| State | Virginia |
|---|---|
| County (Primary) | Accomack |
| Other Counties | Worcester, Somerset |
| Family Name | Blake |
| Family History Notes | 1. George1 Blake, born say 1685, and (his wife) Hannah were named in the 5 December 1707 Northampton County will of John Robins by which he gave his five sons his part of Chincoteague Island "wth my man and woman, George Blake and Hannah" (who were to continue looking after his cattle, horses and hogs on the island) and gave his son Edward Robins a "Mallatto boy Charles son of Hannah" who was also on his part of the island [DW&c 1708-17, 23-31]. George (?10) and Hannah Blake (?3) were valued in the 14 November 1732 Somerset County inventory of the estate of John Robins's son Thomas Robins with (their children?) Comfort, Samuel, Sarah and Charles Blake [Prerogative Court Inventories 1730-2, 16:717]. Hannah was a spinster charged in Somerset County court with having an illegitimate child in All Hallows Parish on 10 January 1732 but excused because she was a "black woman" and thus not subject to punishment for fornication [Judicial Record 1733-5, 244; 1735-7, 18-19]. A presentment against her by the churchwardens was dismissed in Accomack County on 22 February 1742/3. She was apparently the mother of seven-year-old Harman Blake who was bound out that day to Edward Robins and John Kendall to be a tanner [Orders 1737-44, 467-8]. George and Hannah were probably the ancestors of i. Charles, "given" to Edward Robins in December 1707, valued at ?3 in 1732, perhaps the Charles Blake who was added to the list of tithables for Accomack County on 27 August 1766 with his wife Jenny "(negro)" and 200 acres of land [Orders 1765-7, 180]. ii. Comfort1, valued at ?5.10 in 1732. iii. Samuel, valued at ?10 in 1732, purchased 54 acres in Worcester County called Partnership and the house where he was then living from George Blake on 2 March 1763, and on 15 May 1772 he and his wife Mary Blake sold the land to Daniel Miflin [DB E:463-4; I:93-4]. iv. Sarah1, valued at ?1.10 in 1732. 2 v. George2, born say 1734. vi. Harman, born about 1736, "Negro" head of a Worcester County household of 7 "other free" in 1800 [MD:736], probably named for the Harman family. He owed ?6 to the Worcester County estate of Thomas Robins on 22 December 1770 [Prerogative Inventories 104:56]. He was head of an Accomack County household of 2 "free colored" in 1830. vii. Hannah, fined 50 shillings by the Accomack County court on 26 May 1747 for having an illegitimate child [Orders 1744-53]. viii. Levin1, bound by the Accomack County court to Jabez Kendall to be a shop joiner on 28 July 1761 [Orders 1753-63, 404]. He sold lot number 60 in the town of Snow Hill by Worcester County deed of 6 September 1782 [DB K:468-9] and was head of a Worcester County household of 2 "other free" and a slave in 1800 [MD:790] and 11 "other free" in 1810 [MD:614]. He purchased 20 acres called Amity and Amity's Addition in Worcester County for 60 pounds on 5 April 1802 [DB U:650-1]. ix. Mary, presented by the churchwardens of Accomack County but dismissed on agreement on 25 September 1765 [Orders 1764-5, 535]. x. William, a "Mulatto" bound by the Accomack County court to Arthur Rorsley to be a shoemaker on 28 April 1761 [Orders 1753-63, 395], a "Negro" head of a Worcester County household of 8 "other free" in 1800 [MD:732]. xi. John, born say 1760, purchased his wife Hesther and son Solomon at the sheriff's sale of William Bell's Accomack County estate on 27 September 1790 with Daniel Miflin as witness [DB 1788-93, 408]. 2. George2 Blake, born say 1734, surveyed 1,357 acres in Worcester County between the Pocomoke River and the seaside, near Gibbs Ferry and Littleton Creek, on 29 September 1759 and was called a "Negro," "Malatto," "Negro or Molatter" when he and his wife Esther sold the land, called Partnership, in parcels of about 50 acres each. He sold 54 acres to Samuel Blake and the house where Samuel was then living on 2 March 1763. And he sold the last 100 acres, called Elbon Ridge and Blakes Lott, to Bowdoin Robins for 40 pounds on 14 September 1764 [DB E:294-5, 302, 463-4, 471; F:236-8, 265]. He may have been the George Blake, Senr, "free Molatto," who bound himself as a servant for one year to Mr. John