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historic marker Pleasants v. Pleasants Quaker attraction display education historical marker Historical Site information landmark marker Place of Interest sign Tourist Destination Travel Destination Virginia attractive destination educating historic markers historic site info signage tourist attraction VA appealing history no people text tourism travel South attract historic nobody word daytime displays historical markers landmarks markers signs appeal color image educate historical outdoor vertical day destinations historic sites tourist attractions US colour image outside day time USA day-time U.S. words color images daylight outdoors U.S.A. verticals colour images Jason O. Watson / historical-markers.org natural light outsides United States United States of America Henrico County sign with text |
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PLEASANTS V. PLEASANTS
John Pleasants, Sr., nearby landowner and Quaker, requested in his will that his slaves be freed when each became 30 years old. Pleasants died in 1771, but it was not until 1782 that some of his slaves gained freedom when the Virginia General Assembly approved private manumissions. His son, Robert Pleasants, and a few other heirs freed close to 100 slaves in multiple counties. Robert Pleasants attempted to get all of the family to honor the will's stipulations, which culminated in 1798 when the Virginia High Court of Chancery heard it as a legal case. Future U.S. Chief Justice John Marhsall and John Warden represented Robert Pleasants on behalf of the slaves. In 1799, the court ruled in favor of freeing the slaves. Some of the freed slaves settled nearby on Robert Pleasant's land to form the Gravely Hill community.
Department of Historic Resources, 2002. |