National Archive Microfilm Publications Microcopy No. 434
Habeas Corpus Case Records of the United States Circuit Court for the District of Columbia 1820 – 1863
Roll 1 – 1820 – 1843
Habeas Corpus for Chloe Ann
To his honor William Cranch, Chief Justice of the Circuit Court of the United States of the District of Columbia in & for the County of Washington.
The petition of Negro Chloe Ann respectfully sheweth unto your Honor that she is at present in jail in the custody of the jailor of this County, there committed and held, without any competent lawful authority or cause wherefore she prays your Honor that the United States Writ of Habeas Corpus may issue to bring your petitioner before your honor in order to inquire into the legality of the alleged cause of her unjust confinement and to be discharged there from.
Negro Chloe Ann
by her Atty. Jas. Hoban
Washington
Jany. 13, 1834
United States of America to the Marshall of the District of Columbia – Greeting
You are commanded that you have the body of Negro Chloe Ann in your custody as it is said together with the cause of her caption and detention by whatever name she may be called therein before William Cranch Chief Judge of the District of Columbia immediately at his chamber in the City Hall in the City of Washington to do, submit to, and receive what shall then and there be considered of her in this act and have you then and there this writ with the doings thereon.
Witness William Cranch Chief Judge as aforesaid this 15th day of Jany. 1834
W. Brent, Clk.
Issued by Order
In obedience to the within writ I have the body of Negro Chloe Ann within named when and where within commanded together with the cause of her commitment, caption and detention.
For Henry Ashton, Marshal D. C.
Thos. A. Hawke
The within named Chloe Ann is remanded for further examination & proof as appears in the warrant now by me issued to the Marshal.
W. Cranch
13 January 1834
Let the Habeas Corpus issue as prayed returnable immediately before me at my chambers in the City Hall in Washington.
W. Cranch
13th January 1834
To the Clerk of the Ct. Ct.
To all whom it may concern be it known that Ann Speiden, of the County of Washington in the District of Columbia, for divers good causes and considerations me thereunto moving, and also in further consideration of Five dollars current money to me in hand paid have released from slavery, liberated, manumitted and set free and by these presents do hereby release from slavery, liberate, manumit and set free my Negro woman named Chloe Ann being of the age of forty three and able to work and gain a sufficient livelihood & maintenance and the said Negro woman named Chloe Ann I do declare to be henceforth free, manumitted and discharged from all manner of servitude or service to me, my executors and administrators forever.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 5th day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty three.
Ann (X) Speiden
Signed, sealed & delivered
in presence of C. H. W. Wharton,
D. Saunders
Received on the day of the date within mentioned the sum of Five dollars current money it being the full consideration money within mentioned.
Ann Speiden
District of Columbia
County of Washington
On this fifth day of July personally appears Ann Speiden party to the within instrument of writing before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace of the County of Washington in the District of Columbia and acknowledges the same to be his act & deed for the purposes within mentioned and the Negro woman within named to be henceforth manumitted and discharged from all services to her or to any claiming under him and to be free and manumitted according to the act of assembly in such cases made and provided.
Acknowledged before
G. H. W. Wharton J. P.
District of Columbia
I William Brent, Clerk of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia for the County of Washington hereby certify that the above and foregoing Deed of Manumission, Ann Speiden to Negro Chloe Ann, is thereby and correctly copied from the original as filed and ?rendered in my office. And I further certify that the bearer hereof Chloe Ann, a dark mulatto woman about forty three years of age about five feet two inches high apparently straight stout and well made having a scar on her chin near the left corner of her mouth, a scar on her upper leg (in front), a scar over her right eye, a scar on her right arm between the elbow and wrist and a scar on the first finger of her left hand, between the first & second joints, is identified to me by Mr. Edward Byas to be the same Chloe Ann mentioned in the aforegoing Deed of Manumission.
In testimony whereof I hereto
subscribe my name and affix the seal
of the said Circuit Court at the
City of Washington this eighth day
of July 1833.
W. Brent, Clk.