Whereas John Drake Esq.r of the Town of Poughkeepsie
in the County of Dutchess and State of New York has made
application to us John Nelson and Robert Noxon overseers of the
poor of the Town of Poughkeepsie in the County and State aforesaid
in order to obtain a certificate immediately before the manumission
of his slave Mary Frasier a woman of colour, said to be about
34 years of age agreeable to an act of the Legislature of the State of
New York, entitled an act concerning slaves and servants passed the
eighth day of April 1801. We the said overseers having examined
the before named Mary Frasier do on mature deliberation hereby
certify that she appears to be under the age of fifty years and
of sufficient ability to provide for herself, given under our
hands at Poughkeepsie the 4th day of May in the year one thousand
eight hundred and sixteen
John Nelson
Robert Noxon} overseers of the Poor of the Town of Poughkeepsie
Witnes Present
Anna Noxon
Richard Noxon
Know all men by these presents that I John Drake
of the Town of Poughkeepsie in the County of Dutchess and State
of New York, Esq.r Do hereby certify and make known
that I have this day set free and manumitted my slave Mary
Frasier a woman of colour said to be about 34 years of age
agreeable to an act of the Legislature of the State of New York
entitled an act concerning slaves and servants passed the the eighth
day of April 1801. And do hereby for myself my legal representa
tives and every of them, absolutely,fully and freely renounce
all right of property that I heretofore had in the said Mary
Frasier, and do forever acquit release and discharge her from all
and every kind of servitude or dependance as a slave to me
or any other person who may hereafter claim under me. In
witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at
Poughkeepsie this 4th day of May 1816. —
John Drake
Signed + sealed in
Presence of
Anna Noxon
Richard Noxon
Recorded the above the 4th day of May 1816
Reuben B. Rudd Town Clerk
Set At Liberty 