Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History & Culture Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva's Black History

Record Detail

Record #15 from Free Black Families of Colonial Delmarva (abstracted by Paul Heinegg)

State Maryland
County (Primary) Talbot
Other Counties
Family Name Calvell/Calwell/Caldwell
Family History Notes 1. Isabella Colvill, born say 1706, the servant of Mr. Daniel Sherwood of St. Michael's Parish, Talbot County, admitted in court in November 1726 that she had a "Mallatto" child by Sherwood's "Negroe" slave Jack on 1 September 1726. The court ordered that she serve her master another six months for his trouble and then be sold for seven years [Judgment Record 1726, 346-7; 1726 (reverse), 87]. She was the mother of 2 i. Martha, born about 1726. 3 ii. Martin Collwell, born say 1745. 2. Martha Calvell, born about 1726, said to have been the "Mullatto" daughter of Elizabeth Calvel but corrected to Esabel Calvel, was sold to Daniel Sherwood until the age of thirty-one in November 1726 [Judgment Record 1726, 326]. She was called "Martha Colvin, a Mallatto woman" in November 1751 when the Talbot County court convicted her of having an illegitimate child by a "Negroe." The court sold her for seven years and her child for 31 years for a total of 650 pounds of tobacco to Joseph Dawson. She was called Martha Calvell in November 1753 when she admitted to the same offense and was ordered to be sold for another seven years after the completion of her service to Joshep Dawson [Criminal Record, 1751-5, n.p.]. Martha Caldwell was head of a Talbot County household of 2 "other free" in 1790. She may have been the mother of i. Lucy Caldwell, born say 1743, a spinster living in Talbot County in August 1763 when she was convicted of having a child by a "Negro." The Court sold her and her child to Cornelius Dailey for 4,400 pounds of tobacco [Criminal Record 1761-7, 212-3]. 3. Martin Collwell, born say 1745, was head of a taxable "free Mullotes" household of two "blacks" in Bay Hundred, Talbot County in August 1776 [Carothers, 1776 Census of Maryland]. He may have been the father of i. Ary, born about 1768, obtained a certificate of freedom in Talbot County on 11 September 1809: a black woman ... about 41 years of age, 5 feet & three quarters of an inch high ... free born ... raised in the County. ii. Joseph, born about 1780, obtained a certificate of freedom in Talbot County on 12 September 1812: a Mullatto man ... about thirty two years of age, five feet Seven and one quarter inches high ... born free and raised in the County. iii. Jeremiah, born about 1787, obtained a certificate of freedom in Talbot County on 29 January 1811: about 23 years of age, five feet nine inches high ... dark yellow complexion was born free ... raised in the county. iv. Sally, born about 1795, obtained a certificate of freedom in Talbot County on 21 August 1815: a Black Girl ... Sally Caldwell ... about 20 years of age 5 feet 1/2 inches high ... born free, & raised in the County [Certificates of Freedom 1807-15, 17, 18, 40, 124].
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[Author (if known)], Free Black Families of Colonial Delmarva (abstracted by Paul Heinegg), [Date (if known)], Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva’s Black History, Nabb Research Center, Salisbury University.

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