This is a consolidated version of slides I shared over the course of three presentations as a research archivist for the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland research project for the Maryland State Archives. It also includes slides my colleague used on one occasion regarding United States Colored Troops.

1. Pistols and Petitions: Queen Anne’s SlavePistols and Petitions: Queen Anne’s Slave
Self-Emancipation in the 19Self-Emancipation in the 19thth
CenturyCentury
By: Alex Champion and Tanner Sparks
Maryland State Archives
Legacy of Slavery in Maryland Department

2. Legacy of Slavery in MarylandLegacy of Slavery in Maryland
• Three year US Department of Education Office of PostsecondaryThree year US Department of Education Office of Postsecondary
Education Underground Railroad Educational and Cultural ProgramEducation Underground Railroad Educational and Cultural Program
grant that began in 2010.grant that began in 2010.
• The goal of the grant is to study, promote, and document theThe goal of the grant is to study, promote, and document the
experiences that have shaped Maryland’s African Americanexperiences that have shaped Maryland’s African American
population relating to five Eastern Shore counties in Maryland:population relating to five Eastern Shore counties in Maryland:
–– Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and TalbotCaroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot

3. Goals of PresentationGoals of Presentation
• Freedom Petitions: Queen Anne’s slaves freed
themselves from bondage within Maryland’s
legal framework.
• U.S. Colored Troops: Slavery transformed in
Queen Anne’s County when slaves were
presented the opportunity to enlist in the
Union army.

4. Queen Anne’s CountyQueen Anne’s County
• Q.A. County Census
1790 – 15,463 total (6,674 Slaves)
828 Slaveholding families (18 slaves on average per
family)
1820 – 14,952 total (5,588 Slaves, 2,138 Free)
1850 – 14,484 total (4,270 Slaves, 3,278 Free)
1860 – 15,961 total (4,174 Slaves, 3,372 Free)
573 Slaveholders (28 slaves on average per family)
- Census data was accessed from the University of Virginia Historical Census
Browser.

5. Litigiousness is a Virtue
Maryland Slave Freedom
Petitions of the 19th
Century

6. 17th
Century Slave Laws
• 1663/1664 – Legalization/institutionalization of slavery – Free white
women who marry black slave also become slaves for the duration of
his servitude (and their children until age 31)
• 1681 – Children born to free black women or mulattoes of white
women are free; Owners or priests who facilitate interracial unions
would be fined 10,000 pounds of tobacco and the white woman is
freed from service

7. 18th
Century Slave Laws
• 1715 - Slaves forbidden to leave ten miles from home without a note
1717 – “Whereas it may be of very dangerous Consequence to admit and
allow as Evidences in Law…”

8. 18th
Century Slave Laws
• 1783 - Slaves of non-permanent residents will be manumitted (amended
periodically to treat VA., PA, DE, and D.C. differently)
• 1790 – Elderly or infirmed slaves cannot be freed unless sustained
• 1801 – Slaves may give testimony against other blacks

9. Robert Williams

10. Maryland Laws…
• …discouraged black immigration
• …incentivized race and class separation
• …limited freedoms of all blacks
• …legitimized freedom’s matrilineal descent
• …relied heavily on testimony

11. Henny Hemsley
• Queen Anne’s County Court, May 1815 by
her attorney William Carmichael
• “entitled to their Freedom being
descended on the Female line from a free
woman named Susan”
• George Walls of Kentucky argued
otherwise

12. Hemsley Family tree
Susan Hemsley
[Captain
James Sweat?]
Henny Hemsley
Susan Hemsley Juliana Hemsley Priscilla Hemsley

13. Kidnapping of Susan Hemsley
• Deponent Greenberry Griffin claimed
Captain James Sweat kidnapped Susan
Hemsley in 1783

14. Community Reputation
• John Denny’s testimony excepted

15. Verdict
• Jury determines Henny and her children
"on the day of pr[o]ffering their petition in
this cause were free and of free condition.“
• Walls’ attorney files two exceptions
• Court of Appeals for the Eastern Shore
reverses one, retrial is called June, 1817

16. Certificates of Freedom
• 1805 - “great mischiefs have arisen from slaves coming into possession of
the certificates of free negroes, by running away and passing as free, under
the faith of such certificates… ”
• Only record of their re-trial appears to be their 1836 certificates

