Mary Brizner [?] seeks the return of her late husband's slaves. In 1854, the petitioner married Francis Brizner; a year later, Francis died and Mary qualified as his executrix. Brizner's estate included a group of slaves that had been given to him by his mother, Elizabeth Brizner, and were to be "held and possessed by the said Francis and his lawful issue." However, if Francis died without heirs, the slaves were to be divided between William Griffin and Bethenia Faust, other estate heirs. At the time of his death, "some of the said negroes were hired out and some others were employed in his own domestic service." Believing "she had a right so to do," Mary "sold the said slaves" to Michael R. Sharp. But before Sharp could take possession of the slaves, he "was prevented and obstructed in so doing by high handed violence, instigated by," John K. Pearson, who now has possession of eleven slaves; in consequence, Sharp has rescinded his contract with Mary. She further informs the court that she is currently pregnant with her late husband's lawful heir and "in right of the said unborn infant," she wishes to retrieve the slaves. Therefore, she requests an account of the slaves' hires and asks for their immediate delivery. She also prays that the defendants are enjoined from removing the slaves out of South Carolina.
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Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
