The eight hundred and thirty-second volume of the Archives of Maryland Online
was originally created between 1844-1866. The Archives of Maryland edition was published in 2010 by the
Maryland State Archives.
A manumission is the legal document freeing a slave. The earliest manumissions were recorded by
deed in the county land records. Between 1752 and 1796,
a deed was the only legal document that could free a slave. But before and after those years, manumissions
were also recorded in wills, chattel records, and, for Anne Arundel and Harford counties, in a separate
record series called (Manumissions).
The typical information found in a manumission includes the name and residence of the slave holder,
the name (often just the first name) and age of the slave or slaves to be freed, and the date or
age at which freedom would be granted. Sometimes the manumission even indicates familial
relationships by listing the names of children, wives or husbands. Sometimes, though, the
manumission does not list the names of the slaves being freed. The document may simply refer to
"sundry slaves."
Volume 832 Source Documents
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY COURT (Manumission Record)
MSA CM48-4
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT (Manumission Record)
MSA CM1354-1
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