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

Record Detail

Record #62 from Free Black Families of Colonial Delmarva (abstracted by Paul Heinegg)

State Maryland
County (Primary) Somerset
Other Counties Sussex
Family Name Magee
Family History Notes 1. Fortune Magee, born say 1687, was a servant of Mrs. Mary Day, called "Fortune a Mallatto girl," in March 1698/9 when she was convicted by the Somerset County court of stealing goods from James Maxwell, a merchant. The court also charged her mistress with encouraging her to steal the goods but found Mrs. Day guilty only of concealing the goods. On 15 June 1705 the Somerset County court ordered that she serve Mrs. Day until the age of thirty-one, explaining that she was the "mulatto" daughter of Maudlin Magee, a white woman living in Somerset County who was married to George Magee at the time. On 7 March 1710/11 the court presented her for having four illegitimate children: one about seven years old, one five, one three and one three months old. On 8 August 1711 she confessed that Penny, "negroe" servant to Mr. Benjamin Wailer was the father of her child. On 6 August 1712 she bound her children, Ross, Sue, and Perlina to Mrs. Day [Judicial Records 1698-1701, 129, 134, 167; 1702-5, 212, 251; 1707-11, 454; 1711-13, 40, 220]. Fortune was taxable in Baltimore Hundred, Somerset County, in 1735 [List of Tithables]. Her children were i. Rose, born in March 1703. ii. Sue Magee alias Game, born in April 1705, a "mulatto" woman living in Stepney Parish, Somerset County, Maryland, from 1745 to 1755 when her "mulatto" children, James, Jenney, and Nelly Magee were born. iii. Perlina, born in April 1707, five years old "next April" in August 1712 when she was bound apprentice. Their descendants in Maryland and Delaware were i. Robert McGee, head of an Allegany County, Maryland household of 7 "other free" in 1800 [MD:3]. ii. Susannah Megee, head of a Sussex County, Delaware household of 3 "other free" in 1800 [DE:391]. iii. Job Mcey, head of a Sussex County, Delaware household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [DE:384]. iv. George, born before 1776, head of a Northwest Fork, Sussex County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820 [DE:242].
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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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