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What did our families do during Slavery? Post #1.

While I have been posting wills, inventories, and deeds, which mention enslaved people since 2017 in the link in the sidebar, I have decided to repost the full documents during February. At this time some 190+ people, named and unnamed, indentured and enslaved, have been located in my Southern ancestors and relatives estate documents. I have not found any mention of the enslaved in my New England ancestry.

I am posting them in chronological order from oldest to newest date. I will post an abstract mentioning the enslaved, and then I will post the full documents. Citations are provided.

#1

Mary (nee Richeford) Brasseur, widow of Benois Brasseur, J.P. Talbot County, Maryland Colony, 9th maternal Great Grand Mother, Deed of land at the Cliffs (Talbot County, Maryland Colony) from Richard Bennett (Gov of both Virginia and Maryland) 1663, included Servants: Thomas Smyth Geo: Dauison William Whitehead Thomas ffrost and Sarah a negro Woman.

Will of Mary Brasseur (made before her marriage to Thomas Starling),1663, mentions delivery of servants, unnamed, to children.

See below for documents: [Spelling is as in the original. Paragraphing in the will is added by the compiler]

The surname of Mary Brasseur is believed to be Rich[e]ford. This is based solely on the importation of a Mary Richford by Benois Brasseur.

After the death of Benois, Mary secured a deed to the land and the house the family had from Richard Bennett (Maryland Archives, vol. 41, p. 178).

Arc.MD, 49-178

[p. 238] Know all men by these prsnts that I Richard Bennitt of Virgeina merchant doe hereby Alien Sell and Conueigh unto Mary Brasseur widdow of the Clifts in the prouince of Maryland and to her heires for euer all my right title and Intrest in that parcell of land on which she now liues being eleauen hundred and fifty acres more or lesse, together with all the Stock of Seruants Cattle hoggs and whatsoeuer else thereupon or thereunto any wayes belonging or appertayning for Liber B B and in Consideracon of two hundred and twenty hoggsheads of tobacco to bee paid according to speciality undr her hand and Seale bearing date with these prsents all which land wth the Seruants Cattle &c aforesaid were formerly treated and bargained to bee sold unto Mr Benois Brasseur in his life time which became uoid by reason of a defect and dislike in relacon to the said land in point of quantity and because hee the said Brasseur neuer had any liuery and Seison thereof from mee nor neuer paid any thinge att all to me for it in which regard ? haue now bargained sold and deliuered the said Estate of land &c unto the aforesaid Mary Brasseur and her heires as aforesaid, And doe promise and binde my self e my heires Executors and Administrators to make such further Conueighance and assurance of the prmisses as is requisite and as it lyes in my power to doe, whensoeuer the same shall bee demanded or required?

The Seruants name are as followeth (uizt) Thomas Smyth Geo: Dauison William Whitehead Thomas ffrost and Sarah a negro Woman

I doe allso hereby giue unto the said widdw Brasseur full quiett possession of the aforesaid land Seruants Cattle hoggs &c with war rantee agst all or any person or persons whatsoeuer clayming any right thereunto by from or under mee or my heires.

In wittnes whereof I haue hereunto sett my hand & seale the 17th clay of Aprill 1663 Sealed Subscribed and Richard Bennett Locus Sigilli deliuered in prsence of Thomas Stirling Robert Brasseur

Vppon the backside of a Pattent for One thowsand One hundred and ffifty acres of land Granted to Richard Bennitt Esq bearing date the 18th day of August in the Seauen and twentyth yeare of his Lordsps Dominion in the yeare of Our Lord God One thowsand Six hundred fifty eighte, was this ensueing assignment following (uizt)?

The land belonging unto mee by this Pattent I doe hereby Alien [p. 239] Sell make ouer and Conueigh unto Mary Brasseur widdow and her heires for euer all my right title Intrest and Claime thereunto or to any part thereof acknowledging to bee fully Sattisfyed Contented & paid for the same according to a bill of Sale and a bill Obligatory for payment of twp hundred and twenty hhgs of tobacco bearinge date with this Assignment Wittnes my hand this 17th day of Aprill 1663 By mee Richard Bennett

Mary made a will at this time. The will was probated after she became the wife of Thomas Starling.

WILL of MARY BRASSEUR, Maryland Hall of Records, L. 1, ff. 187-189.

