| State | Delaware |
|---|---|
| County (Primary) | Sussex |
| Other Counties | New Castle |
| Family Name | Mosely |
| Family History Notes | Members of the Mosely family were 1 i. William, born say 1725. 2 ii. Absolem1, born say 1730. 1. William Mosely, born say 1725, a "mulatto," registered the birth of his daughter, Elizabeth, on 17 January 1747/8 at St. George's Protestant Episcopal Church, Indian River Hundred, Sussex County, Delaware [Wright, Vital Records of Kent and Sussex Counties, 93]. He was the father of 3 i. ?John, born say 1746. ii. Elizabeth, born 17 January 1747/8. 2. Absolem1 Mosely, born say 1730, was indicted by the Sussex County court in February 1749. He posted 50 pounds bond and John Corwill was surety for another 50 pounds. The case was dismissed in August 1750 on his committment to pay all fees [RG 4815.017, General Sessions Court, 1741-53, frames 448, 453, 470]. He purchased 104 acres called Oliver's Folly on the north side of Sow Bridge Branch in Sussex County from William Winsley for 12 pounds, 10 shillings on 4 May 1765 [DB K-10:270]. He was taxable in Slaughter Creek, Sussex County in 1770 [RG 2535, reel 1]. He left a 25 April 1795 Sussex County will, proved 30 April 1795, by which he named his sons Purnell, Absolem, Curnell and other unnamed children [WB E:33-4]. His land was listed as half cleared and worth about 30 shillings per acre in the 1796 tax list for Cedar Creek Hundred [RG 2535, reel 2]. He was the father of i. Purnell, born before 1776, head of a Sussex County household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [DE:463] and 10 "free colored" in Broadkiln Hundred in 1820 [DE:334]. He was an eighty-year-old "Mulatto" laborer living with John Mosely in the 1850 Dover Hundred census [DE:345]. ii. Absolem2, born 1776-1794, head of a Dagsboro Hundred, Sussex County household of 5 "free colored" in 1820 [DE:372]. iii. ?Cornelius1, married Alce Hanzer, "Blacks, freed" 29 June 1779 in Sussex County, Delaware [Records of the United Presbyterian Churches of Lewes, Indian River and Cool Spring, Delaware 1756-1855, 294]. He was taxable in Duck Creek Hundred, Kent County, from 1779 to 1780 [RG 3535, Kent County Levy List, 1768-84, frames 407, 429, 430, 452], a delinquent taxable in Indian River Hundred, Sussex County, in 1790 [RG 2535, roll 2] and head of a Lewes and Rehoboth Hundred, Sussex County household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [DE:414]. iv. ?George, a delinquent taxable in Indian River Hundred, Sussex County, in 1790 [RG 2535, roll 2]. 3. John1 Mosely, born say 1746, and his wife, Elizabeth, had their son, Billy, baptized on 9 September 1770 at St. George's Protestant Episcopal Church, Indian River Hundred, Sussex County [Wright, Vital Records of Kent and Sussex Counties, 100]. He purchased 50 acres in Nanticoke Hundred, Sussex County, on the southwest side of the Raccoon Swamp that empties into the Nanticoke River for 50 pounds on 7 August 1786 [DB N-13:299]. He was taxable in Dagsborough Hundred in 1784 and in Nanticoke Hundred from 1789 to 1796 when he was listed as a "Molatto" [DSA, RG 2535, roll 2]. He was head of a Nanticoke Hundred household of 8 "other free" in 1800 [DE:342], 8 in 1810 [DE:462], and 5 "free colored" in Broadkiln Hundred in 1820 [DE:330]. They were the parents of i. William2, born 1 October 17__, baptized 9 September 1770. ii. ?Solomon1, taxable in Duck Creek Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, from 1768 to 1772 when he was delinquent [RG 3535, Kent County Levy List, 1768-84, frames 23, 75, 119, 148], called "Solmon Mosely the elder," a yeoman of Kent County, in November 1772 when the grand jury indicted him for stealing two bushels of wheat from Risdon Bishop of Little Creek Hundred [DSA, RG 3805, MS case files November 1772 indictments]. He was head of a Cedar Creek, Sussex County household of 9 "other free" in 1800 [DE:307]. iii. ?Jacob, head of an Octararo, Cecil County, Maryland household of 1 "other free" in 1790. vi. ?John2, head of a Sussex County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [DE:455] and 6 "free colored" in Broadkiln Hundred in 1820 [DE:334]. Other members of the family in Delaware were i. Solomon2, born before 1776, head of a Dagsborough Hundred, Sussex County household of 3 "other free" in 1800 [DE:425] and 2 "free colored" in 1820 [DE:372]. ii. Emeline, head of a Sussex County household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [DE:445]. iii. Benjamin, born before 1776, head of a Broadkiln Hundred, Sussex County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820 [DE:334]. iv. Hezekiah, head of a Sussex County household of 7 "other free" in 1810 [DE:410]. v. Cornelius2, born 1776-1794, head of a Murderkill Hundred, Kent County household of 4 "free colored" in 1820 [DE:6]. vi. John3, born 1776-1794, head of a Broadkiln Hundred, Sussex County household of 5 "free colored" in 1820 [DE:334]. vii. Isaac, head of an Appoquinimink Hundred, New Castle County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820 [DE:156]. |
| Additional Notes | – |
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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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