<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><ead xmlns="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9 https://www.loc.gov/ead/ead.xsd"><eadheader countryencoding="iso3166-1" dateencoding="iso8601" findaidstatus="completed" langencoding="iso639-2b" repositoryencoding="iso15511"><eadid countrycode="US" mainagencycode="US-ViU" url="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/195951">MSS16821</eadid><filedesc><titlestmt><titleproper type="filing">Liberty, Cuff pay voucher</titleproper><titleproper>Guide to the Cuff Liberty pay voucher <num>MSS 16821</num></titleproper><author>Rose Oliveira-Abbey</author></titlestmt><publicationstmt><publisher>Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library</publisher><p id="logostmt"><extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/logos/uva-sc.jpg" xlink:show="embed" xlink:type="simple"/></p><p><date>February 26, 2024</date></p><address><addressline>Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library</addressline><addressline>P.O. Box 400110</addressline><addressline>University of Virginia</addressline><addressline>Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110</addressline><addressline>URL: <extptr xlink:href="https://small.library.virginia.edu/" xlink:show="new" xlink:title="https://small.library.virginia.edu/" xlink:type="simple"/></addressline></address><p>This record is made available under an Universal 1.0 Public Domain Dedication Creative Commons license.</p></publicationstmt></filedesc><profiledesc><creation>This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on <date>2026-03-05 17:45:04 +0000</date>.</creation><langusage>Description is written in: <language langcode="eng" scriptcode="Latn">English, Latin script</language>.</langusage><descrules>Describing Archives: A Content Standard</descrules></profiledesc></eadheader><archdesc level="collection">
  <did>
    <repository>
      <corpname>Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library</corpname>
    </repository>
    <unittitle>Cuff Liberty pay voucher</unittitle>
    <origination label="Creator">
      <corpname authfilenumber="https://lccn.loc.gov/n86016806" rules="rda" source="naf">Connecticut. Treasury Department</corpname>
    </origination>
    <unitid>MSS 16821</unitid>
    <unitid type="ark">
      <extref xlink:actuate="onLoad" xlink:href="https://archives.lib.virginia.edu/ark:/59853/195951" xlink:show="new">Archival Resource Key</extref>
    </unitid>
    <unitid type="aspace_uri">/repositories/3/resources/1621</unitid>
    <physdesc altrender="whole">
      <extent altrender="materialtype spaceoccupied">.03 Cubic Feet</extent>
      <extent altrender="carrier">1 folder (letter)</extent>
    </physdesc>
    <unitdate datechar="creation" normal="1782/1789" type="inclusive">1782-1789</unitdate>
    <physdesc id="aspace_a462fb0ba1977c0703703ff6cc36410b" label="Condition Description">Good.  The voucher is partially split along two vertical folds, mended with three small pieces of clear tape on the verso.</physdesc>
    <langmaterial>
      <language langcode="eng">English</language>
    </langmaterial>
    <container altrender="Document Box (Legal) = 0.5 cf" id="aspace_eccc751d22189ba5cbf40c22dbe8b922" label="Mixed Materials" type="box">Currency, Stamps, and Miscellany Box</container>
    <container id="aspace_89fd4ddc456b799df46ff67db17f8107" parent="aspace_eccc751d22189ba5cbf40c22dbe8b922" type="folder">001</container>
  </did>
  <prefercite id="aspace_d71ac7a6875a9d9bf8494f7de119e973">
    <head>Preferred Citation</head>
<p>MSS 16821, Cuff Liberty pay voucher, Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.</p>  </prefercite>
  <accessrestrict id="aspace_2ba15b4fcbfcdfa0334a191d2e9a939b">
    <head>Conditions Governing Access</head>
<p>This collection is open for research.</p>  </accessrestrict>
  <scopecontent id="aspace_364a6afd219454a8dc062c690a613813">
    <head>Content Description</head>
<p>This collection contains one Revolutionary War pay voucher to Cuff Liberty, an African American soldier from Middletown, Connecticut, who was one of approximately 300 enslaved or freemen from Connecticut who fought for the Continental Army. The government-issued vouchers promised full payment by a certain date and paid interest until the full amount was collected. The voucher, measuring 8" X 4", is printed on laid paper with a black decorative border, numbered in ink "3958" for £13,6,7 1/2."   Cuff Liberty's name is written in ink, and a circular cancellation hole is beneath it. It is signed by Treasurer John Lawrence, as "J. Lawrence." Written on the back, in ink, are notations of the interest payments from June 1783 through 1789. The principal was probably paid soon after 1789, evidenced by the interest payments and the circular punch-out cancellation,  that the debt was cleared and the voucher was no longer valid for payment. According to research sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution, Cuff Liberty had been enslaved by William Ward of Middletown and manumitted in 1776 after purchasing his freedom.  He enlisted in 1778 and served in the 6th, the 4th, and 2nd Regiments of the Connecticut Continental Line.  This pattern, particularly the placement in Captain Humphrey's segregated company of the 4th, was common among African Americans serving on the Continental Line.  Discharged in 1783, he later applied for and received bounty land.  He is listed by William Cooper Nell in "Coloured Patriots of the American Revolution (1855); Thomas Moebs "Black soldiers, Black sailors, Black ink," and Bryna O'Sullivan, "Who was Private Cuff Liberty?" (Charter Oak Genealogy, July 2, 2021)</p>  </scopecontent>
  <acqinfo id="aspace_29c595891a54c1f0e855566f818bf478">
    <head>Immediate Source of Acquisition</head>
<p>This collection was purchased from Between the Covers by the Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia on October 20, 2023.</p>  </acqinfo>
  <userestrict id="aspace_0bcef2870e69e396cddd8e54e214605a">
    <head>Conditions Governing Use</head>
<p>No Copyright - United States: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/ The Library believes that all or nearly all material in this collection is likely to be in the public domain, free of copyright restrictions. Visit our Permissions and Publishing page for more information about use of Special Collections materials. The library can provide copyright information upon request, but users are responsible for making their own determination about lawful use of collections materials.</p>  </userestrict>
  <controlaccess>
    <subject authfilenumber="https://lccn.loc.gov/sh85001906" source="lcsh">African American soldiers</subject>
    <geogname authfilenumber="https://lccn.loc.gov/sh85140139" source="lcsh">United States --  History  -- Revolution, 1775-1783</geogname>
    <persname authfilenumber="https://lccn.loc.gov/no2023135594" rules="rda" source="naf">Liberty, Cuff</persname>
  </controlaccess>
  <dsc/>
</archdesc>
</ead>