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1791, Robert, Agreement (Legal)
Item
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Title
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1791, Robert, Agreement (Legal)
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Identifier
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NJS-EVE-00539
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Event Description
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On May 20, 1791, when Robert was near 1 years old, Elijah Pound of Middlesex County made a promise to manumit Robert upon the boy attaining age 21 (which was the legal minimum age to be eligible for manumission). Elijah Pound recorded this promise in the form of a deed of manumission, a copy of which appears in the Middlesex County Clerk's Book of Manumissions. According to the deed, Robert would attain age 21 on June 9, 1811. The document was witnessed by Esther Pound and Jean Runyon.
This document was recorded by the County Clerk decades later when Robert was an adult. On November 3, 1812, Jean Fitz Randolph (late Jean Runyon), acknowledged the authenticity of the document before judge John Fitz Randolph, who notarized a copy of the document. Then, two years later, a copy of the deed was entered into the Book of Manumissions by Clerk William P. Deare on December 13, 1814, on page 161.
The locality is not listed in the document related to Robert, but local history records show that the Pound family as well as the parties who witnessed and acknowledged the document are associated with Piscataway.
The following is a transcript of the document as recorded by the Middlesex County Clerk:
"I Elijah Pound of the County of Middlesex and State of New Jersey do hereby set free from Bondage my black boy named Robert when he shall arrive at twenty one years which will be on the ninth day of the sixth month Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and eleven and do for my self my executors and administrators release unto the said black boy Robert all my right and all claim whatsoever as to his person or to any estate he may acquire hereby declaring the said black boy Robert absolutely free without any interruption from me or any person claiming under me. - In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twentieth day of the fifth month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety one.-
Sealed and delivered in the presence }
of Esther Pound - Jean Runyon }
Elijah Pound
I Jane Randolph late Jane Runyon do solemnly declare and affirm that I saw Elijah Pound the grantor of this writing sine and seal this instrument and seal it for the yous and purpos therein contained.
Done before me this third day of November 1812 John F. Randolph Justice }
Jean Fitz Randolph"
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Date
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20 May 1791
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Primary Participant Description (verbatim)
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black boy named Robert
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Sex
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Male
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Age
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Infant
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1
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Witness
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Esther Pound
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Jean Fitz Randolph (late Jean Runyon)
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Source
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Middlesex County Manumissions and Removals, page 161
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Manumission of Robert (deed dated 1791-05-20), recorded in Manumissions and Removals Book, p. 161. Middlesex County (N.J.) Records, 1688-1929, Vol. XI (MC 784.1). Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries.
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Record Contributor
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Jesse Bayker