Know all Men by these presents that I Thomas Edmondson Farmer of Kent County on Delawa. do hereby manumit & set absolutely free my negro Man called Jacob aged about twenty eight years & my negro Girl called Cassandra aged about nine years; so that henceforth they shall be deemed adjudged & taken as for free People that is to say, the Man Jacob from the Day of the Date hereof, & girl Cassandra to remain as an Apprentice to me & my Heirs untill she arrives to the age of eighteen years, & then to be at her own Disposal at Liberty to act for herself as a free Woman –  Both which above named black People in above Manner & Times I do declare and certify absolutely free & by these presents do invest with the full & universal Liberty of his or her Person, without the Lett Hindrance or Molestation of me or any other Person or Persons claiming or ^making Pretence of claim or Right derived from or under Me: also promising and binding myself my Heirs Exrs Admrs or Assigns hereby, to do my best Endeavour or their best Endeavours to teach or cause to be taught the sd Negro Girl to read the Bible. For the punctual Performance of all & every of the above Covenants I bind myself my Heirs Exrs Admrs & assigns in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this Government to each the aforesd Negroes, & to do or execute any other or further Act or Deed that they or either of them may reasonably require or need in Order to confirm furthermore their just Liberty granted as afsd. In Witness whereunto I have to this set my hand & Seal this 8th Day of the 7th Month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy six 1776 – Thomas Edmondson {seal}

Witness present Warner Mifflin Samuel Williams Joseph Jenkins

Record Examined Warner Mifflin

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

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2189/images/31906_275426-00491?pId=2350730

Transcribed 10 Apr 2026 by Nancy Maliwesky