Know all men by these presents that I Mary Ridgely of the town of Dover Kent County and State of Delaware widow, good causes me thereunto moving have manumitted, enfranchised and set free and do hereby manumit, enfranchise and set free my mulatto female slave Dinah otherwise called Dinah Wilson who was bequeathed to me by my late husband Nicholas Ridgely deceased – She the said Diana being now about twenty years of age and being also perfectly healthy and in nowise decrepit or incapable of getting her livelihood. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my had and seal this twenty eighth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five. Mary Ridgely {seal}

Signed, sealed and delivered in our presence by the said May Ridgely and attested by us in her presence. H.M. Ridgely A. Ridgely

State of Delaware Kent County ss. Be it remembered that on this twenty eighth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five Mary Ridgely party to the foregoing deed of manumission, personally appeared before me the Subscriber, one of the Justices of the Peace in and for Kent County aforesaid and did acknowledge that the said manumission is her act and Deed, In Testimony whereof I the said Justice of the Peace have here= unto set my hand and seal the day and year in this behalf above written. {seal} Thos Stevenson Jus. P.

I received this manumission to record this twenty ninth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five. H. Todd Recr.

A true copy recorded and compared with the original this twenty ninth day of May A.D. 1835. H. Todd Recr.

Delaware, U.S., Land Records, 1677-1947, Kent County, Roll 800, Image 170. Book I, Volume 3, Page 87.

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61025/images/31303_221887-00169?pId=2453479

Transcribed 29 Jan 2026 by Nancy Maliwesky