William Fenwick v. Lansing Tooker. Defendant's Bill of Exceptions Jennifer Guiliano Trevor Muñoz William G. Thomas III transcription and encoding Steph N. Camerone Kaci L. Nash Laura K. Weakly University of Nebraska-Lincoln University of Maryland National Endowment for the Humanities 2014 O Say Can You See University of Nebraska-Lincoln Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
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 Defendant's Bill of Exceptions January 6, 1836 Our transcription is based on a digital image of the original. National Archives and Records Administration Record Group 21, Entry 6 Box 543, Folder 648 Case Papers Bill of Exceptions Civil Petition for Freedom November 1835 Cranch, William, 1769-1855 Fenwick, Clara Harper, Samuel Hoffman, Jacob Patton, Robert Patton, Thomas Tennison, George Tennison, Joshua Alexandria County (Va.) Washington County (D.C.) Fenwick, William Tooker, Lansing United States. Circuit Court (District of Columbia) Washington (D.C.) added xml:ids; transcription reviewed; edited encoded

Negro William Fenwick vs Lansing Tooker

Petition for Freedom

Upon the trial of the issue of this cause joined the Petitioner (offered in evidence a certain Bill of Sale from one Jacob Hoffman to Samuel Harper in the words and figures following to wit (here insert it) and the said Petitioner also) offered to prove by one George Tennison a witness duly sworn in the said cause, and did in fact offer the give to the Jury the evidence of the said George Tennison to prove that he Joshua Tennison the Father of the witness did in the year 1817 or 1818 purchase reside in Washington County in the District aforesaid and while so residing there did purchase the said negro woman Clara in the said Bill of Sale mentioned of and from one Robert or Thomas Patton then residing in the County of Washington in said District, and holding the said negro as his slave in the said County of Washington and that the said Robert or Thomas Patton then and there that is to say in the said County of Alexandria sold & delivered the said slave to the said Joshua Tennison, and the said Joshua Tennison thereupon forthwith brought the said negro Clara into the County of Washington, af and that after that importation the Petitioner William was born of the said Clara in the said County of Washington, and thereupon the said Petitioner again counsel prays the court to instruct the Jury as follows towit (here insert the prayer) which instruction and the court then gave then gave the said instruction so prayed Whereupon the said Defendant by his counsel excepts to the opinion and instruction of the Court so given, according to the form of the statute in that case made and provided, and prays the Court to sign & seal this bill of exceptions, which is signed sealed & and ordered to be enrolled this 6th of Jany. 1836

W. Cranch. (seal)