William and Leonidas Willson, executors of the estate of the late John Willson, ask the court to determine the status of the estate's slaves and to oversee a distribution of the estate. In his will, the late John Willson freed his slaves on the condition that they leave the country and go to Liberia. He also provided that the slaves willing to accept their freedom would receive a monetary sum. Those too old to leave were to be taken care of by the executors. Slaves deciding not to take the offered terms of freedom were to be sold at private sale, "giving them the free privilege of chusing their own masters or mistresses ... as I don't wish to hold out Inducement to dissolve man and wife." The plaintiffs state that the slaves "have refused to accept their freedom with the conditions annexed, but insist they are entitled to their freedom unconditionally." The auditor's report, dated 4 December 1857, cited "Of an allowance made these accountants for the appraised value of the negroes declared free by the Circuit Court as per Inventory heretofore filed & recorded." The appraised value was $8400.
Result: Granted.
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Repository: Maryland State Archives, Annapolis, Maryland
