Know all men by these Presents that I Sarah Townsend of Indian River Sussex County & State of Delaware, Being the Just owner of three Negro Slaves, to wit, Joshua aged twenty one years, Elijah aged Nineteen years, and Shadrach aged Sixteen years, and being convinced of the Impropriety of holding Slaves for ever, in Bondage do by these presents manumit and set free the above named Negroes at the age of Twenty five years, that is to say, Negro Joshua to be free in the year One Thousand eight hundred and Seventeen, Negro Elijah to be free in the year One Thousand eight hundred and Nineteen and Negro Shadrach to be free in the year One Thousand eight hundred and twenty two. And I do hereby grant to the above named Negro Slaves all the Privileges and Immunities that any free Negro or Mulattoe is by Law Intitled to after the Expiration of Said Terms Respectively. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and affixed my Seal this Twelfth day of August in the year of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred and Thirteen 1813. Sarah Townsend her mark {seal}

Sealed & Delivered In Presence of Benjm Prettyman William Prettyman  

Sussex County Sst. Be it Remembered that on the Seventeenth day of August In the year of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred and thirteen Sarah Townsend above named came before me, the Subscribed one of the Justices of the Peace for said County and Acknowledged the above manumission to be her act and Deed, and ^that she signed and Sealed the same, Witness my hand and seal the date aforesaid. Tho. C. Waples {seal}

“Dover, Kent, Delaware, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZV-D31T-T?view=fullText : Feb 18, 2025), image 98 of 1201; . 007942538

Transcribed 18 Feb 2025 by Nancy Maliwesky