This Indenture made the twenty fifth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred and five Between Joshua Wollaston of the Borough of Wilmington and County of NewCastle in the State of Delaware, Bricklayer and Catherine his wife of the one part, and Peter Spencer, Joseph Nicholson, Francis Bailey, Jacob Morgan Scotland Hill, Stephen Harriss and Thomas Brown Trustees of the Afriacan Methodist Episcopal Church at Wilmington aforesaid of the other part Whereas the said Joshua Wollaston by virtue of a certain Deed Poll duly executed under the hand and Seal of Elisabeth Garasche administratrix of John Garasche Du Rocher, deceased, for the consideration therein mentioned became lawfully seized in fee of and in a certain lot or piece of land situated in the Borough of Wilmington aforesaid bounded by Wood Street by a line of Land formerly of John Stalcup and by other Lands containing three acres be the same more or less as in and by the said Deed Poll baring date the twenty second day of March Ann. Dom. 1802 and Recorded in the Rolls Office at Newcastle in Book Y Vol. 2d Folio 91 &c may more fully and at larg appear. And Whereas the said Joshua Wollaston by virtue of an Indenture of bargain and sale bearing even date herewith duly executed under the hands and Seals of Jermiah Shad and Amelia his wife for the consideration therein mentioned became lawfully seized in fee of and in a certain other lot or piece of land adjoining the lot above mentioned Beginning at a stake on the East side of French Street being a  corner of William Temples lot, thence by the same South fifty eight degrees East one hundred and ninety six feet to a poll in the line of the lot above mentioned, thence with the same Northeasterly seventy one feet to a post on the south side of Wood Street as two perches broad thence by the same North fifty Eight degrees West two hundred and one feet to a post at the east side of French Street at fifty seven feet and six inches broad and thence by the same seventy one feet to the place of Beginning, containing by computaion fourteen Thousand and ninety three feet of land It being the same lot which William Stedham Esqr. late high Sheriff of the County aforesaid sold as the property of Doctor Bancroft and conveyed the same to Jesse Harris by Deed Poll bearing date the fifth day of October Anno Dom 1797 and Recorded in the afore said Office in Book R vol. 2 Folio 286 &c. And which same lot Jesse Harris and Hanah his wife by their Indenture bearing date the eleventh day of July Anno Dom 1804 sold and conveyed to the above named Jeremiah Shad in fee Now this Indenture Witnesseth that the said Joshua Wollaston and Cathrine his wife for and in consideration of this sum of Two Hundred Dollars lawful Money of the United States of America to him in hand well and truly paid by the said Peter Spencer Joseph Nicholson, Francis Bailey Jacob Morgan, Scotland Hill, Stephen Harriss and Thomas Brown the trustees aforesaid, at or before the Sealing and Delivery of these presents the receipt whereof they the said Joshua Wollaston and Cathrine his wife do hereby acknowledge, and confess themselves therewith fully satisfied and paid, and thereof and of and from every part thereof do release acquit and forever discharge the said Trustees and every of them their Successors and assigns Have granted, bargained, Sold, aliened, enfeoffed released and confirmed & by these presents Do grant, bargain, sell, alien enfeoff, release and confirm unto the said Peter Spencer, Joseph Nicholson, Francis Bailey Jacob Morgan, Scotland Hill, Stephen Harris & Thomas Brown the Trustees of the African Methodist Episcopal Church at  Wilmington aforesaid and to their Successors and assigns a certain Lot, piece or part of the Lot first above mentioned and All the lot last above described and both Joined together are bounded and described as follows to wit Beginning at a stake at the south side of Wood Street at two perches broad and at the East side of French Street as seventy three feet broad thence with the side of Wood Street South fifty eight degrees East two hundred and thirty two feet six Inches to a stake thence by a line dividing this from the Remainder of the said Joshua Wollaston’s lot South thirty two degrees West and parallel with French Street seventy one feet to a stake thence North fifty eight degrees West & parallel with Wood street two hundred and thirty two feet and six inches to a stake at the East side of French Street thence with the same North thirty two degrees East seventy one feet to the place of begining containing by computation sixty square perches of Land be the same more or less Together with all and singular the fences, ways, alleys, water, water courses, rights, liberties, privileges, hereditaments, improvements, and appurtenances whatsoever there unto belonging or in any wise appertaining, and the reversions, Remainders, rents, Issues and profits thereof And all the Estate Right Title, Interest, Property claim and demand of the said Joshua Wollaston and Catherine his wife and his heirs in and to the said granted lot, and of in and to every part thereof To have and to hold all the said granted lot or piece of land and premisses with the appurtenances unto the said Trustees of the Church above mentioned, and to their Successors in the Trust and assigns forever In trust for the Religious use of the Minister and preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church