Difference between revisions of "Between Pleasants and Logan"

Revision as of 13:53, 15 February 2018

^[1] One of a succession of cases the High Court of Chancery heard on the legality of the wills of John Pleasants III and his son Jonathan Pleasants that freed their slaves if and when the General Assembly passed a law making it legal to do so.

Letter text, 4 July 1776

Page 1

VIRGINIA:

In the High Court of Chancery
March 16, 1798

Between
Robert Pleasants, son and heir of Jon Pleasants, deed. Pltf.
AND

MARY LOGAN, widow and administratix of Charles Logan, and divisee of John Pleasants and Jonathan Pleasants, deceased,Elizabeth Pleasants, administratix of Joseph Pleasants, deceased, Isaac Pleasants and Jane his wife, Samuel Pleasants, junior, Thomas Pleasants, junior, and Margaret his wife, Robert Langley and Elizabeth his wife, Daniel Teasdale and Margaret his wife, late Margaret Langley, Elizabeth Langley the younger,

and Anne May,

Defendants.

On the motion of the Plaintiff by his counsel, the court doth order that the Defendants, who are in possession of any slaves that are the subject of concovery*** between the parties in this suit, do not carry or remove them, or cause them, or any of them, to be carried or removed out of the commonwealth during the pendency of this suit, or until the further order of the court.

June 7, 1798

On the motion of Daniel Teasdale by his counsel, leave is given him to amend his answer, whereupon he filed the same.  

September the 12th, 1798

Between

Robert Pleasants, son and heir of John Pleasants,

Pltf.

And

Cary Pleasants and Mary Pleasants his wife, late Mary Logan, administratrix of Charles Logan, and divisee of John Pleasants and Jonathan Pleasants, Dec'd and others. Deft. And between

Ned, a pauper,

Pltf.

And

Elizabeth Pleasants,

Deft.

IN these causes, which came on last term to be heard the bills, demurrers and answers, and on the testaments of John Pleasants

Page 2

and Jonathan Pleasants, and the Journal of the House of Delegates, exhibited and read, and were argued by counsel, the court on this twelfth day of September, in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety eight, overruled the demurrers, because the right to freedom proposed to be asserted by the plaintiff on behalf of certain men, women and children detained in slavery, which freedom the former owner of some of them and of the progenitors of others could not bestow, although solicitous to bestow it, during his life time, was, preserved, if it could be preserved, until enjoyment of the bless would be permitted by temporary and conditional bequests of the slaves, with a confidence that in an event which might remove the legal obstacle to deliverance from the hr***ldom. the legataries would fulfil the testator's desire, so that the intermediate possession of the legataries, if that desire were not inane was fiduciary, & in such a case, the elements, from which juridical arrangements commence, prove the question which hath occurred to be peculiarly proper for praetorian animadversion for decision before a tribunal erected especially to foster and effectuate conscientious fideicommissa: and upon that question which is the capital subject of disceptation and some others in consequence thereof the court declared its opinion in these terms, the condition which the testator, John Pleasants, enjoined the legataries, and which, if it were lawful, excepting the bequest they were obliged implicitly to perform, was not contrary to law. Such a provision for emancipation was not prohibited literally by the statute in 1748, the only instituted law then extant, which can be quoted for that purpose, enacting "that no slave shall be set free, "upon an pretence, except for services to be adjudged by the governor "and council to be meritorious," the statute operated only upon emancipations efficatious immediately, not those of which the efficacy was fortuitous; and ampliation of the statute giving it energy in cases of which similar predicaments might seem to require similar policy, is reprobated in this instance, where the defendants, in a court of equity, are invoking its aid to hinder the restitution of a right, of which they, on whose behalf it is claimed, and their progenitors, could not have been deprived without violation of equitable constitutional principles. An objection urged by one of the counsel for the defendants, if it were not misunderstood, namely, that John Pleasants, who dying before the statute permitted manumission of slaves, enacted in the year 1782, was never authorised to manumit his slaves, could not enjoy manumission of them in any circumstances, is founded upon a position conceived not to be true, unless the act required by the condition to be performed were a malum in se; that a condition requiring performance of an act, not whilst the performance would be unlawful,

