Sarah Young

Sarah Young was a noteworthy resident of East New Market in the early 1800s. She was the first African-American to own land and gave a small part of this land as the site of the first Colored People's Methodist Episcopal Church in the area. Many of the African American's who have family in East New Market are descended from Sarah Young.

The earliest record found to date that potentially mentions Sarah Young was recorded on 17 December 1819 when her owner, Henry Nicols sold Sarah along with her 5 month old son, Abraham to John Thompson, of Davidson County, Tennessee.

[In the 1820 Census a John P. Thompson is listed in Davidson County, Tennessee, but he did not own slaves. There are four John Thompson's living in Dorchester County, Maryland in 1820 and one owned slaves. In the 1830 Census there is a John Thompson who owned 51 slaves in Davidson County, Tennessee.]

There is some debate about whether the Sarah sold in the 1819 record is the same Sarah who was freed in 1832. To be the same Sarah, Henry Nicols would have reacquired Sarah sometime between 1820 and 1830. The Sarah in the December 1819 record was 25 years of age and thus born in 1794. The Sarah named in Henry Nicols 1832 Will had children in 1818 (Clem) and in 1830 (George). Childbearing age for slaves in the early 1800s was roughly age fourteen to age forty. This would place this Sarah's birth year range from 1790 to 1804.

Either Henry Nicols owned two slaves named Sarah who were born around the same year or the Sarah in the 1819 record is the same Sarah in the 1832 Will. The 1819 sale to John Thompson may have been to a family friend. Thompson may have been related to Septimus Thompson who married Sarah L. Green, a niece of Henry Nicols. Thompson may have also been related to James Thompson who owned property in East New Market near Henry Nicols in the 1820s and 1830s. If Sarah was indeed sold back to Henry Nicols, hopefully a record in Davidson County, Tennessee will be discovered that records this sale.

When Henry Nicols died in 1832, other than the property left to his wife, Margaret, and his niece, Emily Green, the primary person he left property to was his negro woman Sarah. Sarah was later known as Sarah Young. She must have been a special person to Henry Nicols as he left a considerable amount of his estate to her. In Henry Nicol's Last Will and Testament, he gave freedom to Sarah and set dates for her son's Clem and George to have freedom. He also bequeathed to Sarah $100 and two properties consisting of 7 acres and 35 acres. He also freed a negro girl named Rosette and gave her survivor rights to the property left to Sarah.

Sarah Young was likely born in 1794, but possibly as late at 1803. Rosette, who was given survivorship rights to Sarah's property in the 1832 Will was born around 1807. It is unlikely that Rosette is a daughter of Sarah since Sarah would have been age 4 to maybe 14 when Rosette was born. Also note that Clem and George were described as sons of Sarah in the 1832 Will. Rosette was not described as a daughter. Sarah was listed as a negro woman and Rosette was listed as a negro girl in the 1832 Will. Sarah and Rosette are likely related in some way due to the survivor rights in the Will. They are possibly sisters.

The value of the property that Henry Nicols left to Sarah Young, leads one to explore their relationship. One would suspect that for Henry Nicols to bequeath so much to Sarah in his Will, he must have known her for a considerable amount of time. Henry Nicols was born in 1778. He would have been age 16 to maybe age 23 when Sarah was born and around age 29 when Rosette was born. Henry Nicols married for the first time in 1807. Was there a reason that he waited until age 27 to marry for the first time? The possibility exists that he is the father of Sarah and/or Rosette.

If the relationship was not father/daughter, then it is possible that Henry Nicols and Sarah Young could have been intimately involved, which leads to the possibility of Nicols being the father to one or more of her children.

It is also possible the relationship was more of a business relationship. Sarah Young may have dependable hard working slave who purchased or gained her freedom prior to the 1832 Will. Perhaps the Will merely made her freedom official. The lands Henry Nicols left to Sarah in the Will may have been lands she had previously purchased from Nicols. Or Nicols could have made the original purchase for her. It would not have been easy for a free African-American woman to purchase land in the 1820s.

Henry Nicols owned a slave named Clem, who was born around 1797. On 8 June 1822 in Talbot County, Henry Nicols of Dorchester County sold negro man Clem, age 25 to James Armitage of New Orleans. Since Sarah birthed a son named Clem in 1818, it is likely that Clem (b. 1818) is the son of Clem (b. 1797). If the younger Clem is not the son of the elder Clem, he was very possibly named after him. The younger Clem evidently had a dark complexion as he is listed as black in the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 Census. He was never listed as mulatto. Although it is possible that the younger Clem (b. 1818) was the son of Henry Nicols, it is more likely he was the son of the elder Clem (c. 1797) or another African-American.

[An 1870 Census search in Louisiana for a black man named Clem born around 1797 in Maryland reveals a Clem Lee and a Clem Thomas. In Carrollton, LA, near New Orleans, Clem Thomas, a blacksmith, age 77, born in Maryland was living with Louis Young, a farm laborer, age 60, birthplace unknown.]

