Introduction to the primary source written by James G. Basker, from James G. Basker (editor) with Nicole Seary, Black Writers of the Founding Era: 1760–1800 (New York: Library of America, 2023), p. 267.
“A formerly enslaved woman living in Virginia, Sarah Greene was the victim of a thirty-year legal fight involving the estate of George Washington’s friend the Reverend Charles Greene. When Greene’s widow Margaret remarried, Washington signed on as a trustee of her pre-nuptial agreement. But her second husband William Savage proved duplicitous, ignoring or violating many of the contract’s terms, and Margaret was soon secretly appealing to Washington for help. Sarah got caught up in this long-running struggle over trusts, betrayals, filings, and court hearings. Nominally freed back in 1767 by Margaret, Sarah had enjoyed seventeen years of freedom and Savage was long since dead when, in 1784, Savage’s putative heirs suddenly came after her and her family. They kidnapped two of her children, now young adults, and sold them as slaves in the Carolinas. And they threatened to do the same to Sarah and her two younger children. Sarah’s appeal to the Virginia legislature, which shrewdly invokes Washington’s name, was received and tabled, but the eventual outcome is unknown. Washington meanwhile fretted over the estate for decades and died in 1799 with it still in dispute.”
To the honourable the Speaker and Members of the house of Delegates of Virginia
The petition of Sarah Greene humbly sheweth That your petitioner tho born in Slavery has never felt the hardships of that miserable State, it having been her Lott to fall into the hands of one of the best of Masters, the Reverend Charles Greene, late of the County of Fairfax deceased. That having had the goodfortune to recommend herself to the favour of her said Master by many years of faithful service he had determined to reward your petitioner with Liberty to herself and Children. your petitioner is informed that the laws of this Country at that time would not admit of her masters liberating her by Will, and Death prevented him from putting in execution (by legal means) his benevolent Intentions towards your petitioner and her two Children. but that in his last Illness he exacted a promise from his Lady that she would fulfill those intentions after his death. Your petitioner further begs leave to show your honble House that her said Master left his whole fortune in this Country to his Widow Mrs Sarah Greene who in the year 1767 intermarried with Doctor William Savage lately deceased, that previous to the said marriage Doctor Savage executed a Bond to George Washington and Bryan Fairfax Esquires obliging himself to pay a certain sum annually for the use of the said Mrs Greene during her life. That when the Bond was prepared and before it’s execution Mrs Greene insisted that a clause should be inserted enabling her to set free your petitioner and Children. that Doctor Savage agreed that your petitioner and Children should be set free, but to save the trouble of drawing the bond over again promised that he would after the marriage execute an Instrument of writing empowering and enabling his said intended wife to emancipate your petitioner and her two Children. and called upon Witnesses to take notice of his said promise and your petitioner has been informed that he actually executed an Instrument of Writing for that purpose. Some unhappy Differances having arisen between Doctor Savage and his Lady he carried her to Ireland about the year 1769 and left her he returning to Virginia. after this your petitioner and her children were suffered to enjoy their Liberty for many Years. When a Mr Rice said to be a Relation of Doctor Savage took by force from your petitioner her two Children and carried them to Carolina, and has lately attempted to carry off your petitioner and two other Children since born, and still threatens to take the first opportunity of forcing them into Slavery, which your petitioner fears he will do unless your honble House will be pleased to interpose in their favour And as it was the intention of their Master to give them freedom and as Doctor Savage asserted to his Lady’s having that power, it is presumable that Mrs Savage (who your petitioner is informed died in obscurity and great poverty in Ireland without leaving any Relations) did direct them to be set free by her last Will. Tho even if she did not your petitioner humbly hopes that your honble house will pass an act to confirm to herself and Children that Freedom which it was the wish and intention of their Master that they should enjoy. and to which Doctor Savage had himself assented as part of his marriage Contract.
And your petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray &c
Sarah Greene
(December 3, 1784)
Source: Sarah Greene, “Petition to the Virginia House of Delegates,” December 3, 1784. Legislative Petitions Accession Number 36121, Box 69, Folder 13. Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA. In James G. Basker (editor) with Nicole Seary, Black Writers of the Founding Era: 1760–1800, New York: Library of America, 2023, pp. 267–270.