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

Source Information

Certificates of Freedom in Somerset County, 1821-1864

Manumission & Freedom • 1,075 Records • Uploaded July 7, 2021

A Certificate of Freedom, issued by the Clerk of the Court of Somerset County, proved the status of Black individuals, in some instances preventing them from being resold into slavery. These certificates feature information regarding the circumstances granting freedom to the enslaved individuals, their parent's status as free or enslaved, and various identifying characteristics such as height, complexion, and age. Transcribed and abstracted from microfilm of Maryland State Archives records CR47,251-5, CR47,251-6, CR47, 251-7 & CR 47,258 by Donna Messick.

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Fields Included

The list below shows the data fields included in this source. If a field is marked as Indexed, it is searchable.

  • County Indexed
  • Gender
  • Name Indexed
  • Proof of Freedom Indexed
  • Deed Information Indexed
  • Deed Executed By Indexed
  • Height
  • Complexion Indexed
  • Age
  • Document Date Indexed
  • Citation Indexed
  • Page
  • PDF Page
  • Other Notes Indexed
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