About 1798 or 1799, Travers Daniel Sr. of Stafford County advanced the money to a man named William Simmons for the purchase of a young slave named George Simmons from his then owner, Enoch Mason. The express purpose of the transaction was for young George's future emancipation when he reached the legal age of twenty-one. It was agreed that George would work for Daniel to reimburse him for the price of his purchase. In 1806, William Simmons died, leaving a will specifically stating that he wished his son emancipated and bequeathing to him all that he owned. However, the will was never properly signed by the testator and was never probated. George Simmons fears that, in the absence of a properly probated will, he will be robbed of his freedom by "some person or persons pretending to be the heirs of his father." He contends that Daniel is fully satisfied that he has been reimbursed for the money advanced to William Simmons and that nobody else has a claim on him. He therefore prays that "his right to liberty may be declared by law that he may not be deprived of that right which constitutes the greatest blessing and that the wishes of his father may not be defeated." Furthermore, he asks an exemption from the law requiring freed slaves to leave the state and to be allowed to remain in "his native state."
Result: Reasonable.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
