It was a suit to enforce the Wills.  The wills probably violated the rule against perpetuities and should have been declared void, but the VA Court in 1799 danced around that issue and upheld the wills, and freed the slaves.

 
----
Paul Finkelman
President William McKinley Distinguished Professor of Law
Albany Law School
80 New Scotland Avenue
Albany, NY  12208


518-445-3386 (p)
518-445-3363 (f)


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www.paulfinkelman.com


________________________________
 From: John Philip Adams <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] 
Sent: Wednesday, August 1, 2012 9:44 AM
Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Pleasants v. Logan
 
This sounds like a really great case. FREEING of slaves by a Va. Court. What
was the cause of action to initiate this case. 
Thanks
JP Adams
Texas


-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Michael Nicholls
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 2:14 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Pleasants v. Logan

The case of Pleasants v. Logan in the High Court of Chancery at the end of
the 18th century that forced the heirs of John and Jonathan Pleasants to
free slaves they had inherited is well known. Can any one direct me to any
work that has been done on the individuals who were freed as a result of
that case. Thank you--Mick Nicholls

Michael L. Nicholls
Professor of History, Emeritus
Dept. of History
Utah State University
Logan, UT 84322-0710

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