| From time to time we come across an interesting record or document in our holdings that may have significance to mnay people. We have recently located a copy of the Last Will and Testament of Frederick Douglass. The instrument was filed in Monroe County, NY by Douglass' daughter, Rosetta Douglass Sprgaue.
Though the document is a copy and is not in Douglass' own handwriting, it provides a glimpse into the life of a man who was born a slave, escaped, and became a successful orator, publisher, and driving force for the abolition of slavery and civil and suffrage rights of all people. Since February is Black History Month (and Douglass' birth month) we thought it would of interest to several researchers and to a great many people in general. We have digitized three images from the Monroe County, New York will book (Book 57, pages 178-180). The first is the copy of the will filed in Rochester where Douglass spent many years of his life and is interred. The second image is the probate record of the will and the third image is the "proof" of the will. We sincerely hope that the documents will not only be enjoyed but also serve to remind us that anything is possible in our Great Nation. Our friends and colleagues in libraries and archives, as well as those who maintain their own websites dealing with Frederick Douglass, African-American history, and genealogy can feel free to link to the images which will be kept permanently available. If you maintain a website, library, or other organization and would like a copy of the images, we can provide them as jpeg files or as a pdf. Please email us at info@digitalcambria.
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