John Durborow petitions the court as administrator of the estate of the late Susan Trippe, a free woman of color. Durborow explains that Trippe was the "family servant" of his deceased father-in-law, William Wood, until Wood manumitted her. Trippe lived in Wood's home until his death when she received a legacy from Wood's estate. "Owing to the warm attachment she had for" Ann Wood Durborow, Trippe then moved in with the petitioner and his wife. Under this rent-free arrangement, the money Trippe received from Wood could begin to earn interest and continue to accumulate until after her death when, Durborow explains, Trippe hoped it would be sufficient to purchase any of her children "as might then be found in slavery." Six years later Trippe died "leaving children and grandchildren" whose names and whereabouts are unknown to the petitioner. Durborow asks the court to allow him to place Trippe's estate in an account where it can earn six percent interest until "persons legally entitled thereto shall conclusively establish that fact" and he can fulfill her wish by giving the money to her rightful heirs.
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Repository: Maryland State Archives, Annapolis, Maryland
