O Say Can You See

Be it remembered that heretofore, to wit, on the twenty first day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety two, the said Daniel Boston by George Jenings his attorney exhibited to the Court here his Petition for Freedom against the said Henry Hall and which is of the tenor and form following, towit. To the Honourable the Judges of the General Court. The Petition of Daniel Boston humbly sheweth, That your Petitioner is held in slavery by a certain Henry Hall of Anne Arundel County when he is entitled to his Freedom being descended from a free yellow woman one of the Portuguese whose name as your Petitioner is informed was Lenah Boston. Your Petitioner therefore prays your Honours to take his Case into consideration and discharge him from the service of the said Henry Hall and your Petitioner as in Duty bound will pray. Geo. Jenings for Petitioner.

Thereupon the writ of the State of Maryland of Summons issued forth out of the General Court here directed to the Sheriff of Anne Arundel County in form following towit. The State of Maryland towit. To the Sheriff of Ann Arundel County, Greeting. We command you that you summons Henry Hall late of Ann Arundel County that all delays and excuses be set aside he be and appear before the Judges of our General Court to be held at the City of Annapolis on the second tuesday of May next to answer unto the Petition of Daniel Boston preferred against him for freedom, hereof he is not to fail and fail not at your Peril; and have you then and there this Writ. Witness the Honourable Samuel Chase Esquire Chief Judge of our said Court the 1st day of November Anno Domini 1791. (G. Js)

Issued the 21st day of November Anno Domini 1791. Jno Gwinn Clk.

At which said second Tuesday of May being the eighth day of the said month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety two, and the return day of the said writ comes into the General Court here the said Daniel Boston by her attorney aforesaid; And the Sheriff of Ann Arundel County aforesaid to whom the said writ was in aforesaid directed towit. William Goldsmith Gentleman, makes return thereof to the Court here thereon endorsed to Wit; "Summoned. Wm Goldsmith Shff." Thereupon the said Henry Hall appears in Court here by William Cooke his attorney: thereupon further process of and upon the premises aforesaid between the said parties is continued until the second Tuesday of October next: The same day is given to the said parties then &c.

At which said second Tuesday of October being the ninth day of said month in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety two come again into the General Court here the parties aforesaid by their attorneys aforesaid. thereupon further process of and upon the premises aforesaid between the parties aforesaid is further continued until the second Tuesday of May next: the same day is given to the said parties then &c

And now at this day to wit, the said second Tuesday of May being the fourteenth day of the same month in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety Three, come again into the General Court here as well the said Daniel Boston by George Jenings, Gabriel Duvall and William Pinkney her attornies as the said Henry Hall by his attorney aforesaid: Thereupon the said Daniel Boston by his attornies aforesaid files in Court here a certain Deposition which is of the tenor following towit. The deposition of Bacon Boston aged upwards of forty years being sworn on the holy Evangels of almighty God deposeth and saith that Daniel Boston who has petitioned for his freedom against Henry Hall is the son of the deponents sister Anne, which Anne is the daughter of Violet, who was daughter, as this deponent has always understood of Lenah Boston; He further saith that Richard Boston who Petitioned against Joshua Warfield is the son of Darky who is of the deponent and daughter of Violet aforesaid and Peter who petitioned against Stephen Steward is son of the aforesaid Darky: and that Bacon Boston who petitioned against Gassaway Watkins is son of the aforesaid Darky; that Peter Boston who petitioned against Richard Wells is son of Jenny who was daughter of a sister of the deponent's mother, (whose christian name he cannot remember) as he has always been informed; and further he saith not.

Taken this 15th day of June 1793, before H. Ridgely, Aldr of the City of Annapolis

Whereupon the said Henry Hall by his attorney aforesaid admits in Court here that the said Daniel Boston the Petitioner aforesaid is descended from Violet the daughter of Lenah in manner and form as he hath above alleged: Whereupon all and singular the premises being to the Court here that the said Daniel Boston is entitled to his freedom being descended from a free yellow woman one of the Portuguese whose name was Lenah Boston, in manner and form as the said Daniel Boston by his said Petition to the Court here preferred against him the said Henry Hall hath above alleged;

Therefore it is considered by the Court here that the said Daniel Boston the Petitioner aforesaid recover of and against the said Henry Hall his freedom, and that he be hence freed and discharged of and from the service of the said Henry Hall and that he the said Daniel Boston the Petitioner aforesaid go freed and discharged thereof without day &c. And it is further considered by the Court here that the said Daniel Boston the Petitioner aforesaid recover against the said Henry Hall the quantity of five hundred and ninety one pounds of Tobacco by the Court here unto the said Daniel Boston on his assent adjudged for his costs and charges by him about the prosecution of his said Petition in this behalf laid out   out and expended; and that he have thereof his execution &c.

Test. John Gwinn Clk.