Henry

 Do you have slave owners in your tree? I wish that I could say that I don't, but I do have a few. Thus, when I come across a document identifying a slave, I feel obligated to share it. Below is a deed where Matthew M. Bland grants freedom to a slave named Henry -- at the cost of $1000. I have no idea who paid the $1000 but that would have been a lot of money in 1855!

Platte County, Missouri

Volume L
Film 988442 DGS 8486854

image 175 of 431
Page 300

M. M. Bland
To deed
Manusituate
Henry
Know all men by these presents that I Mathew M. Bland
of the County of Platte and State of Missouri hath this
day for and in consideration of the sum of one thous
and dollars to me in hand paid manumit[ates] and set
free and by these presents do manumit and set free one
negro boy named Henry owned by me said Henry is of
a Black color twenty eight years of age five feet eight
inches high with his shoes off and a sear by bruise on
the corner part of the left wrist and I do by these presents
as fully and perfectly set free said Henry to all intense
and purposes as if said Henry had been born free and I do
hereby release all right title interest claim and property
which I now have in and to said Boy Henry
Given under my hand and seal
this 17th day of March A. D . 1855 .
Attest Mathew M. Bland (seal)
State of Missouri
County of Platte ⎬ SS
Be it Remembered that at the March
Term of the Platte Circuit Court held at Platte City on

page 301 Monday March 31st 1855 , among other things we the following
to wit Now at this day comes Mathew M Bland and presents
in open Court a Deed of Emancipation ofslave Henry thereupon
the said Mathew M. Bland acknowledged said deed of Emance
pation to be his act and deed for the purposes therein menti
oned
State of Missouri ⎬
County of Ralls ⎬ SS
I William C Remington Clerk of the Circuit
Court within and for said County do certify that the above and f
foregoing is a correct copy of the acknowledgement taken in
open Court of Mathew B. Bland to deed of Emancipation of
Slave Henry as the same now remains of record in my office ℗

In testimony whereof I have unto subscribe
my name and affix the seal of said Court
at office in Platte City this March 17th A. D . 1855 .

W C Remington Clerk
By P. J. Collins DCC

Filed for Record July 3rd Recorded July 24th 1855
W. S. Remington Recorder

Missouri, Platte County. Deed records, 1839-1895. Film #988442 DGS 8486854. Mathew M Bland, 1855; Vol. L: pages 300-301; digitized images, FamilySearch www.familysearch.org : viewed online 11 April 2024.