This collection contains papers and local government records related to Black history in Lancaster County, including an index to Lancaster County's register of enslaved persons, Mayor's Register of Coloured Persons or Negro Entry Book, and a biographical account of Rev. James William Charles Pennington. There are official records for enslaved persons and their children in Lancaster County, as well as freemen within Lancaster City. The collection also contains a manumission paper from the state of Virginia, a certificate for free persons of color, and letters from anit-slavery societies.
System of Arrangement
Series 1 consists of the "Slave Registers," official county records registering enslaved women and their children after 1780.
Series 2 contains the "Mayor's Register of Coloured Persons," a manumission paper, correspondence, and other records.
1 box, 33 folders, 128 items, 1,178 pages to scan, .5 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0240
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Related Item Notes
Black History Collection (MG0240) https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/2b3d42c6-a313-4ebc-966f-516114048136
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Black History Collection (MG0240), Object ID, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL. Date accessed (day, month, year).
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, this collection reflects the racial prejudices and actions of the era. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment--contact research@lancasterhistory.org prior to visit. Restricted access for the Mayor's Register of Coloured Persons found in Series 2, Folder 2: Use transcript in Folder 3 or microfilm.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-240
Classification
MG0240
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
The collection was formerly called "The Slave Records of Lancaster County Collection." Name changed to "African American Records Collection" and arrangement changed on 13 June 2007. Name changed again in 2022 to "Black History Collection."
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay. Orders include: Poor Children, Almshouse, Bridges, Coroners' Inquests, Prisons, Roads, Court House, and Tax Exonerations.
System of Arrangement
The record group is organized chronologically, then arranged by order number within each year.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay. Orders include: Poor Children, Almshouse, Bridges, Coroners' Inquests, Prisons, Roads, Court House, and Tax Exonerations.
System of Arrangement
The record group is organized chronologically, then arranged by order number within each year.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay. Orders include: Poor Children, Almshouse, Bridges, Coroners' Inquests, Prisons, Roads, Court House, and Tax Exonerations.
System of Arrangement
The record group is organized chronologically, then arranged by order number within each year.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay. Orders include: Poor Children, Almshouse, Bridges, Coroners' Inquests, Prisons, Roads, Court House, and Tax Exonerations.
System of Arrangement
The record group is organized chronologically, then arranged by order number within each year.
Commissioners' order for payment to witnesses, justices and court clerks
Admin/Biographical History
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners.
Bowman, Benjamin Esq. Justice. Comm. v. Shirk, Jacob; fornication and bastardy. Herbet, Peter; assault & battery with intent to kill.
Commonwealth v. McGuiness, Juliana. Alias Hopkins, Juliana; larceny. Witnesses: Heckrote, Henry. Kauffman, John. Carrol, Jane.
Reitzel, John Esq. Justice. Commonwealth v. Reily Lydia;
larceny. Commonwealth v. Corman, Henry; surety of the peace; complaint of McDonald, Ann. Commonwealth v. Corman, Henry; surety of the peace; complaint of Amstead, Barbara. Commonwealth v. Adams, [Thomas] T.G.; forgery. Commonwealth v. Robertson, Job; assault and battery. Comm. v. Macks, Nicholas; assault and battery. Comm. v. Marke, N. ; surety of the peace. Lemon, Alexander; larceny. Vanhorn, Robert; fornication and bastardy.
Brown, David Esq. payment to Lloyd, Thomas, clerk. Comm. v. Findlay, Sarah. Comm. v. Thompson, John; larceny on complaint of Hoffer, Joseph. Comm. v. Thompson, John; larceny on complaint of Guy, John. Comm. v. Johnston, Robert; assault and battery on complaint of Haughey, D. Comm. v.ODonnald, Roger and ODonnald, Dominick; house of ill fame on complaint of Haughey, D. Comm. v. Haughey, Dominick; assault and battery. Comm. v. Leek, Margaret, Johnson, Robert; keeping a disorderly house. Comm. v. Davis, Henry. Comm. v. Johnson, Robert, African Amerrican; assault and battery.
Comm. v. Johnson, Robert; assault and battery on complaint of Haughey, Dominick. Witnesses: Haughey, Dominick. Dolot, Mary. Linn, William. Sweeney, James. McGlachlin, Bernard. Pleston, Stephen.
Comm. v. Wimble, Joseph; larceny. Witnesse: Heckrotte, Henry. Wade, Joseph.
Comm. v. Pyle, John; assault and battery. Witnesses: Brown, Benjamin. Brown, [Elizabeth]. Brown, Benjamin Jr. Snodgrass, William. Brown, Ann. Furniss, Gardner. Whebster, Joseph. Hutton, Isaac. Hutton, William. Hains, Jeremiah B.
Comm. v. Wan, Daniel; assault and battery. Witnesses: Withers, George. Reese, William. Steele, William. McClune, George. Russel, William.
