item of "4 negro slaves between fourteen and forty-five years of age."
In the town records under date of December 22, 1744, the following intention of marriage appears:
"Quash declared unto me the subscriber his and Moll her intentions to be married to each other."
"Quash and Moll, negro servants to the widow Smith of Barrington were married January 9, 1743-4."
Josiah Humphrey
Town Clerk.
By the will of Joshua Bicknell, probated in 1752, he declared: "And my will is that my negro man Dick and female negro child Rose in case their lives shall be spared, they shall serve my said wife (Abigail) during the term of her natural life, and at her decease the said two negroes shall be made free." … "My will is in case the two negroes above mentioned should survive their mistress my said wife, that my daughter Olive shall pay the sum of one hundred pounds to the one and my daughter Molly shall pay one hundred pounds to the other; and in case one of these negroes shall die before their mistress, then the hundred pounds to be paid by the two daughters."
The first act of Rhode Island looking to emancipation of the slaves was taken on recommendation of General Washington. He recommended that the state enlist two battalions of such slaves as should be willing to enter into the service. The General Assembly in February, 1778, voted to enlist as many slaves as possible, "paying all the bounties, wages and encouragements allowed to any soldier," and that every slave so enlisting, upon his passing muster before Col. Christopher Greene, be immediately discharged from the service of his master or mistress, and be absolutely free, as though he had never been encumbered with any kind of servitude or slavery." This was the first emancipation act of Rhode Island, and hundreds of slaves took advantage of the call to military service, became freemen, and aided in obtaining the freedom
