Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History & Culture Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva's Black History

Record Detail

Record #1 from Abstracts of Petitions to Southern County Courts, 1775-1867

Part of Series B
Microfilm Reel in Collection Series 1
Microfilm Frame on Reel 109
Accession Number (identifies petition on microfilm) 20978002
County Talbot
State Maryland
Year Legislative Petition Filed 1780
Abstract of Petition On 26 Jan 1741, Edward Harding gave his daughter Jane and her husband, George Prouse, a slave named Hagard and title to any children Hagar might bear. In 1758, George Prouse died, leaving his wife and six childrn: George, Mary, Rachael, Thomas, Phillips, and Elizabeth Prouse. Jane Prouse died in November 1776. The petitioners claim that whle they were supposed to receive an equal share of slaves, they only received the use of one named Daff, who was given to Mary Prouse while George Prouse was still alive. They report that the slaves have been dispersed through sales conducted by George Prouse and in the course of settling the Prouse estates. The petitioners ask the court to subpoena as defendants all those who have possession of one or more of teh twenty-three slaves once owned by George and Jane Prouse and to issue a decree ordering a fair and equitable divison of the slaves to the Harding-Prouse heirs.

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[Author (if known)], Abstracts of Petitions to Southern County Courts, 1775-1867, [Date (if known)], Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva’s Black History, Nabb Research Center, Salisbury University.

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