Page 3

but when it would, if ever it should be lawful, that such a condition to be performed, not after an intolerable length of time, is unlawful seems an absurd position upon the doctrine of perpetuities, if applicable to any cases, in which human liberty is challenged, can not be found an objection against the slaves existing at the death of the testator, John Pleasants, or against the slaves born after, of mothers existing before his death; for their cases are examples of the legitimate periods, during which emergence or lapse of contingent dispositions may be suspended, namely, where events before the termination of a life or lives existent, or of a life or lives immediately succeeding the existent, must fix the destiny. Here the slaves for whose benefit the testator intended the bequests are first, those of whom he was POSSESSED at the time of his death, and secondly, those of whose MOTHERS he was so possessed. The period of time during ability of the slaves to enjoy when the legislature should permit them to enjoy this benefit was suspended, did not excede the tolerated period. I was during the lives of them, who survived the testator, and of them who were born after his death, of mothers surviving him, so that, in equity, of the slaves, on whose behalf this prosecution was instituted, they who were thirty years old or older, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty two, when the statute authorising manumission was enacted, were, at that time entitled, they, who born before his death are not yet thirty years old, will be when they shall attain that age, intitled to freedom, they who were born between the times of the said testator's death and of enacting the said statute will be when they shall attain the same age intitled to freedom, and they who have been born since the said statute was enacted, were at their birth entitled to freedom; and the plaintiff not only the heir but the surviving executor of the said John Pleasants, is the proper party to vindicate the that freedom, and require fulfilment of his desire repeatedly declared in his testament, and the court doth direct one of the commissioners thereof to report a catalogue of the slaves aforesaid, distinguishing the times when, according to the foregoing opinion, any of them ought therefore to have been and hereafter to be liberated from servitude, and stating accounts of profits, to which they who have been wrongfully detained are intitled.

September 26th, 1798.

The Defendants Cary Pleasants and Mary his wife, late Mary Logan, administratix of Charles Logan, and devisee of John Pleasants and Jonathan Pleasants, deceased, Elizabeth Pleasants, administratix of Joseph Pleasants, deceased, Isaac Pleasants and Jane his wife, Samuel Pleasants, jun. and Thomas Pleasants, junior, and Margaret his wife, in the first (?) suit, and the defendant

Page 4

in the other suit prayed an appeal from the decree pronounced in these causes on the twelfth day of the present month, which is allowed them on their giving bond and security in each suit in the penalty of twenty pounds, with such condition as the law requires.

June 5th, 1799

In these causes, in order that the decree of the Court of Appeals, which certified by the clerk thereof in the following words - "At a Court of Appeals, held at the Capitol in the City of Richmond, the sixth day of May, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, Cary Pleasants & Mary Pleasants his wife, late Mary Logan, administratix of Charles Logan, and devisee of John Pleasants and Jonathan Pleasants, deceased, Elizabeth Pleasants, adminstratrix of Joseph Pleasants, Isaac Pleasants and Jane his wife, Samuel Pleasants, jun. and Margaret his wife, appellants against Robert Pleasants, son and heir of John Pleasants, appellee, and Elizabeth Pleasants appellant against Ned, a pauper, appellee, upon appeals from a decree of the High Court of Chancery, pronounced the twelfth day of September, one thousand seven hundred and ninety eight. "This day came the parties by their counsel, and the court having maturely considered the transcript of the record, and the argument of the counsel, is of opinion that there is no error in so much the decree of the said High Court of Chancery, as overruleth the demurrers of the appellants Mary Pleasants, Isaac Pleasants and Samuel Pleasants, jun. for want of jurisdiction in the said court; but that there is error in some of the principles, on which the decree upon the merits is founded,and part of the reasoning thereupon is note approved by this court, therefore it is decreed and ordered, that so much of the said decree as overruleth the said demurrers be affirmed, and that the residue of the said decree be reversed, and this court proceeding to make such decree as the said High court of Chancery should have pronounced, is of opinion, that although the testators at the time of making their respective wills had not power to manumit, and if they had devised them upon conditions that the devisees should emancipate them immediately, the condition being unlawful would have been void, and the property vested, yet the condition that they should become free when the law would permit it, was not of that sort. That to apply the rule respecting the limitation of the remainder of a chatted upon too remote a contingency, with all its consequences, to the present case, would be too rigid, but that a reasonable principle ought to be adopted to suit its peculiar circumstances, which is this,that if the event happens whilst the slaves remain in the possession of the family without change by the intervention of creditors

