Feb. 16, 1842, Acts 66th Legislature 2nd sitting p.47-49
WHEREAS it has been represented to this Legislature, that York Mulford, a colored man, of the township of Morris, in the county of Morris, was formerly the slave of Jonathan Ogden, late of the county of Morris, aforesaid; and that the said Jonathan Ogden, about the year one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, manumitted the said York Mulford by an instrument of writing, which was not recorded: AND WHEREAS, it has been further represented, that since the year one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, the said York Mulford has been considered a freeman--has made contracts on his own account, and for his own benefit--and about the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, purchased from Richard Kemble, by a regular deed of conveyance, a certain tract of land in the township of Morris, in the said county of Morris, containing about six and three quarter acres of land, which he afterwards sold and conveyed to one William Kemble, of the said county of Morris, by deed bearing date about the year eighteen hundred and thirty-five; and about the year one thousand eight hundred and twenty-six, purchased of Benjamin Bayley another tract of land in the said township of Morris, on which he now resides ; and that about the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, he purchased another tract of land lying in the said township, containing forty-two hundredths of an acre, by deed from Lewis Mills and wife, recorded in the Morris county Record of Deeds, Liber M. 3, folio 390, &c., which said tract he afterwards, about the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine, sold and conveyed to one William Collins of the said county of Morris: AND WHEREAS, doubts have arisen, from the very great difficulty of proving the manumission of the said York Mulford, respecting his comptency to hold and dispose of property, real or personal; and the said York Mulford having, by petition, prayed that the said conveyances may be confirmed, and that he may be declared by law entitled to all the rights and privileges of a free colored man of this State ; and it being reasonable that the prayer of the said petition should be granted--Therefore,
Sec. 1. BE IT ENACTD by the Council and General Assembly of this State, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the deed of conveyance from Richard Kemble to York Mulford, a colored man, of the county of Morris, for a tract of land in the township of Morris, in the said county of Morris, containing about six and three quarter acres, and the deed for the ssame land from the said York Mulford to William kemble, bearing date about the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, and the conveyance to the said York Mulford for the land now owned and occupied by him, in the township of Morris, aforesaid: and the conveyance to the said York Mulford for a tract of land of forty-two hundredths of an acre , in the township of Morris, aforesaid, and the deed for the same land from the said York Mulford to William Collins, bearing date about the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine be deemed, taken, and considered as valid, effectual, and operative as if the said York Mulford had been born free, or had been, previous to the time of the execution and delivery of the said several deeds, duly and regularly manumitted according to the laws of this state.
Sec. 2, And be it enacted, That the said York Mulford be, and he is hereby declared to be entitled to all the rights, privileges, and immunities of a free colored man of this state, may hold estates, real and personal, in his own right, and convey and dispose of the same by deed, will, or otherwise.
Sec. 3. And be it enacted, That unless the said York Mulford shall, within three months from the passing of this act, make and file with in the clerk's office of the county of Morris, such bond, with good and sufficient security, as shall be approved by the clerk of said county, in the condition that the said York Mulford shall, in no event, become chargeable upon the heirs or estate of the aforesaid Jonathan Ogden, that then this act shall be void.
Passed February 16, 1842.