[On] March 1, 1780, the Assembly enacted a law providing for the gradual abolition of the entire system of servile labor in the commonwealth. Its provisions required a registration of all slaves to be made prior to the 1st day of November following in the office of the clerk of the court of Quarter Sessions in the several counties, and declared that all persons born after that date in Pennsylvania should be free, excepting the children of registered slaves, who should be servants to their parents masters until they had attained twenty-eight years, after which they also became free. Under this law, a registry of the slaves of Chester County, giving the name, age, sex, and time of service of each person held as a slave, as also the name of the owners and the township where they resided, was carefully made. The record shows the following slaves, the number owned by each master, as well as the residences of the latter in the territory now comprising Delaware County.

Robert Magorgan, of Haverford township, farmer, registers a mulatto child then aged 6 months, a servant until he shall attain the age of 31 years.

Hugh Goveen, of Haverford, farmer, registered a negro woman, Phillia, aged 21; a negro boy, Peter, aged 7 years, slave for life; and a mulatto girl, Poll, aged 16, a servant until she is 31 years of age.

Samuel Johnson, of Haverford, farmer, registered a negro woman, Dinah, aged 45; a negro girl, Sall, 14; a mulatto boy, Jem, 8; a mulatto boy, Joe, 5 ½ years; and a mulatto boy, Peter, 2 years old; all slaves for life.

Hester Hortright, of Haverford, gentlewoman, records a negro boy named Joe, aged 15, a slave for life.

Richard Willing, of Haverford, farmer, records a negro man, Dick, 40; a negro man, Ishmael, 28; a negro man, 21; and a negro woman, Molly, aged 42, all slaves for life.

John Lindsay, of Haverford, farmer, records a negro girl 7 years old, a slave for life.

Edward Hughes, of Haverford, carpenter, records a negro boy, Will, aged 1 year and 8 months, a slave for life.

Charles Humphreys, of Haverford, miller; his sister Elizabeth Humphreys, and the estate of Rebecca Humphreys, deceased, record a negro woman, Nancy, 70; a negro man, Cezar, 36; a negro man, Tone 34; a negro woman, Nancy, 44; a mulatto woman, Judy, 25; a mulatto girl, Alice, 10; a mulatto boy, Tommey, 8; and a mulatto female child, Fanny, 13 months, all
slaves for life.

Jacob Richards, of Aston, yeoman, records a negro man, Dick, 64; a negro man, Jym, 30; a negro girl, Flora, 12; a mulatto boy, Peet , 5; a negro girl Rose, 3; a female child, Sylvia, 16 months, all slaves for life, and a negro servant woman, then 22, until she attains the age of 25 years.

The heirs of Philip Evans, of Aston, deceased, register a negro woman, Dinah, 27; a negro boy, Adam, 6; a negro girl Abby, 4; and a negro girl, Sylvia, aged 2 years, all slaves for life.

William Twaddle, of Aston, forgemaster, registered a negro man, Sam, 35; a mulatto boy, Tom, 8; a negro wench, Seal, 19, all slaves for life.

Isaac Maris, of Marple, yeoman, registered a negro wench, Bet, aged 17, a slave for life.

Dr. Bernard Vanleer, of Marple, registered a negro boy, George, aged 15, a slave for life.

Archibald Dick, of Lower Chichester, registered a negro man, Cuff, 40; a negro woman, Nance, 20; a negro boy Statia, 14; a negro girl, Flora, 7; and a mulatto boy, Benn, aged 2 years, all slaves for life.

Joseph Walker, of Lower Chichester, yeoman, registered a negro boy, Jack, aged 10, a slave for life.

Samuel price, of Lower Chichester, yeoman, registered a negro man, James, 26; a negro man, Oliver, 24, slaves for life; and a mulatto boy, Joe, aged 4 years, a servant till he attains the age of 31 years.

George Craig, of Marcus Hook, clerk, registered a negro woman, Phebe, 32; a negro boy, Phil, 7; a mulatto boy, Jack, 3 years and a half; and a mulatto girl, Amy, aged 1 year and 9 months.

At a later time, for the date is not given, George Craig records a negro man, Thomas, aged 50 years. All of these slaves for life

Richard Baker, of Middletown, yeoman, records a negro girl, Kassee, 13 years, a slave for life, and a mulatto servant-boy, Phineas, 17 year old, until he attains the age of thirty-one years.

Mary Ann Doyle, of Middletown, seamstress, records a negro girl, Ruth, aged 10 years, a slave for life.

