Blacks, Mulatto and Allied Families in Centre County Pennsylvania
The records for these families have been extracted from the US federal Census, and Court records between 1790-1830. In 1850 the census began to list all individuals in a household not just the head of household. Adding local cemetery records, newspaper articles, oral traditions, land records, military records, and previous family histories gave insight into the people of those families. Centre County Genealogical Society printed much of the family information in Volume 28, No. 4 Winter 2003/4. We continue to collect the information, and update the material and make it available in some format annually.
Centre
County was established February 13, 1800 from parts of Northumberland,
Mifflin, Huntingdon, and Mifflin Counties. When established in 1795 Lycoming
County included parts of Centre County. Centre County records might be found in any of these counties for the
period before 1800. Northumberland County was organized in 1772. Mifflin
County was established in 1786 and included portions of what is now Centre
County, specifically the parts of the county west of Spring Mills. In 1786
Bald Eagle Township named for a Munsee chief Woapalanne also known as Bald
Eagle, was split into three parts Upper Bald Eagle, Lower Bald Eagle,
and Nippenose. In 1787 Huntingdon County was formed, when Centre County was
established parts of Franklin township were included. In 1789 Mifflin County
was established and parts of Potter Township are included in Mifflin County.
Linn's History of Centre and Clinton Counties Pennsylvania list a chart on
page 31. The chart tells us that there were 89 colored and 1 slave in 1800.
The population for the area was 4112. A line by line of the Federal census
yields the following information below. A summation is that there are 87
colored and 6 slaves. One of the colored is a free black head of household,
there are no whites listed in his household.
Centre County Blacks from the 1800 Federal Census
Potter Township 19 free blacks 1 free black head of household in 1800:
 |
Boyd (possibly Hugh) Van Camp 7 free blacks no whites |
|
Jacob
Winn 1 free black |
|
Alexander
Read 3 free blacks |
|
James
Rankin 1 free black |
|
William
King 1 free black |
|
Andrew
Gregg 4 free blacks |
|
David
Craig 1 free black |
|
John
Barber 1 free black |
Centre Township 11 free blacks in 1800
|
John
White 1 free black |
|
James
Wilts 1 free black |
|
George
Ligget 1 free black |
|
George
Jacobs 8 free blacks |
Haines Township 9 free blacks one slave in 1800
|
Hannah
Andrew 1 free black |
|
James
Duncan 3 free blacks |
|
James
Cook 4 free blacks 1 slave |
|
William
Cook 1 free black |
Miles Township 3 free blacks 1 free black head of household in 1800
|
Mosey
black head of household no whites |
|
Jacob
Graybill 1 free black |
|
Samuel
Munro 1 free black |
Beaver Township 2 free blacks in 1800
|
Christopher
Cline 1 free black |
|
John
Pummend 1 free black |
West Buffalo Township 2 free blacks 1 slave in 1800
|
John
Clark 1 slave |
|
Albert
Kennedy 1 free black |
|
Albert
Kennedy 1 free black |
White Deer Township 6 free blacks 4 slaves in 1800
|
David
Conner 1 free black |
|
William
Cling 1 free black |
|
John
Class 1 free black |
|
John
Linn 1 slave |
|
Rowan
McClure 2 slaves |
|
Miles
Mc Huly 2 free blacks 1 slave |
|
Samuel
Stuart 1 free black |
Patton Township 25 free blacks 1 slave in 1800
|
William
Yonn 1 free black |
|
Joshua
Williams 1 free black |
|
Samuel
Miles 1 free black |
|
John
Patton 4 free blacks |
|
Thomas
Patton 1 free black |
|
William
Miles 2 free blacks |
|
Benjamin
Horton 1 free black |
|
James
Harris Esq 2 free blacks |
|
John
Grine 1 free black |
|
Alex
Bogg 1 free black |
|
Phillip
Benner 4 free blacks |
|
Isacc
Connelly 1 slave |
|
James
Dunlap 2 free blacks |
|
John
Dunlap 2 free blacks |
Slave Records
These are slaves registered after the abolition law. Most of these registrations of slaves take place 30 years after the abolition law. This appears to mean that any child born to any slave before the slave is 28 is a slave. For this reason there were children and grandchildren of slaves born after the abolition law still in slavery in Centre County Pennsylvania.
Bald Eagle Township
Elizabeth Richards registers Flora Green 4/18/1810, born 10/27/1809. Mathias Richards registers Sinai 5/14/1806, born 11/15/1805 mulatto. Agustus Richards registers Cato 9/17/1812, born 4/10/1812. Frederick A. Richards registers Simon 2/28/1820, born 9/1819, mother named Phyllis.
Chincleclamouth Township Clearfield
Joseph Boon registers Valentine and Orson Otto 8/27/1811, born 4/29/1811, parents Henry and Grace Otto, and Hariot Otto 7/18/1810, born 1/26/1810, parents Henry and Grace Otto.
Ferguson Township
Joseph Miles & Co. register Charles 7/25/1806, born 3/16/1806.
Howard Township
Philipa Antes registers William Clark 7/13/1811, born 3/19/1811.
Potter Township
James Rankin registers Peter 8/3/1803, born 3/22/1803 mulatto, mother Sall, and Lydia Boyd 8/9/1809, born 8/29/1809, father Samuel Boyd.
Spring Township
Philip Benner registers Kiz 9/27/1803, born April 13, 1803. James Harris registers Lenora 7/25/1806, born 2/3/1809 mulatto. Joseph Miles registers Jerry 6/3/1809, born 2/1/1809.Elizabeth Smith registers Edgar 6/28/1811, born 1/28/1811.
Other Court Records
Joseph Miles
files complaint that his black boy William is being held against his will by
Attorney Andrew Boggs.
Jane Leathers
mentions Eliza, Bets, George Malot, and Jack Hall in estate records of some
type.
Sebastain Shade
is also twice accused of holding blacks against their will.