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

Record Detail

Record #52 from Free Black Families of Colonial Delmarva (abstracted by Paul Heinegg)

State Maryland
County (Primary) Somerset
Other Counties
Family Name Jervis
Family History Notes 1. Margrett Jervice, born say 1697, was living in Monokin Hundred of Somerset County on 2 June 1714 when she confessed in court that Captain Arnold Elzey's "Negroe servant" was the father of her "Mallato" child. The court sold her for seven years and her child Money for thirty-one years to Mr. Worthington for 3,000 pounds of tobacco. Casah "Negroe man servant" of Major Arnold Elzey confessed that he was the father and received 30 lashes. She was the spinster servant of Mrs. Alice Worthington of Stepney Parish on 4 June 1717 when she confessed that she had an illegitimate child by "Buboe Negroe." The court ordered her sold for seven years, sold her child to her mistress until the age of thirty one for 500 pounds of tobacco, and ordered that Buboe receive 30 lashes. The court sold Margaret to Merrick Ellis, Gentleman, for 1,000 pounds of tobacco on 18 August 1724 [Judicial Record 1713-5, 70-1; 1715-7, 211, 235, 239-40; 1723-5, 217]. She was the ancestor of i. Money, born about March 1714, apparently identical to "Mollatto" Moll Jervice whose six-month-old son Sam was sold by the Somerset County court to Alice Ellis for 31 years in August 1733 for 500 pounds of tobacco [Judicial Record 1733-5, 56]. ii. Ann Jervis, born say 1716, a spinster living in Stepney Parish on 15 June 1736 when she confessed to the Somerset County court that she had a child by a "negroe" on 10 March 1735. The court sold her for seven years and her son until the age of thirty-one to Alice Ellis [Judicial Record 1735-8, 198]. iii. Friday, head of a Kent County, Maryland household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [MD:866].
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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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