Freedom Papers Filed in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

The Recorder of Deeds for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, provides a link "to search for Historical Deeds, Chattel Mortgage Book and Feme Sol Trader Offices; for the period 1792-1857." I tried various random name searches and didn't find any property deeds, but there are numerous images of Freedom and Indenture Papers for that time frame.

Here's a freedom paper, which was recorded on March 4, 1842, for a man named Edward Robinson, who was born in Kentucky:

Freedom Paper for Edward Robinson, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
(CLICK TO VIEW LARGER)

"I, Chas. H. Israel, a Notary Public by Authority of Pennsylvania duly Commissioned and Sworn residing in the City of Pittsburgh do certify that I have satisfactory Evidence that Edward Robinson a young man of Color who is now Present is a Free man and was born of free parents in the State of Kentucky and was bound by Indenture to the late Benjamin Page in Pittsburgh State Pennsylvania. Said Edward Robinson is about five feet six inches high 27 years of age and upwards stout built scar under left eye. Said Edward has been personally known to the subscriber for many years as a free person and further the said Edward Robinson has subscribed his name in his own proper hand writing on the margin of this paper. ... I do further certify that the said Edward Robinson is a free Citizen of the State of Pennsylvania entitled to all the privileges of a free White man of said State." 

This record collection is very interesting. If you've used it for your genealogy research, please post a comment.