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

Record Detail

Record #72 from Free Black Families of Colonial Delmarva (abstracted by Paul Heinegg)

State Maryland
County (Primary) Somerset
Other Counties Sussex
Family Name Oney
Family History Notes 1. Eleanor Oney, born say 1730, a "Negro," was living in Stepney Parish, Somerset County, on 18 June 1751 when she was convicted of having an illegitimate child by "Negro Quamino," the slave of Henry Lewis. Thomas Moor was her security for payment of her fine. Her "Negro" daughter Levina Oney was bound to Thomas Moor by the court until the age of sixteen. She was convicted of having another illegitimate child on or about 1 February 1762 on the evidence of Thomas Dashiell. In August 1762 she was living in Stepney Parish when the court fined her 20 shillings for an assault on Elizabeth Hull on 22 July 1762 [Judicial Records 1749-51, 293-4; 1760-3, 145d, 151, 168]. She was the mother of i. Levina, born about 1750, a spinster living in Stepney Parish on 21 June 1768 when the court ordered her to pay a double fine when she refused to identify the father of her illegitimate child. Job Sirmon was her security [Judicial Records 1767-9, 149-150]. ii. ?Patience, born say 1752, a "Negro," of her own free will bound herself as an apprentice to Robert Brown until the age of sixteen in June 1762. On 18 November 1766 the court convicted her of having a child by a "Negro" slave [Judicial Records 1760-3, 136; 1767-9, 36]. iii. ?Perlina, born say 1762, presented by the Somerset County court on 17 March 1772 for having an illegitimate child [Judicial Records 1769-72, 279]. They were apparently the ancestors of i. Daniel, head of a Northwest Fork Hundred, Sussex County household of 8 "free colored" in 1820 [DE:244]. ii. Martin, head of a Little Creek Hundred, Sussex County household of 8 "free colored" in 1820 [DE:408]. iii. Horatio, head of a Dagsboro Hundred, Sussex County household of 6 "free colored" in 1820 [DE:394].
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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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