Dist. Court of the U. S. for the Dist.
of Col.
Clerk of the Court
"Fugitive Slave Cases, 1862," May 15-19, 1862
(By file date or affidavit)
Original papers in fugitive slave cases
before the Circuit Court of the U.S. for the District of Columbia consisting
of claimants petitions, affidavits for arrest of fugitive slaves, warrants
of arrest, depositions, court orders to deliver fugitive slaves to claimants,
and related papers.
Transcribed from National Archives
Microfilm Publication M433 "Records of the United States District
Court for the District of Columbia Relating to Slaves, 1851-1863, Roll
3.
Fugitive Slave
Cases Home
District of Columbia
Washington County to wit:
On this 15th day of May
1862 personally appeared in open court in the circuit court of the District
of Columbia Dennis Duvall a citizen and resident of Prince George County
in the State of Maryland and made oath according to law that he is the
lawful owner and rightful possessor of the Negro slaves following, who
were residing with him in said Prince George County until the event hereinafter
(illegible), to wit, man Barzil (called Barzil West) about
thirty three years old, Tom (called Tom Spriggs) about thirty
years of age, Jacob (called Jacob Johnson) about twenty
four years old, Lloyd (called Lloyd West) about twenty
one years old, John (called John Jackson) about nineteen
years old, Lucy (called Jackson) about thirty eight years
old and her children Bill, 12 years, Lewis, 10 years, Frank,
8 years, Josephine, 3 years, Maria (called Maria Brogden)
about thirty five years old and her children Dallas, 15, Flora,
3 years old, Harriet (called Harriet Spriggs) about twenty
seven years old and her children Maria, 5 years, Dick, 4
years, Jim, 2 years, and Laura, nine weeks old, Ann
(called Ann Johnson) about twenty years old and her child Emma
two years old;
That the said Tom Spriggs left
the residence of affiant in Prince George County aforesaid about the 9th
March last, a fugitive from labor, against affiant's will and is now a
fugitive from service and labor; that all and every of the others alike
said slaves above enumerated against the will and without the knowledge
of the affiant left his residence aforesaid on the night of Monday the
12th of May instant and are now fugitives from labor and service
due by them to him; that he has good reason to believe and does verily
believe that the said slaves and each and every of them are now in the
District of Columbia, and he prays the court that process may issued by
the said circuit court commanding the Marshal of said District to take
said slaves and bring them before this court that they may be surrendered
and delivered up to affiant according to the statute in such case made
and provided.
Test: Jno. A. Smith, Clk.
In Re Dennis Duvall
vs.
[Harriet --- Maria
Dick --- Laura her
children]
Harriet Sprigg
Witness is Geo. W. Duvall of
Dennis---son of complainant---knows the fugitives now present in court
and which he now points out in the court viz Harriet---Maria---Dick &
Laura---Harriet is 27 or 28 years old---Maria about 7 years---Dick about
4 & Laura an infant at the breast---They are the property of complainant---he
owned Harriet about 12 or 14 years---purchased given
to him by his grandfather and has resided with him ever since---children
born at the residence of witness grandfather in P. G.
Co. Md.---all slaves for life---his father resides in P. G. Co. Md.---held
them as slaves then---up to Monday night last the time of their escape
& escaped without his knowledge or consent.
Geo. W. Duvall of D.
Dennis Duvall claimant
vs.
John Jackson &
Bill - fugitives
Depo. Of Geo. W. Duvall of D.
In answer to counsel of fugitives says
that he has no interest in the property of fugitives---
The claimant Dennis Duvall is the father
of witness---and witness has no interest or property in said fugitives
now in court and recognizes them as the slaves of claimant---claimant
resides in P. G. Co. Md. Witness resides in same county with his father,
and the fugitives resided on his father's plantation---one of them was
born on the place where his father now resides and the other where he
previously resided---he last saw them in claimants possession on the 13th
May last in the state of Md. and they were held and claimed by his father
as his slaves.
After the 13th May he next
saw them in Washington where he knows of his own knowledge that they were
not here with the consent of his father---he was not present when they
left---if he had, would have prevented them leaving.
---Witness came here with his father
on the 15 May in search of said slaves---and has reason to believe that
they were concealed or secreted.
Geo. W. Duvall of D.
Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Be it known, and it is hereby certified
that on this 12th day of June 1862 the Marshall of the District
of Columbia, by virtue of and in execution of a certain warrant by this
court issued and to him directed on the affidavit and petition of Dennis
Duvall -----------------
claiming John Jackson & Bill
-------------------------- as fugitive slaves, the said Marshall now produces
in court house the above named fugitives; and thereupon the court examined
George W. Duvall of D.---a witness for said claimant, and being satisfied
by the evidence of said George W. Duvall of D. that the said fugitives
are slaves for life, the property of said claimant a citizen of the United
States residing in Prince George County and State of Maryland, that the
said claimant is the father of witness, that witness knows the fugitive
John & Bill now in court and recognizes them as he property and slaves
of his father; one of them was born on the plantation where his father
now lives, the other on the place where he formerly resided, he last saw
them in claimant's possession on the 17th last, they are held
and claimed by said claimant, and in his possession as his slaves for
life and residing with him in said Prince Geo. County, and they now are
fugitives from service and labor due by them to said claimant in said
county.
It is by this court, on this 12th
day of June 1862 ordered that the Marshal of the District of Columbia
do deliver the said fugitives now in his custody to the said claimant
to be taken back to the State of Maryland, to be there dealt with according
to law; with authority to said claimant to use such reasonable force and
restraint as may be necessary to take and remove said slaves back to the
said State of Maryland, the said claimant paying the costs and charges
of their capture and detention.
By order of court
Test. Jno. A. Smith, Clk.
District of Columbia
Washington County
Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Be it known and it is hereby certified
that on this 16th day of May 1862, the Marshal of the District
of Columbia by virtue of and in execution of a certain warrant by the
court issued and to him directed, on the affidavit and petition of Dennis
Duvall claiming Harriet Sprigg and her children named Maria,
Dick and Laura & other slaves, the said Marshal now
producing in court here the above named Harriet, Dick, Maria
& Laura, and thereupon this court examined George W. Duvall
of D. by a witness for said complainant, and being satisfied by the evidence
of the said George W. Duvall of D. the said Harriet and her children Maria,
Dick and Laura are slaves for life, the property of the said Dennis Duvall
a citizen of and residing in Prince George County in the state of Maryland;
that the said Harriet was about 12 or 14 years of age given to the said
Dennis Duvall by his father---that she has ever since resided with the
said Dennis in Prince George County, and that her said children were since
the property of the said Dennis at his said residence and that the said
Harriet and her said children escaped from the possession of said Dennis
on Monday night last, and fled to the District of Columbia.
It is this 16th day of May
1862 ordered by the court that the Marshal of the district of Columbia
deliver the within named slaves now in his custody to Dennis Duvall or
his authorized agent or attorney to be taken back to the state of Maryland
to be there dealt with according to law; with authority to the said Dennis
Duvall his agent or attorney to use such reasonable force and restraint
as may be necessary under the circumstances to take & remove the said
slave back to the said State of Maryland, he the said Dennis paying the
costs and charges for their capture and detention.
By Order of Court
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