Manumission & Freedom • 2,260 Records • Uploaded September 9, 2024 • Data Website: msa.maryland.gov
This source was abstracted from the book Manumission Records 1806-1864 Dorchester County, Maryland transcribed by Elaine McGill. While the title of the book indicates manumission records, they are actually certificates of freedom.
A description of the certificates as found on the Maryland State Archives:
"In 1805 the General Assembly passed a law to identify free African Americans and to control the availability of freedom papers. The law required African Americans who were born free to record proof of their freedom in the county court. The court would then issue them a certificate of freedom. If the black person is manumitted, the court clerk or register of wills would look up the manumitting document before issuing a certificate of freedom. A typical certificate not only indicates how the black became free, but also lists physical characteristics that could be used to establish identity. These include height, eye color, complexion, and hair color and texture. The Archives has the certificates of freedom for Baltimore City and the following counties: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot and Washington. In general the certificates date from the early 1800s and continue until the Civil War."
The original Dorchester County certificates (CM1283) from 1800-1851 (through pg 170) can be found on the Maryland State archives site here Certificates (C690) from 1850-1864 (pg 171 of original) can be found here
The list below shows the data fields included in this source. If a field is marked as Indexed, it is searchable.