June 10, 1820, §§6-8, Public Acts 44th G.A. [3rd sitting], p.166, 168-169;
6. And be it enacted, That the male and female children of slaves, born after the fourth day of July, eighteen hundred and four, who have not been bound out to service by trustees or overseers of the poor, according to law, shall, after the males arrive to the age of twenty-five, and the females to twenty-one years, be deemed settled in the township or place in which they were born: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall prevent any such male or female children of slaves, born after the said fourth day of July, eighteen hundred and four, from gaining a legal settlement in their own right, in any other township or place, in such manner as white persons might gain the same by virtue of the laws of this state: And provided also, That any such male or female children of slaves shall obtain a legal settlement in the city, borough, township or precinct in which such servant shall first serve, with his or her master or mistress, for the space of seven years, and if afterwards such servant shall duly serve in any other place for the space of seven full years, such servant shall obtain a legal settlement in the city, borough, township or precinct where such service was last performed, either with his or her first master or mistress, or with any other master or mistress by virtue of a legal transfer of such servant.
7. And be it enacted, That all children of slaves, born free, and who have been, or shall be bound out to service by trustees or overseers of the poor, according to law, shall obtain a settlement under any such binding, in the same manner that other persons bound by indenture would obtain the same, under the first section of the act to which this is a supplement.
8. And be it enacted, That the children ofslaves, born free, and their issue shall be deemed capable of gaining settlements under the laws of this satte, in like manner as other persons; and on application for the relief or removal of slaves or free negroes, or persons of color, the proceedings shall be the same as in cases of other persons who may be chargeable or likely to become chargeable.