Petition of Margaret L. Gittings in the Fugitive Slave Petition Book
9/18/1850 - 5/18/1854
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Ms. Gittings requests permission of the court to seek out and recover his fugitive slave, William Thompson/Hennings.
Transcript
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Record, 33, The United State of America
District of Maryland to wit
In the Matter of thePetition of
Margaret S. Gittings
Be it remembered, That on this day, to wit the Twenty Second day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and fifty four, the said Margaret S. Gittings filed in the District Court of the United States in and for the Maryland District her Petition and proof in the words and of the [terms?] following, to wit,
To the Honorable
William F. Giles, Judge of the District Court of the
United States in and for the District of Maryland.
The petition of Margaret S. Gittings, of the City
of Baltimore in the District aforesaid, respectfully shows,
That she is the bona fide and lawful owner of a negro boy named William Thompson, or William Hemmings as he sometimes calls himself, now about sixteen or seventeen years of age, and that the said negro Boy, William is her slave for life and as such slave owed your petitioner service and labor within the State of Maryland, from which her said slave Escaped and ran away on or about the Eighteenth day of May, Eighteen hundred and fifty four and that your petitioner has not since recovered the possession of her said slave.
She further shows that her said slave, William Thompson or William Hemmings, is five feet to four to six inches in height, stout of his age and square built, of a dark mulatto colour, very large feet & hands, has a scar on his forehead from a Fall, also a scar on one leg near the knee from the healing of a sore, had a large flat nose and a large mouth, with a bushy head of hair, speaks and understands German having lived in a German family understands it better than he speaks it, but can speak it so as to be understood.
Your petitioner further shows that she is desired to reclaim her said slave and regain his services, wherefore she prays your Honor to inquire into the matter and facts stated in this her petition and to cause a record to be made of the matters provided under it, so as to enable her to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress approved September 18, 1850 Entitled “An Act to amend and supplementary to the Act entitled An Act respecting fugitives from Justice and persons Escaping from the Service of their Masters approved February the Twelfth One thousand Seven hundred and ninety three” and as in duty bound, &c.
Margaret S. Gittings
Witness John Hanan
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District of Maryland, to wit,
Be it remembered, That on the Twenty Second day of May in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and fifty four, before me John Hanan a Commissioner appointed by the Circuit Court of the United States for the fourth Circuit in and for the Maryland District pursuant to the Act of Congress Entitled “An Act for the more convenient taking of affidavits and bail in civil causes depending in the Courts of the United States, personally appeared Miss Margaret S. Gittings, the petitioner within named & made oath in due form of law that the several matters and things set forth in the aforegoing petition are true,
Margaret S. Gittings
Subscribed & sworn to this 22d
day of May A.D. 1854 before
John Hanan U.S. Com[?]. for Md
District of Maryland Act
Be it remembered that on the twenty second day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and fifty-four, before me, John Hanan, a commissioner appointed by the Circuit Court of the United States for the fourth Circuit in and for the District of Maryland pursuant to the Act of Congress aforesaid, personally appeared Ernest A. Hennings and made oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God that he knows Miss Margaret S. Gittings, the petitioner in this case, that she resides in the City of Baltimore, that he knows well the Negro boy William Thompson or William Hennings, mentioned in the said petition, and knows that the said Negro boy, William, is the slave for life of the said Miss Margaret S. Giddings, belonged to her father Jarred Giddings – came into her possession and service as a slave for life and her property in the distribution of her father’s estate and has so continued to be her slave and in her possession and or the possession of those to whom he was hired by her to the time he ran away and escaped from the service of his mistress, which took place on or about the Eighteenth day of this present month of May.
He further made oath as aforesaid that the said Negro Boy is five feet four to six inches in height, stout of his age and square built, of a dark mulatto color, with very large feet and hands, has a scar on his forehead from a fall and also one on one of his legs near the Knee from the healing of a sore, has a large flat nose and a large mouth, with a bushy head of hair, speaks German imperfectly but sufficiently to be understood and understands it when spoken, having lived for some years in a German family, said Negro boy was in fact raised in the family of deponent & has lived with Deponent since he could
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walk.Ernest A. Hennings
Subscribed & sworn to this
22d day of May A.D. 1854
before me
John Hanan
U.S. Commissioner for
District of Maryland
United States of America
State of Maryland, Act.
The Petition of Margaret S. Gittings, together with the Depositions attached thereto as part thereof having been submitted to me in vocation and I being satisfied by said petition and the Deposition aforesaid of the Escape of the said Negro boy William Thompson or William Hennings from the Petitioner, Margaret L. Gittings and that said negro boy at the time of his escape and now was and is the slave for life of the said Margaret L. Gittings and owes such service and labor as in said petition are set forth and a general description of the person of said negro boy being set forth in said petition and deposition and with convenient certainty, do hereby order and direct the Clerk of the District Court of the United States in and for the Maryland District to cause a record to be made of the matters aforesaid and to deliver a transcript thereof properly authenticated to the said Petitioner. Witness my hand this twenty second day of May Eighteen hundred and fifty four.
William F. Giles Judge of the District Court
of the United States in
and for the Maryland District
The United States of America
District of Maryland Court,
I Thomas Spicer Clerk of the District Court of the United States in and for the Maryland District do hereby certify that the aforegoing is a true Copy of the Originals on file among the record and proceedings of the District Court aforesaid.
In Testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name and
SEAL affix the seal of the said District Court this Twenty Second
day of May in the year Eighteen hundred and fifty four.
Thomas Spicer Clerk
District Court
The United States of America
District of Maryland, to wit,
I William F. Giles Judge of the District Court of the United Sates in
and for the Maryland District hereby certify that the foregoing
126
attestation by Thomas Spicer Clerk of the District Court aforesaid is in due form.
Given under my hand and seal at the City of BaltimoreIn the District aforesaid, this Twenty Second day of May in the year
of our Lord Eighteen hundred and fifty four.
William F. Giles District Judge SEAL
The United States of America
District of Maryland, to wit,
I Thomas Spicer Clerk of the District Court of the United States in
and for the Maryland District do hereby certify that the Honorable
William F. Giles, by whom the foregoing certificate was signed, was
At the time of the signing the same Judge of the United States in and
For the Maryland District duly commissioned and sworn, and to
all his Acts as such full faith and credit is and ought to be given
as well in Courts of Justice as [thereout?].
In Testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name
SEAL and affix the Seal of the Said District Court this Twenty
Second day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand
Eight hundred and fifty four.
Thomas Spicer Clerk
District Court
District of Maryland, to wit,
I Thomas Spicer Clerk of the District Court of the United States in
and for the Maryland District do hereby certify that the Honorable
William F. Giles, by whom the foregoing certificate was signed, was
At the time of the signing the same Judge of the United States in and
For the Maryland District duly commissioned and sworn, and to
all his Acts as such full faith and credit is and ought to be given
as well in Courts of Justice as [thereout?].
In Testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name
SEAL and affix the Seal of the Said District Court this Twenty
Second day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand
Eight hundred and fifty four.
Thomas Spicer Clerk
District Court
This primary source comes from the Records of District Courts of the United States.
National Archives Identifier: 278899
Full Citation: Petition of Margaret L. Gittings in the Fugitive Slave Petition Book; 9/18/1850 - 5/18/1854; Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/petition-of-margaret-l-gittings-in-the-fugitive-slave-petition-book, April 19, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.