Knox County court record for Fanny vs. Ewing, 1822

Description: Folder 2913 in Box 52 of Knox County Circuit Court records at the Knox County Public Library’s McGrady-Brockman House holds three documents in the case of Fanny vs. Nathaniel Ewing, 1822. Fanny, a girl of color was transported from Clark County, Indiana to Knox County in 1817 at the age of 7 by Joseph Logan and sold to Nathaniel Ewing at age 17. Fanny requested a writ of habeas corpus from the court claiming she was in involuntary servitude and asking to be freed. She was granted her petition and a writ was delivered to Ewing. The documents consist of Fanny’s petition, writ delivered to Ewing, and court hearing transcript. Affidavits state that Fanny was brought into the territory as a slave by Joseph A. Lingard (difficult to read) as a seven year-old girl. This is corroborated by Clark County (Ind.) court clerk Isaac Shelby. A search of the Clark County (Indiana) slave register shows that Joseph A. Lingan (more legible) registered Fanny, about 7 years of age, as a slave in 1810. Another registration by Lingan in the same book for Ana does not use the term “slave” and references an agreement of 30 years. Shelby would serve two terms of governor of Kentucky. A Joseph Lingan living in Bardstown, Ky. (according to 1910 census records) held two slaves.
Origin: 1822
Contributor(s): Fanny; Lingan, Joseph, A.; Ewing, Nathaniel; Lingard, Joseph A.; Shelby, Isaac;
Source: http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/kcpl/id/46854
Collection: Knox County Public Library
Rights: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/
Copyright: No Copyright - United States
Geography: Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana, United States
Subjects: Black people -- America -- History
African Americans -- History
Black people -- History
Slave records
Slave labor
Slavery
Slaveholders
Enslaved women
Enslaved men
Slavery -- Law and legislation
Indentured servants
Indiana -- Northwest
Indiana -- History
Vincennes (Ind.)
Knox County (Ind.)

Further information on this record can be found at its source.