2-949-868 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Declaration of manumission, 1807-05-06. 'I John Gassaway register of wills for Anne Arundel County doth hereby Certify that by this last Will and Testament of Ann Lane it appears that she has freed her Negroes by a Deed of Manumission to be executed by Susannah Lane John Warring and Osborn [?] Sprigg Harwood. And I further certify that this bearer Negro Jonny is [this one?] mentioned in her said Will, Given under my hand this 6th Day of May 1806', (signed by John Gassaway). Manumission, or enfranchisement, is the act of freeing enslaved people by their enslavers.