The Emancipation Proclamation did not free slaves in the four border states that had stayed in the Union–Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, and Delaware. Slaves there were freed by separate state actions. In Maryland, a new constitution was adopted nearly two years after the Emancipation Proclamation, in November, 1864.

The records now known as “Slave Statistics” consist of the register of slaves owned by people in Maryland as of November 1, 1864, when slavery was abolished. These registers were authorized by the General Assembly in the hope that the Federal Government would compensate former slaveholders in Union states–perhaps for all their slaves, but most particularly for those who had joined or been drafted into the Union Army. The governor appointed a commissioner of slave statistics for each county, to serve for two years. Former slaveowners could, at their own discretion, furnish the commissioner with the names and descriptions of all their former slaves, together with the value of this “property.” There was no requirement to do so and not all former slaveholders chose to. Those who had not sworn allegiance to the Union were prohibited from claiming compensation.

If your ancestors were “declared” in this way, you may be in luck, for this was one of the few occasions when enslavers acknowledged the surnames of those they held in slavery.

* * * *

Slavery commission records are alphabetized by name of the slaveholder, so if you are looking for people with other surnames claimed by Magruders you can easily find them in Michael Hait’s transcription at Archives of Maryland On Line: Slavery Commission. Because it is harder to find Magruders enslaved by other families, I have listed them here.

Here are all the Magruders from Prince George’s County, according to Michael Hait’s transcription. The name & age of the enslaved person is followed by the name of the slaveholder or his/her agent. Those acting as agent could be representing minor children, absent brothers, heirs of an estate, etc., though some were simply acting for their relatives. If you find a person of interest here, be sure to check the original documents, also linked below.

Abraham Magruder 23 : John T. W. Compton, agent of William T. Compton
Nelly Magruder 44 : ditto
Mary Magruder 20 : ditto
Martha Magruder 18 : ditto
Geo. A. Magruder 1 : ditto
Compton also declared slaves named Gantt, Gaunt, & Savoy. Other Comptons declared many slaves named Savoy & Douglass. For another Gantt see Will of Eliza Hamilton. 

Frank Magruder 25 : Mrs. Anne Perrie Eversfield
Joseph Magruder 23  : ditto
Ida Magruder 14 : ditto
Elizabeth Magruder 12 : ditto
Eversfield also declared slaves named Greenleaf, Duckett, Chase, & Lynn. Many people named Greenleaf were declared by Caleb C. Magruder in Upper Marlboro. The name Chase comes up elsewhere among those enslaved by Roderick M. McGregor (a P.G. County Magruder). See also Lucy Chase Magruder, in Af-Am Magruders in D.C. Slavery Petitions, 1862.

Dennis Magruder 35 : John French
French also declared people named Hanson, Payne, Jackson, Hawkins, Smith, Morris, & Clarke.

Barbara Magruder 30 : Richard L. Hatton, agent of Mrs. Elizabeth I. Hatton
Marian Magruder 5 : ditto
Basil Magruder 6 mos : ditto
Mary Magruder 23 : ditto
Henry Magruder 6 : ditto
Susan Magruder 4 : ditto
Mary Ellen Magruder 2 : ditto
Hatton also declared people named Brooks, Sanders, Loggins, & Jourden (?)

Kitty Ann Magruder 13 : Dr. M.R. Latimer, agent of Mrs Ann R. Latimer
The Latimers declared people with a number of surnames, including Hutchison, McPherson, Semmes, Green, Hall, Jenkins, Bean, Dent, & others. 

William Magruder 18 : Lewis Magruder
Lewis Magruder also declared people named Crawford, Wright, Burns, Semmes, & Smith. People with these surnames were also declared by other Magruders, including Edward Magruder, who appears next on the register after Lewis.

Mary Magruder 20 : Charles H. McPherson
James Magruder 2 : ditto
McPherson also declared people named Blake, Brooks, Reeder, & Wood.

Margaret Magruder 33 : James H. Rawlings, agent for L.F. Rawlings
Rinaldo Magruder 10 : ditto
Laura Magruder 8 : ditto
Josephine Magruder 6 : ditto
Ann Magruder 4 1/2 mos : ditto
Infant of Margaret 2 mos : ditto
Jane Magruder 14 : Thomas E. Rawlings
Jacob Magruder 17 : ditto
The Rawlings (including James H. Rawlings) also declared people named Bowling, Berry, Hardy, Dyson, & Hutchison.

Jeremiah Magruder 13 : Joseph H. Turner
This Turner & other Turners declared a long list of people with many surnames, including Forest, Green, Brookes, Mowland/Moland, Bush, Jenifer, Berry, Dyson, Skinner, Addison, Beall, Dorsey, Jones, Boarman, Hawkins,Dockett, Rives, Contee, & others.

Margaret Magruder 55 : John Henry Waring
Aaron Magruder 27 : ditto
Betty Magruder 25 : ditto
Child of Betty 2 : ditto
Robert Magruder 18 : ditto
Ritty [Kitty?] Magruder 12 : ditto
This & other Warings declared a long list of people with many surnames, including Henson, Calvert, Smith, Ward, Wood, Smothers, Young, Scott, Truman, Taylor, Carter, Smith, Boone, Brookes, Lane, Ransom, Kent, Jenkins, Stewart, Harrison, & others.  

* * * *

Access to the Slave Statistics

Registers from just nine counties survive, and only a few have been transcribed or digitized. The records are organized by the name of the slaveowner, so for names of the enslaved you just have to search. The original documents should be accompanied by an index.

Archives of Maryland On Line: Slavery Commission

For Prince George’s County, here’s a searchable transcription, alphabetical by slaveholder. PG Sl Stats Transcribed As always with copies: if you find  a name of interest, check the original to be sure the transcription is accurate. Handwriting can be difficult. Transcription by Michael Hait (used with permission).

Searching for Ancestors Who Were Slaves: P. G. County Freedom Records also indexes these registers.