"Many years ago," Richard K. Randolph moved from Virginia to Rhode Island, abandoning an elderly slave named Betty. As time passed, Betty became increasingly "old and infirm & helpless." Eventually she "came into the possession" of Thompson Craghead who went on "to clothe and support, lodge and nurse said helpless & infirm old & decreped negro woman." Randolph's agent, a local man named William Berkeley, "promised" Craghead that he should be paid "a sum of money, for & in consideration of services rendered by your Orator to said Betty." Craghead seeks compensation for his good deed, suing Randolph, Berkeley, and Peyton Randolph, noting that Berkeley and Peyton Randolph are indebted to Richard Randolph. Answering the bill from Rhode Island, Richard Randolph disclaims all responsibility for Betty, asserting that when he left Virginia in 1810, he sold "a large family of negroes" to whom Betty was "nearly related," to William H. Cabel, who was "willing to take" Betty "with those he had purchased" at no charge. Randolph asserts that at that time, Betty was "capable of rendering important services on a plantation in the superintendance & care of negro children."
Result: Partially granted; dismissed.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
