773

(FAMILY SLAVE DISPUTE)

Currency:USD Category:Everything Else / Other Start Price:NA Estimated At:200.00 - 300.00 USD
(FAMILY SLAVE DISPUTE)
Interesting manuscript D.S. 12pp. legal folio, Tyler Texas, Apr. 1856, a brief regarding a dispute between the children of a Mr. Wright (deceased) and his widow, Mary over the ownership of slaves left to the children in Wright's will. The widow apparently was not mentioned in the will but disputed the ownership citing Virginia common law, under which she was married to Mr. Wright, citing the "widow's third" provision (which incidentally normally provided for those who die intestate). Mary also claims that the slaves had been given to her by her father prior to her marriage to Mr. Wright, and thus were her sole, exclusive property. The attorney for the children argues here that the arguments are mutually exclusive for if she cites the "widow's third" precedent then she was granting that the slaves were not her exclusive property. Further, the attorney argued, she failed to produce evidence in a previous case, her appeal could only rest on the insufficient evidence cited in court. Very good condition.