56.
M I N U T E S * O F * H E A R I N G S
1833
Gloucester County ss
Robert Hardcastle .....) 1833 August 1st on the oath and application of
vs ..............................) John Wisener of Philadelphia, Attorney (constituted
Negro Slave, Samuel ) in writing) of Robert Hardeastle of Caroline County
and Louisa ................) in the State of Maryland, who at the same time, pro-
....................................duced an affidavit, (agreeably to an Supplement to
an Act entitled "An Act concerning Slaves" Passed the 26th of December 1826)
setting forth that the said Robert Hardcastle, of Caroline County of the
State of Maryland's Negro Slaves Samuel aged about 22 years about five feet
five or six inches high of a dark ybliow Complexion, and Louisa is about
18 years of age Common sise of a darker yellow complexion ran away from his
service and labor in the Spring of 1832) Issued Warrants to arrest the said
Samuel & Louisa - John K Cowperthwait Judge &c
1833 August 2nd Isaiah Dill Constable returned the warrants and the Defend-
ants or Negro Slaves Samuel & Louisa in Custody the Attorney of Claimant
examined one witness on oath vis Dr Aaron Hardeastle of Queen Ann County
State of Maryland, says he is the son of Robert Hardeastle the Claimant and
that he was raised and lived with Negro Samuel the person now claimed and
in court from his infancy until about the last two years that the said
Samuel was a Slave to Deponents $%' father the Son of a Slave woman of De-
ponents father and ran away from his said Master in Caroline County 'State
of Maryland in the Spring of 1832 thinks about Easter that the person in
Court now claimed is certainly the Slave of his father and oweth him service
and Labor in said State and is at this time about 23 years of age also that
the said Negro Louisa is Sister to Samuel and Slave to his father by birth
the same as Samuel, ran away at the same time, that she oweth service and
labor to his father the Claimant in the State of Maryland, that she the
person now in custody certainly is the slave that ran away from his father
at the time aforesaid, that she has a scar on the left cheek caused by a
burn that she is maried and is about 19 years of age - Josiah Harrison
Esquire Attorney of Defendants examined one witness, John Wood on affirma-
tion, who saith Samuel came first to live with him about the 6th or 26th
of April 1832, dont know where he came from, never saw or knew him previous
to when he came to live with him, knows nothing of Louisa more than that
she had worked for him last spring a few days - After examining the evidance
and hearing the alligations of the parties I adjudged Samuel & Louisa to be
the slaves of the Claimant Robert Hardcastle and that they both owe him
service and labour and gave a certificate of removal to carry them to the
State of Maryland from whence they fled as follows "State of New Jersey
Gloucester County ss I John K Cowperthwait one of the Judges of the Inferior
Court of Common Pleas of the County of Gloucester do hereby (L.S.) that
John Wisener Attorney (constituted in writing) of Robert Hardeastle of
Carolin County in the State of Maryland having seised and arrested Negro
Slaves Samuel & Louisa, on warrants, and brought them before me hath proved
to my Sattisfaction the said Robert Hardeastle is entitled to the service
and labor of the said Samuel & Louisa under the laws of the State of
Maryland and that the said Robert Hardcastle is therefore authorised to
(a)
57. Minutes of Hearings
1833
remove the said Samuel & Louisa into the State of Maryland from whence they have fled, Given under my hand and seal this Second day of August A. D. eighteen hundred and thirty three J.K.Cowperthwait
I certify the description given above of the Slaves Samuel & Louisa are a correct general discription of them also I believe their ages to be as above stated and that one is a male and the other a female
J K Cowperthwait Judge
I do hereby certify the foregoing to-be a fair copy of the record, of the proceedg had before me in the said [. . .] is entered on my Dochet
J K Cowoerthwai-t Judge &c
August 2nd. 1833
[Verso]
Camden N. J. Paid
Augt. 6
John C. Smallwood Esq
Clerk of Court of Common Fleas, - Woocibury N. J.
Filed Augs 1833
Smallwod C1k.
(b)
58.
