Milly v. Matthew Eakin. Petition for Freedom

 

The petition of negroe Milly respectfully sheweth to the Honorable the Judges of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia for the County of Alexandria, that she in the year 1799 was the property of Bazil Hatton a citizen and resident of the state of Maryland and that she always untill that year resided in the state of Maryland. That in the year 1799, Bryan Hampson a citizen and resident of the town of Alexandria in the district of Columbia became the proprietor of your petitioner either by purchase or exchange for another negroe with the said Bazil Hatton and bought your said petitioner in the year 1799 or 1800 from the state of Maryland into the town of Alexandria and sold her to a certain Matthew Eakin where she has been ever since. That the said Matthew Eakin now holds her as a slave. Your petitioner Humbly conceives she is by reason of the bringing her into the Dist County of Alexandria intitled to her freedom. She therefore prays that she may be permitted to bring a suit in forma pauperis against the said Matthew Eakin to recover her freedom and that   counsel may be assigned her to prosecute the said suit for her. as in duty bound she will ever pray &c

Your petitioner further states that Frederick Koontz and his wife and also that       Freeman a member of B. Hampson's can establish the facts stated in the above petition, but the said witnesses are unwilling to give their voluntary affidavit. Your petitioner therefore prays that the above named persons may be summoned to appear before the court & state upon oath what knowledge they have of the importation of your petitioner from the state of Maryland into the County of Alexandria & District of Columbia.

Negroe Milly
against
Matthew Eakin

petition

Summons to issue for the witnesses