Page 5

or purchasers since the contending parties would be those whose interest had been contemplated by the testators, the bequest ought to take place, but that the case of such intervening claims not being in the view of the testators it ought to be considered how far they should in equity prevent the devise of the manumission from taking effect. So far therefore as concerns the the family, the court would have had no difficulty in decreeing in favor of the paupers, if the wills had directed a general emancipation, when permitted by law, and the legislature had permitted it without any condition annexed; but a difficulty arises from the testators' not having directed a general manumission, when allowed by law, but a limited one, directing that all future generations of these people born whilst their mothers were under thirty should serve to that age, founded by no doubt, upon considerations of the interest of his family, and that of the slaves on which middle state the legislature have not declared their will, and on the other hand the legislature have permitted an unlimited emancipation, but annexed a condition imposing upon the the person liberating certain terms for the sake of the community, of which the persons making voluntary manumissions might judge, whether they would do the act upon these terms and use their pleasure: and on these terms the testaters have not declared their minds whether they would or would not have compelled the devisees against their inclination to emancipate subject to them. Under this difficulty, the court endeavored to model a decree to effect the purpose of the paupers without essentially violating the wills, and is of opinion that the limited manumission, according to the modifications, in the wills of the testators, can alone take place and be decreed, and that the terms for securing the public against the maintenance of the aged or infirmed, cannot be equitably imposed upon the devisees. It is therefor further decreed and ordered, that all the slaves of which the testators were possessed as their property, at the time of their respective deaths, not subject to the claims of the creditors or purchasers, before stated, and who are now above the age of forty five years, and their increase, born after their respective mothers had attained the age of thirty years (so soon as Robert Pleasants the executor, the several trustees, or any other person, shall in the courts of the several counties in which the said slave respectively reside, enter into bonds, with approved security, payable to the justices then sitting in each court, and their successors, with the condition that the said slaves shall not become chargeable to the "public, or enter into one such bond for the whole General Court,) and sit such as are now above thirty and under the age "of forty-five years immediately shall be emancipated and set

Page 6

free to all intents and purposes, in like manner as if hey had been born free; and that all who are now under the age of thirty, and whose mothers had not attained that age at the time of their birth, and all their future descendants, born whilst their mothers are in such service, do serve their several owners, until they shall respectively attain the age of thirty years and they be in like manner free, and when their freedom shall severally take effect according to this decree, there shall be delivered to each of them, by their respective masters or mistresses, a certificate, written or printed, attesting their freedom in such form as shall be directed by the said High Court of Chancery. That no account ought to be taken of profits, it being unused in such cases and less reasonable in this very difficult one. And the cause is remanded to the said High Court of Chancery for a state to be taken of the present condition of the several persons, and their rights ascertained, according to the principles of this decree, also for further proceedings to be had respecting the claims of Elizabeth Pleasants and Daniel Teasdale to part of the slaves, under paramount to the will of John Pleasants, and the claims of the creditors of Charles Logan, upon proper statements of the facts and exhibits relative thereto, which they are to be at liberty to introduce in the said court, which is ordered to be certified to the said High Court of Chancery. A copy, J. Brown, C.C," if it be not misunderstood by him, whom the law requireth to enter it as his own, may be excepted; this court doth direct that a commissioners thereof do report, first the names and sexes of the slaves of which the testators intended by the said decree, were possessed, as their property at the time of their respective deaths, not subject to the claims of the creditors or purchasers in the decree stated and who were, when the decree was pronounced, above the age of forty five years, and their increase, born after their respective mothers had attained the age of thirty years (so soon as Robert Pleasants, the executor, the several trustees or any other person shall in the courts of the several counties, in which the said slaves respectively reside, enter into bonds, with approved securities payable to the justices then sitting in each court, and their successors with condition that the said slaves shall not be become chargeable to the public, or enter into one such bond for the whole in the General Court) and all such as were, when the decree was pronounced above thirty and under the age of forty-five years, and secondly, the names and sexes of the slaves of which the testors were possessed as their property at the time of their respective deaths, and who were, when the decree was pronounced, under the age of thirty, and whose mothers had not attained that age at their birth: and this court doth order, that when the freedom

Page 7

of the slaves shall severally take effect, according to the decree of the Court of Appeals, there shall be delivered to each of them, by their respective masters of mistresses, a certificate, written or printed, attesting their freedom in this form: --- is emancipated and set free according to the decree of the Court of Appeals, in May, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine.

June 7th, 1799

Thomas Pleasants of Beaverdam, James Pleasants of Goochland, William Mosely, Frederick Woodson and William Bentley, or any three of them, are appointed commissioners for performing the order made in these causes on Wednesday last, in place of a commissioner of the court.

September 10th, 1799

On the motion of the plaintiff in the first suit by his counsel, Benjamin Goode, George Williamson, Abell Janney, James Denson Ladd, Robert Evans, John Nicholas and John Ponsonby are added to the commissioners heretofore appointed to perform the order made in these causes on the fifth day of June last, who, or any two of whom are empowered to execute the same.

