I John Dickinson of the County of Kent upon Delaware Farmer, do hereby manumit & forever discharge the following Negroes viz Jane a girl born about the middle of the 8th Month 1769, and Benjamin a Boy born the 15th of the 8th Month 1775; (which Negroes lately fell to Me by a Redivision of my Wife’s Fathers Estate) so that from henceforth they shall be deemed ^& adjudged as free as tho legally so born to all Intents & Purposes, from Me my Heirs Exrs or Administrs or any other Person or Persons claiming or making Pretence or claim by from or under Me, thy & their Posterity forever – And do hereby bind myself my Heirs Exrs & Admrs in the penal Sum of one thousand Pounds lawful Money of this Government to them the said Negroes & each of them, their & each of their Heirs, Exrs & to do any other Act or Deed that may ^be to them or either of them necessary and reasonably required for the further Confirming to them their full & absolute Liberty & Disposal of their Persons granted & fully intended to be granted aforesaid – also impowering them & their Heirs each & either of them or either of their Heirs to recover from Me my Heirs Exrs Admrs or any from or under Right pretended to be derived from us or either of us making claim, the like Sum above mentioned on any attempt to infringe, or divest them of the Enjoyment of their Personal Liberty, to be recovered from us or either of us as afsd so attempting, by Suit at Law by the the said Negroes in Person, either or them or attorneys: reserving only to Myself or my Heirs the Tuition & Guardianship, till the sd Girl arrives to the age of eighteen, and the Boy to twenty one years; hereby obliging Myself my Heirs & ^in within said Form to do my and their best Endeavours to educate them to read and write. In Confirmation whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affix’d my Seal this 24th Day of the 7th Month. 1779. John Dickinson {seal}

Testes. Warner Mifflin Joseph Jenkins

Record Examined Warner Mifflin

U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, Delaware, Kent, Duck Creek Monthly Meeting, Manumissions 1774-1792, Image 32

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2189/images/31906_275426-00509?pId=2351065

Transcribed 22 Sep 2026 by Nancy Maliwesky