Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Deeds.....Denson, manumission, 1782 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Deeds Jordan DENSON, deed of emancipation (of five slaves), 27 Aug 1782 (14 Nov 1782) Christian DENSON & Jordan DENSON, deed of emancipation (of four slaves), 10 Sep 1782 (14 Nov 1782) Sally DENSON, deed of emancipation (of four slaves), 11 Sep 1782 (14 Nov 1782) Joseph DENSON, deed of emancipation (of one slave), 10 Sep 1782 (14 Nov 1782) [margin notes] [p.] (81) Jordan } Denson's } } Manums. } of his slaves} I Jordan Denson of Southampton County Virginia having under my care Three negroes (to wit) Tom a negroe man of about Twenty three, Rachel a woman of about Twenty and Jinney woman of about Eighteen Years of age, whome I have heretofore held as slaves, but being fully pursuaded that freedom is the natural right of all mankind and That it is my duty to do by Others as I wou'd desire to be done by in the like situation. Therefore I do hereby emancipate & set free all and every of the above said negroes, & I do for myself my heirs executors & Administrators relinquish all my right title interest and Claim or pretention of claim whatsoever either to their persons or Any Estate They may hereafter acquire; and having two also now in Their minority Viz.t Treasey a Girl born the 23.rd day of the second month 1778 Sam born the twenty fifth day of the sixth month 1780 which I likewise do hereby emancipate and set free (saveing Yet to myself my heirs and assigns) the care and Direction of the said Treasey untill [she] shall attain to the age of eighteen & of the said Sam untill he arrives to the age of twenty one Years) and I do for myself my heirs Executors and administrators relinquish all my right Title Interest & Claim orpretention of Claim Either to their persons or to any estate they may acquire after they shall attain to the ages abovesaid, all the Abovesaid negroes to enjoy their full freedom without any interruption from me or any person Claiming or to Claim by from or under me In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 27.th Day of the eighth month in the year of our lord one thou sand seven hundred Eighty & two ~ Sealed & Delivered In presence of Jordan Denson ¤LS¤ Thomas Draper } Lemuel Jones...} - At a Court held for the County of Southampton The 14.th day of November 1782. This deed was Acknowledged by Jordan Denson party Thereto and ordered to be Recorded ~ Teste [page end] [p.] (82) [margin notes] Chrtin & Jordan Densons Emancipation ¯¯¤"¤¯¯ We Christian Denson & Jordan Denson of Southampton County Virginia, Having under our care a negro man named Pompey near about Thirty five years old whome we have heretofore held as a slave, but being fully pursuaded that Freedom is the natural right of all mankind, and that it is our duty to do unto others as we would desire to be done by, do Therefore hereby Emancipate & set the said Pompey free and we do for ourselves our heirs Executors and administrators, hereby relinquish all our right Title Interest and Claim or pretention of claim Whatsoever either to his person or to any Estate he may hereafter acquire, and having also Three who are now in Their minority Vizt: Aggy a Girl born in the eighth Month 1778. Cherry a Girl Born the Twenty eighth day of the fifth month 1780. and Zilphah a Girl born in the first month 1782. saveing to ourselves our hers [heirs] and assigns the care and direction of Them the said Aggy Cherry & Zilphah untill They shall attain to The age of eighteen years, and we do for ourselves our heirs executors And administrators relinquish all our Right Title Interest & Claim Either to Their persons or to any estate They may acquire After they shall arrive to the full and Lawfull age Aforesaid all the above said negroes and Their Posterity to enjoy Their full Freedom without any Interruption from us or any person Claiming from by or under us or Either of us In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our Hands & Seals This tenth day of the ninth month in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred Eighty & two ~ Signed Sealed & Delivered } Christian Denson ¤LS¤ In the presence of _ _ _} Thomas Draper} Jordan Denson ¤LS¤ Lemuel Jones } Lemuel Eley } At a Court held for the County of Southampton The 14.th day of November 1782 This deed was Acknowledged by Jordan ___Denson & proved by the affirmation of Lemuel Jones &Lemuel Eley as to Christian Denson & Ordered to be Recorded - _ Teste [page end] [p.] (83) [margin notes] Salley Densons Eman.s ¯¯"¯¯ I Sally Denson of Southampton County Virginia having under my care two negro's to wit Minor aged about Thirty seven years, and Phillis awoman aged about Eighteen years whome I have heretofore held as Slaves, but being fully pursuaded that freedom is the natural right of all mankind and that it is my duty to do to Others as I would desire to be done by; do Therefore hereby Emancipate & set the