The area was first settled in 1834 by freed African-American slaves and African-Americans who were born free . Most of them were from the U.S. state of Maryland , and were there under the aurhority of the Maryland State Colonization Society . The area was first settled in 1834 by freed African-American slaves and freeborn African-Americans primarily from the U.S. state of Maryland , under the auspices of the Maryland State Colonization Society .