Know all men by these presents; that I William Hughlett of Kent County in the State of Delaware do hereby manumitt emancipate, liberate and set free Negroe Catharine, reserving to myself my heirs executors administrators or assigns her service and labour, for and during the full terme or time of five years four months and nine days, which will be on the thirty first day of december one thousand eight hundred and eight together with the Service and labour of the children which she may bare within the aforesaid terms the males until the age of twenty five years, & the females untill the age of twenty one years; on these express conditions I execute this manumission. I allso hereby manumitt emancipate liberate and set free – Negroes Prince – and negro Solomon, reserving to myself my heirs executors administrators or assigns there service and labour for and during the full term or time of seven years four months and nine days which will end on the thirty first day of December one thousand eight hundred & ten, and they will then be about twenty eight years of age, reserving nevertheless the wright to myself my heirs executors administrators or assigns, that if the aforesaid Prince or Solomon or either of them, do or shall abscond or absent themselves, so as to defraud myself my heirs executors administrators or assigns from their service and labour, he or they so absconding or absenting themselves, shall at the expiration of the aforesaid terme, make good all damages costs and charges, by their further services – which is to be equitably adjudged, by one Justice of the peace & two reputable freeholders of the neighborhood it is upon this condition and no other that I execute this manumission. August 22d. 1802 W Hughlett

I allso hereby manumitt emancipate, liberate & set free, Negroe, Joseph, now about sixteen years of age, reserving to myself my heirs executors administrators and assigns his service & labour for the full term or time of ten years four months & nine days- which will end on the thirty first day of December, one thousand eight hundred & thirteen – reserving allso the wright to myself my heirs executors administrators and assigns, that in case the said Joseph does or may abscond or absent himself, from these service and labour he shall at the expiration of the before mentioned stipulated service, make good all damages costs and charged by a further service to be adjudged of, by one Justice of the peace & two reputable freeholders, and it is upon this express condition that I execute this manumission. August 22d. W. Hughlett

Negroe James was borne the fourth day of February, one thousand seven hundred and ninety seven, to serve untill he arrives to the age of twenty Five years. Negroe Hamblet was borne the 20th february 1797 – to serve untill he arrives to the age of twenty five years – Negroe Peter was borne the 26th april 1802 to serve untill the age of twenty five years. I allso hereby manumitt emancipate liberate & set free, Negroe James, Negroe, Hamblet & negroe Peter, reserving to myself my heirs executors administrators an assigns there service and labour until they respectively arrive to the age of twenty five years old, allso the wright, to myself my heirs, executors and administrators that if them or either of them do or shall abscond or absent themselves; from our service, he or they so absconding or absenting themselves shall at the expiration of the time aforesaid [shall make] good by further service, all damages and costs, to be adjudged by one Justice of the peace – and two reputable freeholders, it is upon these express conditions I execute this manumission. August 22, 1802. W: Hughlett

Negroe Mary borne the twenty ninth march one thousand eight hundred to serve to the age of twenty one years. I allso hereby manumitt emancipate liberate and set free Negroe Mary, reserving to myself her heirs executors administrators and assigns her service and labour, untill she arrives to the age of twenty one years with the service and labour of any children, she may bare within the time aforesaid, if males to the age of twenty five years and if females to the age of twenty one years – allso reserving the wright to myself my heirs executors administrators and assigns that if the aforesaid negroe Mary do or shall abscond or absent herself, from our service and labour she shall at the expiration of the time aforesaid make good by service and labour, all damages costs and charges, to be adjudged of by one Justice of the peace and two Reputable freeholders, it is upon this express condition I execute this manumission. In testimony of all and singular the several manumissions – with their clauses and reservations – Thereto set my hand and affix my Seale this twenty second day of august one thousand eight Hundred & three. W: Hughlett {seal}

Signed Sealed and delivered in presence of us – Jenifer S. Taylor, George Jennings

Kent County State of Delaware } I hereby certify that William Hughlett personally appeared before me Nathaniel Smithers one of the Justices of the peace for said County and did acknowledge the several foregoing manumissions as his act and deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned. In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand & affixed my seal the twenty second day of august in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and three. Nathl. Smithers

A True copy Examined and compared with the original this 26th. day of August Anno Domini Attest John Caton Recorder.

Delaware, U.S., Land Records, 1677-1947, Kent County, Roll: 788, Image 596, Book H, Vol 2, Page 79. Ancestry: https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61025/images/31303_221875-00595?pId=2439682

Transcribed 25 Aug 2024 by Nancy Maliwesky