Virginia,---In the High Court of Chancery, May 22nd, 1797.

Between

Ned,  .   .   .   .   .   Plaintiff.

and

Elizabeth Pleasants, . . Defendant.

On the motion of Ned, who is detained in slavery by the defendant, he is allowed to sue his said mistress in this court, in forma pauperis, and John Warden is assigned his counsel to prosecute the said suit; and it is ordered, that his said mistress do not presume to beat or misuse him upon this account, and that she suffer him to come to the clerk's office for commissions to take the depositions of his witnesses and to attend their examinations and the trial, and commissions are awarded the parties to examine and take the depositions of their witnesses.

Page 8

LIST OF NEGROES in the possession of Samuel Pleasants, held under the wills of John & Jonathan Pleasant; whose ages were ascertained by Thomas Pleasant, James Pleasants. William Moseley and Frederick Woodson, on the 19th day of August, 1797.

 

---

 

Persons above the age of 45 years.

David, Saunders, Ceasar, York, London, Nanny, Charlotte, Sall, Arthur, Will, Maria, Judy, Phillis, Poader -- In all 13.  

---

 

Persons between the age of 30 & 45 years old.

Sterling 1, Frederick 2, Joe, Phil 4, Tom 5, Harry 6, Jacob Powder 7, George 8, Jacob 9, Dull 10, Ben 11, Pender 12, John Powder 13, Silvia 14, Frank Cozens 15, Chloe Cozens 16, Peter 17, Aggy 18, Bob 19, Fanny 20, Nelly 21, Betts 22, James 23, Patty 24, Lucy Gloster 25, Cuffy 26, Sukey 27, Sukey 28, Amy 29.

 

---

 

Persons born of mothers after they were 30 years old.

 

Jack 1, George 2, Pender 3, York 4, Amy 5, Eve 6, Joe 7, Neily, 8, David, 9, Molly 10, Rose 11, Kate 12, Jacobs 13, Phebe 14, Lucy 15, Delphia 16, Lilly 17, Mourning 18, Tabb 19, Caesar 20, Sally 21, Mourning 22, Hampton 23, Jerry 24, Aggy 25, May Anne 26, Alice 27, Amy 28, Rachel 29.

 

---

 

Persons judged to be infirm and unable to earn a support, entitled to freedom when 30 years old.

Nancy 25 years old, Isabel, born 1782; John, born July 1788 - In all 3.

Page 9

Persons born of mothers under 30 years old, and entitled to fredom [sic] at that age.

Names.		When born.		When to be discharged.
Solomon		May	1772		May	1802
Dorcass		February	1782		February	1812
Hannah		October	1784		October	1814
Lucy		April	1787		April	1817
Sterling		April	1789		April	1819
Peter		January	1792		January	1822
Joe		September	1794		September	1824
Charlotte		April	1784		April	1814
Biddy		April	1786		April 17th	1816
Mourning		1787	Year		Decemb. 25	1817
Winter		1789	Year		October	1819
Gabriel		1792	Year		March	1822
Lewis		May	1794		May	1824
Rainey		September	1796		September	1826
Ben		February	1799		February	1829
Frank		May	1777		May	1807
Hannah		May	1779		May	1809
Thornton		July	1781		July	1811
Henry		December	1786		December	1816
Milly		February	1789		February	1819
Ridley		September	1791		September	1821
Frederick		October	1793		October	1823
Frank		April	1795		April	1825
Ben		May 15th	1782		May 15th	1812
Luke		July	1784		July	1814
Nat		March	1789		March	1819
Isaac		March	1788		March	1818
Alace		April	1790		April	1820
Betty		August	1775		August	1805
Beck		June	1795		June	1825
Phil		May	1797		May	1827
Ned Abrey		August 9th	1799		August 9th	1829
Critty		March	1777		March	1807
Sall		October	1778		October	1808
Janey		February	1784		April	1814
Hester		November	1786		November	1816
Patience		March	1783		March	1813
Milton		April	1785		April	1815
Anderson		May	1787		May	1817
Clarissa		June	1789		June	1819
Caroline		July	1792		July	1822

