doc_bedf0027



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J. Walkers
entry of
Clarissa, a
female servant

Filed 30 Aug^t 1817

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Jonathan Walker of the Town & Borough of Bedford
in the Borough of County of Bedford, President of the Court
of Common pleas in the fourth Circuit of Penn^a consisting
of the Counties of Bedford, Huntingdon, Mifflin & Centre
in the Commonwealth of Penn^a delivers to David
Mann Clerk of the Peace of the County of Bedford
aforesaid the following account in writing & files the
same with the said David Mann.

Jonathan Walker aforesaid enters with & returns to the
Clerk aforesaid, Clarissa, a female mulatto child
born on or about the third day of April 1817, daugh-
ter of Hannah, a female Mulatto Servant of the said
Jonathan for the term of twenty eight years, which
said female mulatto child called & named, Clarissa
as aforesaid, the said Jonathan claims as his
Servant until she arrives at the age of twenty eight
years.

Sworn and Subscribed before me
David Mann Clerk of the Court of
quarter Sessions of the peace of
Bedford County County this 30^th
day of August AD. 1817.

David Mann
Clk

Jonathan Walker

Editor’s Note. Jonathan Walker filed a petition pertaining to this return that appears among Bedford County’s surviving slave registrations.

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Petition of
Jonathan Walker Esq

Nov. 5. 1817 petition
read. the Court grant
a rule upon the within
named negress to appear
forthwith before the
Court of QS. to show
cause why the term of
her service should
not be enlarged agreeably
to the act of Assembly
in such case made &
provided

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August ^November Sessions 1817.
To the Honble Judges of the Court of Quarter Sessions
now holding for Bedford County.
The Petition of the undersigned humbly sheweth
that one time in the year 1812 your petitioner
purchased a negress wench in Huntingdon County of
John Blair of the name of Hannah who was
duly recorded as a servant to the age of 28 _^ ^Years & paid
the full price of $72 for the said wench to said
John Blair as Trustee for W^m Galbraith. That
the time of Service of said Servant Hannah having
been enlarged for the term of two years, after the expiration of
her time of servitude by the Court of Quarter Sessions of said county at April Term
of 1815 which said enlarged term of servitude of said servant has not expired, that on or about the third day of April AD 1817,
the said Hannah being a single & unmarried woman
had a bastard female which called Clarissa born of
said Hannah as being within the time of her servitude as aforesaid,
Your Petitioner therefore prays that an order may
be made by your Honble Court upon the said Hannah
to show cause if any she hath why her time of
Servitude should not be enlarged after the expiration
of her time of Servitude aforesaid,
not exceeding two years nor less than one according
to the provisions of the 7^th Section of an Act of the Gen^l
Assembly of Pa. of 1705 & the 4^th Sec^t of an act of Gen^l
Assembly aforesaid of the 1^st March 1780 printed in Purdon
Titles Fornication. & Negroes as a compensation to your Petitioner
for the Loss & Damage he has sustained by reason of the
said Hannah having born a bastard child in manner
aforesaid in the time of her servitude aforesaid.
& your Petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray.

Jonathan Walker

Editor’s Note. The Court’s decision in this matter also appears among Bedford County’s surviving slave registrations.

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Negress Hannahs
Case

Filed 6 Nov. 1817

Beford County Ss. Jonathan Walker
Esq^r being duly sworn according to law
doth depose and say that he served the
within copy of a rule of the Court on the
within named Hanna, this day by read
ing the same to her, and further saith
that he offered to furnish her with money
to employ counsel, to which the said
Hannah answered that she believed she
would not come into Court that it was
unnecessary.

Sworn and subscribed
in open Court 6 Nov. 1817

D. Mann

Ab^m Martin

Jon^a Walker

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At a Court of General quarter Sessions of the Peace
held at Bedford in and for the County of Bedford
before the Honourable John Dickey & Abraham Martin
Esquires Judges of the same Court, on the fifth
day of November AD 1817. Petition of the Honoura-
ble Jonathan Walker Esq^r being read stating that he is the owner of
a female negress servant named Hannah, whose time of service is un-
expired, that the said Hannah being a single & unmarried woman, on
or about the third day of April 1817 had a bastard female child (called
Clarissa) born of said Hannah’s body within the time of her servitude.
Whereupon the Court grant a rule upon the said Negress, Hannah
to appear forthwith before the Court of quarter Sessions,
to show cause why the term of her service should not be
enlarged, agreeably to the Act of Assembly in such case made
& provided

Bedford County Ss In testimony that the foregoing is
a true copy of the record remaining
in my Office at Bedford I have hereunto
set my hand & affixed the seal of Office
at Bedford the sixth day of November
AD 1817

David Mann
Clk