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Hannah Hawkins and her
Six children Mary, Anne,
Hannah, Daniel, Silla and Peggy
against
Sarah Disney
Be it remembered that heretofore to wit, one the Thirtieth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety two; Hannah Hawkins for herself and her six children, Mary, Anne, Hannah, Daniel, Silla and Peggy by Gabriel Duvall her attorney preferred and filed in the General Court here, her petition for Freedom against Sarah Disney, which is in form following to wit.
To the honourable the Judges of the General Court. The petition
of Hannah Hawkins humbly sheweth, that she (together with
her six Children, Mary, Anne, Hannah, Daniel, Silla, Peggy) is
held in slavery by Sarah Disney of Ann Arundel County and
she is advised that they are entitled to their freedom, being
G. Duvall for Petnr
Whereupon, in pursuance of the rule and order of the
Court here in such case made on the day of preferring
and
The State of Maryland Sc. To the sheriff of Ann Arundel County, Greeting. We command you that you summons Sarah Disney late of Ann Arundel County that all excuses and delays be set a side she be and appear before the Judges of our General Court to be held at the City of Annapolis on the second Tuesday of October next, to answer the petition of Hannah Hawkins and her six children, Mary, Anne, Hannah, Daniel, Silla, and Peggy, prefered against her for freedom. Hereof she is not to fail and fail not at your peril and have you then and there this writ. Witness the honourable Samuel Chase Esquire Chief Judge of our said Court the 25th day of May Anno Domini 1792.
Issued the 30th day of May 1792. G.D. Jno Gwinn Clk.
At which said second Tuesday of October being the
ninth day o the said month in the year of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred and ninety two, and the day
of the return of the aforegoing summons comes into the
General Court here the said Hannah Hawkins for herself
and
Summoned. William Goldsmith Sheriff.
Whereupon, comes into the General Court here the said Sarah
Thereupon further process of and upon the premises aforesaid, between the parties aforesaid by order of the Court here is continued between the parties aforesaid by order of the Court here is continued until the second Tuesday of May next; the same day is given to the parties aforesaid then, and soforth.
At which said second Tuesday of May being the fourteenth day of the said month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety three, come again into the General Court here as well the said Hannah Hawkins for herself and her six children aforesaid by her attorney aforesaid as the said Sarah Disney by her attorney aforesaid and the said Hannah Hawkins for herself and her six children aforesaid by her Attorney aforesaid files in Court here the Depositions of Eleanor Stevenson and Eleanor Barnes which are in form following towit
Hannah Hawkins and her Children
Against
Sarah Disney
Petition for freedom in the General Court.
The deposition of Eleanor Barnes
of Anne Arundel County
aged twenty nine years being sworn on the holy Evangely of
Sworn before me this 20th May 1793. Allen Quynn.
The deposition of Eleanor Stevenson a free mulatto woman
born free and living with Major Snowden of Anne Arundel
County aforesaid about fifty one years deposeth and saith
being first duly sworn in the Cause aforesaid saith that
she has heard Sarah Disney the defendant several times
Cry and say that she could have no rest and could never
die easy untill Hannah the Petitioner and her Children
Sworn before me this 20th May 1793. Allen Quynn.
Thereupon further process of and upon the premises aforesaid between the parties aforesaid, by order of the Court here is further continued until the second Tuesday of October next; the same day is given to the parties aforesaid then and so forth.
At which said second Tuesday of October being the Eighth day of the said month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety three, come again into the General Court here as well the said Hannah Hawkins for herself and her six Children aforesaid by her attorney aforesaid, as the said Sarah Disney by her attorney aforesaid. Thereupon further process of and upon the premises aforesaid between the parties aforesaid by order of the Court here, is further continued untill the second tuesday of May next; the same day is given to the parties aforesaid, then and so forth.
At which said second Tuesday of May being the thirteenth day of the said month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety four, come again into the General Court here as well the said Hannah Hawkins for herself and her six Children aforesaid by her attorney aforesaid, as the said Sarah Disney by her attorney aforesaid: And the said Hannah Hawkins for herself and her six Children aforesaid by her attorney aforesaid files in Court here the Deposition of Ennion Williams, which is in form following to wit.
Hannah Hawkins
against
Petition for freedom in the General Court Ennion Williams of Anne Arundel County, aged about thirty eight years being one of the People called Quakers did solemnly truly and sincerely declare and affirm that he has known Eleanor Barnes a witness sworn in this cause about ten years, that during the space of two years the husband of the said Eleanor Barnes was employed by this affirmant when they lived very near him, and he never heard any thing against the Character of the said Eleanor Barnes; that she appeared to conduct herself with propriety, and he thinks deserving of Credit. Affirmed before me this 15th May 1794. Allen Quynn.
At which said second Tuesday of October being the fourteenth day of the said month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety four, come again into the General Court here as well the said Hannah Hawkins for herself and her six Children aforesaid by her attorney aforesaid, as the said Sarah Disney by her attorney aforesaid Thereupon further process of and upon the premises aforesaid between the parties aforesaid, by order of the Court here is further continued until the second Tuesday of May next; the same day is given to the parties aforesaid then and soforth.
