O Say Can You See

The Deposition of Deborah Lusby of Ann Arundell County about about fifty years of age being first duly sworn deposeth and saith that she is the Daughter of Edwd Lee and well knew his Brother Lewis Lee and Robt Welch who were very old men when they respectively died, who all lived in the neighbourhood of James Carroll's Plantation called Fingall where Old Philis the reputed slave of James Carroll also lived. that this Deponant well knows Old Philis and knew her about thirty years past but never heard the said Philis or any of her decendants were entitled to be free; or that they claim'd freedom untill very lately; [strikethrough] this deponantant further saith the said Edward and Lewis Lee were well acquainted in Mr Carroll's family and verily believes if they or any one of them had ever thought the said Philis or her Children were entitled to freedom or had ever heard thought so, she should have heard them mention it. she also s deposeth and saith that she often heard her father Edward Lee say that he never so much repented anything in his life as that he did no buy the said Philis at a time when she was offered to him he might have got her for five pounds, but at that time it was generaly known that the said Philis was very ill with the Venereal complaint and married to one of his Negroes. The deponent further saith that she has often heard her father & uncle Lewis Lee talking about Phillis, but does not recollect what they said; that she does not recollect ever to have heard either of them say who Phillis's mother was; that she has known Ned the petitioner a great many years, & always understood he was the son of Phillis; but she never   heard any person say who was the Mother of Phillis. That at the time when Phillis was sick as before related, the deponent cannot say how old she was, but thinks she had Children afterwards, but is not sure; that Phillis had one sister named Nanny Cooper, which the deponent knew many years ago; the said Phillis has many Children known to this deponent, to wit, Sukey, Mary, Gervais, & Proteus and Winifred; but she does not recollect any more.

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Deborah + Lusby
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Sworn before me the 21st Day of May 1794 the Deponent Deborah lusby having first signed the same
John Randall