Know all Men by this present Instrument of Writing that I Jonathan Emerson of murtherkiln Hundred of Kent County on Delaware Yeoman do hereby manumitt & set absolutely free all my Negroes as hereafter particularly named viz Negro Man called Mingo aged, as judged, near fifty years, Andrew a negro Man aged about thirty years, negro Woman called Sidney aged about forty years, negro Boy Absalom aged about twenty two years, Boy called London aged about twenty years, Boy called George aged about fifteen years, Chester a Boy aged about fifteen years, Boy Isaac aged about eight years, Boy Stepney aged about six years, Boy Daniel aged about four years, James a Boy aged about twelve Months: so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for free People, that is to say Mingo, Andrew & Sidney (who have been at Liberty some Time back) and Absalom, from this Day, London, George, Chester, Isaac Stepney, Daniel and James when they arrive at twenty one years of Age, then to be at Liberty to act for themselves as free People without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of Me or my Heirs or any other Person or Persons claiming or to claim ^by from or under Me. And I do also promise for myself & my Heirs that we will do our best Endeavors to teach or cause to be taught the following named Boys to read the Bible, towitt, London, George, Chester & Isaac; and whereas Woman Nancy has taken the three Boys towitt Stepney Daniel & James I do therefore hereby invest her with the Prerogative over them as if they had been born when she was free: And further do hereby bind myself my Heirs Executors Admrs & every of them in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawful Money of this Government to each the aforesaid Negroes to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that they may reasonably require or need in Order to confirm their just Liberty granted as aforesaid. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand & affixd my Seal this fifth Day of the sixth Month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy six. 1776. Jonathan Emerson {seal}

Signed, sealed diliv’d in presence of us. Warner Mifflin John Cowgill William Wilson Baptist Lay

Record Examined Warner Mifflin

U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, Delaware, Kent County, Duck Creek Monthly Meeting, Manumissions 1774-1782, Image 12, Page 18

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2189/images/31906_275426-00489?pId=2350699

Transcribed 9 Feb 2026 by Nancy Maliwesky