Walter Bowie reports that he married a daughter of Col. John R. Jones in 1853 and that his father-in-law "said to your Orator, that he had a negro girl slave, then about sixteen years of age, named Lydia, that was for your Orator & his wife." Bowie explains that he, "having no immediate use for her at his home in Westmoreland," hired Lydia out for the year 1854; however, Lydia was returned to him, "she being in bad health, & at the time unable to discharge the duties for which she had been hired," and she ever since "remained in his undisturbed possession." The petitioner now complains that William W. Tompkins has instituted a suit against Jones and has obtained an execution whereby the sheriff "has instructions to levy it upon the said slave Lydia." Bowie insists that this is "illegal and wrongful" since Lydia is "the absolute property of your Orator, and derived to him under the consideration of marriage." He does not want Lydia to be sold, because his wife is very attached to her and he "is desirous to secure or save her as a servant for his wife." Noting that Jones is now insolvent, Bowie argues that "the said girl constitutes every thing which, in consideration of his marriage, he has received or expects to receive from his wife's father." He therefore asks for an injunction to prevent the sale of Lydia.
Result: Partially granted; dissolved; dismissed and granted for complainant.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
