Natchez District. Sep 20th, 1793.
To His Excellency, the Governor. Petition of "Molly", a Negro woman, the property
of the late Jacob Leaphart, says that the said Mr. Leaphart purchased her near
seven years ago [after Sep 1787] and that for many reasons and her great attention
to him during his long illness, her great industry, she having by it and her
own management within a few years paid the greater part of his debts, and above
all, for her advanced age, being near 70 years old [born after Sep 1723], it was
his intention to give the petitioner her freedom, which he communicated on his
death bed to different persons but more particularly to Mr. William Barland whom
he desired to procure a person to draw up the testament but, his time being
shorter than expected, before anyone could, it pleased Almighty to withdraw him
from hence, by which accident, the petitioner, contrary to her late master's will,
is left a slave. The principal creditors of her said late master, being sensible
that she had been the means of their receiving the part they have got out of his
debts, being also assured that it was his wish that she should be free, are
willing to give their consent that she be set at liberty.
Natchez, 20 Sept. 1793.
Signed Molly.