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Benjamin Butler, Stephen Butler, Samuel Butler, Nell Butler, Hopey Butler, Jenny Butler, Nancy Butler and Milly Butler.
against
Henrietta Plowden.
Be it remembered that heretofore towit: on the Seventh day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety; Benjamin Butler, Stephen Butler, Sam Butler, Nell Butler, Hopey Butler, Jenny Butler, Nancy Butler and Milly Butler by Henry Ridgely their attorney, preferred and filed in the General Court here, their Petition for Freedom against Henrietta Plowden, which is in form following towit. To the Honorable the Judges of the General Court. The Petition of Benjamin Butler, Stephen Butler, Sam Butler, Nell Butler, Hopey Butler, Jenny Butler, Nancy Butler and Milly Butler humbly sheweth, that they are held as Slaves, by a certain Henrietta Plowden of Saint Marys County, altho' they are entitled to their Freedom, being all descended from a Free white woman, whose name was Eleanor Butler. Your Petitions are the sons and Daughters of Abigail, who was the Daughter of Nelly, who was the Daughter of Sarah, who was the Daughter of Eleanor Butler the Free White woman aforesaid: they therefore pray your honors to take their case into consideration and to discharge them from the custody of the said Henrietta Plowden, and that Summonses may issue for their Witnesses, andsoforth. H. Ridgely for the Petitioners.
(Enter the remainder of the proceedings in this Case, Mutatis Mutandis, as in the case of Abigail Butler against Henrietta Plowden, page 95. in this Book) Test John Gwinn Clerk.