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Deed of Emancipation - James Turner's Slaves 1788
(Deed Book G, page 133, Sussex Co.VA.)

I James Turner of Sussex County in Virginia after full and deliberate
consideration and agreeable to our Bill of Rights am fully persuaded
that Freedom is the natural Right of all man kind and that no Law moral
or Divine hath given me a just Right or property in the persons of any
of my fellow creatures, and desirous to fulfil the Injunction of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by doing to all others as I w'd. be done
by do hereby set free from bondage the following Negroes Viz't. Lewis
twenty five years old, Peter Twenty three years old, Fanney Seventeen
years the twenty fifth Day of December past, Sissems Seventeen the
tenth Day of June past, Ephraim fifteen years old the Twentieth day of
July past, Sall twelve years old the twentieth day of December past,
Jordan born the first Day of May past and as for myself my Heirs
Executors and Administrators from this day release unto the said
Negroes, all my Right and all claim whatsoever as to their persons or
to any Estate they may acquire hereby declaring the said Negroes
absolutely free without any Interruption from me or any person claiming
under me, as several of the above named Negroes are yet in their nonage
I desire to have the care Guardianship and Instruction of the said
children 'till they arrive at full age which will happen, Fanny the
twenty fifth day of December 1788, Sissems the tenth day of June 1791,
Ephraim the 20 day of July 1793, Sall the 20 day of December 1793,
Jordan the 1 day of May 1808, at which several periods I discharge the
above named children from any engagements to me or any persons claiming
under me IN WITNESS whereof I have set my Hand and Seal this
Seventeenth Day of January In the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and Eighty Eight.
James Turner (Seal)

At a Court held for Sussex County the 17th day of Jany.1788.
This Deed of Emancipation from James Turner to the therein named Slaves
was acknowledged by the said Turner to be his Act and Deed & by the
Court ordered to be recorded.
Teste Mich'l.Bailey Cl.Cur.