1803 - Holliday to Grace - Russell County, VA

1803 - Holliday to Grace - Russell County, VA

05/24/1803

1

Know all men by these presents that I Charles Holliday of Russell County and State of Virginia being impressed with the sentiment that “all men are born equal” and “that God made of one blood all the Nations of the Earth,” do by these presents declare it to be my desire and hereby do obligate myself, my heirs executors and administrators to liberate free and manumit on the 30th day of October in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and eight a Negro girl (Grace) now about fifteen years of age who I bought from a certain Richard Chilton of Culpepper County _ And at the state above mentioned in this deed of manumission it is hereby expressly declared by me for myself and my heirs and by me Covenanted that the said negro girl Grace above described shall be free and as a free woman enjoy all the rights and privileges of freedom _ free from service to me or my heirs, but from the date of this deed of Manumission till the aforesaid period it is to be understood as the meaning hereof that I am to have and enjoy the personal services and Labor of said Girl and to use and treat her as my slave _ and it is further-more declared and expressed by these presents that her posterity if any born during the said term of servitude shall be free if males at the age of Twenty Five years and if Females at the age of Twenty one until which age they are to be considered as bound to serve me as my slaves. _ In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 24th of May in the Year 1803.
Charles Holliday {Seal}
At a Court held for Russell County the 24th day of May 1803.
This instrument of writing from Charles Holliday purporting the manumission of a negro Girl named Grace was acknowledged in Court by the said Charles Holiday & Ordered to be recorded
Teste Nathan Ellington DCRC

WB 2:13

Deed