Teresa Butler v. Eleanor Bradford. Judgment Record
Be it remembered that heretofore towit on the seventeenth day of June in the year of our Lord the one thousand seven hundred and ninety Teresa Butler by Gabriel Duvall her attorney prefers to the court here her petition for freedom against Eleanor Bradford in form following towit
To the honourable the Judges of the General Court
The petition of Teresa Butler humbly Sheweth that she is one of the decendants descendants of Nell Butler a free white woman in the female line, and is entitled to the rights & liberties of a free person; but is held in Slavery by Eleanor Bradford of Prince Georges County. She therefore prays your honours to direct that summonses issue against the said Eleanor Bradford, to be and appear in this honourable Court, & so stand to and abide the Judgment of the Court in the premises. And she will pray &soforth.
G Duvall for Petr
Thereupon it is ordered by the Court here that the writ of the state of Maryland of Subpena ad respondendum issue against the said Eleanor Bradford to answer unto the said Petition and soforth and the same according issues directed to the Sheriff of Prince Georges County, in form following towit.
The State of Maryland Sst To the Sheriff of Prince George County Greeting we command you that you summon Eleanor Bradford late of Prince Georges County that all excuses and delays set aside she be and appear before the Judges of our General Court to be held at the city of Annapolis on the second Tuesday of October next to answer the petition of Teresa Butler preferred against her for Freedom. Hereof she is not to fail and fail not at your peril and have you then and there this writ Witness the honourable Thomas Johnson Esquire Chief Judge of our said Court the 17th day of June Anno Domini 1790.
Issued the 28 July 1790. Jno Gwinn Clk.
The same day is given to the said Teresa Butler also.
At which said second Tuesday of October being the tenth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety and the day of the return of the aforegoing writ comes into the General Court here the said Teresa Butler by her attorney aforesaid, and the sheriff of Prince Georges County to whom the said subpena was in form aforesaid directed makes return thereof to the court here thus endorsed towit.
Summoned Edwd Lloyd Wailes Sheriff
And the said Eleanor Bradford by Philip B Key her attorney appears in court here and defends the force and injury when and soforth, and prays leave of the court here to imparle untill the second Tuesday of May next, and to her it is granted, the same day is given to the said Teresa Butler also.
At which said second Tuesday of May being the tenth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety on to which said day the said Eleanor Bradford had leave to imparle, come again into the General Court as well the petitioner as the defendant by their attornies and the said Eleanor Bradford by her attorney aforesaid defends the force and injury when and soforth and prays leave of the court here to imparle untill the second Tuesday of October next, and to her it is granted the same day is given to the said Teresa Butler also.
At which said second Tuesday of October being the Eleventh day of the same month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety one to which said day the said Eleanor Bradford had leave to imparle, comes again into the General Court as well the petitioner as the Defendant by their attornies
And the said Eleanor Bradford by her attorney aforesaid defends the the force and injury when and so forth, and prays leave of the Court here to imparle untill the second Tuesday of May next, and to her it is granted the same day is given to the said Teresa Butler also.
At which said second Tuesday of May being the eighth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety two, to which said day the said Eleanor Bradford had leave to imparle, come again into the General Court here as well the petitioner as the defendant by their attornies and the said Eleanor Bradford by her attorney aforesaid (as before) defends the force and injury when and soforth, and prays further leave to imparle untill the second Tuesday of October next and to her it is granted the same day is given to the said Teresa Butler also.
At which said second Tuesday of October being the ninth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred and ninety two, to which said day the said Eleanor Bradford had leave to imparle, come again into the General Court as well the petitioner, as the defendant by their attornies, and the said Eleanor Bradford by her said attorney (as before) defends the force and injury when and soforth and prays further leave to imparle until the second Tuesday of May next and to her it is granted the same day is given to the said Teresa Butler also.
