Case Name: Negro Samuel v. Childs et al.
Court: United States Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1831-12
Citations: 4 Cranch 189
Docket Number: 
Parties: Negro Samuel v. Childs et al.
Judges: (Thruston, J., contrd,)
Reporter: Reports of cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia (District of Columbia - reported by Mackey)
Volume: 4
Pages: 189–190

Head Matter:
Negro Samuel v. Childs et al.
Two witnesses are necessary to a deed of manumission under the Maryland Act of 1796, c. 67, § 29.
If a female slave, manumitted by last will of the owner, to be free at the age of twenty-five years, has a child born after the death of the testator and before she arrives at the age of twenty-five, such child is a slave.
The petitioner was included in a deed of manumission made in Maryland, February 17th, 1797, which was witnessed by only one witness. The Maryland Act of December 31, 1796, c. 67, § 29, required two witnesses. The master afterwards carried them to Virginia, where he died, having by his will left them free at the age of twenty-five. The petitioner’s mother, one of those slaves, was living in Virginia at the death of the testator; after whose death, and. before the petitioner’s mother had attained the age of, twenty-five, that is, before she was actually free, the petitioner was born, in Virginia.
. Mr. Key, for the defendant,
contended that the petitioner, under those circumstances, was born a slave, and cited the case of Maria and others v. Surbaugh, 2 Rand. Rep. 228 ; in which the Court of Appeals of Virginia unanimously decided, that where a testator bequeathes a female slave on condition that she shall be free at a certain age, and before that period arrives she has issue, such issue are slaves; and

Opinion:
This Court
(Thruston, J., contrd,)
decided accordingly.
Judgment for the defendants.