In the name of God, Amen. I, Mary Brasseur, widow of the Cliffs, in the Province of Maryland, being of sound & perfect mind and memory, but knowing the uncertainty of this life, do make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and form following: Imprimis, for the natural love and affection I bear to my children and for their future maintenance and livelyhood, I give and bequeath to each of them as followeth;

that is to say, two hundred acres of woodland to Robert, two hundred acres of like land to Benjamin, and also two hundred acres of the like to John Brassures, my sons, the said lland to come to them and either of them, their heires & assignes for ever, when they shall accomplish the age of one and twenty yeares;

and in case any or either of them shall depart this life before he or they shall attaine to his or their respective ages of one and twenty years, the land of him or them so dyeing shall remaine and be to the surviving brother or brothers;

and my will and desire is that no timber trees shall be fallen for any use whatsoever on the said land untill the said children shall come of age; but if they shall all depart this life before they shall attaine to their respective ages, then the said land to remaine and be to such daughter and daughters of me, the said Mary Brasshear, as shall be then living, the said six hundred acres of land being part of the land on which I now live, situate at the Cliffs, and bought by mee of Mr. Richard Bennett, merchant.

Ittem. I do also give and bequeath unto each of my sons above-named one feather bed, with the rug, blankets, curtains, and such like appurtenances to the same belonging.

Ittem. I give to each of my sons, when they shall attain to their respective ages, one servant a peece.

Ittem. I give to my son Robert two cowes, called and known by the names of Cherry and Button.

Ittem. To Benjamin one cow, called the Wild Heifer, and another, called Goate;

to my son John one heifer called Dainty, and one heifer named Starr, the said cowes and heifers, with their female increase, to be delivered to them at such time and when they shall attaine their severall and respective ages aforementioned; and if any or either of them shall depart this life before they shall come of age, the said cattell, with their female increase, to be equally divided between the surviving brothers;

and my will and desire is that the two hundred acres of land that I have bequeathed to my son Robert shall be the two hundred acres which is next adjoining unto my brother in law Robt. Brasseur;

and that Benjamin, my son, shall have his two hundred on this side of my son Robert; and that my son John shall have his next unto Benjamin's.

Ittem. I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary two heifers, called and known by the names of Pascoll and Phillpaill, with their female encrease, to be delivered to the said Mary when she shall accomplish the age of sixteene yeares or day of marriage, which shall first happen.

Also, I give and bequeath to my daughter Ann two heifers, called and known by the names of Ioneeasy and Sarah, with their female encrease, to be delivered to her when she shall accomplish the age of sixteen years or day of marriage, which shall first happen;

also I give and bequeath to my daughter Susannah two heifers, called and known by the names of Fancy and Pye, with their female encrease, to be delivered unto her when she shall accomplish the age of sixteene years or day of marriage, which shall first happen;

also I give and bequeath to my daughter Martha three heifers, called and known by the names of Brouning, Primrose & Roase, with their female encrease, to be delivered unto her at such time and when she shall accomplish the age of sixteen years or day of marriage, which shall first happen;

also I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth three heifers, called and known by the names of Christmas, Cole and Nutt, with their female encrease, to be delivered unto her at such time and when she shall accomplish the age of sixteen years or day of marriage, which shall first happen;

and in case either of my said daughters shall depart this life before they shall accomplish their severall and respective ages, then the cattle, with their encrease, of her or them so dyeing to remaine and be and equally to be divided amongst the surviving daughters.

Ittem. I give my five daughters each of them a servant to be delivered them at the age of sixteene yeares or day of marriage, which shall first happen.

As for that part of my estate that I shall have at my decease and not herein and hereby already given and bequeathed, I give and bequeath to my daughters, equally to be divided between them, share and share alike, to be delivered them at such time and when they shall accomplish their severall ages or days of marriage, which shall first happen.

And my will and desire is that if I depart this life before my children come of age, the overseers of this, my will, take care that my children shall peaceably and quietly enjoy the plantacon I now live on, with all appurtenances whatsoever, without the lett or molestation of any person or persons whatsoever untill they shall accomplish their severall and respective ages or day of marriage, which shall first happen.

And I nominate and constitute my loveing friends, Thomas Sterling, and Robert Brasseur, my brother-in-law, to be overseers of this, my last will and testament, desireing them in all things to see it carefully performed; and I publish and pronounce it to be the absolute lastwill and testament of mee, Mary Brasseur.

IN WITNESS whereof, I have hereunto sett my hand and seale, May the five and twenty, one thousand six hundred sixty and three.

Signed and sealed as the last will and testament of the said Mary Brasseur in the presence of: Theophilus Lewis, James Pugslep.