said Minor & Phillis free And I do for my self my heirs executors & Administrators, hereby relinquish all my right Title Interest and Claim or. pretention of claim whatsoever either to Their persons or to... any Estate They may hereafter acquire; &having also Two who are now in their minority Viz.t; Andrew aboy born the twenty first Day of the Sixth Month 1779, Nancy a Girl born the eighteenth Day of the Twelfth month 1781 whome I likewise Emancipate &set free; saveing to my self my heirs & assigns The care and direction of the said Andrew untill he shall Attain to the age of Twenty one Years, & of the said Nanny untill shee shall arrive to the Age of Eighteen Years & I do for my self my Heirs Executors adm'ors and assigns relinquish all my Right Title Interest &Claim orpretention of Claim Whatsoever either to Their Persons or to any estate they may acquire after they shall attain to the full &lawfull ages abovesaid all the above said Negroes & their posterity to enjoy Their full Freedom without any Interruption from me or any person Claiming for by or under me In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand &Seal this 11.th Day of the ninth Month In the year of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred Eighty &two ~ Sealed & Delivered } Sally Denson ¤LS¤ In the presence of } Thomas Draper Lemuel Jones Lemuel Eley ¯¯¯¯¯¯ [page break] [p.] (84) At a Court held for the County of Southampton the 14.th Day of November 1782 This Emancipation was proved by the affirma_ tion of Lemuel Jones & Lemuel Eley, two of the witnesses Thereto & Ordered to be Recorded ~ Teste [margin notes] | Joseph Densons Eman.s I . Joseph Denson of Southampton County Virginia ~ having under my care anegroe boy named David Born some time in the seventeenth [sic] month 1766. who I have heretofore held as aslave; But being fully pursuaded That freedom is the Natural Right of all mankind &that it is my duty to do unto others as I wou'd desire to be Done by; do Therefore hereby Emancipate &Set the said David Free: Yet I believe it right for me to retain the Authority &have the Care &Direction over him untill he shall arrive to the age of twenty one Years ~ and I do for myself my heirs Executors & adm'ors relinqui =sh all my Right Title Interest &Claim orPretention of Claim Whatsoever either to his person or to any estate he may Acquire after they shall attain to the full &Lawfull age aforesaid The above said Negroe David to Enjoy his full Freedom. with =out any Interruption from me or any person claiming for by or under me In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand &Seal This 10.th Day of the ninth month in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred Eighty &two ~ Signed Sealed & Delivered } In the presence of us_ ...} Joseph Denson ¤Seal¤ [blank] At a Court held for the County of Southampton the 14.th Day of november 1782 This Emancipation was Acknowledged by Joseph Denson:party Thereto & Ordered to be Recorded ~ Teste [page & entry end] Southampton Co., VA, Deed Book 6 (1782-1787), pp. 81-84 The Library of Virginia (LVA), Richmond, VA LVA, Southampton Co. Microfilm Reel 3 [At a Court held for the county of Southampton the 14.th day of November 1782.] [...] _ ¯ Jordan Denson produced an instrument of writing under his hand and seal emancipating the following slaves to wit: Tom, Rachel, Jenny Treasy and Sam which was acknowledged by the said Jordan Denson and ordered to be recorded. _ ¯ Christian Denson & Jordan Denson produced an instrument of writing under their hands and seals emancipating the following slaves to wit: Pompey Aggy, Cherry and Zilpah which was acknowledged by the said ["Chr" struck] Jordan Denson and proved by the affirmation of Lemuel Jones and Lemuel Eley two of the witnesses thereto as to Christian Denson and ordered to be recorded. _ ¯ Sally Denson produced an instrument of writing under her hand and seal emancipating the following slaves to wit: Minor, Phillis, Andrew & Nancy which was proved by the affirmation of Lemuel Jones and Lemuel Eley two of the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded. _ ¯ Joseph Denson produced an instrument of writing under his hand and seal emancipating a negro boy named David which was acknowledged by the said Joseph Denson and ordered to be recorded _ ¯ [...] Southampton Co., VA, Court Order Book, 1778-1784, p. 248 The Library of Virginia (LVA), Richmond, VA LVA, Southampton Co. Microfilm Reel 27 Additional information: Jordan {d. 1806} & wife Ann (COPELAND) DENSON are buried in the "Jerico" ["Beechwood"] plantation family cemetery, between Hunterdale and Sedley, on Governor Darden Rd. (Rt. 646). SCHS Cemetery Project, Hollywood list (III-43): http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/cemeteries/miscvol3.txt Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Matt Harris, zoobug64@aol.com [brackets mine] file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/deeds/06db081.txt