Between 1830 and 1860, Maryland had the largest free African-American population of any slaveholding state in America. In 1850, the year after Louisa Addison's certificate was written, the Federal census revealed 74,723 free African Americans out of a total population of 583,034 in Maryland.
Prince George's County, Maryland, where Louisa was born and raised, was home to more enslaved African Americans than any other county in Maryland. In 1850, 53 percent of the county's population, or 11,510 people, was enslaved. But 1,138 free African Americans also lived in Prince George's County in 1850. (Data courtesy of The Maryland State Archives.)
In Maryland, as in other states, free African Americans played an essential role in aiding the escape of enslaved African Americans — kin, friends, and strangers. One way to learn about the interactions between these two groups is to examine how and why government officials tried to control the lives of free blacks, as shown in these excerpts from Maryland laws.
Chapter 66, Laws of Maryland, 1805
The General Assembly of Maryland passed this law to both clearly identify free African Americans and to control the availability of certificates of freedom. These papers were being given to and used by runaway slaves to pass as free.
Section Six outlined why and how certificates were to be granted to African Americans born free. Louisa's certificate describes her in detail, including both her maiden and married names, to help prevent someone else from using her certificate. It also indicates that she was entitled to her freedom because she was born to a free woman named Matilda Magruder. The status of the mother determined the status of her child.
Chapter 66 of the Laws of Maryland, 1805
"An Act relating to Negroes"
"Whereas great mischiefs have arisen from slaves coming into possession of the certificates of free negroes, by running away and passing as free under the faith of such certificates; And whereas it has been found from experience, that the manner of granting certificates of freedom is not sufficient to prevent the evils felt by slaves coming into possession of such certificates; for remedy whereof,
2. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That from and after the first day of June next, it shall not be lawful for any person or person, except the clerks of the county courts in the several counties in this state, or register of wills, where any negro or negroes have been freed by last will and testament, to grant certificates of freedom to any free negro or negroes..."
Chapter 323, Session Laws of Maryland, 1831
The 1831 laws were in reaction to the Nat Turner rebellion. In August of 1831, enslaved people, led by religious slave leader Nat Turner, rebelled against slave owners in Southampton County, Virginia, resulting in the deaths of more than fifty-five white people. After escaping capture for several months, Turner was tried and executed. The scale of this revolt led to many slave-owning states adopting more stringent laws to control both slaves and free African Americans. Slaveholders and their way of life were being threatened.
"... It shall not be lawful for any free negro or negroes, slave or slaves, to assemble or attend any meetings for religious purposes, unless conducted by a white licensed or ordained preacher or some respectable white person...."
Article 66, The Maryland Code: Public General Laws & Public Local Laws, 1860
"... If any person shall have good reason to believe that any free negro is concerned or engaged in concealing or circulating abolition papers, or furnishing free papers to slaves,... the said justice shall issue a warrant... to search and examine the houses and premises of such free negro for abolition or free papers, using as little violence to the feelings of such free negro as is compatible with a faithful and diligent search."
— Courtesy of Archives of Maryland Online