Moses Graham v. Richard B. Alexander. Special Verdict

 

Negore Moses
vs
Alexander

We the Jury empanelled in the above case doe specially find the following facts from the evidence, viz;

That before the month in the month of 1789 a certain Richard Brown of Maryland died possessed of & owning [strikethrough] the maternal Grandmother of the Petitioner having previously executed in said state his last will & testament (here insert it) & that the maternal Grandmother of the Petitioner is the slave mentioned in said will by the name of Molly

That from the year 1808 or 1809 until April 1813 Milly (the mother of the Petitioner) was hired out in Georgetown in the District of Columbia, by Elizabeth Brown who is the same person mentioned in the will of said Richard Brown by that name & that during the whole of said period the said Milly was the property of said Elizabeth Brown

That some time previous to 1794 the said Elizabeth Brown resided in said Georgetown (then in Maryland) & from that the year 1794 she resided in Baltimore Maryland, until about the year 1808, or   1809 when the said Elizabeth Brown removed from Baltimore Maryland to the County of Alexandria in the District of Columbia & continued to reside there until her death in the year 1825

That in April 1813 the said Elizabeth Brown removed the mother of the Petitioner from the said county of Washington in said District to the County of Alexandria in said District, with her two daughters Rachel & Anne, & the said Elizabeth Brown then sold the said mother of the Petitioner & her two daughters to Mrs Frances Alexander as slaves for             after which sale & delivery of said slaves to said Frances Alexander & within a year after the importation of said slaves the Petitioner was born while his said mother was possessed by the said Frances Alexander under said contract with Miss Brown

That the Petitioner remained in the possession & use of said Frances Alexander until her death in 1823 & was willed by her bequeathed by her as mentioned in her last will & testament (here insert it)

That Miss Brown died in 1825 after executing her last will & testament (here insert it) & that said the Petitioner although then born [illegible] was not mentioned in said last will & testament

 

And if the upon the whole facts above stated the Court shall be of opinion that the Petitioner is entitled to recover his freedom, then we find for the Petitioner But if upon said facts, the Court shall be of opinion that the Petitioner is not entitled to recover, then we find for the Defendant