November Term, 1782

The State against Lewis McKnight on Habeus Corpus of Negro Caesar Tite.

AGREEABLY to the Command of the within Writ, I have here In Court the Body of the within mentioned Caesar Tite, and do say that the said Negro Tite is my Property, being bought of Kenneth Hankinson, Esquire, for valuable consideration, and he is not a free Man - but I am willing and desirous to contest that Property by a Jury of the Country, agreeably to the Laws of this State, and pray that It may not be taken from me without a Trial by Jury.

- Lewis McKnight

In the Same Term of November, 1782

IN THE SAME CAUSE OF The State against Lewis McKnight.

IT appearing to the Court, that the said Negro Caesar Tite, brought up by Habeas Corpus and now before the Court, heretofore belonged to Grace Tite, of the County of Monmouth, who by her Last Will and Testament ordered that he should be free when he attained the Age of Twenty-one Years, till which period he was to serve Thomas Leopard of the said County of Monmouth ; that the said Thomas Leonard joined the Eanemy some Time before the Expiration of the said Service, and the said Negro Caesar Tite was sold at Public Vendue with other confiscated personal Property of the said Thomas Leonard, by the Commissioners of forfeited estates for the County of Monmouth, and bought by David Fornian, Esq. who Afterwards sold him to Kenneth Hankinson, Esq. and he to the said Lewis McKnight the Defendant; that no Bond was given by the said Grace Tite, pursuant to the Act of Assembly, passed in the twelfth and thirteenth Years of the late Queen Ann ; And that the said Negro Caesar Tite is now above Twenty-one Years old, to wit, of the Age of about Twenty-four or Twenty-five.

The Court having heard the Arguments of Counsel on both fides, and fully considered thereof, are unanimously of Opinion, That the said manumission is good in Law against all persons claiming under the said Grace Tite, notwithstanding Bond was not given as aforesaid; and do order, on Motion of Mr. Bloomfield for the Attorney-General, that the Negro Caesar Tite be discharged and set at Liberty from the said Lewis McKnight.