The heirs of the late Benjamin Whitfield seek the revocation of a deed of manumission that emancipated twenty-six slaves in his estate. They maintain "that by the undue influence of some persons who pretended friendship to him he had an instrument prepared purporting to be a deed of emancipation for the said slaves." The petitioners contend that after Whitfield "came into court with the said instrument ... he determined not to have the same carried into effect and laid it upon the clerk's table." The clerk, however, "did admit it to record and hitherto it has had full force and effect." The heirs ask that the deed be rendered null and void and that the executor be charged to "take possession of the said slaves and cause partition & division thereof to be made according to law among the several parties entitled."
Result: Dismissed.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
