Edward Queen v. John Ashton. Deposition of Richard Disney

 

Edward Queen
v
John Ashton

Petitions for freedom in the General Court

Richard Disney of Anne Arundel County aged seventy five years being able Duly sworn on the holy Evangelies of almighty God, to say the truth of his knowledge in this cause, saith, that he knows Phillis, and Nanny Cooper, who belong to the defendant, and has known them ever since he was a child; and Phillis is a mulatto, and Nanny Cooper as black as most negroes; but he does not remember the mother of Phillis and Nanny; and this deponent knew James Carroll who formerly lived at Fingal, very well, and this Deponent's mother, who is now dead, was a midwife, and has often told him that the aforesaid Nanny was the first child she ever took, and was very well acquainted in the said James Carroll's family; and she attended the family many years as a midwife, and he has often heard her say, that it was a shame that the mother of Phillis and Nanny was kept in slavery, and if Mr. Carroll would to be false in one thing, he would be false in another; and this deponent remembers to have heard a great deal of talk about her and has heard divers persons say that Captain Larkin brought her into this Country, and that she had a great many fine Cloaths, and that old William Chapman took her ashore once, and it was noised about that there was a fine Lady from London, and nobody would buy her for some time, while at last James Carroll bought her, and this deponent has heard Captain Iiams, who is now deceased, brother of Plummer Iiams, say that Phillis ought to be free, and this deponent further saith that he cut and spayed young Stock at Fingal three of four years, when Lewis Lee who is now dead, was Overseer there and he has heard Lewis Lee say that Phillis ought to be free, and Phillis then lived in a house by herself; Being asked if Lewis Lee was an older man   than the deponent, answers, yes, many years, and that he was a man when the deponent was a boy. and the deponent says that he never took much notice of what was said about her, never expecting to be a witness: Being asked whether the mother of Phillis and Nanny was reputed to be a mulatto woman or a negro, he answers he does not know.

The foregoing deposition taken before me, one of the Justices of the Peace for the County aforesaid on the fourteenth day May seventeen hundred & Ninety two

J B Belt

5. s.d

Deposition

Richard Disney's Depo

Filed 28th July 1792

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