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Motivated by a variety of considerations -- financial, religious, sentimental, moral and ethical -- caused some masters to voluntarily release their slaves from bondage even in the earliest days of slavery. In Samuel's case, the manumission paper indicates that in addition to unnamed "good and sufficient considerations," owner Robert Barnett released his young slave from bondage for the price of one dollar.
Pleas at the Court House in Cincinnati, in the County of Hamilton, and State of
Ohio, of the Hamilton County Probate Court, within and for said County, at a session thereof
held at the place aforesaid, on the Second day of March
in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine before the
Hon. George H. Hilton sole Judge of said Court.
The State of Ohio, SS.
Hamilton County.
Be it Remembered, That at a session of the Probate Court,
within and for said County, held at the Court House in Cincinnati, on the second
day of March in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and
fifty-nine before the Hon. George H. Hilton sole judge of
said court, the following amongst other proceedings were then and there had, to wit:
In the matter of the Emancipation
of Sam Barnett
This day comes
into open Court Robert Barnett, of the County of Lin-
coln and the State of Kentucky, and brought with him
into Court his slave Sam Barnett, and at the same
time executed a deed of Emancipation to the said
Sam Barnett, which is now found by the Court
to be well executed: And the Court also finds from
the testimoney of Green Barnett that said Robert Bar-
nett was the legal owner of said Sam Barnett
according to the laws of the State of Kentucky, - the
Court therefore finds that said Sam Barnett
is absolutely a free person of color in this State or
elsewhere, and orders said deed to be recorded.
And now the said deed is here recorded, which
is in the words and figure to wit: -
- Deed -
Know all Men that I Robert Barnett of the County
of Lincoln in the State of Kentucky being now in the
City of Cincinnati, State of Ohio, in consideration of
one dollar to me paid and for other good and suffici-
ent considerations, me there unto moving, do by these
presents emancipate and set free my negro
Sam Barnett aged ten years of balck color,
and being four feet and ten inches high. In such
manner that the said Sam Barnett and all
issue which shall be born of his body shall
forever hereafter be absolutely free.
In testimoney where of I have here unto set my hand
and seal at Cincinnati this 2d March A.D. 1858
his
Robert Barnett Seal
mark
Signed and sealed
in presence of us
Green Barnett
Edw. Crapsey
The State of Ohio SS.
Hamilton County
Personally appeared before
me Probate Judge within and for said County
Robert Barnett and acknowledged the signing
and sealing of the foregoing deed of Emancipation
to be his voluntary act and deed for the uses &
purposes therein expressed. -
In testimoney where of I have
hereunto set my hand and
the Seal of said Court at Cincin-
nati this 2d March A.D. 1858
Seal Geo. H. Hilton
Probate Judge
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