Browse Items (201 total)

Priscilla Queen sues Rev. Francis Neale, S.J., for her freedom in the D.C. Circuit Court 1810. This case is detailed by the O Say Can You See: Early Washington, D.C., Law and Family project.

Edward Queen sues Rev. John Ashton for his freedom in the Maryland General Court in 1791. Additional documents in the case of Edward Queen v. John Ashton may be found at the O Say Can You See: Early Washington, D.C., Law & Family website.Click…

An advertisement in the American and Commercial Daily Advertiser dated March 15, 1842 reports the escape of Moses Taylor from his owner, James Evans, as well as the escape of Moses's wife Eliza from a Mr. Clarke. Evidence suggests that Eliza had been…

In a letter to the new Jesuit Superior General Jan Roothaan, Rev. Thomas Mulledy SJ assesses the state of Georgetown College and poses a set of challenging questions regarding the Jesuits' slaveholding in Maryland. He asks whether the Jesuits' slave…

Fr. Fenwick complains to Fr. Grassi that he does not have the resources to feed and clothe the enslaved at White Marsh. The enslaved people need blankets, clothes, and other articles. The current crop will not produce enough income to cover these…

Marshall reports that the Society is living beyond its means and must sell real property. No prospect that the Maryland farms will be profitable in the future due to bad management. Marshall states that the province has around 300 slaves of whom…

Letter written by Father Grivel to the Superior General of the Jesuits, Fr. Roothaan, concerning his assessment of the Maryland Province, and of the property and management of St. Thomas Manor in particular, and the problem of slavery. Fr. Grivel…

Fr. Adam Marshall reports to the Father General in Rome the sad state of the Mission's lands and finances. He describes the slave quarters as "almost universally unfit for human beings to live in." He suggests selling property in order to ease the…

Mulledy writes to the Father General in Rome that the colleges and missions cannot both be sustained. Since the churches associated with the plantations are under the control of the bishop, Mulledy predicts that the bishop will eventually fill them…

Advertisement in the Georgia Telegraph, January 3, 1854, for the sale of enslaved people who were part of the estate of Michael Healy, the father of Rev. Patrick Healy, S.J., who was born into slavery and served as President of Georgetown from 1874…