Long Road to Freedom

1729 Document (transcription follows)

These presents witness a covenant or agreement made this twenty seventh day of November annoque domini one thousand seven hundred and twenty nine, between Isaac Lothrop Esquire of the Town and County of Plymouth in New England on the one part; and Tompson Phillips of the Town and County of Plymouth aforesaid mariner on the other part.  Witnesseth that the said Isaac Lothrop for and in consideration of one half a Negro man sold to him, as below expressed, by the said Phillips, hath sold and doth hereby convey and confirm unto him the said Tompson Phillips, his heirs and assigns, one half a Negro boy named Euro, aged about fourteen years; and the said Lothrop doth hereby oblige himself and his heirs to warrant the sale of the one half of said boy to the said Tompson Philipps his heirs and assigns against the lawful claims and demands of all persons whatsoever.  And the said Tompson Phillips, for and in consideration of one half a Negro boy sold to him as above expressed by the said Lothrop, hath sold and doth hereby convey and confirm unto him the said Isaac Lothrop his heirs and assigns one half a Negro man named Johnno, aged about twenty five years, and hath but one leg.  And the said Tompson Phillips, doth hereby oblige himself and his heirs, to warrant the sale of the one half of said Negro man to the said Isaac Lothrop his heirs and assigns, against the lawful claims and demands of all persons whatsoever.  And it is also agreed to by the said party that the said Phillips shall carry said Negro boy Euro with him on his present intended voyage to Jamaica ; one half of said boy being on the account and risk of said Lothrop, and upon selling said boy at Jamaica or elsewhere, shall render an account of the one half of the sale of him and shall ship for said Lothrop and on his account and risk the value thereof and to him in such commodities as he may think may be most to said Lothrop’s advantage here.  And also the said Lothrop shall take the said Negro man Johnno and shall keep and improve him one half being on the risk of said Phillips, shall do his endeavors, as well as may be to teach the art or trade of a cordwainer, from the day of the date hereof, for and during the full term of one year next following; and at the expiration thereof, said Phillips shall if he pleases take the said Negro Johnno to himself paying said Lothrop forty pounds money for his said Lothrop’s one half of said Negro man.  In witness hereof the said parties have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and seals the day and year first above written
Signed sealed and delivered in presence of us
Nathaniel Thomas, Jr.                                                    Isaac Lothrop
Samuel Bartlett

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