State: District of Columbia Year: 1814
Location: Washington Location Type: County
Abstract: Sarah Burford seeks to settle an estate issue with her husband, John Burford, regarding ownership of five slaves and other personal property, left to her by her father, John Selby. She claims that Burford, "untill he could have an opportunity of getting her property into his possession as aforesaid, treated her with apparent kindness and affection; but as soon as he supposed he had secured her property to himself, he commenced a course of brutal & inhuman abuse of her." Sarah Burford asks that she "may be separated from bed & board during life, and your oratrix permitted to live as a feme sole, free and forever exonerated from the power, control & restraint of the said Burford."
You may contact the county to request the full record of this legal action.
The Digital Library on American Slavery, website University of North Carolina at Greensboro