Miscellaneous Receipts, 1847-1849, undated

The papers of Mariah Crabb document her manumission, include information about her former enslavers, and detail the activities of her family members in the 1830s and 1840s. Of particular note is Mariah Crabb's handwritten Manumission Indenture. On July 1, 1831, Mariah and her family purchased their freedom for $150 from Martin, Elizabeth, and David Hausman.

Consisting largely of personal letters written to Mariah Crabb from her former enslavers, Martin and Elizabeth, the letters primarily consist of assertions of the Hausmans' great fondness for Mariah and repeated requests for her to visit with the children. Due to Elizabeth's advanced age, her son David penned the last letter in 1840. Mariah also received letters from her daughters, Mary, Lucy, and Elizabeth, her husband Jacob, and several others. Topics revolve around religion, education, career choices and the general well being of the individuals under discussion. Almost all letters are signed. One letter was written to Lucy Crabb by her sister, Mary.

Records kept by Mariah over the years also include legal receipts; property records (land deeds); tax records, including commentary about home repair, and information on a tenant who lived on the property. Several other miscellaneous receipts document daily life struggles on Ohio's western frontier including difficulties purchasing groceries, sewing materials, and so on. There is a property tax receipt for Mary Crabb from a Norwalk, Ohio, business for the year 1878.

In 1845 I. Flaharty (?) of Buffalo, New York, wrote a personal statement regarding Mariah Crabb's character for "honesty and industry." Also in this series is certification of her membership in the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Buffalo.