Rock by Worcester County deed of 7 December 1797 for ?15 [S:107]. He was head of a Worcester County household of 4 "other free" in 1790 and 4 in 1800 [MD:732]. He may have been the father of i. George3, taxable in Mattopony Hundred Worcester County in 1783, "Capt. John Selby surety" [MSA S1161-11-8, p.2]. He was a "free Mulatto" who bound himself as a servant to Joseph Delastatius in Worcester County for eighteen months for 20 pounds on 3 September 1797 [DB S:14-5]. ii. Charles2, head of a Worcester County household of 2 "other free" in 1800 [MD:767]. He purchased a "negro man" named Vebo from Affry D. Johnson for $1 by Worcester County deed of 21 April 1832 [DB AY:71-2]. iii. Esther, head of a Worcester County household of 8 "free colored" in 1830. Other members of the Blake family were 3 i. Betty, born say 1750. ii. Jacob, born about 1756, applied for a pension in Worcester County court on 20 June 1818 and 28 February 1821 for his services in the Revolution. He stated that he enlisted at Snowhill in 1780 and was discharged at Annapolis. His household consisted of his wife who was seventy years old, a son who was sixteen, a nineteen-year-old daughter, another daughter who was blind, and four grandchildren. His property was valued at $40 [NARA, S.34654, http://www.fold3.com]. He was head of a Worcester County, Maryland household of 7 "free colored" in 1820. iii. Edward1, a "molatto" who enlisted and served in the Revolutionary War [Archives of Maryland 47:460]. iv. Oliver, drafted into service in the 3d Regiment from Worcester County, Maryland, on 7 May 1781 for 3 years, delinquent on 10 December [Archives of Maryland 18:425, 473; NARA, M246, roll 34, frame 450 of 587, http://ancestry.com]. He was taxable in Mattopony Hundred of Worcester County in 1783 with Michael Tarr as his surety [MSA S1161-11-8, 1/4/5/54, http://www.msa.maryland.gov/msa/stagser/s1400/s1437/html/1437wo.html]. v. William, head of a Baltimore Town household of 2 "other free" in 1790. vi. Henry, "Negro" head of a Worcester County household of 9 "other free" in 1800 [MD:731]. vii. James2, Senior, "Negro" head of a Kent County household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [MD:169]. viii. James3, head of a Dorchester County household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [MD:729]. ix. James4, born before 1776, head of a Worcester County household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [MD:740] and 4 in 1810 [MD:578] and 5 "free colored" in 1830. x. James5, taxable in Mattopony Hundred, Worcester County in 1783, John Redding surety [MSA S1161-11-8, p.1]. He was head of a Worcester County household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [MD:731] and 8 in 1810 [MD:629]. xi. Peter, born before 1776, head of a Worcester County household of 8 "free colored" in 1830. xii. Henry, born before 1776, head of a Worcester County household of 3 "free colored" in 1830. xiii. Sally2, born before 1776, head of a Worcester County household of 3 "free colored" in 1830. xiv. James6, Junior, head of a Kent County household of 4 "other free" and a slave in 1800 [MD:169] and 2 "other free" in 1810 [MD:910]. xv. David, head of a Baltimore City household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [MD:152] and 8 in 1810 [MD:251]. xvi. Edward2, born 1776-1794, head of a Worcester County household of 4 "free colored" in 1820. xvii. Benjamin, born about 1782, registered in Talbot County on 9 September 1822: a negro man, about 40 years of age, 5 feet 10 1/2 Inch high, born Free and raised in Talbot County [Certificates of Freedom 1815-28, 168]. xviii. Standley, born about 1770, head of a Dorchester County household of 4 "other free" in 1800 [MD:728], obtained a certificate of freedom in Dorchester County on 5 August 1806: Copper colour, born free, raised in Dorchester County, aged about 36 years [Certificates of Freedom for Negroes 1806-64, 1]. He was probably related to the Standley family of Dorchester County. xix. Hannah2, born April 1771, set free by Daniel Miflin in Worcester County on 16 June 1776 [Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Duck Creek Monthly Meeting, Deed of Manumission of Slaves, 1774-1792, 61], head of a Worcester County household of 4 "other free" in 1800 [MD:744]. xx. Rachel, "Negro" head of a Worcester County household of 3 "other free" in 1800 [MD:731]. 