Port of Philadelphia Records: Bonds and Papers Relating to Duties on Negro and Mulatto Slaves, 1720-1788

About This Collection

These records document the duties that were paid on slaves to the City of Philadelphia. Information provided within these records includes the name of the owner(s) and the collector; the amount of duty paid; and the date of the contract. Sometimes the name of the slave is listed. These records were originally recorded by an agent of the British crown until the State of Pennsylvania assumed this responsibility. Images are unarranged. This collection is part of the Office of the Comptroller General which was created in 1782. Disclaimer: The Pennsylvania State Archives provides digital access to a wide variety of historical documents, some of which may be considered offensive by current standards. The Archives does not endorse views expressed in these historical collections, but presents these collections to aid in scholarly research.