At which said second Tuesday of May, being the twelfth day of the same month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety five; Thereupon further process of and upon the premises aforesaid between the parties aforesaid by order of the Court here is further continued until the second Tuesday of October next; the same day is given to the parties aforesaid then and so forth.
And now at this day to wit, the said second Tuesday of October being the thirteenth day of the said month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety five come again into the General Court here as well the said Hannah Hawkins for herself and her six children aforesaid by her attorney aforesaid, as the said Sarah Disney by her attorney aforesaid; And the said Hannah Hawkins for herself and her six children aforesaid by her attorney aforesaid files in Court here the several Depositions in form following to wit.
Richard Disney of Anne Arundel County of the age of
seventy seven years being sworn on the holy
Hannah Hawkins
against
Sarah Disney
Joshua Barry in the 20th year of his age being
sworn on the holy Evangely of Almighty God
deposeth and saith, that about two months
ago he was at the plantation where Mrs Disney
the defendant lives, and in conversation with her she told him
that when the petitioner was small and was offered for sale at the
Inspection house point, one Daniel Brooke went down to the
Vessel and asked the old woman (who was the petitioners Mother
if she and her Children were to be sold, and she answered no
she was not to be sold, as Brooke told her, he then returned to
William Disney's (the defendants husband) and William Disney
asked him where his two little negroes were; he answered he
was not going to buy free negroes, and said she (Hannah's
mother) and her children were as free as he was That a few
days afterwards William Disney went down and bought the
Children, the old woman was gone; William Disney brought them
home and in two days afterwards Joseph Howard came over
and asked William Disney why he bought those two negroes
and said they were free, and as the new England Vessels were
going backwards and forwards they would be known and
taken away; William Disney answered, may be no, they will soon
Sworn to before me this 24th Octo 1793. James Mackubin.
Hannah Hawkins and others
against
Sarah Disney
Ennion Williams of Anne Arundel
County aged thirty eight years being
one of the people called Quakers, and
being called on to declare his knowledge
of this dispute did solemnly declare and affirm that some time in last
month he in conversation with the defendant Sarah Disney heard
her say that the mother of the Petitioner Hannah Hawkins
was a free person and died as such; and that when they
were brought from New England into the neighbourhood for
sale, Daniel Brookes one of the Neighbours said he would not
Affirmed before me this 22 October 1794. Allen Quynn.
Hannah Hawkins
and her Children
against
Sarah Disney
The Deposition of Stephen Nicholson aged
thirty six years being sworn on the holy
Evangely of Almighty God in this cause saith
that he has heard that old Daniel Brookes
who lived near south river
Stephen Nicholson being again sworn in the presence of the Counsel on both sides, saith that about ten years ago he heard Mrs Disney the defendant and her daughter Rachel say that Daniel Brookes went to Hannah's Mother, Quash Hawkins to buy Hannah and Sharpe her brother, and asked Quash if she would sell them for life to which she answered that she would not. upon which Brookes returned and would not buy them, and that he went to the house of William Disney and told him of the circumstances; that the said William Disney went down and bought them both, and when he brought them home his brother James asked him the reason why he bought them as they were to serve no longer than until they were twenty one years of age, he replied he did not care as he gave but a trifle for them. This he has heard from them often and first about ten years ago which was about two years after he was acquainted in the Disney family.
Sworn before me this 14th October 1795. Allen Quynn.
Hannah Hawkins
against
Sarah Disney
Petition for freedom in the General Court.
Sarah Ward a free Mulatto woman as said
of Anne Arundel County aged between forty
and fifty years being sworn on the holy
Evangely of Almighty God to testify the truth of her knowledge in
Whereupon all and singular the premises aforesaid between the Parties aforesaid by the Court here being seen heard and fully understood, and mature deliberation thereupon had, for that it appears to the Court here, that the said Hannah Hawkins the Petitioner aforesaid and her six Children Mary, Anne, Hannah, Daniel, Silla and Peggy are entitled to their Freedom, being descended in the female line, from a Free woman, as she the said Hannah Hawkins for herself and her six children aforesaid by her said Petition to the Court here hath alledged; Therefore it is considered by the Court here that the said Hannah Hawkins the Petitioner aforesaid and her six Children Mary Anne, Hannah Daniel, Silla and Peggy be free and discharged of and from the service of the said Sarah Disney, and that she the said Hannah Hawkins the Petitioner aforesaid and her six Children aforesaid go thereof without day and so forth: It is also Considered by the Court here, that the said Hannah Hawkins the Petitioner aforesaid for herself and her six Children aforesaid, recover against the said Sarah Disney the quantity of two thousand one hundred and nine pounds of tobacco by the Court here unto her the said Hannah Hawkins for herself and her six Children aforesaid, on her assent adjudged for her costs and charges by her about the prosecution of her petition aforesaid laid out and expended, and that she have thereof her Execution and so forth.
Test John Gwinn Clk.