Minutes of Hearings
1836
James Miller ) 1836 January 27th on the application of Michael Donahower
vs .................) of Philadelphia Attorney of James Miller Senr. of Sussex
Fillis .............) County in the State of Delaware, in writing under his hand
........................and seal duly constituted who at the same time produced
........................an affidavit of the said James Miller San properly authen-
ticated, I issued a warrant to arrest Fillis, a woman rather low and Stout
chesnut colour aged about thirty five years who is the Slave of and oweth
labour and service to the said James Miller Senr in the State of Delaware
from which the said Fillis hath fled and made her escape from her said
Masters service and labour sometime in the month oħ November 1832 the same
day Chester Chattin Constable returned the warrant and the aforesaid Fillis
(who said her name was Sarah Laws) in court the Claimant by his agent or
attorney Michael Donahower was present and neither party demanding any
longer time to prepare for trial or requesting an adjournment I examined
for the claimant one witness vie John D. Marshal (sworn) of Lewis Town in
the State of Delaware, who saith he is the Son in law of the claimant James
Miller Senr that he knows the woman arrested now present to be the slave of
James Miller San for life, that she was born his Slave and oweth service
and labour to the said James Miller San in the State of Delaware and that
she made her escape from the said Millers service and labour in the said
State of Delaware sometime in the Month of November 1832, the said Fills
being asked if she had any defence to make offered none, Whereupon I am
sattisfied from the proof made that the said Fillis alias Sarah Laws is the
slave of the claimant James Miller San and under the laws of the State of
Delaware from which she fled doth owe labour and service to the said' James
Miller Son-
I therefore gave a certificate to the claimants agent to remove said Fillis
alias Sarah Laws to the State of Delaware from which she fled, the certifi-
cate as follows State of New Jersey Gloucester County se. (L.S.) I John K,
Cowperthwai-t one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and
for said County of Gloucester do hereby certify that James Miller Ben of
Sussex County in the State of Delaware by his agent or attorney Michael
Donahower of Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania properly constitutute
in writing having seised and arrested Fillis, and brought her before me hat
proved to my sattisfaction that the said James Miller Son is entitled to
the service and labour of the said Fillis alias Sarah Laws under the laws
of the State of Delaware and that the said James Miller Senr or his agent
Michael Donahower are therefore authorised to remove the said Fillis alias
Sarah Laws into the State of Delaware from which she fled the said Fillis
alias Sarah Laws is chesnut coulored rather low and stout, aged about thirty
five years
Given under my hand and seal at Camden the twenty seventh day of January
Anno Domini 1836 J. K. Covperthwaii
Gloucester County ss
I John K. Cowperthwait one of the judges of the inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for said County do hereby certify the foregoing to be a true copy of the record and proceeding had before me in the said case Given under my hand at Camden in said County the twenty eighth day of January Anno Domini 1836
J. K. Cowoer-thwait
(a)
59. Minutes of Hearings
1836
[Verso]
James Miller Son
vs
Fillis his slave
Certified copy of the proceedings had before John K. Cowperthwait Judge of Common Pleas in the above case.
Filed February 3d 1836.
Sailer, CA
(b)
60.
Minutes of Hearings
1836.
Gloucester ss
John T. Taylor Claimant ) 1836 December 5th on the application of
vs ...................................) John T. Taylor, of the County of Worcester
Ephraim alias Leven ......) in the State of Maryland on his oath Issued
Harmon his slave ...........) a warrant to arrest his Slave who he alledged
.........................................oweth him service and and Labor in the State
.........................................of Maryland from whence he has fled whose
name is "Ephraim" (alias Leven Harmon, of the age of twenty nine or thirty
years, a bright molatto, with grey eyes, one of his big toes has but a lit-
tle part of nail on, with a small scar on his back, tolerable well built,
not quite so tall Stout or heavy as his Master, is Married) the warrant is
as follows "State of New Jersey Gloucester County se, John K Cowperthwait a
Judge of the Common Pleas of said County, the State of New Jersey to the
Sheriff or any Constable of Gloucester County Greeting, Whereas it appears
by the oath of John T. Taylor that Ephraim (alias Leven Harmon aged about
twenty nine or thirty years, a bright Molatto with grey eyes was held to
labor or service to the said John T. Taylor of Worcester County in the
State of Maryland and that the said Ephraim (Alias Leven Harmon) hath
escaped from the labor and service of the said John T. Taylor in the
forepart of May last, You are therefore commanded to arrest and selse the
body of the said Ephraim (alias Leven Harmon) if he be found in your
[balliwek] County and bring him forthwith before any Judge of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas of said County so that the truth of the matter may be enquired into and the said Ephraim (alias Leven Harmon be dealt with as the Constitution of the United States and the laws of this State direct Witness the said Judge the fifth day of December Anne Domini 1836
J. K. Cowperthwait (L s)
The same day William Hugg Marshal returned the warrant and the Defendant in Custody, after examining Arthur Nahearn (sworn) and on the confessions of the Defendant, who admitted he was the Slave of the Claimant John T. Taylor, and owed him labour and service in the State of Maryland whereupon I adjudged him to be the Slave of said John T. Taylor and made out a certificate for his said Master to remove said ave Ephraim to the State of Maryland from which he had fled, the certificate was as follows "State of New Jersey Gloucester County as I John K Cowperthwait one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for said County do hereby certify that John T. Taylor of the County of Worcester in the State of Maryland having seised and arrested Ephraim, and brought him before me hath proved to my sattisfaction that he is entitled to the service and labor of the said Ephraim under the laws of the State of Maryland, and that the said
E John T Taylor is therefore authorised to remove the said Ephraim into the
State of Maryland from which he fled,
Given under my hand and seal at Camden the fifth day of December Anne
Dominj 1836
J. K. Cowperthwait (L,S)
(a)
61. Minutes of Hearings
1836
Gloucester ss
I the Subscriber one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of
Common Pleas in and for said County do hereby certify the above to be a
true copy of the proceeding had before me in the said case
Witness my hand December 9th 1836 J. K. Cowperthwait
[Verso]
[Written in pencil]
Proceedings in case of return of a fugitive slave. [pencii writing] ends
here/
filed December 10. 1836
Sailer, Cik
Camden N.J. )
dcc 10 ) Free
Joseph Sailer Esqr
Clerk of Common Pleas
Woodbury
N.J.
(b)
