Case ID: h-mch_3/html/0168-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

GENERAL COURT,
    OCTOBER TERM, 1793.
    Nathaniel Porter against Nace Butler.
    APPEAL from Frederick county court. The record states that Butler, the appellee, petitioned for his freedom, and at; November term, 1791, the county court adjudged him tree.
    Key, for the appellant.
    Pinkney, for the appellee.
    The case was thus : James Brook, of Frederick county, in June, 1781, (being then under age,) hired Butler, the petitioner, for one year, to one Patrick Rogers, who then resided in the state of Pennsylvania; that the petitioner continued with the said Rogers, in Pennsylvania, until August, 1781; that Rogers paid Brooks for the hire of the petitioner, and that Brooks, at the time of hiring the petitioner, knew that Rogers resided in Pennsylvania.
    
    The question was, whether the petitioner being sent to Pennsylvania, and his master being an infant at the time, was liberated by residing in Pennsylvania, according to the laws of that state ?
    The county court determined that he was free. The general court reversed the judgment of the county court, being of opinion that an infant can do no act to his prejudice, during his minority.
   The appellee appealed to the court of appeals, but the appeal was discontinued at November term, 1795.