O Say Can You See

The prayer of your petitioner respectfully represents unto your Honors that she in unlawfully claimed and held in bondage by one William Allen and Anne Allen (late Turner) his wife who reside in or near Orange County in the state of Virginia; that sometime in October in the year 1842 said Ann Allen, then Ann Turner imported your petitioner into the County of Washington in the District of Columbia to reside therein; and where she has ever since resided, the said defendant Ann Allen (then Ann Turner) being at that time and ever since, and the said William Allen ever since his marriage to the said Ann Turner, in the state of Virginia and residing there, contrary to the act of assembly in such case made and provided

She therefore prays that she may be discharged from unlawful bondage and as is duty bound she will ever pray &c

Dan Ratcliffe
by W. R. Woodward
for Petitioner