Petitions & Transcripts > Petition 11279202
Wilkinson County, Mississippi, ca. 1852
Unto the Honorable the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina The Petition of Saml Jasper Executor of Caleb White deceased Humbly Sheweth That his Brother Caleb White by his last Will and Testament liberated his Negroe Slave Jack upon condition that the said Jack would pay the sum of £100 to his Executor. Sheweth that the services performed by the said Jack were such as did great honor to the name of humanity and highly merited much greater reward than that of Emancipation- A Service no less than that of taking prisoners the whole Crew of a British pri[v]ateer & releasing his Master and a number of others who were at that time captured by the said British Cruiser together with making the said British privateer a Capture to the United States- Sheweth that the said Negroe Jack at Annapolis in the year of received the thanks of the Congress of the United States then siting for the said service & a recommendation to his Master to liberate him therefore; Sheweth that the said Jack hath paid the sum of £100 as directed by the Will of your Petitioner's Testator. And your Petitioner prays that the said Jack may be liberated by Law and your Petitioner as in duty bound shall ever pray. [signed] Saml Jasper, Extor of Caleb White Indian Town, 17 Novr. 1792 Sir, I Promised you an act. of our Ingagemt. at sea which Happend as Follows- On board Schooner Polly Comd. by Caleb White & Navigated by three Men one of which was Jack a Negro, the Property of Henry White, Part owner of sd Schooner, Loaded with Corn Pease and Pork. bd. to Ws. Ind. & saild from Curituck 14 Feby 1780 on 16th Inst. was boarded and Taken by a British Privateer Calld Fame- of N. York, Comd. by John Adkinson, Latt. 37n, Long. 73w. we were Imediately Confined in Irons and allowanced on one Gill of raw Pease and one Gill of water per day. on the 19th we attempted to retake the Schooner by first getting Jack out of Irons but was discoverd before we cd. Prosecute our design by some of the Crew. They const of a Prize Master and 4 hands- They Immediately confined us below deck and Sasht. the feet of Jack to a Stantion on the quarter deck, his hands being Irond whire he lay 24 hours in a gale of wind or Snow Storm every sea Making a breach over us.. however he survived that afterward was- Loosed and Permited below with us- The reason of his usage was because he never wd. Consent to Join them and attempting to get out of Irons- However we Orderd him to Turn himself a Enemy of America this had the effect we wishd. They Loosed him from his Irons and he soon become their Right hand Man with Promise of freedom and Many Rewards after arriving at York but when ever he got an opportunity of Speaking to us continued to Tell us he was ready to assist us any Moment in the recapture on the 22 the gale abating they were abt. making sail. My Brother who was the Master got out of Irons gave the watch word and Engaged the Prize Master. Jack Imediately Contrary to their Expectations Engaged two of them which he soon worsted having no Weapon but a Marlin Spike In the Intrim I got out of Irons having Procured a Cullash but was much beaten before I got out after Bloodshed on both sides we Conqd. them which we confind and carried in to Anapolis & delivered to Congress, but by the wounds & frost Jack received he Never walkd a step for five weeks- after we returned home his Master: abused him somewhat Jack Applyd to us for redress upon which My Brother Bought him and in his last Will Sold sd. Jack his freedom [by] his Paying his Exet. £100. The said fellow behaves himself well, Honest and Industrous is Very Manerly to all and has Comanded a schooner for Me five years, is Intrusted by Mr Daughty with Many Hundred Pound every year. Time Fails adieu Your friend
[signed] Sam Jasper
Source: Records of the General Assembly, Sessions Records, Petition of Samuel Jasper, Executor of Caleb White, to the North Carolina General Assembly, 14 December 1792, North Carolina Department of Archives and History, Raleigh, North Carolina [hereafter NCDAH]. No act was passed. PAR #11279202.