18th Century Maryland Slave Document
THE SALE OF PROPERTY AND TWO DOZEN SLAVES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND IN 1790.
(Maryland Slavery) An inventory document from early Maryland (1790) detailing the sale of numerous types of property by Norman Bruce,(abt. 1734-1811) a Maryland militia man and land speculator. Norman Bruce was a Scottish immigrant who came to the American colonies, served in the Maryland militia, and acquired large tracts of land, mostly in modern-day Carroll County. He married Susannah Gardiner (Key) Bruce on Nov. 19, 1761. From 1768-1771 He served as the Sheriff of Frederick County, and as a judge, and owner of numerous slaves, many of which are named in this document. His wife, Susanna Gardiner Key Bruce was great aunt to Francis Scott Key. The present document, copy, first stipulates Bruce's sale of a dozen parcels of land to his son, Andrew Bruce, noting the location, date of sale, and the number of acres for each parcel.
In a bill of sale in the present document, Bruce sells two dozen named enslaved persons to his great-nephew Upton Scott, along with various other property such as "Stock, Farming Utensils or Implements, Household Furniture and other articles." The transaction for the enslaved men, women, and children lists them by name and (mostly) age, and reads, in part: "Bill of sale 9th July 1790...For Negro Slaves...That is to say Negro Nicholas Aged 48 years. Frank 47. Harvey 46. Ned 44. Jonathan 44. Brutus 37. Little Harry 32. Betsey 50. Her daughter Hannah 11 years. Phillis 37 & her four children Milly, Molly, Phillis, & Hannibal. Nance 24. Her two children Clem and Terry - Patty, Pricilla, Jeanie, and Sam the four children of Beck. Charity and Stephen & Cassey the children of Nell." These enslaved persons apparently worked Bruce's "Farm on Great Pipe Creek."
Washington County, MD: 1790. [2]pp., on a single folio sheet. Moderate toning and dust-soiling, old folds, one fold separation repaired on verso with archival tape. Overall very good condition.
An unusual 18th-century Maryland slave document providing critical named connections within multiple slave families known to be living and working at a specific Maryland farm in 1790.