O Say Can You See

Be it remembered, that heretofore towit, on the seventh day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety; Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler by Henry Ridgely their attorney, preferred and filed in the General Court here their Petition for Freedom against Adam Craig, which is in the form following towit. To the Honorable the Judges of the General Court. The Petition of Samuel, Flora and Tracey Butler, humbly sheweth that they are held as Slaves by Adam Craig of Prince Georges County, altho' they are entitled to their Freedom, being descended from a Free white woman whose name was Eleanor Butler; your Petitioners are the sons and Daughters of Mary Butler, who was the Daughter of Mary Butler, who was the Daughter of Peggy Butler, who was the Daughter of Cate Butler, who was the Daughter of Eleanor Butler the Free white woman aforesaid. They therefore pray your honors to take their case into consideration and discharge them from the custody of the said Adam Craig, and that Summonses may issue for their Witnesses, and soforth.

H. Ridgely, for Petitioners.

Thereupon, on motion of the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler by their attorney aforesaid, it is ruled and ordered by the Court here, that the said Adam Craig do not remove the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler out of this State, nor obstruct them from attending this Court from time to time in support of their Petition for Freedom, preferred to the Court here; and in the mean time to feed, cloath and use the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler, well: It is further ruled and ordered by the Court here, that the writ of the State of Maryland of Summons issue forth out of the General Court here against the said Adam Craig to answer unto the said Petition of the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler, which Issued accordingly, directed to the Sheriff of Prince Georges County, in manner following towit: The State of Maryland Sct To the Sheriff of Prince Georges County, Greeting We command you that you Summon Adam Craig late of Prince Georges County that all excuses and delays set aside he be and appear before the Judges of the General Court to be held at the City of Annapolis the second Tuesday of May next to answer the Petition of Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler, preferred against him for Freedom. Hereof he is not fail and fail not at your peril and have you then and there this writ.

Witness the honorable Thomas Johnson Esquire Chief Judge of our said Court the 24th day of November Anno domini 1790.

Issued the 7th day of December 1790. (H Ridgely) Jno Gwinn Clk

At which said second Tuesday of May being the Tenth day of the said month in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety one, and the day of the return of the aforegoing Summons, come into the General Court here, the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler, and Tracey Butler by Henry Ridgely their attorney aforesaid; and the Sheriff of Prince Georges County, aforesaid, to whom the said Summons was inform aforesaid directed, makes return thereof to the Court here, thus endorsed, towit. "Summoned, Edward Lloyd Wailes, Shff" And the said Adam Craig, being so forewarned, comes into the General Court here, by Luther Martin his attorney: Thereupon, further process of and upon the premises aforesaid, between the parties aforesaid, by order of the Court here, is continued until the second Tuesday of October next; the same day is given to the parties aforesaid, then, andsoforth.

At which said second Tuesday of October, being the Eleventh day of the said month in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety one, come again into the General Court here, as well the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler by their attorney aforesaid, as the said Adam Craig by her attorney aforesaid: Thereupon, further process of and upon the premises aforesaid between the parties aforesaid, by order of the Court here, is further continued until the second Tuesday of May next; the same day is given to the parties aforesaid, then, andsoforth.

And now at this day towit, the 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, come again into the General Court here, as well the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler by their attorney aforesaid, as the said Adam Craig by Luther Martin and Philip Barton Key his attornies; And the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler by their attorney aforesaid, file in Court here the Deposition of Mary Butler; which is in the words and of the Tenor following towit.

Samuel, Flora and Tracey Butler
vs
Adam Craig

The Deposition of Mary Butler aged about 35 who being sworn deposeth that the Petitioners are her children and that she this Deponent was set free by the General Court, and by the Court of Appeals. 16 May 1792 Allen Quynn.

Whereupon, the said Adam Craig by his attornies aforesaid, saith, that he cannot deny the complaint aforesaid of the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler the petitioners aforesaid, so as aforesaid made, nor but that the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler the Petitioners aforesaid, are entitled to their Freedom, being descended from a Free white woman whose name was Eleanor Butler, in manner and form as the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler by their said Petition to the Court here preferred against him the said Adam Craig, above have alleged; And thereupon, the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler by their attorney aforesaid, pray that they may be dismissed and discharged from the service of the said Adam Craig, together with their costs and charges by them about the prosecution of their said Petition, to them to be adjudged, andsoforth. Therefore it is considered by the Court here, that the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler the Petitioners aforesaid, recover of and against the said Adam Craig, their Freedom, and that they be hence freed and discharged of and from the service of the said Adam Craig, and that they the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler the petitioners aforesaid go freed and discharged thereof without day, and soforth. And it is further considered by the Court here, that the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler, and Tracey Butler, the petitioners aforesaid, recover against the said Adam Craig the quantity of Six hundred and seventy two pounds of tobacco, by the Court here unto the said Samuel Butler, Flora Butler and Tracey Butler on their assent adjudged, for their costs and charges by them about the Prosecution of their said Petition in this behalf laid out and expended, and that they have thereof their Execution, andsoforth.

Test. John Gwinn Clerk