Edward Queen's Certificate of Freedom, 1807
Dublin Core
Title
Edward Queen's Certificate of Freedom, 1807
Subject
Slaves--Manumission; Freedom Suits-Slaves; Jesuits--History-- 19th century;
Description
In 1807, the Prince George's County Court certified Edward Queen's status as a free man. Queen had sued the Rev. John Ashton for his freedom in the Maryland General Court in 1791.
His certificate of freedom describes him as "a very dark mulatto lad apparently about eighteen or nineteen years old." The document also specifies he "recovered his freedom from John Ashton ... at April ten seventeen hundred and ninety six."
Additional documents in the case of Edward Queen v. John Ashton may be found at the O Say Can You See: Early Washington, D.C., Law & Family website.
Click here for biographical information on the Rev. Ashton, who led the Jesuit mission at White Marsh in Prince George's County for decades, and was one of the founders of Georgetown.
His certificate of freedom describes him as "a very dark mulatto lad apparently about eighteen or nineteen years old." The document also specifies he "recovered his freedom from John Ashton ... at April ten seventeen hundred and ninety six."
Additional documents in the case of Edward Queen v. John Ashton may be found at the O Say Can You See: Early Washington, D.C., Law & Family website.
Click here for biographical information on the Rev. Ashton, who led the Jesuit mission at White Marsh in Prince George's County for decades, and was one of the founders of Georgetown.
Creator
Maryland State Archives
Publisher
Georgetown Slavery Archive
Date
1807-08-10
Contributor
Elsa Barraza Mendoza
Rights
Maryland State Archives
Relation
Format
PDF
Language
English
Type
Manuscript
Identifier
GSA419
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
The State of Maryland Prince Georges County towit
I hereby certify that the bearer hereof Edward Queen a very dark mulatto lad apparently about eighteen or nineteen years old, about five feet one inch and a half high, a scar between the first and second toe on his left foot supposed to be occasioned by a burn and who was raised
[page 2]
in Prince Georges county is a freeman & recovered his freedom from John Ashton in Prince Georges County at April ten seventeen hundred and ninety six.
Given under my hand and seal of office this tenth day of August in the year eighteen hundred and seven.
John R. Magruder Sr. clk
PG Cy c
I hereby certify that the bearer hereof Edward Queen a very dark mulatto lad apparently about eighteen or nineteen years old, about five feet one inch and a half high, a scar between the first and second toe on his left foot supposed to be occasioned by a burn and who was raised
[page 2]
in Prince Georges county is a freeman & recovered his freedom from John Ashton in Prince Georges County at April ten seventeen hundred and ninety six.
Given under my hand and seal of office this tenth day of August in the year eighteen hundred and seven.
John R. Magruder Sr. clk
PG Cy c
Original Format
Manuscript
Files
Collection
Citation
Maryland State Archives
, “Edward Queen's Certificate of Freedom, 1807,” Georgetown Slavery Archive, accessed January 22, 2025, https://slaveryarchive.georgetown.edu/items/show/441.