Cases Adjudged in the Supreme Court of New-Jersey; relative to the Manumission of Negroes and others holden in bondage
[page 14]

April Term, 1785.

([Minutes,] p.300)

The STATE against BENJAMIN APPLEGATE.

On Habeas Corpus of Negro Peter Ridley claiming to be manumitted.

The said Negro Peter being brought into Court by Habeas Corpus, and it appearing to the Court on Testimony, that the said Negro Peter is the Son of a certain William Ridley, a free Negro and his Wife Dianna, a Negro Woman sometime the Property of Dollans Hegeman, and who became free before the Birth of the said Negro Peter, and that the said Parents of the said Negro Peter have ever since lived and been reputed as free.

The Court are of Opinion and do adjudge, that the said Negro Peter was free-born, and is entitled to be discharged as a free Man; and do order that he be discharged accordingly, on Motion of Mr. Paterson for the State.