History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 52

Author: Ashmead, Henry Graham, 1838-1920
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1150

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The freeman who was unfortunate to contract debts in those days, when the body could be taken in exe- cution in a civil suit, to save himself constant trouble, frequently sold himself to liquidate the claims against him. The case of George Chandler at the court held first 3d day of 1st week, First month, 1689/90, shows how debts were discharged by personal service. Thomas Rawlins complained that Chandler was in- debted to him in 348. 83d., and the creditor was clamorous for payment. The court thereupon liqui- dated all Chandler's obligations in this wise :

"Ordered that the said George Chandler by his Consent doo sell himself a servant for Two years and five Months wth Edward Beazer, the said Edward Beazer paying to the said Rawlins the said sum of 348. 8₺d. and the Remainder wch would make up the Sume of Ten pounds weh was £8 58. 3}d. to be paid to his ffather in Law, William Hawkes."

In the court held Feb. 6, 1739/40, James Reynolds informed the justices, "by his petition that being in- debted to sev" psons, as by a list pduced appears To the sum of Eight pounds, thirteen shill. and five pence with Costs and having no other way to satesfy these Debts prays to be Admitted to pay by Servitude which is allowed, And ordered to Serve his Creditors Two Years in full satisfaction for ye said Debts and Costs." Indeed, in satisfaction of court charges, sale of the defendant's services has been ordered.

The court records often show that when a question of more than ordinary importance was to be pre- sented to the justices, the latter would call into their counsel those persons whose position seemingly gave them peculiar opportunities for information on the matter under consideration. Hence we find at an Orphans' Court held at Chester, Nov. 29, 1705, Peter Evans, register-general of the province, was present, occupying a place on the bench, when Richard Adams presented a petition " Concerning the estate of Thomas Clayton, dec'd," as followeth, in these words :

"CHESTER .- To the Worshipful Commissionara & Regiater General now aitting in the Orphan's Court held for the County of Chester, tha humble petition of Richard Adams, of Edgmont, of thia County, Car- peater, shawest,-

" ' That whereas Thomas Claytoo, a bond servant unto your petitioner, about 6 years ago, on his voyage from England unto thie province, died at sea, leaving behind him Elinor, a child of about the age of savan years, and a hoy of about 5 years of age, named Richard, for which children's paasaga your patitioner paid in Eoglaod, & hath ever since maintained them with meat, drink, and apparill.

"' May it, therefore, please your Worship to cooaider the premisea, and to make auch order thereupon aa to your Worship may seem most coo- vaniant, and your petitioner shall aver pray, etc.

' RICHARD ADAMS.

" ' Nov. 2, 1705.'

" Upon reading of which petition the Court orders the said Richard Adams to bring an inventory of the astate of the said Thomas Claytoo, which ha waa awort to do and return to oext Orphaos' Court, and tha Court appointed Thomas Barnalay aod William Pickle to appraise the anid gooda, and make return to the said court.

" The Court having considered Richard Adam's charge agaioat the two orphans, Richard & Elinor Clayton, dosa allow 26 pounds to Richard Adama, Peonaylvania monay, for thisir passage & diet io Eogland, and diet ou board ship, diet in Maryland, and bringing them up in Pann- aylvania.

"Ordered that Elinor Claytou, an orphan, of the age of 14 years ahall serve Daniel Hoopes for the teror of 7 years from this day, 00 con- dition that the said Daniel teach her to read, koit, and sowa, and pay 12 ponods accordiog to the order of this Court. Richard Clayton, au Orphan, being brought to this Court, ia ordered hy said Court to serve Edward Danger, of Chester, Cooper, for a term of 9 years from this day, on consideration that the aaid Edward teach, or cause to ha taught, the said Richard the trade of a cooper, and find and allow sufficient meat, driok, lodging, aod apparill during the aaid term, and also to teach him to read & writa, & pay 14 pounds 5 shillinga to the order of thia Court."1

As the provinces increased in population and wealth the trading in redemptioners became a business. A

