Dolly Moore, a free woman of color, by her next friend James T. Archer, petitions for possession of her daughter, Sally Robinson. Moore and Robinson were once owned by William Madison of Virginia. Moore purchased her freedom, but Robinson was sold to Henry Washington of Florida. He offered to let her buy her freedom, but when he filed for bankruptcy, she was sold to Albert Nims and Albert Bestwick, merchants operating as Nims & Bestwick. Moore and Robinson lost the money they had paid to Washington for Robinson's freedom, but Nims & Bestwick agreed to deliver Robinson to her mother. In exchange, Moore agreed to pay the merchants $250 as soon as possible and Robinson agreed to do Nims's washing, to cover the interest. Now Nims & Bestwick has been dissolved, and Robinson transferred to Nims in the settlement. Moore complains that she has paid him $150 for her daughter, but that Nims refuses to acknowledge the payments or issue receipts. She says that he rejected the final $100 payment and now threatens to sell Robinson in New Orleans; as a result, Sally Robinson has run away. Moore prays that Robinson will be "decreed to be the property of this complainant upon the payment of the balance due in said purchase." Moore further prays that the defendants will be "enjoined inhibited and restrained from taking possession of, illtreating, molesting, removing, carrying away, abducting, seizing, selling, interfering with, or otherwise intermeddling with said Sally Robinson."
Result: Partially granted.
Or you may view all people.
Repository: Florida State Archives, Tallahassee, Florida
