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

Record Detail

Record #3 from Free Black Families of Colonial Delmarva (abstracted by Paul Heinegg)

State Maryland
County (Primary) Talbot
Other Counties Caroline, Dorchester, Kent
Family Name Bantum
Family History Notes Members of the Bantum family of Maryland were i. James, born say 1730. (Note 1) ii. Gabriel, head of a Caroline County household of 8 "other free" in 1790. iii. Delia, said to be over 100 years old when she was head of a Talbot County household of 6 "free colored" in 1830. iv. George, head of a Talbot County household of 3 "other free" in 1790. v. Sally, head of a Talbot County household of 3 "other free" in 1800 [MD:531]. vi. Joe, head of a Talbot County household of 3 "other free" in 1800 [MD:527] and 3 "free colored" in 1830. vii. Nancy Banthum, "Negro" head of a Kent County household of 1 "other free" in 1790. viii. Diana, born before 1776, head of a Kent County household of 6 "free colored" in 1830. 1. James Bantum, born say 1730, was a "Molatto servant man" listed in the inventory of the Talbot County estate of William Brooke on 7 May 1754 [Prerogative Inventories 60:114-8]. He may have been the father of i. James, born about 1757. (Note 2) 2. James Bantum, born about 1757, was head of a Talbot County household of 8 "other free" in 1800 [MD:534]. He obtained a certificate of freedom in Talbot County on 24 May 1815: a Black man ... about 58 years of age, 5 feet 10 3/4 inches high, has the top of his head bald ... was manumitted & set free by ... Wm Thomas. He may have been the father of i. Levin, born about 1783, obtained a certificate of freedom in Talbot County on 27 May 1807: a Mullatto Man about twenty four years of age, five feet seven and a half inches high ... free born of a white woman and bound to Christopher Bruff until he was twenty one years of age. ii. Edward, born about 1790, obtained a certificate of freedom in Talbot County on 23 July 1810: a black man ... about 20 years of age, 5 feet 7 1/2 inches high ... dark complection ... free born ... raised in this County. iii. Harry, born about 1793, obtained a certificate of freedom in Talbot County on 20 March 1810: a black man ... about 22 years of age, 5 feet 9 inches & an half high, complection dark Coffee [Certificates of Freedom 1807-15, 30, 43, 46, 174]. iv. Moses, born about 1795, obtained a certificate of freedom in Dorchester County on 12 April 1815: of a light chesnut colour ... born free [Certificates of Freedom for Negroes 1806-64, 24].
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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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