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

Record Detail

Record #61 from Free Black Families of Colonial Delmarva (abstracted by Paul Heinegg)

State Maryland
County (Primary) Talbot
Other Counties
Family Name Madden
Family History Notes 1. Margaret Madden, born say 1705, the servant of Edward Needles of St. Peter's Parish, was convicted by the Talbot County court in March 1724/5 of having an illegitimate child by a "Negroe." The following year in March 1725/6 she confessed to having another child by Sampson, the slave of Aaron Parrot. In November 1727 she confessed to having another illegitimate child by a "Negroe," and the court bound her daughter Grace to her master until the age of thirty-one. In November 1730 the court sold her to her master for twenty-eight years for four convictions and sold her son Isaac, born 29 May 1730, to her master for 4,000 pounds of tobacco. She was convicted and sold for another term of seven years in June 1733, and was called Margaret Maddin a white woman in June 1742 when she was convicted of the same offence and ordered to serve a sixth term of seven years and the court sold her daughter Rose until the age of thirty one [Judgment Record 1725-6, 64-5, 480-1; 1726 (reverse), 44, 56, 62; 1727-8, 345; 1728-31, 312; 1731-3, 673; 1742, 93-4]. She was the mother of 2 i. Grace, born about 1727. ii. Isaac, born 29 May 1730, a "Mulatto" servant for whom Edward Needles posted 40 pounds security in Talbot County in August 1755 for his appearance to answer charges of having a child by a white woman named Rachel Dee. Charles Manslip and Patrick McQuay were Rachel's security. Isaac and Rachel were found guilty and each paid a fine of 1 pound, 10 shillings [Criminal Record 1751-5, n.p.; 1755-61, 12-14]. 3 iii. Rachel1, born say 1735. iv. Sampson, born about 1738, a fourteen-year-old "Melator" serving until the age of thirty-one when he was listed in the Talbot County estate of Edward Needles on 27 July 1752 [Prerogative Inventories 54:297-300]. 4 v. Rose, born say 1742. 2. Grace Madden, born about 1727, confessed to the Talbot County court in March 1744/5 that she had an illegitimate child for which she received ten lashes. She was called Grace Madden, Junr., in November 1747 when she was ordered to serve Edward Needles for the trouble of his house. In August 1748 the court ordered that she receive 10 lashes for fornication and bound her son John to Edward Needles until the age of twenty-one [Judgment Record 1744-5, 230-1; Criminal Record 1747-50, n.p.]. She was the "Mulatto" servant of Edward Needles in November 1750 when she was ordered to serve another seven years for having an illegitimate "Mulatto" child. The court sold her daughter Sarah to Needles until the age of thirty-one [Criminal Record 1751-5, n.p.]. In March 1752 the Talbot County court convicted her of having two illegitimate "Mullato" children by a "Negroe" slave. The court ordered her sold for seven years for each offense and sold her daughters Margaret and Elizabeth to Edward Needles until the age of thirty-one. In August 1753 she was convicted of the same offense, and the court sold her son Daniel to Needles until the age of thirty-one for 5 shillings. In November 1755 she had another child by a "Negro," was sold for another seven years, and the court sold her eight-month-old daughter Rachel to Elizabeth Needles for 5 shillings. And she admitted to the same offense in November 1758 and November 1761 when the court sold her daughter Jane to Edward Needles. In November 1770 the court convicted her of having a child by a free person, ordered that she pay a fine of 1 pound, 10 shillings for having a child named Levin [Criminal Record 1747-50, n.p.; 1751-5, n.p.; 1755-61, 15-16, 255; 1761-7, 13; 1767-74, n.p.]. She was the mother of i. John, born about 1748. ii. Sarah, born about 1750. iii. Margaret, born about 1751. iv. Elizabeth, born about 1752. v. Daniel, born about 1753. vi. Rachel2, born about March 1755, paid a 60 shilling fine to the Talbot County court in August 1777 for having an illegitimate child and refusing to identify the father. John Needles was security for her maintenance of her daughter Martha [Criminal Record 1775-7, n.p.]. vii. Jane, born about 1761. viii. Levin, born about 1770, head of a Talbot County, Maryland household of 4 "other free" and a white woman in 1800 [MD:531]. 