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 thousand seven hundred and seventy give and execute a Bond conditioned to require Me & my Heirs to set free and at full Liberty the negroes hereafter particularly names as they should arive to the age of twenty-five years, two of which Negroes towitt Charles Becket & Petter Beckett being ariv’d to the aforesaid Age have been accordingly discharged at said Age. But believing further from full conviction that such Distinction made or 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 enter their Names also herein) To witt Charles Becket aged thirty years & one month; Peter Becket aged about twenty five years & seven Months (both discharged as above recited) Isaac Beckett 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 twelves years and six Months, Rachel a Girl aged about ten years and six Months; so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged & 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 (theretofore at Liberty) and Isaac Becket this Day, Moses Negro Man also this Day; Dick and Cato when they arrive 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 afsd when he arrives 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 hereof, and at Liberty to and for themselves 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 Endeavors to teach or cause to be taught the young ones to read the Bible. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & affixed my Seal this eighteenth Day of the fifth Month in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy five. 1775. Saml Hanson {seal}.

Sealed & delivered in presence of John Cowgill Warner Mifflin. William Wilson

Record Examined Warner Mifflin

U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, Delaware, Kent County, Duck Creek Monthly Meeting, Manumissions 1774-1792, Image 9, Page 12.

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2189/images/31906_275426-00486?pId=2350656

Transcribed 4 Feb 2026 by Nancy Maliwesky