Page 10

Names.		When born.		When to be discharged.
Rhubin		August	1793		August	1823
Arthur		August	1795		August	1825
Mary		Decem. 23	1775		Decem. 23	1805
Fanny		January	1792		January	1822
Bob		May 28th	1795		May 28	1825
Celia		May 28th	1798		May 28	1828
Toney		May	1776		May	1806
Janey		December	1775		December	1805
Phebe		January 15	1797		January 15	1827
Judy		January 31	1799		January 31	1829
Doll		November	1774		November	1804
Ursula		May	1789		May	1819
Peyton		August	1791		August	1821
Julia		August	1793		August	1823
Grace		October	1795		October	1825
Jim		January	1798		January	1828
Charles		August	1774		August	1804
Will		December	1776		December	1806
Bridget		November	1783		November	1813
Watt		August	1770		August	1800
Rachel		May	1778		December	1808
Maria		August	1795		November	1825
Aggy		March	1798		March	1828
Lydia		September	1780		September	1810
Moses		March	1797		March	1827
Charles		Novemb. 3	1798		Novemb. 3	1828
James		October 5	1788		October 5	1818
Anthony		April 23	1791		April 23	1821
Myrtilla		Novemb. 29	1792		Novem. 29	1822
Lucy		August 28	1794		August 28	1824
Isaac		Novemb. 18	1796		Novem. 18	1826
Judy		Novemb. 5	1798		Novem. 5	1828
Judith		August	1793		August	1803
Duncan		August	1793		August	1823
Hall		March	1780		March	1810
Caesar		August	1788		August	1818
Gloster		August	1793		August	1823
Nancy		August	1790		August	1820
Caesar		May	1774		May	1804
Aggy		August	1777		August	1807
Celina		August	1795		August	1825
Milly		August	1790		August	1800
Stephen		November	1777		November	1807
Phillis		August	1772		August	1802

Page 11

Names.		When born.		When to be discharged.
Jacob		September	1790		September	1790
Abby		February	1782		February	1812
Mingo		October	1797		October	1827
Jim		December	1777		December	1807
Eve		June	1779		June	1809
Phillis		December	1781		December	1811
Lavinia		June	1783		June	1813
Gloster		December	1784		December	1814
Tom		June	1786		June	1816
Frank		December	1787		December	1817
Lucy		December	1789		December	1819
Mike		June	1791		June	1821
Abraham		June	1793		June	1823
Jessee		December	1778		December	1808
Tabb		December	1780		December	1810
Cuffy		December	1782		December	1812
London		December	1786		December	1816
Biddy		December	1788		December	1818
Nelly		December	1785		December	1815
Sall		September	1787		September	1817
Nanny		May	1791		May	1821
Poll		May	1785		May	1825
Judy		January	1781		January	1811
Adeline		May	1799		May	1829
Amy		August	1773		August	1803
Joe		June	1781		June	1811
Corey		December	1782		December	1812
Moses		December	1784		December	1814
Molly		May	1786		May	1816
Patty		October	1789		October	1819

In all 115.

---

List of NEGROES in the possession of Isaac W. Pleasants, held under the *** of John & Jonathan Pleasants; whose ages were ascertained by Thomas Pleasants, James Pleasants, William Mosely and Frederick Woodson, on the 19th Day of Aug. 1799.

Persons above the age of 45 years.

---

Persons between 30 and 45 years old.
Janey 1, Phillis 2, Hannah 3, invalids, Peter 4.

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Persons born of mothers under 30 years old and entitled to freedom at that age.

Names.		When born.		When to be discharged.
Billy		November	1778		November	1808
John		January	1781		January	1811
Sall		June	1782		June	1812
Gaby		December	1783		December	1813
Charles		December	1784		December	1814
Sall		June	1773		June	1803

The above lists was taken agreeable to a decree of the High Court of Chancery. Given underour hands the day and year above written.

William Moseley, Frederick Woodson,

James Pleasants, Thomas Pleasants.

---

List of Negroes in possession of Robert Cary Pleasants, and formerly possession of Charles & Mary Logan, held under the wills of John & Jonathan Pleasants, whose ages were ascertained by William Moseley, William Bentley & Frederick Woodson, commissioners by the High Court of Chancery for that purpose, August 23rd, 1799.

Persons above 45 years old.

Tom 1, Pompey 2, Will 3, Cato 4, Ned 5, Doll 6, Rachel 7, Amy 8, Jacob 9, Ned Gwin 10, Billy 11, Sarah 12, Richard Sharp 13, Nat 14.

---

Persons between 30 and 45 years old.

Nelly 1, Fanny 2, John Grey 3, Rachel Grey 4, David 5, Jessee 6, Mirtilla 7, Easter 8, Grace 9, Bob (son of Judy) 10, Sam Binns 11, Mirtilla 12, Mary 13, Mourning 14, Caesar 15.