1 Of thia Richard Clayton nothing now aoema to be knowo. The Claytons of Delaware County are descended from William Claytoo, a passenger with his family on the ship " Kent," who purchased an sa- tata at Marcua Hook, the deed to which waa ackonwladged at the Court held March 13, 1678/9. Gilbert Copa states that he died io 1689, while Thompson Wealcott saya his death occurred in 1682. If Westcott ia right, thera wars fiva William Claytone in unbroken succession. If Cope ia correct there were four William Claytous, tha eldeet son io each generation, including the first aettler of the nama, in the liat.

202

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

few men speculated in these emigrants as they would cattle. They would purchase the redemptioners from the master of the vessel, or the merchants to whom they were consigned, at wholesale, and then drive them through the country to be sold at retail at an enormous profit. The men engaged in this trade were known as soul-drivers. But finally the business be- came precarious, so many of the redemptioners escap- ing from their owners while traveling through the country to find a market, that about the year 1785 the trade was absolutely discontinued. One of these dealers, named Mccullough, became noted in the trade in Chester County, and prospered so that he would go to Europe and gather a drove of redemp- tioners, which he would sell at a greater profit than he could make by buying of the intermediate dealer. The late Joseph J. Lewis has recorded an amusing incident of the trade, in which Mccullough, instead of selling, was sold by one of his herd, as follows :

" The fellow, by a little management, contrived to be the last of the flock that remained unsold, and traveled about with his master without companions. One night they lodged at a tavern, and in the morning the young fellow, who was an Irishman, rose early and sold his master to the landlord, pocketed the money, and marched off. Previously, how- ever, to his going he used the precaution to tell the purchaser that his servant, although tolerably clever in other respects, was rather saucy and a little given to lying-that he had even presumption enough at times to endeavor to pass for master, and that he might possibly repre- eeot himself as such to him. By the time mine host was undeceived the soo of Erin had gained such a start as rendered pursuit hopeless."1

The last reference to the sale of redemptioners in Delaware County is related in a sketch of Abraham Peters, of Lancaster County, written by the late Col. John W. Forney, which was published in Progress in 1879. The colonel stated that in 1811 Peters was hauling grain from Lancaster County to the mills on the Brandywine, and was requested by his sister to buy a small German girl from a vessel for her.

" The vessels stopped at Chester. So, after he had disposed of his grain, be mounted one of his horses and rode to Chester. He went on board an emigrant vessel, and as he spoke German, he was soon sur- rounded by a crowd, each one requesting to be bought, as they preferred to get into families where German was spoken. He called the captain and made known his errand. The captain told him he had two small orphan girls on board, their mother having died on the voyage. He asked forty dollars for the two, but as Mr. Peters only wanted one, and could take but one on horseback with him, the captain said he would charge him twenty-five dollars for one, and if he sent him a purchaser for the other, he would give her for fifteen dollars. .. . Before parting the girls were going to divide their dead mother's effects, but Mr. Peters would not allow this, as he assured them that Katy, the girl he was taking with him, would find plenty, and therefore insisted on the other keep- ing all except the clothes that Katy was wearing.

Again assuring the captain that he would try and find another purchaser, he started for Wilmington, and was soon on his way home. Katy was a bright and lovely girl, and soon forgot her sorrow as she stood at the front of the wagon looking at and admiring the horses. He had proceeded but a short distance from Wilmington when he met a fine old Quaker gentle- man and his wife driving to town. The lady saw the little girl, and admiring her, stopped and wanted to buy her. But Mr. Peters told her that he had bought the girl for his sister, and therefore could not sell her, but told her of the little sister that was left behind on the vessel, and requested them to go to Chester and buy her. He gave a few lines to the captain, and reminded him of the fifteen dollars he had agreed to take.