17. Indian Moll, Philemon Lloyd
Chew’s servant
• 18 slaves, four freedom petitions
• 1794 – Carver v. Chew
• 1799 – Creek v. Wilkins
• 1800 – Baker and others v. Paca
• 1803 – Moody v. Jones

18. **<Rachel Baker>**
James Isaac Esther
Betty John Tom Phoebe
Benjamin
Caty
**<Robert Moody>**
**<Margaret Creek>**
**<Tom Carver>**

19. Henny Baker
Ibby Charles Nancy Henny
Sarah

20. Negro Tom Carver v. Samuel Lloyd Chew
• General Court of the Western Shore, 1794:
Attorney Gabrial Duvall
• Chew owned 41 slaves in 1790
• Testimony from dozens of QA, AA persons
• Daniel Dulaney, Philemon Lloyd Chew, Samuel
Chew, Mary Hepburn (Chew), many interrogated
by William Paca
• Used by 1st
-cousin-once-removed Robert Moody
to establish “pedigree”

21. Testimony
• Richard Grason, 63: Lived and worked in area
• Ann Maria Chew, 55: Knew a Margaret with Dulaneys in
Annapolis, dismissed for misconduct
• Richard Tilghman, Jr.
• John Blake, 60: “cook wench” named Moll, no idea about
“Chew Island” or children left there, mother referenced
excellent food and entertainments, family’s own slave
called “Indian Will”
• Ann Mason: Midwife, familiar with people on Wye but no
work there, recently offered payment by mulattos for
information
• Elizabeth McClemmon: Servant, asked about Mrs.
Dulaney’s slave clothes register

22. Testimony
• Edward Coursey, 39
• Mrs. Wederstauds, 52: Heard of an Indian woman
named Moll on Wye
• Daniel Dulaney: Describes inheritance scenario
• John Bracco, 74 (Talbot): No knowledge on Chew or
Dulaney’s Island of slaves belonging to Paca and
Bordley
• John Plummer, 69: Overseer, knew an “Indian Jonney,”
• John Roberts: Carpenter/skipper Juinny/Jenny and his
wife Rachel
• Lewis Scrivener, 50: Overseer, knew Margaret and son
Tom Sampson, changed to “Carvery or some such
name,” also a Black Lucy, Indian Lucy, wife of free Will
Creek

23. Testimony
• William Paca: Late brother in law
Philemon Lloyd’s records make no
mention of a slave entitled to freedom
• John Thomas, son of Ann and nephew of
Mary Hepburn
• Elizabeth Chew: Margaret was pregnant
when Sam. Chew inherited her following
Mr. Dulaney’s death

25. **<Rachel Baker>**
James Isaac Esther
Betty John Tom Phoebe
Benjamin
Caty
**<Robert Moody>**
**<Margaret Creek>**
**<Tom Carver>**

26. Negro Margaret Creek v. William Wilkins
• Baltimore County, 1797
• Dramaturgical rejection by Wilkins
• Jury,1799: “free woman of free condition”
• Awarded 1,783 pounds
• Wilkins filed exceptions

27. **<Rachel Baker>**
James Isaac Esther
Betty John Tom Phoebe
Benjamin
Caty
**<Robert Moody>**
**<Margaret Creek>**
**<Tom Carver>**

28. Henny Baker
Ibby Charles Nancy Henny
Sarah

29. Rachel Baker and others v. John Paca
• Queen Anne’s County, 1802Queen Anne’s County, 1802
• John: 118 slaves in 1800John: 118 slaves in 1800
• 15 slaves filed suit, led by Rachel Baker15 slaves filed suit, led by Rachel Baker
• Jury, 1802 freedom awarded and givenJury, 1802 freedom awarded and given
$32.48 1/3$32.48 1/3

30. Robert Moody v. Richard I. Jones
• Court of Appeals for the Eastern Shore Judgments
record June 1812, originates QA May 1812
• Jones: 62 slaves, ferry from Broad Creek KI to Annapolis
• Filed after Baker, same lawyer William Carmichael, more
evidence
• Won freedom and $105.63 1/3
• Four exceptions: Likely the three petitions, Moody’s
pedigree

31. Cesar Boose

33. Goals of Presentation
Freedom Petitions: Queen Anne’s slaves freed
themselves from bondage within Maryland’s
legal framework.
• U.S. Colored Troops: Slavery transformed in
Queen Anne’s County when slaves were
presented the opportunity to enlist in the
Union army.