---

Persons born after their mothers were 30 years old.

Anthony 1, Arthur 2, Louisa 3, Emmily 4, Ned 5, Daniel 6, Bob Grey 7, Paul Grey 8, Tarlton 9, Bartley 10, Critty 11, Sukey (a cripple) 12, Charlotte 13, Milly 14, Billy 15, Sally 16, Jack 17, Tom 18, Ursula 19, Moses 20, Jack 21, Mirtilla 22, Jesse 23, Kesiah 24, Frederick 25, Tom 26, Doctor 27, John 28, Rachel 29, Sally 30, Gaby 31, Winny 32, Diey 33, Elijiah 34, Caesar 35, Mourning Woodson 36, Fanny Woodson 37, Sam Woodson 38, Joseph Woodson 39, Lewis Moseley 40, Letty Moseley 41, Sterling 42, Peter 43, Frank 44.

Page 13

Persons born of mothers under 30 years old and entitled to freedom at that age.

Names.		When born.		When to be discharged.
Hampton		December	1782		December	1812
Mourning		August	1789		August	1809
Polly Copland		March	1783		March	1813
Fanny Copland		December	1785		December	1785
John Copland		August	1789		August	1819
Sam Randolph		August	1770		August	1800
Edith		March	1779		March	1809
Lucy		August	1770		August	1800
Lydia		March	1780		March	1810
Tabitha		August	1778		August	1818
Effee		February	1793		February	1823
Isham		February	1791		February	1821
Lavinia		February	1795		February	1825
Polly		December	1797		December	1827
Charles		March	1798		March	1823
Henrietta		August	1794		August	1824
Phillis		August	1781		August	1811
Molly		March	1783		March	1813
Stephen		August	1784		August	1814
Ben		March	1786		March	1816
Nancy (a cripple)		August	1787		August	1817
Sam Binns, Jun.		August	1789		August	1819
Beck		May	1771		May	1801
Kate		November	1772		November	1802
Jacob		May	1774		May	1804
Ned		May	1777		May	1807
Judy		August	1784		August	1814
David		November	1778		November	1808
Nancy		March	1795		March	1825
Shasteen		August	1796		August	1826
Betty Ampy		August	1773		August	1803
James		April	1790		April	1820
Thruston		August	1795		August	1825
Bentley		April	1794		April	1824
Addison		May	1799		May	1829
Frank		February	1794		February	1824
Haskins		May	1795		May	1825
Henry		August	1776		August	1806
Peyton		July	1798		July	1828
Lewis		August	1776		August	1806

Page 14

Names.		When born.		When to be discharged.
George		August	1787		August	1817
Harrison		September	1791		September	1821
Peter		August	1780		August	1810
Biddy		March	1782		March	1812
Kitty		August	1790		August	1820
Abraham		January	1780		January	1810
Fleming		August	1781		August	1811
Saunders		March	1782		March	1812
Little Billy		August	1785		August	1805
Judy		August	1787		August	1807
James		August	1787		August	1807
Emanuel		August	1795		August	1825
Janey		August	1797		August	1827
Lucy		August	1772		August	1802
Sam		August	1775		August	1805
Lewis		April	1779		April	1809
Ned		August	1779		August	1809
Sarah		August	1781		August	1811
Aby		April	1783		April	1813
Reubin		December	1784		December	1814
Hannah		March	1792		March	1822
Peggy		March	1794		March	1824
William		August	1796		August	1826
Johnson		July	1798		July	1828
Matilda		January	1796		January	1826
Sukey		November	1797		November	1827
Joe		August	1775		August	1805
Milly		March	1777		March	1807
July		August	1779		August	1809
Aaron		March	1781		March	1811
Davy		August	1783		August	1803
Sukey		August	1797		August	1827
Billy		April	1783		April	1813
Phillis		April	1778		April	1808
Simeon		August	1779		August	1809
John		April	1781		April	1811
Sylvia		August	1782		August	1812
Watt		April	1784		April	1814
Mourning		March	1798		March	1828
Robin Cuffy		March	1777		March	1807
Alexander		August	1778		August	1808
Pero		April	1786		April	1816
Billy Woodson		August	1782		August	1812
Davy Woodson		April	1781		April	1811
Joseph Moseley		August	1779		August	1809

87 Total.

Page 15

The foregoing lists were made in pursuance of a decree of the High Court of Chancerry. Given under hands the day and year above written.

