Black Laws in Early Ohio

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By June 1, 1805, all Black residents of Ohio were required to register themselves and children with county authorities. The registration fee was 12-1/2 cents. The following entries are contained in a ledger with the spine title, Marriage Record, Vol. 1, Probate Court of Washington County, Ohio. The ledger also has a label identifying its contents as Marriage Records - Ministers Licenses - Court Records. The entries are made on an unnumbered page in the last quarter of the ledger.

Office of Clerk  28th Sepr 1805
This day Silpher Extor a black Girl of the age eighteen years having been born in the State of Connecticut, & lived with & in the family of George D Avery of Bellsvill [now in West Virginia] till the month of July last past came forward and entered herself in this office as is provided by a Law of this state regulating Black & Mulatto persons &c.
                                            Edward W Tupper

28th Sept 1805
Susanna Sproat a Black woman of the age of fifty years having lived a number of years within the state of Ohio in the family of Ebenr Sproat [Ebenezer Sproat] Esqr came forward and entered herself in the office as is provided by a law of this state regulating Black & Mulatto Persons &c.

Virginia  Fluvana [Fluvanna] County to Wit:
This certifies to all whom it may concern that at a Court held for the said County the Twenty Fifth day of October one thousand eight hundred and two it appeared in Proof to the said Court that John Peyton deceased died possessed of a Negro Man Slave named Peter, who at the time of the Death of the said John Peyton deceased was upwards of forty years of age, and that the said Peter served the representatives of the said Decedant one year after the said Decedants Death. The Court thereford agreeable to the last will & testament of the said John Peyton deceased, and by Virtue of the Act of the Assembly in such Cases made & Provided Declared the said Peter to be duly emancipated and entitled to all privileges to which free Negroes and Mulattoes are by Law entitled. Given under my hand the Day & Date above
                                    John Timberlake  C.F.C.
A true Copy of the Original recorded the 5th of Sept 1809 at the Said Peter. Attest Levi Barber  Clk [illegible]

 



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