{"petition":[{"petition_analysis_number":"20482210","petition_url":"https:\/\/dlas.uncg.edu\/petitions\/petition\/20482210","state":"District of Columbia","county":"Washington","location_type":"County","file_day":2,"file_month":4,"file_year":1822,"filing_court":"Circuit","end_day":2,"end_month":4,"end_year":1822,"ending_court":"Circuit","result":"partially granted","enslaved_count":1,"fpoc_count":2,"total_people_count":5,"repository":"National Archives, Washington, D. C.","abstract":"Hercules Dowery seeks to settle a dispute with Benjamin Johnson regarding Maria, a female slave.  Dowery contends that Johnson made an agreement with Cemas Dowery, Dowery's wife, to allow her to raise and nuture the then three-year-old Maria during Cemas's lifetime.  Now, sixteen years later, Maria has an infant and Dowery charges that Johnson is attempting to violate the contract \"by withdrawing Maria & her infant from your orator & selling them to the South or parts unknown.\"  He seeks a subpoena and an injunction to prevent Johnson from removing Maria and her child \"from the possession and care of your Orator, during the life time of your Orator's wife.\"","subjects":[{"subject":"Purchased own family (FPOC)"},{"subject":"Purchase\/Sale (enslaved children)"},{"subject":"Enslaver (FPOC)"},{"subject":"FPOC sues white"},{"subject":"Concealing (enslaved)"},{"subject":"Title dispute (enslaved)"},{"subject":"Purchase\/Sale prices (enslaved)"},{"subject":"Slave trade (domestic)"}]}]}