Win Moseley,
W. Bentley,
Frederick Woodson,

---

List of negroes, formerly the estate of John Pleasants, deceased, and by his Will given to his grand daughter Margaret, his wife of Thomas Pleasants, jun. under certain conditions, and now held as part of the estate of the said Thomas Pleasants.

---

No.	1 Pender,		born in 1742,		57	years of age
	2 Tom,	her son	1759,		40	do.
	3 Biddy,	of do.	1761,		38	do.
	4 Oliff,	of do.	1765,		34	do.	} all free.
	5 Obra,	of do.	1762,		31	do.
	6 Lewis,	of do.	1774,		25	do.
born after his mother was 30 years of age.

List of negroes, held under the wills of John & Jonathan Pleasants, as part of the estate of Charles & Mary Logan, dec. in Henrico county.

	7 Lucy,		born in 1746,		53	years of age
	8 Sylvia Gray,	her daughter	1769,		30	do.
	9 Charles Gray,	son of do.	June. 1791,		to be free in 1821
	10 Peter Gray,	of do.	June. 1793,		34	do. 1823
	11 Patty Gray,	of do.	Sept. 1798,		31	do. 1828
	12 Sylvia,	daughter of Phillis	1755,		31	do. 44 years old.
	13 Billy,	son of do.	Jan. 1787,		31	born free
	14 Tom,	son of do.	Oct. 1788,		31	do.
		their mother being 30 years old at their birth.
	15 Mary Loudon,		born in 1753,		31	46 year old.
	16 Beck,	daughter of Sucky,	Sep. 1775,		31	to be free in 1805
	17 David,	son of de.	March 1797,		31	do. 1827
	18 Anna	of do.	May 1799,		25	do. 1829
	19 Sally,	daughter of Sukey, Sept. 1784, born after her mother was 30 years of age.					} born free

Henrico county, September 21st, 1799.

Pursuant to a commission to us directed, from the High Court of Chancery, We have examined into the ages and sexes of several negroes in a decree of the said court mentioned, and agreeable to the above statement, which we hereby certify to be just, to the best of our knowledge and belief.

Benjamin Goode.
Geo. Williamson.
Abel Janney.

Page 16

BETWEEN

Robert Pleasants, son and heir of John Pleasants, Plaintiff,

and

Cary Pleasants and Mary Pleasants his wife, late Mary Logan, administratrix of Charles Logan and devisee of John PLeasants &Jonathan Pleasants deceased, Elizabeth Pleasants, admininstratrix of Joseph Pleasants, deceased, Isaac Pleasants, and Jane his wife, Samuel Pleasants, junior, Thomas Pleasants, junior, and Margaret his wife, Robert Langley and Elizabeth his wife, Daniel Teasdale and Margaret his wife, late Margaret Langley, Elizabeth Langley the younger, and Anne May, Defendants.

And between
Ned, a pauper,		Plaintiff,
and
Elizabeth Pleasants,		Defendant.

The Court, this twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine, taking into consideration the report of William Moseley, William Bentley and Frederick Woodsonl and also the report of Benjamin Goode, George Williamson and Abel Janny, persuant to the decretal order made in this cause on the fifth day of June last, to which reports were no exceptions, doth approve and confirm the same: in consequence whereof the slaves in the said reports mentioned to be above thirty and under the age of forty five years, are immediately entitled to certifites attesting their freedom, in the form prescribed by the said decretal order.

---

A LIST OF NEGROES found in the possession of Daniel Teasdale and others, which appear to be derived from the wills of John Pleasants and Jonathan his son.

In the possession of Daniel Teasdale the following Negroes, the issue of Suky, now dead, who was devised by the said Jonathan Pleasants to Margaret the wife of the said Teasdale.

Suky dec'd at the time of her last child's birth, was aged 41 years.

1.	Isabel, her daughter, aged 21, free in 9 years.
2	Hampton, her son			20,	do.	10
3	Molly,			14,	do.	16
4	Frank,			13,	do.	16
5. 6. 7.	Jack, 11 years; Suky 8 years, and Peter 4 years; all born free, as their mother was then 30 years of age.
8.	Numa, aged 21, son of Fanny, free in 9 years.

