In 1847 John Bird purchased a seventeen-year-old term slave named John for $315 from the estate of Charles Waters. Shortly thereafter, George D. O. Gowen, the petitioner, purchased from Bird the remainder of John's term, which was set to expire on 1 May 1864. The petitioner complains that John has twice run away, causing great him expense and inconvenience. The slave is now in the Baltimore City Jail "where he is now declaring he would not remain with your petitioner." Gowen petitions the court for permission to sell John and to extend his term of servitude in order to recover the losses he has incurred from John's incarceration.
Result: Granted.
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Repository: Maryland State Archives, Annapolis, Maryland
