Know all Men by these presents that I Peter Taylor of Little Creek Hundred in the County of Kent and State of Delaware being satisfied that it is wrong and oppressive to hold people of Color or Negroes in bondage during their lives do therefore Manumit and set free the following Negroes that are now in bondage to me in the Manner following this is to say one negro Girl named Elizabeth now about twelve years and three months to serve from this date Eight years and Nine Months, one negro Girl named Lydia now about Eleven years old to serve from this date Ten years, one negro boy named Richard about Eight years and six months old to serve eighteen years and six months; and from the expiration of the aforesaid term Or time, I do hereby absolutely Manumit and set free the aforesaid Negroes from me my heirs, Executors, Administrators or any person or persons claiming or to claim by from or under me or any of them; And I do further hereby Warrant and defend the freedom of the aforesaid Negroes after the expiration aforesaid against myself my heirs Executors and Administrators or any person claiming by from or under me In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the fifth day of March One thousand Eight Hundred and two 1802..,Peter Taylor {seal}

Signed, Sealed & Delivered in the presence of us Samuel Smith, George Cummins,

Kent County State of Delaware } Sst.. Be it remembered that George Cummins Esquire came into the Court of Common Pleas held at Dover in and for Kent County aforesaid on the sixth day of December in the year of our Lord One Thousand eight Hundred and two and then and there made oath that he saw Peter Taylor sign, seal, and deliver the within Manumission as and for his Act and Deed for the uses and purposes therein mentioned that he saw Samuel Smith subscribe his name thereto as a witness and that he himself subscribed his own name to the same as one other witness. In Testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed the public seal of the said Court the day and year aforesaid, Joseph Hale Prothy

A True Copy examined and Compared with the original this 30th day of July Anno Domini 1803. Attest. John Caton Recorder

Delaware, U.S., Land Records, 1677-1947, Kent County, Roll: 788, Image 574, Book H, Vol 2, Page 57. Ancestry: https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61025/images/31303_221875-00573?pId=2439623

Transcribed 26 Aug 2024 by Nancy Maliwesky