who are in connexion with the General Conference of the said Church and for the people of colour who are thereunto ordained and appointed from time to ^time by the Bishop or Bishops of the said Church forever and for the performance of Divine Worship and other Religious Exercises agreeably to the form of discipline of the said Methodist Episcopal Church And it is hereby further provided that the members of the aforesaid african Methodist Episcopal Churches shall be received into membership in the same manner as the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the borough of Wilmington aforesaid are received, shall be entitled to the same privileges and be considered as in connexion with them, and are to be subject in all things to the form of discipline in the same manner as the members of the said Methodist Episcopal Church. And it is hereby further provided that none but persons of colour shall be chosen as Trustees of the said African Methodist Episcopal Church or for any other office therein nor shall any person be eligible to the office of a Trustee of the said Church but such as are received and acknowledged to be members thereof by the resident Elder or Trustees of the aforesaid Church in Wilmington, and in case of the death resignation or explusion from the society of any of the aforesaid Trustees or their successors then the Members of the said african Methodist Episcopal Church shall convene together within three Months from the???? such death, resignation or expulsion and shall chuse from among themselves by a plurality of votes a person or persons to fill up such vacancy, And the resident Elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the Borough aforesaid shall attend the said Church himself to administer the Ordinances of Baptism and the Lords Supper, as often as he can make it convenient, and the resident or presiding Elder for the time being shall license to exhort or preach in the said Church any of the members thereof who shall appear to have Gifts and Grace proper to appear in publick, and who shall be recommended to him by the official Members, and if any of the said coloured bretherin shall graduate into Holy orders it shall be as the General Conference Directs, and the aforesaid Trustee and their successors forever are hereby impowered to have the entire direction and disposal of the Temporal revenues of the said African Methodist Episcopal Church and to apply the same for the benefit of the said Church as a majority of the said Trustees shall form time to time to direct And as the said Trustees and their successors forever are to have the entire disposal and management of the temporal concerns of the said Church, so the resident Elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the Borough of Wilmington for the time being is to have the directions and management of the spiritual concerns of the same, Agreeably to the form of the discipline of the said Methodist Episcopal Church. Provided that all appeals be made to the official members of the aforesaid African Methodist Episcopal Church, and that the aforesaid Resident Elder shall receive no person into the said african Methodist Episcopal society but such as are previously recomended by a Trustee or Trustees thereof and upon complaint being made to the said african Church of any of the members having ?????? disorderly the said Elder shall call the trustees of the same as a committee to hear the case and try the disorderly member or members and the said Joshua Wollaston for him self his heirs Executors and Administrators doth hereby Covenant to and with the said Trustees of the said african Methodist Episcopal Church at Wilmington that they and every of them all and Singular the said lot or piece of land and premises hereby bargained and sold or mentioned or intended so to be against him the said Joshua Wollaston and Cathrine his wife and his heirs and against all and every other person and persons whomsoever lawfuly Claiming, or that shall or may at any time hereafter lawfuly claim the same or any part thereof by from or under Him, her, them or any of them unto the said Trustees of the african Methodist Episcopal Church, their sucessors and assigns in trust for the use aforesaid shall and will Warrant and forever Defend by these presents In Witness whereof the said Joshua Wollaston and Cathrine his Wife have hereunto set their hands and Seals the day ad year first above Written. Joshua Wollaston {seal}. Catharine Wollaston {seal}

Signed, Sealed & Delivered In the presence of Caleb Kendall Isaac Stevenson

Received on the day of the date of the above written Indenture of the Trustees above named full satisfaction for the consideration money above mentioned.

Witness present $200, p. Joshua Wollaston. Caleb Kendall Isaac Stevenson

Newcastle County Ss. The Execution of the within was proved by Isaac Stevenson one of the Subscribing witnesses thereto in open Court of Common Pleas held at Newcastle for the county of Newcastle of the may Term A.D. 1805 In Testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand affixed the Seal of said court. Hugh W. Belchic prothy

Recorded June 28th 1805, Examd. p. Evan Thomas Recorder

Delaware, U.S., Land Records, 1677-1947, New Castle County, 022

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61025/images/31303_257541-00674?pId=1991774

Transcribed 8 Jun 2026 by Nancy Maliwesky