"The Quaker promised to go and buy the sister. They gave each other their addresses, and promised to write and keep the girls in communication with each other. Katy was installed in her new home, and under the kind, motherly treatment of Mrs. Bausman grew up to be a fine woman. Her sister also found a good home with the Quaker family. Correspondence was kept up between the families, and yearly visits were made alternately with the girls, and very friendly relations sprung up between the families, which were kept up long after the girls were free. When Katy had served out her time and ar- rived at a proper age, she was married to a worthy German baker in Philadelphia. She esteemed it a great pleasure to visit her former mistress, to whom she was ever thankful for the good, religious training she received from her."

Slaves .- When slavery of the negro and Indian races first showed itself in the annals of Pennsylvania is difficult of ascertainment, for it is well known that previous to the grant of the province to William Penn the Swedes and Dutch settlers had the pernicious system of servile labor implanted in the territory. In 1677, James Sandelands was the only person on the Delaware River from Upland northward who owned a slave. The wrong, however, did not go long un- challenged after the English power had acquired ownership of the soil, for as early as 1688 the Friend settlers at Germantown issued their now famous pro- test against the holding of their fellow-men in bond- age. Although the movement was purely addressed to the conscience of the public, and did not prevent the importation of negroes to the colony, it was the corner-stone on which the principles of emancipation of slaves in every Christianized nation of the earth were subsequently erected. In 1696 the Yearly Meet- ing of Quakers put themselves broadly on record as follows : " Friends are advised not to encourage the bringing in any more negroes." From these small beginnings the sentiment adverse to slavery extended, and when Penn made his second visit to this province in 1700, he was instrumental in incorporating in the discipline of the society provisions regulating the

1 " Sketches of the History of Chester County," published in the Village Record, West Chester, 1824.

203

REDEMPTIONERS AND SLAVERY IN DELAWARE COUNTY.

treatment of slaves among those members of that re- ligious order who, at that time, did not regard the holding of bondsmen as a moral wrong. Not only did the proprietary take that step, but he proposed to the Assembly two bills, one regulating marriage among negroes and the other establishing trials of slaves be- fore magistrates, instead of leaving them as thereto- fore entirely under the control of their masters. The latter bill only became the subject of legislative en- actment.

The Quarterly Meeting beld at Chester for the county of Chester, Sixth month 1, 1700, prohibited the members of the meeting from purchasing Indians as slaves, and in 1711 the same meeting declared that it was "dissatisfied with Friends buying and encour- aging the bringing in of negroes." Four years after Chester Monthly Meeting again brought this matter prominently before the society, and determined to press it at the Yearly Meeting. That this was done is evidenced by a letter of Isaac Norris in 1715, quoted by Watson, wherein the writer says, "Our business would have been very well were it not for the warm pushing by some Friends of Chester, chiefly in the business of negroes. The aim was to obtain a minute that none should buy them for the future."

The agitation of the subject had so attracted public attention to the evil of slavery that the Assembly as early as 1705 levied an impost duty on slaves brought within the province, and in 1710 again enacted a sim- ilar law. In 1711 an act was passed absolutely for- bidding the importation of slaves, but the English ship-owners, at that time largely interested in the traffic in negroes, influenced the crown to declare the colo- nial law nugatory. The Assembly in the following year imposed a duty of twenty pounds a head on every slave brought into Pennsylvania, and again Queen Anne crushed the provincial statute at the in- stance of those who were growing wealthy in the trade.

The opponents of the system of slavery were not dismayed into silence by the royal mandate, but in 1716, 1728, and 1730 Chester Quarterly Meeting, with no uncertain sound, pressed the matter on the atten- tion of the Society of Friends, and in 1761, Dr. Smith tells us a member of Chester meeting was dealt with by that body for having bought and sold a negro, but having made a proper acknowledgment he was not disowned.