William Doyle, of Middletown, records a negro girl, aged 5 years, a slave for life.

Joseph Gibbons, of Springfield, inn-holder, records a negro girl, Phebe, aged 8 years, a slave for life.

Thomas Levis, Esq., of Springfield, records a negro boy named Scipio, aged 16 years, a slave for life.

James Crozer, of Springfield, farmer, records a mulatto servant-man, Anthony Walsh, aged 22, until he attains 31 years; and a negro woman-servant, Amelia, aged 19, until she attains the age of 21 years.

Lewis Davis, of Springfield, yeoman, records a mulatto servant, Rebecca, aged 21, until she attains the age of 31.

Caleb Davis, Esq., of Springfield, records a negro boy, Frank, aged 15, a slave for life.

Samuel Levis, of Springfield, paper-maker, records a negro boy, James Knox 18, and a negro girl, Flora Knox, aged 10 years. Both slaves for life.

John Levis, Sr., of Springfield, yeoman, records a negro boy, Essex, aged 12; a negro boy, Frank, 10; a negro boy, Harry, 6; and a negro boy, Milford, aged 4, all slaves for life.

George Lownes, of Springfield, cutler, records a negro man, Tom, aged 26, and a negro woman, Hannah, aged 19, servants until they attain the aged of 31.

John Ogden, of Springfield, yeoman, a mulatto girl, Poll, aged 15, a slave for life.

Nicholas Diehl, of Tinicum, grazier, records a negro man, Lonnon, aged 26; a negro man, Cojo, 24; a negro girl, Dinah, 7; and a negro boy, Caesar, aged 5, all slaves for life.

Benjamin Rue, of Tinicum Island, grazier, records a negro girl, Jude, aged 13, a slave for life.

John Taylor, of Tinicum Island, grazier, records a negro girl, Jude, aged 6, a slave for life.

William Smith, of Tinicum, yeoman, records a negro girl, Nance, aged 5 years, a slave for life, and a negro servant girl, Eamy, 12 years old, till she attains the age of 31 years.

John Miller, of Tinicum, yeoman, records a negro boy, Jesse, aged 13, a slave for life.

John Odenheimer, of the borough of Chester, farmer, records a negro man, Anthony Welsh, aged 45, a slave for life.

Mary Withey, of the borough of Chester, gentlewoman, records a negro woman, Phillis, 58, and a negro woman, Sophia, aged 32 years. Both slaves for life.

Capt. Edward Vernon, of the borough of Chester, inn-holder, records a mulatto woman, Kate, 20; a mulatto boy, 16; a negro man, Jym, 65; a negro woman, Jinn, 21; and a negro child, Dann, aged 9 months, all slaves for life. He also records a mulatto servant-boy, aged 12 years, until he attains the age of 24 years.

Rachel Weaver, of the borough of Chester, inn-holder, administratrix of the estate of Valentine Weaver, deceased, records a negro man, Joe, 60; a negro woman, Dinah, 60; a negro boy, Jack, 15; a negro boy, Peter, 13 years; a negro girl, Violet, aged 11. All slaves for life.

Elisha Price, Esq., of the borough of Chester, records a negro man, Peter, aged 24 years, a slave for life.

Samuel Shaw, of the borough of Chester, miller, records a negro man, Peter, 36, and a negro man, Buff, age 23. Both slaves for life.

Boaz Matthews, of Upper Darby, blacksmith, records a negro man named Caesar, aged 37, a slave for life.

Sarah Harman, of Upper Darby, seamstress, records a negro woman, Clarissa, aged 19, a slave for life.

Samuel Smith, of Darby township, yeoman, records a negro man, Milford, 58, and a negro man, Tom, 23. Both slaves for life.

John Crosby, Jr., of Ridley, yeoman, records a negro girl, Fann, aged 10 years, a slave for life.

Sketchley Morton, of Ridley, grazier, records a negro boy, Jeffrey, aged 14, a slave for life.

John Morton, of Ridley, farmer, records a negro man, George, 52; a negro woman, Dinah, 47; a negro girl, Hannah, 7; and a female negro child, 1 year old, all slaves for life.

Thomas Smith, of Ridley, farmer, records a negro man, Jim, 20; a negro boy, Cato, 10; a negro girl, Phebe, 14; and a negro girl, Hannah, aged 9, all saves for life.

John Quandril, of Ridley, weaver, records a negro man, Jack, aged 60. A slave for life.

