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

Record Detail

Record #32 from Free Black Families of Colonial Delmarva (abstracted by Paul Heinegg)

State Maryland
County (Primary) Dorchester
Other Counties
Family Name Evans
Family History Notes 1. Elizabeth Dennis, alias Evans, born say 1687, was convicted of having a "Mullattoe" child by the Anne Arundel County court in November 1707. She charged the child to a white man named Jeremiah Connelly, but he was acquitted and she was ordered to serve her mistress, Madam Biggs, twelve months for the trouble of her house. She confessed to having another child in August 1709 which she admitted was fathered by Mrs. Biggs' "Negroe Dick." She had another "Malato" child who was about five weeks old in November 1711 when he was sold to James Carroll to serve until the age of thirty-one [Judgment Records 1707-8, 649-50; 1708-12, 75, 374, 411]. She may have been the ancestor of 2 i. Hannah, born say 1760. ii. Mary Evens, head of a Montgomery County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [MD:914]. 2. Hannah Evans, born say 1760, was born free in Dorchester County. She was head of a Dorchester County household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [MD:669]. She was the mother of i. Lucy Cornish, born about 1781, obtained a certificate of freedom in Dorchester County on 13 November 1826: of a dark chesnut colour ... born free and is the daughter of Hannah Evans who was also born free, aged about 45 years. ii. James, born about 1798, obtained a certificate of freedom in Dorchester County on 24 August 1826: of a chesnut colour ... born free and is the son of Hannah Evans who was also born free, aged about 28 years. iii. Hooper, born about 1802, obtained a certificate of freedom in Dorchester County on 19 June 1824: chesnut colour ... son of Hannah Evans, who was born free, about 22 years of age [Certificates of Freedom for Negroes 1806-64, 50, 55].
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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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