In 1822 Clem (b. 1797) was taken to Talbot County to be sold. It is possible that Henry Nicols did not want his other slaves to know he was selling Clem. Upon Nicols return to Dorchester County, he could give another explanation for Clem not returning (hired out, ran away, died, etc.).

Assuming that Sarah from the 1819 record is the same person as the Sarah in the 1832 Will, she would have been sold three years prior to Clem (b.1797). In the 1819 record, she had a son Abraham (b. 1819) who was born two years after Clem was born. Possibly Abraham and the younger Clem shared the same father. Or maybe they did not. It is possible that Henry Nicols was the father or Abraham, which may have led to the sale of Sarah and Abraham in December 1819. This was five years after Henry Nicols married Celia Pritchard. Maybe Celia did not approve of Sarah and the new baby and forced Henry Nicols to sell them.

The 1830 Census in Dorchester County has an entry for Sally Young, a free negro, heading a household in District 2 near familiar local family names.

1830 Census - Sally Young - 2 free colored males under 10,
2 free colored females under 10, 1 free colored female 24-36

The Sally in the Census record may be our subject. The approximate birth year matches Sarah Young. However, there is a possibility that the entry could be for another free negro named Sarah Young who was in the area. This other Sarah Young is mentioned in an 1844 entry in the certificates of freedom for the county. If the 1830 Census record is for our Sarah Young, this Census record would indicate she was free before the 1832 Will.

1830 Census - Henry Nicols - 1 male 15-19, 1 male 30-39, 1 male 50-59,
1 female 20-29, 1 male slave 0-9, 2 male slaves 10-23, 2 male slaves 24-35,
1 male slave 36-54, 1 female slave 0-9, 1 female slave 10-23, 1 female slave 36-54

The household of Henry Nicols also appears to also match what we would expect for Sarah Young. She could be the female slave age 36-54 and the 2 males age 0-9 could be her sons. She may have been 36 years old in 1830.

If the Sarah mentioned in the 1832 Will is the same Sarah that was sold in 1819, she may have returned after Celia Nicols died, or she may have never left the area. Around 1829, a son named George was born to Sarah Young. The possibility exists that Henry Nicols was the father of George. The elder Clem had been sold many years prior. However, there were many other male slaves and freemen living in the area that could possibly be the father of George. The slaves that were part of Henry Nicols household in 1832 were Daniel, Daniel Johnson, Job, Tom, and Sam Green (Sam Green was married).

Although it is possible that Henry Nicols could have been the father or grandfather of one or more or Sarah Young's children (Abraham, Clem, and/or George) One must note that race is recorded in Census records for Clem Young and George Young as "black" or "negro". They were never listed as "mulatto". It is very possible Clem or George were fathered by Henry Nicols, but appeared dark in color and were identified as "black". Current descendants of Sarah Young describe one of her grandchildren as being light-skinned.

Henry Nicols first recorded marriage occurred in 1807 when he was age 28. Evidence could not be found that Henry Nicols had children by the three women he married in 1807, 1814, and 1831. It is possible that by one or more of his wives he had one of more children who did not survive to adulthood. The marriage to his first wife, Rebecca Whealton Nicols, did not last long as he remarried in 1814. She may have died in childbirth shortly after they were married. Henry Nicols was married to Celia Pritchard for about 16 years (1814 to about 1830). The possibility exists that Henry Nicols was unable to have children, at least after a certain point in his life. It is also possibly Celia Pritchard Nicols was unable to have children. We do know that Margaret Green Nicols had at least two children by a husband she married after Henry Nicols died. However, she was married to Henry Nicols for only eleven months.

In a newspaper item from 1828, we learn that a Sarah was the slave of Roger Hooper of East New Market at the time of his death. Roger Hooper married Susan Marshall on 17 June 1814. When Roger Hooper's estate was settled, as was customary at the time his wife Susan was devised a widow's third of the estate. After Roger's death, Susan married St. George E. Roberts, who ran the New Market Academy and lived in a house that formerly stood between the New Market House and the Old Brick Hotel. This marriage took place on 31 January 1825. St. George E. Roberts and his wife Susan, owed money to Thomas R. Brooks and John Randell. Brooks and Randell filed suit against Mr. Roberts. The court ordered that Robert's 1/3 right to negro girl Sarah was to be sold to pay the judgment. Brooks and Randell assigned their right to the judgment to Henry Nicols.

Cambridge Chronicle – 21 June 1828 – Sheriff's Sale –
Sheriff's sale at suit of Thomas R. Brooks and John Randell, use of Henry Nicols, against St. George E. Roberts at the house of said Roberts in New Market, his right to 1/3 of real estate of Roger Hooper, deceased, negro girl Sarah.

