Heward's Affidavit
Heward's Affidavit
Opinion of the Court
Territory of Michigan DISTRICT OF DETROIT SS£
James Heward Personally appeared before me the subscriber a Justice of the peace in and for the said District, who being duly sworn on the holy Evangelists of Almighty God, saith that Matthew Elliott esqr resided at Detroit in the said Territory at the time of making the Treaty of 1794 between the United States and his Britanic Majesty, that the said Matthew Elliott Esqr remained at Detroit until about the time of surrendering said Post to the American Government, when he removed to Amherstburg where he still resides. That at the time of making the aforesaid treaty of 1794. the said Matthew Elliott held as his slaves, by the Laws of the country then existing, Negroes, Hannah, Peter, Abraham, Scipio, Candus, and James who were born the slaves of said Matthew Elliott of female slaves belonging to said Matthew, and in his possession, that the said Matthew Elliott continued to hold the said Hannah, Peter Abraham, Scipio, Candus, and James, and enjoy their services as his slaves until the last winter and spring, when the said Hannah Peter, Abraham, Scipio Candus and James, deserted from the service and possession of said Matthew Elliott, and came within the
James Heward
Sworn & Subscribed before me this 21st day of October 1807
James May
J.P.D.D.
Territory of Michigan ss—
Personally came and appeared before me Peter Audrain, one of the justices of the peace for the district of Huron and Detroit in Said territory, Richard Pattinson, Esquire, of Sandwich, in the province of Upper Canada, merchant, who being duly Sworn on the holy Evangelist of Almighty God deposeth and Saith that a Certain Mulato girl named Jenny, and who is the property of this deponent, of about the age of twenty years, about five feet Six inches high, Strait and well made; deserted from this deponent Sometimes in the falls of 1806 from his house, in Sandwich aforesaid, and that She is now resident in the Said town of Detroit, and refused to return home to her Service, he therefore prays the interference of the Honble the Supreme Court of this territory in this behalf, and that a Warrant or precept may issue to apprehend the Said Jenny, and that She may be delivered up to your deponent in conformity to the laws of the territory in Such case made and provides.
Taken and Subscribed before me at my Chambers in Detroit this 19th day of October A. D. 1807. (Signed) Rd Pattinson
Peter Audrain
J.P.D.D.
I Peter Audrain clerk of the Supreme Court of the territory of Michigan, do hereby certify the above to be a true Copy from the Original filed in Court the aoth octoble last. In testimony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and affixed the Seal of the Said Supreme Court, at Detroit the fourth day of november 1807 Peter Audrain Clerk S.C.
[seal]
[Reprinted from Michigan Pioneer and Historical Collections > XXXVI, 180, with the permission of the Michigan Historical Commission.]
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.