Cuffee Wells’s Certification of Freedom, 1781
Certification of Cuffee Wells's purchase of freedom, April 30, 1781. (The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History)
In May 1777, Cuffee Wells, an African American in Connecticut, enlisted in the Continental Army. His enlistment bonus of thirty pounds was used to purchase his freedom. This document would prove to anyone who questioned him that he was a free man.
A Legal Document Certifying Cuffee Wells’s Purchase of Freedom, April 30, 1781
Norwich 30th April 1781
This Certifies, that we Subscribers, in May 1777. Belonged to A Class in the Town of Norwich To Procure a Soldier for the Continental Army, of Which Mr. Elihu Hyde was Head, and that Said Class Hir’d Cuffee Wells, a Free Negro to Enlist Into the Continental Service During the War, and Gave him Besides the Publick Bounty Thirty Pounds for Inlisting and that Part of the Whole of Said £30.0.0 as we then understood was Paid to Cuffee’s old Master for his the John Nutter Surgn. Time
Jno Nutter Richard Lamb
Norwich April 30th 1781. Personally approved Messer. John Nutter and Richard Lamb Signers to the Above Certificate and made Solemn Oath to the Truth of the Same and Capt Jedediah Hyde of Said Norwich adds being himself on Oath that he was the Captain of the Same Company which the said Cuffee was Inlisted into, and that he always understood that the Money that was Given to Cuffee at his Inlistment Purchased his Freedom Sworn Before me Benj. Huntington Justice of Peace
Document Source: Legal document certifying Cuffee Wells’s purchase of freedom, April 30, 1781, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, GLC00318
A Legal Document Certifying Cuffee Wells’s Purchase of Freedom, April 30, 1781
Norwich 30thApril 1781
This Certifies, that we Subscribers, in May 1777. Belonged to A Class in the Town of Norwich To Procure a Soldier for the Continental Army, of Which Mr. Elihu Hyde was Head, and that Said Class Hir’d Cuffee Wells, a Free Negro to Enlist Into the Continental Service During the War, and Gave him Besides the Publick Bounty Thirty Pounds for Inlisting and that Part of the Whole of Said £30.0.0 as we then understood was Paid to Cuffee’s old Master for his the John Nutter Surgn. Time
Jno Nutter
Richard Lamb
Norwich April 30th1781. Personally approved Messer. John Nutter and Richard Lamb Signers to the Above Certificate and made Solemn Oath to the Truth of the Same and Capt Jedediah Hyde of Said Norwich adds being himself on Oath that he was the Captain of the Same Company which the said Cuffee was Inlisted into, and that he always understood that the Money that was Given to Cuffee at his Inlistment Purchased his Freedom
Sworn Before me Benj. Huntington Justice of Peace
Source: Legal document certifying Cuffee Wells’s purchase of freedom, April 30, 1781, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, GLC00318.
Background
In May 1777, Cuffee Wells, an African American in Connecticut, enlisted in the Continental Army. His enlistment bonus of thirty pounds was used to purchase his freedom. This document would prove to anyone who questioned him that he was a free man.
Transcript
A Legal Document Certifying Cuffee Wells’s Purchase of Freedom, April 30, 1781
Norwich 30th April 1781
This Certifies, that we Subscribers, in May 1777. Belonged to A Class in the Town of Norwich To Procure a Soldier for the Continental Army, of Which Mr. Elihu Hyde was Head, and that Said Class Hir’d Cuffee Wells, a Free Negro to Enlist Into the Continental Service During the War, and Gave him Besides the Publick Bounty Thirty Pounds for Inlisting and that Part of the Whole of Said £30.0.0 as we then understood was Paid to Cuffee’s old Master for his the John Nutter Surgn. Time
Jno Nutter Richard Lamb
Norwich April 30th 1781. Personally approved Messer. John Nutter and Richard Lamb Signers to the Above Certificate and made Solemn Oath to the Truth of the Same and Capt Jedediah Hyde of Said Norwich adds being himself on Oath that he was the Captain of the Same Company which the said Cuffee was Inlisted into, and that he always understood that the Money that was Given to Cuffee at his Inlistment Purchased his Freedom Sworn Before me Benj. Huntington Justice of Peace
Document Source: Legal document certifying Cuffee Wells’s purchase of freedom, April 30, 1781, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, GLC00318
Excerpt
A Legal Document Certifying Cuffee Wells’s Purchase of Freedom, April 30, 1781
Norwich 30thApril 1781
This Certifies, that we Subscribers, in May 1777. Belonged to A Class in the Town of Norwich To Procure a Soldier for the Continental Army, of Which Mr. Elihu Hyde was Head, and that Said Class Hir’d Cuffee Wells, a Free Negro to Enlist Into the Continental Service During the War, and Gave him Besides the Publick Bounty Thirty Pounds for Inlisting and that Part of the Whole of Said £30.0.0 as we then understood was Paid to Cuffee’s old Master for his the John Nutter Surgn. Time
Jno Nutter
Richard Lamb
Norwich April 30th1781. Personally approved Messer. John Nutter and Richard Lamb Signers to the Above Certificate and made Solemn Oath to the Truth of the Same and Capt Jedediah Hyde of Said Norwich adds being himself on Oath that he was the Captain of the Same Company which the said Cuffee was Inlisted into, and that he always understood that the Money that was Given to Cuffee at his Inlistment Purchased his Freedom
Sworn Before me Benj. Huntington Justice of Peace
Source: Legal document certifying Cuffee Wells’s purchase of freedom, April 30, 1781, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, GLC00318.
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