34. U.S. Colored Troops Pension Records
• Of the nearly 210 files, approximately 50 had some known
affiliation with the five counties of focus on Maryland’s
Eastern Shore.
– Photocopied from the National Archives
• Pension records consist of general affidavits, widow’s
pensions, death records, and questionnaire’s.

35. U.S. Colored Troops
• The Bureau of Colored Troops established on May 22, 1863
– Separate entity of the War Department
• By September 11, 1863, the War Department Adjutant
General’s Office gave permission to Colonel William Birney
to begin raising a regiment of Colored troops
– To serve three year terms or for the duration of the war
• Regiment became known as the 7th
Regiment United States
Colored Troops

36. U.S. Colored Troops
• Act of 1864, Chapter 15, Section 4 - The sum of $100 shall be
paid to the owner
• Manumitted Negro paid $50 when mustered in and the same
when honorably discharged
• Each volunteer would be credited to the county or city quota

37. John W. Smith
• Born a slave circa 1845
around Centreville
• Owned by John K.B. Emory
and Peregrine Wilmer
• Enlisted as a private in
Company E of the 19th
U.S.C.T.
• 19th
regiment mainly
composed of men from
Southern Maryland and the
Eastern Shore.

38. John W. Smith, Service Record

39. John W. Smith
• “Whereas my slave John Smith 2nd
has enlisted in the service of the United
States…in consideration thereof I Pere Wilmer of Queen Anne’s County…
do hereby in consideration of said enlistment, manumit, set free, and
release the above named John Smith 2nd
from all service…his freedom to
commence from the 8th
Jany 1864. The date of his enlistment as aforesaid in
the 19th
Regiment of Colored Troops…”

40. John W. Smith, Bounty Roll
• Name of soldier, company, regiment, county or city credited,
amount paid at enlistment and discharge, slave owner, and
amount paid to slave owner.

41. 1890 Law
• The Dependent and Disability Pension Act – Signed
into law by President Benjamin Harrison
• The Act also provided pensions for minors,
dependent parents, and widows of veterans.

42. John W. Smith, General Affidavit
• Smith states that “one of my
master” told him he was
born around 1840.
• According to a Bible, he
was born “on March 15th
,
1844.”
• He felt it was 1844 because
his sister was said to be born
around 1840.

43. John W. Smith, Widow’s Pension

44. John W. Smith, Marriage Certificate

45. John W. Smith, Letter in 1891
• “was transferred to the Navy
in 1864 and served on Board
of the United Steamer
Potomsco and discharged in
1865 from the guard ship
Princeton at Philadelphia.”
• “I enlisted on 15th
Day of
May 1875 Co. G. 10th
U.S.
Cavalry”
• “Discharge on the 14 Day of
May 1880.”

46. John W. Smith, Death Record

47. Robert Riley
• Born a slave around April of 1837
• Owned by Valentine B. Clements
– Clements was a farmer around Queenstown
• Clements manumitted Riley
– Was not official until September 8, 1864
• Enlisted as a private in Company B of the 7th
regiment
on September 23, 1863 and mustered in 3 days later

48. Robert Riley, Manumission
• “Whereas my slave Robert Ryley has enlisted in the service of the
United States now in consideration thereof I, V.B. Clements of Queen
Anne’s County…in consideration of said enlistment, manumit, set free,
and release the above named Robert Ryley…his freedom to commence
from the date of his enlistment as aforesaid in the 7th
Regiment…”

49. Robert Riley, Bounty Roll
• Name of soldier, company, regiment, county or city credited,
amount paid at enlistment and discharge, slave owner, and
amount paid to slave owner.

50. Robert Riley, 1880 Census

51. Robert Riley, 1900 Census

52. Robert Riley, Death Record

53. Robert Riley – Circa 1880

54. Legacy of Slavery in MarylandLegacy of Slavery in Maryland
• www.mdslavery.net
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