James Ash v. William H. Williams. Deposition of William Dorsett

 

Washington County District of Columbia towit

On this 8th day of May in the year 1840 personally appeared before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in & for the County aforesaid William Dorsett of full age & made oath on the holy Evangely of Almighty God that he knows negro James Ash [illegible] the slave of Gerrard T Greenfield, & recently sold by the deponant as agent of said Greenfield to William H Williams of Washington County aforesaid, he being the same negro who filed a petition in the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia for Washington County against the said Williams for his freedom, & that the said slave is worth more than one hundred dollars, the said Williams having in fact agreed to pay seven hundred dollars for him.

Sworn before Joseph Forrest J.P.

 

To the Hon. Judge Taney,

We the counsel, engaged in the trial of the Case of James Ash negro, against Gerrard T. Greenfield, for freedom in the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia for Washington County tried at the March term of the said Court for the year 1840, agree that the said Negro is worth more than one hundred dollars current money, but not one thousand dollars.

May 8, 1840

Jno Marbury for the Defendant

Wm Brent
Jos H. Bradley for Petitioner