Comm. v. Pile, John; assault and battery. Boyd, Samuel Esq. Justice.
Comm. v. Kirk, WIlliam; counterfeiting. Martin, Peter; Witness.
Comm. v. McClure, Barbara; malicious mischief. Heinzelman, John J. [also spelled Henselman].
Spear, Robert, Justice in the following cases: Comm. v. McCall, George; fornication and lewdness. Comm. v. McCall, George; assault and battery. omm. v. McCall, George; larceny. Comm. v. Baker, Maryan; fornication and lewdness.
Comm. v. McKittrick, John; fornication. Witness: Wengert, Jacob. Signed over to Mathiot, Joseph J.
Comm. v. Poke, Robert; assault and battery. Witnesses: Dick, Margret. McKinney, Eave. Fox, Fanny.
Comm. v. Brown, John. Lechler, WiIlliam. Deputy sheriff.
Comm. v. Davis, Henry; manslaughter. Albright, Henry served subpeona.
Boyd, James; Constable. Comm. v. Davis, Henry; manslaughter. Comm. v. Thompson, John; larceny. Comm. v. Thompson, John; larceny. O Donald, Roger, O Donald, Dominick; nuisance and disorderly house.
Wimble, Joseph; larceny. Witnesses: Russel, Elijah. Brown, Mary Ann.
Comm. v. Adams, James. Assault and battery. Witnesses: Schminky, John. Briceland, James. Briceland, Mary. Newcomer, Mary. Peters, Abraham.
Comm. v. Wise, Catherine. Arson. Witness: Ebeman, Mathias.
Comm. v. Duncan, Melvy. Assault and battery with intent to kill. Witnesses: Ruth, Abraham. Ruth, Fanny. Adam, Frederick. Fryberger, Jacob.
Comm. v. Smith, Louis. Assault and battery. Witnesses: Barr, Joseph. Markly, John Esq. Reese, William. Withers, George.
Comm. v. Smith, Louis. Surety of the peace. Withers, George.
Comm. v. Lewis, John. Charge brought by Wither, Isaac. Witness: Platt, James. Comm. v. Lewis, John. Charge brought by Puhly, Charles. Witness: Platt, James.
Boyd, James. Constable in the following cases: Comm. v. Findly, Sarah. Keeping a disorderly house. Comm. v. Johnston, Robert. African American. Assault and battery. Comm. v. Johnston, Robert and Leek, Margret. Keeping a disorderly house. Comm. v. Johnston, Robert, assault and battery.
Comm. v. McKellegan, John. Manslaughter. Witnesses: Shafer, Martin. Miller, Benjamin. Deffenderfer, George. Snyder, John. Luther, John Dr. Heister, William Esq.
Comm. v. Brown, John. Larceny. Witness: Herr, John.
1 item. 49 pieces.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at research desk. Photocopy made by staff member.
Series 1, Register of enslaved women and their children who were born after 1780, is a compilation of papers filed by holders of enslaved persons that show date; name and place of residence of slaveholder; name of mother (usually an enslaved person) and child; date of birth; sex of child; age when the child will be freed; official seal and signatures; and date when filed.
17 folders, 89 items, 648 pages to scan, .25 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0240_Ser01
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Related Item Notes
Copies of MG0240, Series 1, Folders 1-9 are also on microfilm in the Research Center Library (Drawer 3, sec. 2, #206) and bound (326 R294p Oversized)
Black History Collection (MG0240) https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/2b3d42c6-a313-4ebc-966f-516114048136
Notes
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Black History Collection (MG0240), Object ID, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL. Date accessed (day, month, year).
LancasterHistory is committed to preserving and providing access to materials chronicling Lancaster County's heritage. As a historical resource, these items reflect the racial prejudices and actions of the era. In order to maintain the historical integrity and context of collection items, LancasterHistory does not censor historical documents or edit language, titles, or organization names when transcribing original content.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment--contact research@lancasterhistory.org prior to visit. Restricted access for the Mayor's Register of Coloured Persons found in Series 2, Folder 2: Use transcript in Folder 3 or microfilm.
Copyright
Images have been provided for research purposes. Please contact research@lancasterhistory.org for a high-resolution image and permission to publish. There is no fee for publication of items in MG0240_Ser01.
Credit
Courtesy of Lancaster County Archives and LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-240, Series 1
Classification
MG0240
Description Level
Series
Custodial History
Processed prior to 1997 and updated from 2007-present. Added to database on 10 January 2022.
Digitization of this document was funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, PHMC Appl ID # 202010016624, 2020-2023.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay. Orders include: Poor Children, Almshouse, Bridges, Coroners' Inquests, Prisons, Roads, Court House, and Tax Exonerations.
System of Arrangement
The record group is organized chronologically, then arranged by order number within each year.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay. Orders include: Poor Children, Almshouse, Bridges, Coroners' Inquests, Prisons, Roads, Court House, and Tax Exonerations.