4 xxi. Mary, born in April 1769. xxii. Archibald, head of a Kent County household of 1 "other free" in 1800 [MD:169]. xxiii. James7, born about 1768, obtained a certificate of freedom in Dorchester County on 6 June 1807: blackish Colour, long hair, born free, aged about thirty nine [Certificates of Freedom for Negroes 1806-64, 3]. xxiv. Lucinda, born before 1776, head of a Talbot County household of 10 "free colored" in 1830. xxv. Sarah3, wife of Salady Stanley. 4. Betty Blake, born say 1750, was set free with her children Susey, John and Comfort Blake by Daniel Miflin in Worcester County on 16 June 1776 [DB I:640 and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Duck Creek Monthly Meeting, Deed of Manumission of Slaves, 1774-1792, 61]. She was the mother of i. Susey. ii. John, testified in a Somerset County case against free Negro Jacob, alias Jacob Purnell, who was charged with stealing five hogs belonging to Thomas Martin. On 4 March 1806 John testified that he was living at Jacob's house for about a month and saw Jacob and Robert J. H. Handy's slave Moses kill the hogs in Jacob's stables, salt them and bury part of them in a barrel in the garden [DB Y:45, 47]. Jacob, a "free Negrow," bound himself as a servant to Benjamin Purnell, Jr., by Worcester County deed of 2 July 1779 [DB K:187]. Jacob Purnell was head of a Worcester County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [MD:604]. On 28 April 1835 John Blake, called a "Colourd man," was about seventy-six years old, when he testified in Philadelphia for the pension application of Daniel Williams. He stated that he was born in Accomack County and lived near and was well acquainted with Daniel Williams, a "Colourd" man who was drafted into the army to drive teams. John had resided in Philadelphia about fifteen years past, where he again met Williams and had frequently seen him engaged in driving the team [NARA, R.11569, M804, https://www.fold3.com/image/28467470]. iii. Comfort2, born in December 1776 [Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Duck Creek Monthly Meeting, Deed of Manumission of Slaves, 1774-1792, 61]. 4. Mary Blake, born in April 1769, was set free by Daniel Miflin in Worcester County on 16 June 1776 [Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Duck Creek Monthly Meeting, Deed of Manumission of Slaves, 1774-1792, 61], a "Negro" head of a Worcester County household of 2 "other free" in 1800 [MD:724]. She made a Worcester County bond, with John Gunn as surety, to keep the state of Maryland harmless from the illegitimate child named Levin which she bore on 10 January 1783 [DB O:326]. She had a child named Peggy by Levin Cambridge in November 1790 [DB P:301]. She was the mother of i. Levin2, born 10 January 1783. ii. Peggy, born in November 1790. Members of the Blake family in Delaware were i. James1 "& Son," head of a New Castle County household of 10 "other free" in 1800 [DE:271]. ii. Abram, perhaps the unnamed son counted in James Blake's New Castle County household in 1800, head of a New Castle County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [DE:231] and 6 "free colored" in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle County, in 1820 [DE:127]. iii. Edward2, born 1776-1794, head of a New Castle County, Delaware household of 7 "other free" in 1810 [DE:301] and 8 "free colored" in Appoquinimink Hundred in 1820 [MD:149]. iv. John, head of a Little Creek Hundred, Kent County, Delaware household of 4 "other free" in 1800 [DE:35] and 5 "free colored" in Wilmington Borough, New Castle County in 1820 [DE:185]. v. Rosanna, born before 1776, head of a Wilmington, New Castle County household of 4 "free colored" in 1820 [DE:202]. |
| Additional Notes | – |
If you are citing this record, please use the following format:
[Author (if known)], Free Black Families of Colonial Delmarva (abstracted by Paul Heinegg), [Date (if known)], Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva’s Black History, Nabb Research Center, Salisbury University.
Pinned records can be viewed at any time by clicking the More menu in the top right corner of the page, then selecting My Pinned Records.