Copy of the Last Will and Testament of Samuel Chew

Item

Title

Copy of the Last Will and Testament of Samuel Chew

Description

Copy of the Last Will and Testament of Samuel Chew. First bequeaths his plantation Swan Point and another unnamed plot of land in Kent County, Maryland, to his brother John, as well as the "labour and service of my Negroes on, or belonging to the above devised lands." He also gives John his approval to sell any slaves for his own profit, and the "time and labour of my house servant Jack for the space of seven years," later in the will stating that Jack is to be freed after the seven years of service. After John's death, the land and "all the negroes and stock" is to be given to Anna Marie Chew Hollyday. He also leaves Anna his late wife's jewelry and the service of his "Negro woman Mary," also for seven years, after which she is to be freed, as well. Mary's child, unnamed, is to continue service until he "attain[s] his age of twenty-five years." To his nephew, Benjamin Chew, Jr., he leaves his plantation in Sassafrass Neck, Cecil County, including all slaves. His servant Elizabeth Constable is to receive her wages plus $300, as well as the service of enslaved woman named Charlotte for six years, after which she is to be freed "as a small reward for her faithful services to me for the long time she had lived in my family." He carries on to give money to members of the Tilghman and Smyth families, and then to his brother, John, two additional slaves, named Jenny and Darky. The will reiterates the eventual manumission of his slaves Jack, Mary, Mary's son, and Charlotte, then states that his "faithful man Richard", a house servant, is to be liberated upon his death and given $200 and all of Samuel's clothing.

Type

text

Creator

Chew, Samuel, 1737-1809

Date Created

1807-05-30

Format

manuscript

Is Part Of

Chew family papers (2050) | Box 60 | Folder 11

Spatial Coverage

Chestertown (Md.)

Subject

Slavery--United States--History |Chew family | Slaves--Emancipation--United States | Plantations--Maryland

Extent

7 pages

Language

eng

Rights

Rights assessment is your responsibility. This material is your responsibility. This material is made available for noncommercial educational, scholarly, and/or charitable purposes. For other uses or for more information, please contact The Historical Soc

Item sets

Chew Family Papers