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

Record Detail

Record #77 from Free Black Families of Colonial Delmarva (abstracted by Paul Heinegg)

State Delaware
County (Primary) Sussex
Other Counties Worcester, Talbot, Accomack
Family Name Perkins
Family History Notes The Perkins family originated in Accomack County, Virginia, where Esther Perkins had several mixed-race children in the 1730s. Her descendants were in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Louisiana before 1810. Her likely descendants in Maryland and Delaware were i. Caleb, perhaps the Caleb Perkins who was sued by James Fisher in Sussex County court in May 1742 [RG 4815.017, General Sessions Court, 1741-53, frame 75], taxable in Little Creek Hundred, Kent County, Delaware from 1785 to 1789 [RG 3535, Kent County Levy List, 1784-97], a delinquent taxable in Broadkill and Little Creek Hundreds, Sussex County, in 1790 [DSA, RG 2535, roll 2], a "Negro" taxable in Duck Creek Hundred in 1798, and head of a Kent County household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [DE:18]. ii.Luke, taxable in Broadkill Hundred, Sussex County in 1790 [DSA, RG 2535, roll 2].. iii. William, indicted in Sussex County court on an unspecified charge in February 1747/8 [RG 4815.017, General Sessions Court, 1741-53, frame 330], a taxable "Molatto" in Little Creek Hundred, Sussex County on a cow and calf and 3 shoats in 1796. He was head of a Sussex County household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [DE:343] and 6 in 1810 [DE:300]. Another William Perkins was head of a Sussex County household of 7 "other free" in 1810 [DE:363]. iv. James, head of a Sussex County household of 4 "other free" in 1800 [DE:101] and 8 in 1810 [DE:363]. v. Aaron, head of a Sussex County household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [DE:438]. vi. Peter, head of a Sussex County, Delaware household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [DE:363]. vii. Adam, head of a Kent County, Delaware household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [DE:62]. 1 viii. Frank, born say 1760. ix. Sampson, a "Molatto" taxable in Pitts Creek, Worcester County in 1783 [MdHR, MSA S1161-11-9, p.4]. 1. Frank Perkins, born say 1760, was head of a Talbot County, Maryland household of 5 "other free" in 1790 and 6 "other free" and a white woman in 1800 [MD:514]. He was the father of i. James, born about March 1789, obtained a certificate of freedom in Talbot County on 4 August 1810: aged about 21 years last March, a light mulatto, 5' 3 3/4 inches high ... son of a free white woman who is lawfully married to a free mulatto man, and was raised in the County [Certificates of Freedom 1807-15, 92].
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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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