Henry Nicols likely already owned or soon thereafter acquired the other 2/3 right to Sarah. He may have purchased this right from the estate or he may have been an heir to Roger Hooper.

A mention of the Sarah owned by Roger Hooper is found in an 1825 newspaper item.

Republican Star - 18 October 1825 - Public Sale -
By virtue of an order of the Orphans' Court for Dorchester county, will be offered at public sale, on Tuesday, the 25th day of October at the tavern of Mr. Charles LeCompte, a part of the Negroes of Roger Hooper, deceased, as follows: Negroes Rachel, Joseph, Will, John, Sarah, Jane, Polly, & Ned. The terms of sale cash. John Newton, Administrator of Roger Hooper, deceased.

Roger Hooper was a Justice of the Peace and a member of the House of Delegates. Susan Marshall was likely his second wife, as a marriage to Polly Newton on 9 June 1800 is also recorded in Dorchester County. Hooper died on 28 June 1824 at age 49 in Dorchester County.

Sarah Young is likely one of the slaves listed in the 1820 Census record for Roger Hooper and would have been between age 14 to 26 in 1820. I have also included the 1820 Census record for Henry Nicols as the ages of the slaves would also match Sarah Young and her son Clem.

1820 Census - Roger Hooper - 2 males under 10, 1 male 10-16, 1 male 26-45,
   1 female 16-26, 4 male slaves under 14, 3 male slaves 14-26, 3 male slaves 26-45,
   1 male slave 45 & up, 1 female slave under 14, 2 female slaves 14-26
1820 Census - Henry Nicols - 1 male 26-45, 1 female 10-16, 1 female 26-45,
   1 male slave under 14, 1 male slave 14-26, 1 male slave 26-45,
   2 female slaves under 14, 1 female slave 26-45, 1 free colored male 14-26

The 35 acre lot that Sarah Young inherited from Henry Nicols is located southwest of Route 392 at the intersection with Route 14 in East New Market. In 1844 Sarah Young, Rossette Dodson & her husband Peter Dodson, Clem Young & his wife Rossette Young, and George Young sold a small part of the lot to become the location of the first Colored People's Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1845 George Young sold his right to the lot to Peter Dodson. By 1847 Clement & Rosette Young had obtained half of the 35 acre tract and Peter & Rosette Dodson had obtained the other half. In 1847 & 1848 Clement Young and Peter Dodson exchanged land. In 1849, Peter & Rossette Dodson sold their 17 1/2 acres to John Webster. In 1859 Clement & Rossette Young sold their 17 1/2 acres to William V.M. Edmonson.

Since Sarah Young is not a party to the deeds in 1845, 1847, 1848, or 1849, but is a party to the 1844 deed, she likely died between August 1844 and November 1845. Per Henry Nicols will, at Sarah Young's death her land was to pass to Rossette, who married Peter Dodson, with survivors rights to Clement Young and George Young.

The following 1850 and 1860 Census records are possibly the other Sarah Young who was mentioned in an 1844 entry in the Dorchester County certificates of freedom. There is a much smaller possibility they could be our subject.

1850 Census, 13th Ward, Baltimore City, pg 383, 20 Sep 1850
Mary P. Emack  age 62, white,          born in Maryland
William Emack  age 37, white, grocer,  born in Maryland
Margaret Emack age 25, white,          born in Maryland
William Emack  age  1, white,          born in Maryland
Mary E. Emack  age 30, white,          born in Maryland
Sarah Young    age 56, mulatto,        born in Maryland

1860 Census, Dist. 11, Dorchester Co., pg 130, 5 July 1860, Drawbridge
Alms House
Sarah Young age 66, black, born in Maryland, blind pauper

These two records were the only two Census records that included a black or mulatto Sarah Young in Maryland who was born in the 1790s. Both the 1850 and 1860 Census records for this Sarah Young indicate a birth year of 1794. This is the same year of birth recorded for the Sarah who was sold in 1819 and the approximate year of birth estimated for our Sarah Young. If our subject, Sarah Young had not died by 1845, but had transferred or abandoned the right to her lands, these Census listings could possibly be our subject. Peter & Rossette Dodson lived in Baltimore, so Sarah Young could have moved to Baltimore in 1850.

Sarah Young's 7 acre lot is located behind and to the west of the East New Market High School Senior Apartments. The school parking lots and baseball fields were Sarah Young's land. The land also extended to the other side of Creamery Road. In 1845 George Young sold his right to the land to Peter Dodson. In 1848 Clement Young sold his right to the land to Peter Dodson. At the time the small house on the property was occupied by Elisha Hollyday. Dodson continued to own the land until 1866.

I have presented all the information that I could find about Sarah Young. A more extensive search of court records may reveal more information. I will leave it up to the reader to attempt to draw a conclusion about the relationship of Henry Nicols to Sarah Young.

East New Market

Notable People and Families

Sarah Young