John B. and Elizabeth A. Keen “entered into a contract of marriage” whereby a female slave named Eliza was conveyed to Alfred A. Fisher “in trust for complainants during their joint lives." The Keens now seek authorization to sell Eliza and use the money to buy a house and lot, to be held in trust by Fisher for themselves and their daughter Ellen. They report that John is "greatly afflicted" and desires this sale because he is "feeble and unable to" provide the funds through his own industry. The petitioners reveal that Eliza "does not have children, although she is about twenty eight years of age, and has for several years been married. She will therefore constantly diminish in value during the lives of your orator and oratrix" and may be "of little value or no value" to their child Ellen upon their deaths. They therefore request that their trustee "be authorized and instructed to sell said slave, and to invest the proceeds of said sale in the purchase of said house and lot."
Result: Granted.
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Repository: Florida State Archives, Tallahassee, Florida