John Crozer, executor of the estate of John Knowles, late of the township of Ridley, deceased, records a negro man, Scipio, 24; a negro woman, Pathena, 41; a negro girl, Fanny, aged about 14; a negro girl, Tabitha, 11; and a negro girl, Jane, aged 8, all slaves for life.

Isaac Hendrickson, of Ridley, farmer, records a negro man, Tone, 40; a negro woman, Nance, 36; a negro boy, Frank, 12; a negro girl, Bett, 10; a negro boy, Tone, 7; a negro boy, Joe, 5; a negro girl, Pol, 3; and a negro girl Dine, aged 6 months, all slaves for life.

Morton Morton, of Ridley, yeoman, records a negro man, Caesar, 28; a negro woman, Liz, 30; a negro boy, Annias [Annanias, in Morton's will], 8 years and 7 months; and a negro boy, Samuel, aged 8 years and 7 months; a mulatto boy, John, aged 6 years and 4 months; and a mulatto boy, Jacob, aged 6 years and 4 months (Mr. Morton may possibly have had a pair of twins [meaning 2 pairs of twins] in his household); a mulatto girl, Sarah, 3 years and 3 months; and a mulatto boy, Peter, 1 year and 10 months, all slaves for life.

Lewis Trimble, of Ridley, yeoman, records a mulatto woman, Peg, 23; and a negro girl, Liz, 13, all slaves for life.

John Worrall, of Ridley, yeoman, records a mulatto servant boy, Philip Brown, aged 3 years and 9 months, until he shall attain the age of 31 years.

Harvey Lewis, of Ridley, yeoman, records a negro servant-man, James, 21, and a negro servant-woman, Hannah, 16, until they have attained the age of 31 years.

Thomas Cheyney, Esq., of Thornbury, records a negro girl, Lizey, 9, and a negro boy, Isaac, aged 6 years, slaves for life

Joshua Way, of Thornbury, yeoman, reports a negro woman, Phillis, 21 years, a slave for life.

Mark Wilcox, of Concord, paper-maker, records a negro man, Prince, 55; a negro man, Caesar, 25; a negro woman, Peg, 30; a negro boy, Luke, 8: a negro boy, Tim, 8; and a negro girl, Suck, aged 3, all slaves for life.

John Jerman, of Newtown, yeoman, records a negro woman, Venus, aged 32, a slave for life.

Jonathan Hunter, of Edgmont, yeoman, records a negro woman, Phillis, 30; a negro lad, Paddy, 10; a negro boy, Samson; a negro girl, Prude, 6; and a negro girl, Phillis, aged 3 years, all slaves for life.

In addition to the foregoing list the following persons made returns of slaves, but the residences of the owners are not given, hence, I cannot designate how many, if any were residents in the territory now comprising Delaware County.

Thomas May, four slaves; John Cuthbert, one; James Boyd, two; John Vanlasey, four; James McCainent, two; George Boyd, one; Capt. Thomas Wiley, one; Catherine Kelso, one; Robert Carry, one; Thomas Scott, one; William Steel, two.

Under the provisions of the foregoing act, after the creation of
Delaware County, the following births of negro children of slaves belonging
to the persons whose names are given are recorded:

Jan. 28, 1794, Adam Diehl, of Tinicum, grazier, negro female child, Nancy Norris, born Sept. 24, 1794. (?)

April 29, 1794, William Burns, of Marcus Hook, inn-keeper, two negro children,—first, female, named Flora, born 14th day of February, 1794; second, male named Cuff, born 16th day of March, 1794.

Jan. 6, 1796, Israel Elliott, Esq., of Tinicum, grazier, female negro child named Phebe, daughter of Dinah McCormick, born 10th day of September, 1794

Nov. 12, 1796, Israel Elliott, Esq., of Tinicum, grazier, female negro child named Elizabeth, daughter of Dinah McCormick,

In 1799, Elizabeth Evans, of Aston, was assessed for one woman slave
valued at two hundred and fifty dollars.

The act of Assembly, March 29, 1798, provided for the registration of all children born of slaves within six months after their birth, declaring that only children thus registered could legally be held as slaves until the age of twenty-eight years. Under its provisions the following births are recorded:

Feb. 27, 1799, Mark Wilcox, Esq., of Concord, negro male child named Charles Gibson, son of Susanna Gibson, born 2d day of September 1798.

July 2, 1806, William Anderson, of Chester, male mulatto bastard child named Francis, born 17th day of February last.

Sept. 22, 1809, Mary Calhoun, female negro child named Margaret
Reddon, born 5th day of April last.

The foregoing is the last record of the birth of a slave-child in Delaware County.