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

Record Detail

Record #63 from Free Black Families of Colonial Delmarva (abstracted by Paul Heinegg)

State Maryland
County (Primary) Somerset
Other Counties
Family Name Malavery
Family History Notes 1. Richard Malavery, born say 1695, was taxable in Manokin Hundred of Somerset County in Charles Revell's household in 1725 [List of Tithables, 1725]. He married Dinah Mongom (nee Harmon?), widow of Philip3 Mongom, about 1728 when she was a taxable in his Northampton County, Virginia, household. They were called Richard and Dinah Munlavery in the Northampton County list for 1731 [L.P. 1728-31]. They were probably the parents ofof 2 i. Dorcas, born say 1720. ii. Thomas, born say 1727, taxable in Manokin Hundred, Somerset County, Maryland in 1743 in the household of Isaac Baston. He was sued in Somerset County court by Smith Hersey in August 1747 for 13 pounds which he had signed a promissory note for on 11 May 1745. Thomas claimed that he should not have had to pay the note because he had signed it under duress while in prison. The court found in his favor and ordered Hersey to pay him 1,288 pounds of tobacco for his court costs [Judicial Record 1747-9, 17]. 2. Dorcas Malavery, born say 1720, was living in Coventry Parish on 20 March 1738/9 when the Somerset County court indicted her for having an illegitimate child. She confessed and named the father Jonas Miller who was called "Jonas Hogskin (Hodgskin) a "Mallatto" on 19 August 1739 when he confessed and was fined 30 shillings. She was apparently identical to the "mollatto woman Dorcas" named in the Pocomoke Hundred, Somerset County will of Robert Boyer on 27 March 1746 which was proved on 12 April 1746: To negro man Harry, on my wife's decease, 50 acres and his freedom...To my mollatto woman Dorcas & all her children, on my wife's decease, their freedom & 4 head of good cattle [Prerogative Court Wills 24:397]. Dorcas sued James Ottley in Somerset County court on 18 August 1747 for detaining her as a servant. She was apparently identical to Dorcas "wife of Negro Harry" whose "Malatto" children were bound to Ottley by the same court [Judicial Record 1738-40, 74, 128, 171; 1747-49, 6, 10]. She was called Darkes Melavery when she was taxable in Pocomoke Hundred, Somerset County, in 1749 and 1750 [List of Tithables, 1749, 1750] and called Dorcas Malavery in August 1750 when she petitioned the court saying that Ottley had sold one of her children to someone in Accomack County and was mistreating the other two. The case was dismissed with each party paying their own costs [Judicial Record 1749-51, 178]. The children of "Negro Harry and his wife Dorcas" were i. David, born in November 1739, "Malatto son of Negro Harry and Dorcas his wife," eight years old when he was bound apprentice to James Ottley on 18 August 1747. ii. Harry, born in November 1741, six years old when he was bound to James Ottley. iii. Elijah, born in October 1745, two years old when he was bound to James Ottley.
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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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