| Name | Age | Color or Race | Sex | Role in document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martha | Mixed race ("mulatto") | Female | enslaved |
The following papers regarding the Deposition Touching the Right of Negro Martha were recorded on 17 May 1806. [Compiler's note: The following documents were copied verbatim, but with modem punctuation and capitalization for easier reading.] [First document] No. 1 Mr. Thomas Sanders Take notice that on the sixteenth day of May next [1806] at Mr. Joseph Simmes tavern in George Town between the hours of twelve O'clock and two O'clock in the day, I shall proceed to take the depositions of Francis Neale and Adam King touching the right of certain Negro slaves given to my wife by Mrs. Ann Sanders. 21 April 1806 yr obt Sert [Your Obedient Servant] Edward Fennell [Second document] To Mr. Thos Sanders On the twenty-first day of April 1806, Saml [Samuel] Speek made oath that he delivered a copy of within notice to Thomas Sanders on the day of the above date. Thos Corcoran [Third document] To Mrs Ann Sanders Take notice that on the sixteenth day of May next [1806] at Mr. Joseph Simmes tavern in George Town between the hours of twelve O'clock and two O'clock in the day, I shall proceed to take the depositions of Francis Neale and Adam King touching the right of certain Negro slaves given to my wife by Mrs. Ann Sanders. 21 April 1806 [Fourth document] To Mrs. Ann Sanders yr obt Sert [Your Obedient Servant] Edward Fennell On the twenty-first day of April 1806, Saml [Samuel] Speek made oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God that he delivered a copy of within notice to Mrs. Ann Sanders on the day of the above date. Thos Corcoran [Fifth document] In pursuance of notice in writing served on Mrs. Ann Sanders and Mr. Thomas Sanders on the twenty-first day of April last past [1806], which notices and affidavits are hereto annexed, the following depositions of Francis Neale therein mentioned was taken at the house of Joseph Simmes Tavern in George Town between the hours of twelve and two O'clock on the sixteenth day of May 1806. Francis Neale of lawful age being duly sworn on the Holy Evangels of Almighty deposeth and saith that he has been for several years acquainted with the parties Ann Sanders, Thomas Sanders and Edward Fennell, who married Margaret the daughter of theirs; that this deponent was present at the house where Mr. Sanders lived in 1800 who then held and owned a Mulatto girl called Martha that Mrs. Sanders was sick and mentioned an intension of setting said girl free; that this deponent prevailed on her to alter her intention and as she said her daughter Margaret had been kind and dutiful he mentioned to her to give the said slave Martha to her daughter which Mrs. Sanders agreed to do; that a bill of sale of said girl was then drawn up conveying the said slave Martha to her daughter Margaret absolutely and as her own property; that Mrs. Ann Sanders in the presence of Adam King signed and sealed said bill of sale and delivered it and the said Mulatto girl Martha was in the presence of this deponent delivered to said Margaret as her property. This deponent has heard Mr. Thomas Sanders say that the said bill of sale was afterwards burnt by his mother Mrs. Ann Sanders or by herself with other property ofno value. This deponent on his cross examination further saith that at the time and place aforesaid a bill was prepared and signed and sealed by the said Mrs. Ann Sanders and witnessed by this deponent and the said Adam King but does not recollect the contents of it. [T]he said Will and bill of sale were left on the table at her said daughter's Margaret's house where Mrs. Sanders was then lying very ill not expecting to recover. This deponent believing the said bill of sale was signed and sealed before the said Will. He further saith that he has since the period aforesaid seen the said slave sometimes in the possession of the mother and sometimes in that of the daughter and sometimes she was hired out and when she was so hired out he has heard Mrs. Ann Sanders complain that her wages was not paid to her; that after the execution of the bill of sale and before the execution of the Will the said Martha was called in the room and by Mr. King delivered to Margaret as her property in the presence and hearing of Mrs. Ann Sanders then sick in bed. Sworn before me this sixteenth May 1806 Thos Corcoran. [Compiler's note: It is possible that the Will gave Martha her freedom.]