That slaves were generally owned and kept by per- sons of wealth and by farmers in Chester County at an early date is fully established by an examination of the records, which show in settling estates frequent mention of negro slaves. The first case in this county where slaves were manumitted that I have found is in the will of Lydia Wade, widow of Robert Wade, dated the 30th day of Fourth month, 1701. Lydia Wade, in all probability, died in July, and her will, probated Aug. 8, 1801, before Register-General Moore, at Philadelphia, has the following clauses respecting her slaves :

"16ly. My will ie that my degroes Joho and Jane his wife ehall be sett free one month after my decease.

"17ly. My will is that my negro child called Jane shall be sett free after it have lived with my negro John twelve years and after that with my kinsman John Wade five years."

As the spirit of liberty spread abroad among the people during the colonial difficulties with Europe, the impression that it was unjust to keep mankind in bondage became so general that it caused many per- sons in the colony, whose principles were more dear to them than money, to manumit their slaves. In the year 1776 a number of slaves were so made free. William Peters, of Aston, in that year manumitted four bond-servants,-a man, woman, and two children. The document relating to the two last I copy in full :

" To all people to whom these presents shall come : I, William Peters, of Aehtown, in the County of Chester and Province of Pennsylvania, having a certain malattoe boy named Jack, aged about foure years under my care and in my service and also a Mulatto Gerl namned Grace aged about two years Likewise under my care. Now Know Ye, that for and in Consideration thet all mankind have an Equal, Natural and Just Right to Liberty I do by these Presents promise and Declair thet the seid Jack and Grace, he when he shall arive at the age of twenty- one that is to say on the first day of the Eighthi month in the year of our Lord one thonsand Seven Hnodred and Ninety-three and She when ehe shall arrive at the age of Eighteen, that is to eay on the first Day of the Eighth mooth io the year one thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-two, they shall be and ie hereby Declared, Discharged, Manu- mitted aod at full Liberty and for myself, my Heirs, Executors, Admin- istratore aod Assigns end all other persone Claiming nuder me or any of them do quit all Claim after that time to the said Jack and Grace which by the Laws of Customs of this province or any other Govero- ment might have subjected them to Slavery or Deprived theo of the full Enjoyment of Liberty. In witoeee whereof I have herennto set my hand and seal the Seventh Day of the Eighth month in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven Hnodred and Seventy-Six.

" WM. PETERS. [L. 8.]

"Signed and sealed in the presence of " BENJAMIN HOUGH,

"SAMUEL TRIMBLE,"

In 1777 the public sentiment among Friends against slavery had become so general that the ownership of a bondsman for life was regarded as a sufficient cause in itself for the meeting to disown members thus of- fending. As stated before, the conviction of the wrong and evil of slavery made permanent lodgment in the opinion of the people, when the struggle between the colonists and England began, increasing as the spirit of liberty increased until, March 1, 1780, the Assem- bly enacted a law providing for the gradual abolition of the entire system of servile labor in the common- wealth. Its provisions required a registration of all slaves to be made prior to the 1st day of November following in the office of the clerk of the Court of Quarter Sessions in the several counties, and declared that all persons born after that date in Pennsylvania should be free, excepting the children of registered slaves, who should be servants to their parents' mas- ters until they had attained twenty-eight years, after which age they also became freemen. Under this law a registry of the slaves of Chester County, giving the name, age, sex, and time of service of each person held as a slave, as also the name of the owners and the township where they resided, was carefully made. The record shows the following slaves, the number

204

HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

owned by each master, as well as the residences of the latter in the territory now comprising Delaware County :

Robert Magorgan, of Haverford township, farmer, registers a mulatto child then aged 6 months, a servant until he shall attain the age of 31 years.

Hugh Goveen, of Haverford, farmer, registered a negro woman, Phil- lie, aged 21 ; a negro boy, Peter, aged 7 years, slave for life ; and a mu- letto girl, Poll, aged 16, a servant notil she ie 31 years.

Samuel Johnson, of Haverford, farmer, registered a negro women, Dinah, 45 ; a negro girl, Sall, 14; a mulatto hoy, Jem, 8 ; a mulatto boy, Joe, 51/2 years; and a mulatto boy, Peter, 2 years old, all slaves for life.

