University of Virginia Library

September Term, 1790.
(p. 119.) The STATE against JOHN WARE.

On Habeas Corpus of Negro Jethro (Son of Charity Briggs) claiming his Freedom.

IT appearing to the Court that the said Negro Jethro was born on the eighth Day of September, 1768, in the County of Cape-May in this State ; that his Mother Charity Briggs a (Mulatto Woman) was free at the Time of his Birth—That the said Charity was by Indenture bound by the Justices and Overseers of the Poor of the Lower Precinct of Cape-May to one Nathaniel Foster, in order to bear the Expences of her having had the Small-Pox—That in the said Year of 1768, the said Charity was purchased by a certain John Connel, she

then having the said Jethro an Infant at her Breast—That afterwards the Time of Service of the said Charity was sold by Connel to Captain Jonathan Jenkins, and that the said Charity took her said Son with her—That the said Jethro her Son, was brought up by Jenkins until he was sit for Business, and then was sold unto Christopher Leaming of the said County of Cape-May, who kept the said Jethro a number of Years, and within Two Years last past sold the said Jethro unto John Ware of Cumberland, the Defendant now in Court, for the Term of Twelve Years and Eight Months, and by Bill of Sale engaged to warrant the Service of the said Negro Jethro for the said Term.

And the Court having taken the said Case into Consideration, are unanimously of Opinion, That the said Jethro being the Son of a free Woman, and of the Age of Twenty-one Years, is now entitled to his Freedom, and do therefore adjudge, that the said Negro Jethro (otherwise called Jethro Briggs) be discharged from the Custody of the said John Ware, on the Motion of Joseph Bloomfield, Attorney General.