Bing, Eliza, aka Eliza Lightwood, Affidavit Concerning Her Freedom, Charleston, SC, 1848

 
Eliza Bing
Alias
Eliza Lightwood
Certificate & Affidavit
Respecting Her

State of South Carolina.

Know all Men to whom these may come, that I James Mackie one of the one of the Justices of the Quorum in and for the said State and Notary Public by lawful authority duly sworn admitted and Commissioned by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the State residing and practicing in the City of Charleston —

Do hereby Certify and State that the foregoing Affidavit annexed hereunto were the day of the date thereof taken by me after a strict and critical examination of the Deponent as to the several points and matters of fact contained and specified therein — That the said Eliza Bing alluded to in the affidavit hereunto annexed was personally present and was completely identified by the personal inspection and knowledge of the Deponent Betsey Stuart as the daughter of an Indian Woman, In consequence of which evidence of identity and Nativity, I do hereby certify that the said Eliza Bing being a free woman descended from an Indian mother is no manner liable to the laws enacted and Established for the government of negroes and persons of color, but that she is fully entitled to all the privileges of general laws of the State which operate in relation to White persons and that she has full power and authority to prosecute and defend all suits either civil or criminal in as full and ample a manner as any White Citizen of this State —

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed my Seal of Office at Charleston the first day of March in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty Seven and in the Fifty first year of the Independence of the United States of America.

LS

James Mackie
Notary Public & QU
State of South Carolina
Charleston District —

Personally appeared before me Betsy Stuart whose name was formerly Betsy Busby who being duly sworn taketh Oath that Eliza Bing is the descendant of an Indian, this deponent perfectly recollects the Grandmother and the mother of the said Eliza Bing died in Charleston South Carolina, that she attended upon her during her last illness and was present when she died — This Deponent further States she was present when the said Eliza Bing was born this Deponent positively swears that the said Eliza is born of and Indian Woman —

Betsy Stuart X her mark
Sworn to before me this 10th February 1827 James Mackie QU & NP
 

Charles Rowan Jun being duly sworn taketh Oath that he has known the above Betsy Stuart for several years and that she is of good character and worthy of belief from his acquaintance with her. —

Sworn to before me this 7th March 1827.
James Mackie NP. & QU.
C.E. Rowan Jun

Personally appeared before me Charles Behman who being duly sworn maketh Oath that he is acquainted with Betsy Stuart the deponent of the annexed affidavit as also Eliza Bing and that she is worthy of belief and that said Eliza Bing is correct and upright in her deportment.

Sworn to before me this first day of March 1827.
James Mackie QU & NP —..
Charles Behman

State of South Carolina
Charleston District

Personally appeared before me this Ninth Day of March in the year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and Twenty Seven Eliza Bing alluded to in the Affidavit of Betsy Stuart, the descendant of an Indian mother who being duly sworn taketh Oath that Eliza Bing otherwise called Eliza Lightwood now about Eleven years, that Maria Bing, otherwise called Maria Lightwood now aged about six years and that Caroline Bing otherwise called Caroline Brunson now aged about Ten months of age are her children, born of her body in the City of Charleston in the State and District aforesaid —

Sworn to before me this 9th day of March 1827
James Mackie QU & NP
Eliza Bing X her mark
Recorded March 10 1827.

Secretary of State Office
Charleston So Ca. April 19 1848

The foregoing Certificate and Affidavits re a correct copy of Record in this office in Miscellaneous Records Book 5C pages 498&499. — the word “matters” stricken out once on 1st page and word “Busby” also erased once on 2nd page. —

Examined and Certified by Thos S. Jones
Dep. Secty State —

State of South Carolina
Charleston District —

Personally appeared Doctor Edward Elfe and made Oath that he knows Emmeline Cooper a free brown Girl now in the Seventeenth year of her age, that she is the daughter of Elizabeth Lightwood named in the foregoing affidavit and that she has the reputation of being descended from Indian Pedigree in the maternal line —

Sworn before me this
20 day of April 1848
Thos S. Jones NP&
Ex Off. Magistrate
Recorded 20th April 1848.

References Cited

[1] South Carolina, Secretary of State, Miscellaneous records, 1771-1868</span></a>, v. 6A-6B 1844-1849, Affidavit and Certificate Concerning the Freedom of Eliza Bing, aka Eliza Lightwood, <a href=”  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLV-2919-K?i=358&cat=476811” > </a>, frame 117 of 351, accessed 12 Sep 2017.