Hester Hortright, of Haverford, gentlewoman, records a negro boy named Joe, sged 15, a elave for life.

Richard Willing, of Haverford, farmer, recorde a negro man, Dick, 40; a negro man, Ishmael, 28; a negro man, 21 ; and a negro woman, Molly, aged 42, all slaves for life.

John Lindsay, Haverford, farmer, records a negro girl 7 years old, a elave for life.

Edward Hughes, of Haverford, carpenter, records a negro boy, Will, aged 1 year and 8 moothe, a elave for life.

Charles Humphreys, of Haverford, miller ; his sister, Elizabeth Hum- phreys, and the estate of Rebecca Humphreys, deceased, record a negro woman, Nancy, 70; a negro man, Cezar, 36; a negro man, Tone, 34 ; a negro woman, Nancy, 44 ; a mulatto women, Judy, 25; a mulatto girl, Alice, 10; a mulatto boy, Tommey, 8; and a mulatto female child, Fanny, 13 oloDths, all slaves for life.

Jacob Richards, of Aston, yeoman, records a negro man, Dick, 64; a negro man, Jym, 30; a negro girl, Flora, 12; a mulatto hoy, Peet, 5; a negro girl, Rose, 3; & female child, Sylvia, 16 months, all slaves for life, and a negro servant woman then 22, until she atteine the age of 25 yeare.

The heirs of Philip Evane, of Aston, deceased, register a negro woman, Dinah, 27; a negro boy, Adam, 6; a negro girl, Abby, 4; and a negro girl, Sylvia, aged 2 years, all slaves for life.

William Twaddle, of Aston, forgemaster, registered a negro man, Sam, 35 ; a mulatto boy, Tom, 6; a negro wench, Seal, 19, all slaves for life.

Isaac Maris, of Marple, yeoman, registered a negro wench, Bet, aged 17, a slave for life.

Dr. Bernard Vanleer, of Marple, registered a negro boy, George, aged 15, a elave for life.

Archibald Dick, of Lower Chichester, registered a negro man, Cuff, 40; a negro woman, Nance, 20; a negro boy, Statia, 14; a negro girl, Flora, 7; and a mulatto boy, Benn, aged 2 years, all claves for life.

Joseph Walker, of Lower Chichester, yeoman, registered a negro boy, Jack, aged 10, a elave for life.

Samuel Price, of Lower Chichester, farmer, registered a negro man, James, 26; a negro man, Oliver, 24, slavee for life; aod a mulatto boy, Joe, aged 4 years, a servant till he attaine the age of 31 years.

George Craig, of Marcue Hook, clerk, registered a negro woman, Phebe, 32; a negro boy, Phil, 7 ; a mulatto boy, Jack, 3 years and & balf; and a mulatto girl, Amy, aged 1 year and 9 months. At a later time, for the date is not given, George Craig recorde a negro man, Thomas, aged 50 yeare. All of these elaves for life.

Richard Baker, of Middletown, yeoman, records a negro girl, Kassee, 13 years, a slave for life, and a mulatto servant-boy, Phineas, 17 years old, until he attains the age of thirty-one years.

Mary Ann Doyle, of Middletown, seamstress, records a negro girl, Ruth, aged 10 years, a slave for life.

William Doyle, of Middletown, recorde a negro girl, aged 5 years, a slave for life.

Joseph Gibbons, of Springfield, inn-halder, recorde a negro girl, Phebe, aged 8 years, a slave for life.

Thomes Levis, Esq., of Springfield, recorde a negro boy named Scipio, aged 16 years, a slave for life.

Jemee Crozer, of Springfield, farmer, records a mulatto servant-man, Anthony Walsh, aged 22, until he attains 31 yeare; and a negro women- eervant, Amelia, aged 19, until she attains the age of 21 years.

Lewis Davis, of Springfield, yeoman, recorde a mulatto servant, Re- becca, aged 21, until she attains the age of 31.