Page 17

9.	Charles,	her son,	born in December,	1783,		now 16.
10.	Chloe,		October	1785,		now 14
11.	Tom,		September	1787,		now 12
12.	Jack,		April	1789,		now 10
	Of course Charles is free in 14 years, Chloe in 16 years, and Tom and Jack born free, their mother then 30 years.
13.	Jenny,	aged 35, in the possession of Robert Pleasants, jun.
14.	Cis,	her daughter,	born Sept.	1783,	16 years,	free in 14.
15.	Betty,				14,	16.
16.	Sally,				12	18.
17,	Jenny,				11,	19.
18.	Sharper,				7,	23.
19.	Fanny,		April	1794	5,	Born free } their mother then30 years.
20.	Charles,		Decemb.	1796,	3,
21.	Jack,		March	1799,	6 Mo.
22.	Will,	aged 56 years	} In the possession of Robert Langley's estate.
23.	Cesar,	61,
24.	Benjamin,	76, and
25.	Lucy,	his wife, 61
26.	Sharper,	38,	of Hannah, now free.

In consequence of a commission to us directed, from the High Court of Chancery, we have examined into the ages and sexes of several Negroes which appears to us to be comprised in a decree of the said court ordering the said commission, and having placed the same against the name of each Negro, according to the list upon the first page of this paper, and also the list upon page the third, continued to page the fourth, and do hereby certify the same, to the best of our knowledge, in Dinwiddie county, this eighteenth day of September, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine.

Abel Janney,
John Ponsonby,

---

A List of Negroes that are part of those, or the descendants of those Negroes, appraised as the estate of John Pleasants, of Curles (deceased, in the month of August 1773, said to have been sold to him the said Pleasants, by Robert Langley, now deceased, and which appears to have been made previously liable by an instrument of writing now on record in the county of Dinwiddie, for the payment of £300 currency, due Roger Atkinson, now dec'd, dated October the 21, 1765, and which are now in the possession of the different persons placed opposite to their names, or at the head of each list.

Page 18

In the possession of Daniel Teasdale, held in right of his wife

Margaret, daughter of Robert Langley.

In the possession of Thos. Lewis, in right of his wife Ann,

daughter of Robert Langley

1.	Amy,	a Negro woman	49 years old.
2.	Sampson,	man,	33	do.	of Hannah
3.	Chloe,	woman,	30	do,	of do.
4.	Jacob, son of Amy	April,	20	do.
5.	Dick,	of Pendar,	28	do.
6.	Letty,	of do.	26	do.
7.	Ned,	of do.	24	do.
8.	Billy,	of chloe,	12	do.
9.	King,	of do.	7	do.
10.	Patty,	of do.	5	do.
11.	Eve,	of do.	5	do.
12.	Chloe,	of do.	2	do.
13.	Joe,	of Letty,	4	do.
14.	Pendar,	of do.	2	do.

15.	Jack,	Of Hannah,		aged 35.
16.	Hannah,	of Amy,		16.
17.	Fanny,	of do.		1*.
18.	Lucy,	April,	1789,	now 10.
19.	Hannah,	of do.		29.
20.	Davy,	of do.		29.

In the possession of Robt. Pleasants. jun. in right of his

wife Elizabeth, daugther of Robt. Langley

21.	Pendar,			aged 46 years.
22.	Peter,			42.
23.	Israel,	of Amy,	10.
24.	Betty,	of do.	18.
25.	Jack,	of do.	17.
26.	Beck,	of do.	14.

VIRGINIA,

In the High Court of Chancery, March the 19th, 1800.

The Court, this nineteenth day of March, in the eighteen hundredth year of the Christian area, taking into consideration the report of Abel Janney, and John Ponsonby, bearing date the eighteenth day of September in the last year, to which report was no exception, doth approve and confirm so much thereof as relates to the descendants of the Negro slave Suky, said to have been devised by Jonathan Pleasants to Margaret, the wife of Daniel Teasdale; in consequence whereof such of the descendants of the said Suky, mentioned in the said report to be above thirty and under the age of forty five years, are immediately intitled to certificates attesting their freedom on in the form prescribed by the decretal order made in this cause on the fifth day of June last.

The foregoing Orders, Decrees, and Reports, are true copies from the originals, in the suits of Pleasants & c. v. Logan, et al, and Ned, a pauper, v. Pleaants.

Teste,

See also

• American Bibliography
• S. Bassett French Biographical Sketch

References

1. ↑ Please footnote sources.

External links

• "VIRGINIA: In the High Court of Chancery, MARCH 16, 1798," Encyclopedia of Virginia.
• "Virginia: in the High Court of Chancery, March 16, 1798. Between Robert Pleasants, son and heir of John Pleasants, dee'd. Plif. and Mary Logan, widow and administratix of Charles Logan, and devisee of John Pleasants and Jonathan Pleasants ..., Evans Early American Imprint Collection, Text Creation Partnership, University of Michigan Library.