Know all Men by this present Instrument of Writing that We Charles & Elizabeth Hillyard of Kent County on Delaware do hereby, from an apprehension of Duty & a Belief that Freedom is the unalienable Birth-right of all Men, manumit & set absolutely free all the negroes we are possessed of as hereafter particularly named Towitt – Old Negro Woman Maria, Negro Man named Prince and his wife Belinda & their Child named Hannah aged about four years, their Boy Daniel about ten months old; Woman Moll (antient) and her Boy named London aged about four years, negro Men named Sam, Joe, and Solomon; Woman named Esther, & her Boy named Curtis aged about eighteen Months, who have been set at their Liberty upwards of two years & four Months; also negro Man called Jacob & his Wife Jude, and their child named Fedilia aged about four years, who have been at their Liberty upwards of one year; negro man named George aged twenty two years; Boy named Dick aged eighteen years; Boy called Scot aged about fourteen years; Boy called Prince aged eleven years & ten months; Girl called Mez aged about fifteen years, Girl named Maria aged eight years and ten Months; Girl named Phebe aged about sixteen years; Girl named  Henny aged about twelve years & six Months; Girl named Bett aged about nine years: so that henceforth they the aforesaid negroes & every of them shall be deemed adjudged & taken as and for free People, that is to say: Old Woman Maria. Prince & his Wife Belinda & their Children towitt Hannah & Daniel. Woman Moll and her child London, Men Sam Joe & Solomon, Woman Esther & her child Curtis, Man Jacob & his wife Jude & their Child Fedilia together  with Man George, each & every to be free & clear of us & our Heirs, from this Day forever, the Children to be under the Government & Direction of their respective Parents as freeborn children, ‘till they shall arive to lawful age; then they & every of them to be at their Liberty to act for themselves as their Parents now are; without the Lett, Hindrance or Molestation of any Person or Persons claiming or to claim  by from or under us forever: & Boys Dick, Scot & Prince when they shall  ar[rive at] twenty one years of age, and girls Mez, Meria, Phebe, Henny and Bett when they arive to eighteen years of age, then they & every of them to be at their own Disposal & at Liberty to act for themselves as the above mentioned who are now free to be & remain with us & our Heirs as apprentices ‘till they arive to lawful age as above specify’d, then they the afsd negroes & their Posterity forever to be free from us & our Heirs. And further we do hereby bind ourselves our Heirs, Exers Admrs & every of us jointly & severally in the penal Sum of one hundred Pounds lawfull Money of this government of the lower Counties on Delaware, unto the aforesd negroes & to each of them, to be recovered by any or either of them from such of us, or our Heirs as may attempt to deprive them or either of them of their Liberty granted Above; as also in the like Sum to compel such of us as may so attempt to do or perform any other or further Act or Deed that they the afsd negroes or either of them may reasonably require or need in Order to further confirm & establish their just and equitable Liberty granted as above. In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our Hands & affixed our Seals this 20th Day of ye 4th Month called April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven Hundred & seventy-eight. 1778. Charles Hillyard {seal}. Elizabeth Hillyard {seal}

Sealed & deliv’d in presence of us Warner Mifflin. Mary Smith

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_275426-00503?pId=2350983

Transcribed 16 Jun 2026 by Nancy Maliwesky