Richard Willis Sr., administrator of the estate of the late Richard Willis Jr., seeks the court's permission to examine two witnesses in Virginia, who have information about the loan of two slaves to his intestate. Willis explains that Willis Jr. "died in possession of" Anaky and Crecy, whom he received from his father-in-law, John Weir, of Virginia. In a transaction that took place "more than twenty years ago," Weir "demanded" the return of the slaves, producing "such evidence as satisfied your orator that his claim could be sustained for said negroes." Willis Sr. has recently been informed that the children of Willis Jr. intend to press suit against him for recovery of the two slaves. The petitioner is aware of only two witnesses to the transaction who are still living; both women are "considerable advanced in life" and unable to travel to South Carolina to give their testimony. Now "threatened with a suit for his effort to save the estate expense on a former occasion," Willis Sr. fears that he is "likely to loose all possible protection for his conduct without the aid of this court."
Result: Granted.
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Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
