Walter Edelen (b. circa ? - d. 1816)
MSA SC 5496-050703
War of 1812 Claimant, Prince George's County, Maryland, 1828
Biography:
Walter Edelen was a property owner who lived in the village of Piscataway, situated in southern Prince George's County, Maryland. He was born in Maryland to Richard and Mary Edelen. The Edelen's were a slave holding family and like many of his contemporaries, Walter Edelen owned enslaved people. Walter Edelen acquired his slaves through bequest, purchase and mortgage. He purchased an enslaved woman Priss, age 38 from Martha Jenkins for the sum of 47 pounds and 11 shillings on March 27, 1795.1 In the terms of the sale Martha Jenkins, stated that neither she nor her heirs, could hold claims to Priss or her increase. Edelen went on to purchase an enslaved mother Cassa age 16 and her infant daughter Tabitha age 8 months, in 1800 from Charles Tippit.2 In September of that year, Edelen purchased the remainder of Charles Tippit's personal property incuding a 14 year old enslaved girl named Henny, househould furniture, horses, cattle, calves, hogs, feather beds, and a wagon.3 The following year, two men John Ball and Richard Bryan of William, had to mortgage their slaves and land to Walter Edelen until they paid off their debt of 783 pounds and one shilling.Magruder.4 Edelen would received a tract of land called Brothers Delight, Mistake, and Lusbuy's Discovery, and the following slaves: Sandy, Casia, Benjamin, Ann and her son George. If the above mentioned John Ball and Richard Bryan satisfied their debts by 1803, Walter Edelen would return the mortgaged property to them. If not, Edelen would retain the rights to the enslaved individuals and the tracts of land. On July 13, 1812, Edelin purchased three enslaved people from Hezekiah Wheeler. Along with the three slaves, Harry age 17, Thomas age 6, and Susannah age 20, Edelen purchased household items, including a featherbed, bookcase and books.5
In 1813, America had been at war with Britain for a year.6 At this time British vessels began to show up in the Chesapeake bay and place blockades Maryland waterways. Among the waterways that were blockaded were the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers. Many enslaved people in Maryland took this opportunity to escape from their owners. The majority of slaves fled from southern Maryland: Calvert County, Prince George's County and St. Mary's County.7 The British realized that the enslaved community could help them navigate Marylands waterways and overpower the local militia. On April 2, 1814, British Admiral Alexander Cochrane issued a proclamation offering immediate emancipation to any person looking to take up arms with the British military or wanting to resettle in a British territory.8 Walter Edelen's enslaved man, Aaron, escaped to a British schooner at the mouth of Swan Creek near Fort Washington.9 Aaron, a mulatto slave, was a valuable blacksmith. The vessel was initially lying in the Potomac River near Alexandria, but then dropped anchor at Swan Creek to pick up slaves from the neighborhood near Fort Washington.10 The war ended when the Treaty of Ghent was signed by American and British representatives on December 24, 1814.11 Although many of the vessels remained in Maryland's waterways after the ratification of the treaty, the slaves were not returned to their owners.12 Many other escaped slaves were carried to Halifax, Nova Scotia.13
Walter Edelin died in 1816.14 He bequeathed his real and personal estate to be equally divided between his brother Barton Edelen, sister Susanna Edelen, and nephew Richard Lloyd Jenkins.15 Three nephews, John Aloysius Edelen, Richard James Edelen, and Walter Alexander Edelin, were to each receive $100 when they turned 21 years old.16 Edelen's nephew Richard Lloyd Jenkins was appointed the executor of his estate. As late as 1824, Jenkins continued to handle his uncles affairs. In that year he submitted a claim to the Department of State for the loss of his uncle's slave Aaron, who fled during the War of 1812.17 It was decided through a commission at the Department of State that, Maryland and Virginia slave owners would be compensated $280 for each slave that they could prove ran off or were carried away by the British. Bazil Hatton, a neighbor who was well acquainted with Walter Edelen and his slaves, gave a depostion that he saw Aaron escaping to the British vessel.18 Although, Aaron was valued at $450, Richard Jenkins received the alloted $280.19
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