Caleb Davie, Esq., of Springfield, recorde a negro boy, Frank, aged 15, a slave for life.

Samuel Levis, of Springfield, paper-maker, recorde a negro boy, James Knox, 18, and a negro girl, Flora Knox, aged 10 years. Both slavee for life.

John Levie, Sr., of Springfield, yeoman, records a negro boy, Essex, aged 12 ; a negro boy, Frank, 10; e negro boy, Harry, 6; and & negro boy, Milford, aged 4, all elaves for life.

George Lownes, of Springfield, cutler, recorde & negro man, Tom, aged 26, and a negro women, Hannah, aged 19, servants until they attain the age of 31.

John Ogden, of Springfield, yeoman, a muletto girl, Poll, aged 15, & elave for life.

Nicholas Diehl, of Tinicum, grazier, records a negro man, Lonnon, aged 26; a negro man, Cojo, 24; a negro girl, Dinah, 7 ; and a negro boy, Cæsar, aged 5, all slaves for life.

Benjamin Rue, of Tinicum Island, grazier, recorde & negro girl, Jude, aged 13, a slave for life.

John Taylor, of Tinicum Island, grazier, records a negro girl, Jude, aged 6, a slave for life.

William Smith, of Tinicum, yeoman, records a negro girl, Nance, aged 5 years, & slave for life, And a negro eervant girl, Eamy, 12 years old, till she attaine the age of 31 years.

Jolın Miller, of Tinicum, yeoman, records a negro boy, Jesse, aged 13, a slave for life.

John Odeoheimer, of the borough of Chester, farmer, records a negro man, Anthony Welsh, aged 45, a slave for life.

Mary Withey, of the borough of Chester, gentlewomao, records & negro woman, Phillie, 58, and a negro woman, Sophia, aged 32 years. Both elaves for life.

Capt. Edward Vernon, of the borough of Chester, inn-holder, records a mulatto woman, Kate, 20; a mulatto boy, 16 ; a negro man, Jym, 65; a negro woman, Jina, 21 ; and a negro child, Daun, aged 9 months, all slaves for life. He aleo recorde a mulatto servant-boy, aged 12 years, until he attains the age of 24 years.

Rachael Weaver, of the borough of Chester, inn-holder, administratrix of the estate of Valentine Weaver, deceased, records & negro man, Joe, 60 ; A negro woman, Dinah, 60; a negro boy, Jack, 15; a negro boy, Peter, 13 years ; and a negro girl, Violet, aged 11. All slaves for life.

Elisha Price, Esq., of the borough of Chester, recorde n negro man, Peter, aged 24 years, a slave for life.

Samuel Shaw, of the borough of Chester, miller, recorde a negro man, Peter, 36, and a negro man, Buff, age 23. Both elaves for life.

Boaz Matthews, of Upper Darby, blacksmith, recorde a negro man named Cæsar, aged 37, a slave for life.

Sarah Harman, of Upper Derby, seamstress, records a negro woman, Clarissa, aged 19, A slave for life.

Samuel Smith, of Darby township, yeoman, recorde a negro man, Milford, 58, and a negro man, Tom, 23. Both slaves for life.

John Crosby, Jr., of Ridley, yeoman, recorde a negro girl, Fann, aged 10 yeare, a slave for life.

Sketchley Morton, of Ridley, grazier, recorde & negro boy, Jeffrey, aged 14, a elave for life.

John Morton, of Ridley, farmer, records a negro man, George, 52; a negro woman, Dinah, 47; a negro girl, Hannah, 7; and a female negro child, 1 year old, all slavee for life.

Thomas Smith, of Ridley, farmer, recorde a negro man, Jim, 20; a negro. boy, Cato, 10; a negro girl, Phebe, 14; and a negro girl, Hannah, aged 9, all slaves for life.

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History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Part 52

Author: Ashmead, Henry Graham, 1838-1920 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L.H. Everts Number of Pages: 1150

Author: Ashmead, Henry Graham, 1838-1920
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1150