A free Black woman mortgages her property over time to purchase freedom for her family
[BIPOC] [Free Black Americans] [Women Property Owners] Hogan, Sarah.
Indenture of property reconveying land to free Black woman Sarah Hogan following the discharge of her debt to white woman Jane Maria Dyer, the sister in law of notorious enslaver Edward Dyer.
Washington DC: 29 February 1840. Four page folio manuscript indenture measuring 315 x 200mm. Legal property contract to first three pages; official docketing to final page. Occasional ink smudges or spotting, and splitting along vertical and horizontal foldlines. All text remains legible and document remains intact. An exceptional survivor, this unique manuscript document preserves the return of land to a free Black woman, Sarah Hogan, by the white siblings Jane Maria Dyer and John F. Boone, members of a slave auctioneering family, to whom she had mortgaged the property as collateral for a debt in 1838.
Formerly enslaved by the notorious auctioneer Edward Dyer (1783-1845), Sarah Hogan (1780-1849) spent much of her life securing the freedom of her family, beginning with herself and her husband Charles. Appearing for the first time as documented citizens and tax-paying landowners in Washington DC in the 1830 US census, the couple had also managed to secure ownership of two plots of land in the area. These plots passed to Sarah's sole ownership at Charles' death in 1835 under his will. As evidenced by the present manuscript, this land would play a crucial role in the Hogans' collective liberation. "Sarah Hogan managed in time to free her whole family She and Charles Hogan first paid $160 [approximately $5500 today] to Edward Dyer to free John, then 11, when he attained the age of 21. Until then he was to be subject to control of his parents. Then in 1834 Sarah freed her daughter Charity Solomon age 26 and her two children, Jane 3 and Elizabeth 6 months...in 1837 she freed her daughter Rachel Bowen, age 20, and all her increase. In 1846 she freed her son Peter Hogan, age 30" (Free Negroes in the District of Columbia, 1790-1846). With the exception of John Hogan, we've been unable to locate specific information about the cost Dyer placed on each of the Hogan family members; and it likely varied based on how he assessed their value. But this one dollar amount assists us in understanding the massive financial hurdles Sarah faced not only in continuing to free her family members over time, but also to support herself and those who had been liberated, many of whom were children.
The dates of these releases and the vast amount of money needed to accomplish them, clarifies the nature of the unnamed debt in the present indenture. "This Indenture made this twenty-ninth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty between John F. Boone of the City of Washington in the District of Columbia in the first part, Jane Maria Dyer of the said City for the second part, and Sarah Hogan (a free Colored woman) of the said City for the third part, Witnesseth, Whereas the said Sarah Hogan by her Deed of Indenture duly made and executed bearing the date of the thirteenth day of September in the year eighteen hundred and thirty eight...did grant and convey to the said John F. Boone...being a part of Lot number 10...and Whereas the said debt has been fully discharged to the said Jane Maria Dyer...the said Sarah Hogan is entitled in law to a reconveyance of the premises." The docketing on the rear of the document points to it being filed along with a number of other related property indentures related to Sarah's lots. It becomes clear that leveraging these plots of land was the cornerstone of Sarah Hogan's success. By purchasing land with Charles in 1830, the couple were able to earn enough off their property for John's release. By 1834, Sarah begins working on accomplishing group releases of women and children in the family, mortgaging her property and using the land as collateral on loans approximately nearly every two to four years until the final release of Peter nearly a decade later.
The reason for the involvement of a white woman Jane Maria Dyer in the agreement -- sister in law of Edward Dyer and sister of John F. Boone who would take over both Edward Dyer's slave auctions and marriage bed after the former's death -- is a bit unclear. Further research might uncover whether the siblings were operating the business together, or whether Jane herself was the enslaver of some of the Hogan children and therefore considered herself financially entitled. In whatever situation, it is a cogent reminder of the complicity of white women in the oppression of Black families and especially of Black women.
According to the census, Sarah would spend the final three years of her life with her entire family in freedom. Her will reveals a continuing and keen understanding of the importance of property ownership to the future stability and thriving of her descendants; and so she wills her land among her children. This will, plus the specific coordinates presented in the present indenture, preserve information about where specifically Sarah and Charles Hogan established themselves.
This indenture is accompanied by copies of the census records, wills, and genealogy records referenced in the above description. Additional information on Hogan can be found in Laetitia Wood Brown, Free Negroes in the District of Columbia, 1790-1846 (p. 113). As part of our Community Alliance Project and in Sarah Hogan's honor, a portion of proceeds were donated to Burn the Cape. (194)