This case is about slaves or slavery.
| Year: | 1881 |
| Citation: | 56 Md. 129 |
| Jurisdiction: | Maryland |
| People: | |
| Short Summary: | Testatrix devised land to her two sons and an annuity of thirty dollars per year, paid by her sons, to her niece. The will directs that her slaves should be hired out until their wages reached a certain amount and then to be free. Stating that the fund raised by the hire of the slaves for the payment of debts failed (not explaining why). After sale of the land to pay the debts of the estate, the testatrix's son argued that he was no longer responsible for the annuity, however the court rejected this narrow interpretation of the will and held that the testatrix's intent was that the annuity should be personal not out of the land. |
| Law type: | |
| Full name: | Mary E. Owens vs. Richard Claytor, et al.; Richard Claytor vs. Mary E. Owens |
| Court: | Court of Appeals of Maryland |