3. Rachel1 Madden, born say 1735, was the spinster "Mulatto" servant of Elizabeth Needles of St. Peter's Parish, Talbot County, in November 1752 when the court convicted her of having a "Mulatto" child by a "Negroe" person. The court ordered her sold for seven years after the completion of her service and sold her son Martin to her mistress for 5 shillings. In June 1755 she was convicted of the same offense and the court sold her daughter Sarah to William Weathers until the age of thirty-one for 30 shillings. She had another daughter Ruth by a "Negroe" which she admitted to in Talbot County court in November 1756 [Criminal Record 1751-5, n.p.; 1755-61, 70-1]. She was the mother of i. Martin, born about September 1752, a four-year-old "Mollatto" boy listed in the Talbot County estate of Elizabeth Needles on 27 June 1756, with twenty-seven years to serve [Prerogative Inventories 63:444], head of a Talbot County household of 1 "other free" and a slave in 1800 [MD:506]. ii. Sarah, born about January 1755, paid a 30 shilling fine to the Talbot County court in June 1780 for having an illegitimate child [Criminal Record 1777, n.p.]. iii. Ruth, born about 1756. 4. Rose Madden, born say 1742, was a fifteen-year-old "Mollatto" girl listed in the inventory of the the Talbot County estate of Elizabeth Needles on 27 June 1756 with sixteen more years to serve [Prerogative Inventories 63:444]. She was the spinster servant of Edward Needles in March 1765 when she admitted in Talbot County court that she had a child by a "Negro." The court sold her son Dick to her master until the age of thirty one for 7 shillings. She admitted to the same offense in August 1766. The court ordered that she be sold for seven years and sold her son Jim to Thomas Cannon until the age of thirty one for 12 shillings [Criminal Record 1761-7, 334-5, 468]. She was the mother of i. Dick, born about 1764. ii. James, born about 1766. They were the ancestors of i. Wm Tiz, born about 1740, an eight-year-old "Melator" serving until the age of twenty one when he was listed in the Talbot County estate of Edward Needles on 27 July 1752 [Prerogative Inventories 54:297-300]. Will was a twelve-year-old "Mollatto" boy bound until the age of twenty one when he was listed in the inventory of the Talbot County estate of Elizabeth Needles on 27 June 1756 [Prerogative Inventories 63:444]. ii. John1, born about 1749, a four-year-old "Melator" serving until the age of twenty-one when he was listed in the inventory of the Talbot County estate of Edward Needles on 27 July 1752 [Prerogative Inventories 54:297-300]. Jack was an eight-year-old "Mollatto" bound until the age of twenty one when he was listed in the inventory of the Talbot County estate of Elizabeth Needles on 27 June 1756 [Prerogative Inventories 63:444]. iii. Benjamin, born about 1751, a three-year-old "Melator" serving to the age of twenty-one when he was listed in the inventory of the Talbot County estate of Edward Needles on 27 July 1752 [Prerogative Inventories 54:297-300]. iv. Esther, born say 1757, paid a 60 shilling fine to the Talbot County court in November 1777 for having an illegitimate child and refusing to identify the father. George Burgess was security for her maintenance of her daughter Sophia [Criminal Record 1775-7, n.p.]. v. Ruth, born say 1758, paid a 30 shilling fine to the Talbot County court in August 1777 for having an illegitimate child. Elizabeth Broadway was security for her maintenance of the child [Criminal Record 1775-7, n.p.]. vi. Rebecca Maden, born say 1767, head of a Caroline County household of 5 "other free" in 1790. 5 vii. John2, born say 1770. viii. Levin, born say 1773, head of a Talbot County, Maryland household of 4 "other free" and a white woman in 1800 [MD:531]. ix. Jenney, born say 1775, head of a Talbot County household of 3 "other free" in 1800 [MD:536]. x. George, born before 1776, head of a Talbot County household of 3 "free colored" in 1830. xi. William, born before 1776, head of a Talbot County household of 2 "free colored" in 1830. xii. Toby, born about 1787, obtained a certificate of freedom in Talbot County on 9 September 1815: a light Black man ... about 28 years of age, 5 feet 6 1/2 inches high [Certificates of Freedom 1807-15, 13]. xiii. John3, born about 1788, obtained a certificate of freedom in Talbot County on 28 August 1811: a black man ... about twenty three years of age, five feet Seven Inches and Three quarters ... rather of a bright Complexion was born free and that he was raised in the County [Certificates of Freedom 1807-15, 53]. xiv. William, born about 1790, obtained a certificate of freedom in Talbot County on 27 July 1813: born free and raised in the County ... about 23 years of age, five feet 4 3/4 inches high of a dark Mullatto Colour [Certificates of Freedom 1807-15, 72]. 5. John2 Madan, born say 1770, and his wife, Elizabeth, "free Mulattoes," baptized their children in St. Paul's Parish, Baltimore, Maryland, on 17 September 1797. John Madden was head of a Baltimore County household of 2 "free colored" in in 1830. They were the parents of i. William, born 24 July 1791, baptized 17 September 1797. ii. George, born 5 February 1797, baptized 17 September 1797 [Reamy, Records of St. Paul's Parish, I:111].
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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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