Marie Demarc, widow of the late Roux, asks the Police Jury to authorize her to emancipate eleven-year-old Marie Faustine, daughter of her slave Marie. She presents to the court the following grounds for her petition. She is a native of Saint Domingue, where she lived with her slave, Marie, through the "many horrours and cruelties" of the violent black upheaval that took place on that island early in the century. She is convinced that Marie greatly contributed to her "tranquility, safety, and the preservation of her life" through those terrible times; and that Marie continued to show her devotion by following her to New Orleans, and serving her with "zeal" and loyalty. She now wants to repay Marie for her unparalleled loyalty by freeing her child, Marie Faustine, born after the two women came to Orleans. At the time of Marie Faustine's birth, she had in fact turned down the father's offer to purchase his infant child for emancipation because she did not want to "deprive herself of the only opportunity to repay in some measure the many important services rendered unto her by the mother of the child" [Original in French and English].
Result: Granted.
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Repository: New Orleans Public Library, New Orleans, Louisiana
