifflin I hereby manumit & set absolutely free my Negro Boy named Abram aged about […] so that when he arrives to the Age of twenty one Years shall be at his own Disposal and at full Liberty to act for himself without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me my Heirs Executors Administrators or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. And during his Minority to be considered as an Apprentice and so adjudged in all Respect, & the Maletreatment of him cognizable to the Ma- -gistrate, & redressed in like Manner as if legally free born, to all Intents & Purposes; And that he shall du- -ring his Apprentiship be taught to read the Bible and write an intelligible Hand. To the true Performance whereof I bind Myself my Heirs Administrators and every of us in the just Sum of one hundred and fifty Pounds Specie, in spanish Dollars at seven Shillins & six Pence each. As Witness my Hand & Seal this second Day of the Ninth Month Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred & Eighty two. Abner Alston [seal] Seal’d & deliv’d In presence of Warner Mifflin Joseph Jenkins Record Examined By Warner Mifflin
I Edward Fisher of Kent Country on Delaware Farmer, do hereby manumit and set absolutely free the two following named Negroes towitt, Negro Man named Tone aged about thirty-five Years, and Negro Man named Guy aged about thirty Years, so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free Men: But inasmuch as at the time of my executing a Manumission for all my other Negroes they were at that Time absconded for Misdemeanor and were taken up and put into Jail upon which accrued considerable Expence, for which I purpose to keep them in my Service till the twenty fourth day of the eleventh Month now next ensuing the Date hereof then to be at their own Disposal and at Liber- -ty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or under Me forever. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed my Seal this twenty-third Day of the seventh Month, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred and seventy seven 1777. Edward Fisher [sea] Witnesses present to the acknowledgment hereof Warner Mifflin Joshua Spencer Record Examined By Warner Mifflin Whereas my Father Jonathan Molleston deceased did by his last will and Testament devise unto my Brother Jonathan Molleston (a Minor) a Negro Lad and my said Brother being since deceased, whereby as Heir to his Estate the said Negro has fell to Me, and being convinced that it is contrary to the royal Law of doing unto all Men as we would be willing to be done by, to hold him as a Slave, do therefore hereby declare that I Elizabeth Molleston of Kent County on Delaware do hereby manumit and set absolutely free the said Negro named Absalom supposed to be upwards of twenty-one Years of Age, so that henceforth he the afs’d Neg-ro
Absalom shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for a free Man and at Liberty to act for himself without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or any Person or Persons claiming or to claim by from or un- -der Me forever. And further I do hereby bind Myself my Heirs Executors & Administrators and every of us in the pe- -nal Sum of one hundred Pounds in Specie unto the above named Negro Absalom, to be recovered from such of us as may attempt to deprive him of his Li- berty as afs’d. As also in the like Sum to compel such of us as may so attempt to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that he may reasonably re- quire or need, in Order to further confirm his Li- -berty as afs’d. In Testimony whereof I have here- -unto set my Hand and affixed my Seal, this eight Day of the second Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty one 1781. Elizabeth Molleston [seal] Witness present Esther Shepherd Warner Mifflin Thomas Newport Record examined By. Warner Mifflin We Joseph & Sarah Downham of Kent County on Dela- ware do hereby manumit & set absolutely free the following named Negroes towitt Negro Woman named Patience aged about twenty five Years, and her Child Grace aged about nine Years, and Negro Boy named James aged about fifteen Years, so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged and taken as and for free People, that is to say, Woman Patience from this Day, and her Child Grace when she shall ar- -rive to eighteen Years of Age, and Negro Boy James when he shall arrive to twenty one Years of Age, then every of them to be at their own Disposal, and at Liberty to act for themselves without the Lett Hindrance or Molestati- -on of us or any Person or Persons claiming or to Claim by from or under us, or either of us forever. And further
We do hereby bind ourselves our Heirs Executors & Administrators and every of them unto each the aforenamed Negroes in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds in Specie to be recovered from such of us as may attempt to de- -prive them of their Liberty as afs’d. As also in the like Sum of one hundred Pounds to compel such of us as may so attempt to do or perform any other or fur- -ther Act or Deed that they or either of them may rea- sonably require or need in Order to further confirm their Liberty. In Testimony whereof we do hereunto set our Hands & affix our Seals this Ninth Day of fourth Month. 1781. Joseph Downham [seal] Sarah Downham [sea] Witness present Warner Mifflin Elizabeth Mifflin Joseph Jenkins Record Examined By. Warner Mifflin
Duck Creek Manumissions, 1774-1792
This volume consists of manumissions of slaves by the members of Duck Creek Monthly Meeting and some other Friends, recorded according to the 2mo 22nd, 1777 direction of the Meeting. The Monthly Meeting at Duck Creek was set off from Newark (Kennett) Monthly Meeting in 1705, and included Quakers who worshipped at a number of meeting houses in Kent County, Delaware. This volume is filled from front and back (44 pages, 70 pages) and is partially indexed. The page numbering jumps from page 36 to page 39. The name of Warner Mifflin, the noted 18th century abolitionist, appears frequently as witness or examiner of many of the manumission certificates.
Duck Creek Monthly Meeting (Society of Friends)
Mifflin, Warner, 1745-1798 (contributor)
1774 - 1792
118 p. ; 39 cm.
reformatted digital
RG2/Ph/C34 6.5
Camden Monthly Meeting Records--http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/repositories/9/archival_objects/32...
A monthly meeting at Duck Creek was established in 1705. Camden Monthly Meeting (Hicksite) was formed in 1830 by the merger of Duck Creek Monthly Meeting and Motherkiln Monthly Meeting. A full inventory of the Camden Monthly Meeting Records held by the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College and the Haverford College Quaker Collection is available at http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/repositories/9/resources/5423
A00179697