Mary Anderson Pearkes and Elizabeth Fowke, daughters of the late Samuel Gist, a British subject, seek an act of manumission for Samuel Gist's approximately three hundred Virginia slaves, as stipulated in his will. Not only did Gist wish to emancipate his slaves but he set aside a large amount of property in trust for their benefit and that of their families, as well as for the establishment of schools to educate their children. He also stipulated that they should be instructed in the Christian religion, "according to the Protestant doctrine." Mary Pearkes and Elizabeth Fowke, and their husbands, represent that if the legislature allows the emancipation of the slaves, they are, by their father's will, entitled to an annuity of five hundred pounds sterling each from his large personal estate, which amount to one hundred fifty thousand pounds sterling. If the legislature does not allow the slaves' emancipation or does not permit the bequest made to them to take effect, then the two daughters will become heirs to the entire estate, including "plantations, hereditaments, slaves, and property for their lives & to the survivor for life." The daughters are growing very old, and are residents of Virginia.
Result: Reasonable.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
