Jane Boyd, an "infirm old woman" in her seventies and "extremly imbecile both of mind and body," asks the court to "set aside" a fraudulent sale of her slave Nancy to Thomas Lynum. Nancy, who was a bequest to Jane from her late husband, John Boyd, was supposed to receive her freedom if she produced two children sometime after the execution of Boyd's will. The will further stipulated should Nancy "not have two living children then and in that case, she was to be disposed of by your petitioner in such manner and way as your petitioner might think proper until two children were born and the youngest one year old, when and after which period of time she the said Nancy was to be ... free." Three years after Jane took possession of Nancy, Thomas Lynum approached Jane, "pretending great friendship towards and strong anxiety for the welfare" of the elderly woman, and convinced her to sell Nancy and her "increase" to him for $300. Jane now charges that Lynum still owes money on the purchase and that he tricked her into delivering the slaves without a note to pay the purchase price. Jane also seeks compensation for the slaves' hire during Lynum's possession as she "stands in much need of the labour and services of the said negros for her daily support."
Result: Granted.
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Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