At which 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, to which said day the said Eleanor Bradford had leave to imparle, come again into the General Court here as well the petitioner as the defendant by their attornies and the said Eleanor Bradford by her said attorney (as before) defends the force and injury when and soforth, and prays leave of the court here further to imparle untill untill the second Tuesday of October next, and to her it is granted the same day is given to the said Teresa Butler also.
At which said second Tuesday of of October being the eighth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred and ninety three to which said day the said Eleanor Bradford had leave to imparle, come again into the General Court here as well the said petitioner as the defendant by their attornies, and the said Eleanor Bradford by her said attorney as before defends the force and injury when and soforth, and prays further leave of the court here to imparle untill the second Tuesday of May next, and to her it is granted the same day is given to to the said Teresa Butler also.
At which said second Tuesday of May being the thirteenth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred and ninety fourth, to which said day the said Eleanor Bradford had leave to imparle come again into the General Court here as well the petitioner as the Defendant by their said attornies and the said Eleanor Bradford by her said attorney (as before) defends the force and injury when and soforth, and prays leave of the Court here to imparle untill the second Tuesday of October next, and to her it is granted the same day is given to the said Teresa Butler also.
At which said second Tuesday of October being the fourteenth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety four, to which said day of the said Eleanor Bradford had leave to imparle come Come again into the General Court here, as well the petitioner as the Defendant by their said attornies, and the said Eleanor Bradford by her said attorney further defends the force and injury when and soforth and prays leave of the court here to imparle untill the second Tuesday of May next, and to her it is granted. the same day is given to the said Teresa Butler also.
At which said second Tuesday of May being the twelfth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety five, to which said day the said Eleanor Bradford had leave to imparle, come again into the General Court here as well the petitioner as the Defendant by their attornies and the said Eleanor Bradford by her said attorney (as before) defends the force and injury when andsoforth and prays leave of the court here to imparle untill the second Tuesday of October next, and to her it is granted the same day is given to the said Teresa Butler also.
At which said second Tuesday of October being the thirteenth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety five to which said day the said Eleanor Bradford had leave to imparle, come again into the General Court here as well the petitioner as the defendant by their attornies and the said Eleanor Bradford, by her said attorney (as before) defends the force and injury when and soforth, and prays further leave of the Court to imparle untill the second Tuesday of May next and to her it is granted the same day is given to the said Teresa Butler also.
And now at this day towit the said second tuesday of May being the tenth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety six, to which said day the said Eleanor Bradford had leave to imparle come again into the General Court here as well the petitioner as the defendant by their attornies and the said Teresa Butler the petitioner aforesaid by her attorney aforesaid files in court here the following Deposition towit.
Jane Shorter aged upwards of sixty two years being sworn on the holy Evangely of Almighty God deposeth & saith that she knows Teresa Butler now present & has known her from the time of her birth; she is daughter of Mary Butler, whom the deponent knew ever since she the said Mary was a girl that Mary belonged to old Nasey Boarman when the deponent first knew her, and said Mary was sister of Nase who obtained his freedom against one Ford and daughter of Peggy, the mother of said Nase; and the deponent has always understood that Cate whom the deponent knew was daughter of old Nell Butler, and grandmother to the aforesaid Mary mother of Teresa.
Sworn to this 20th day of May 1796 J Bullen
Whereupon all & singular the premises between the parties aforesaid by the Court here being seen heard and fully understood and mature deliberation thereupon had for that it appears to the court here that the said Teresa Butler the petitioner aforesaid is entitled to her freedom as she by her petition to the court here hath alleged. Therefore it is considered by the court here that the said Teresa Butler the petitioner aforesaid be free and discharged of and from the service of the said Eleanor Bradford and that she the said Teresa Butler the petitioner aforesaid go go thereof without day andsoforth. It is further considered by the court here that the said Teresa Butler recover against the said Eleanor Bradford the quantity of five hundred and ninety eight pounds of Tobacco by the Court here unto her on her assent adjudged for her costs and charges by her about the prosecution of her petition laid out and expended and that she have thereof her execution &ca
Test John Gwinn Clk.