NorthShore Slavery

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Casar vs. Samuel Taylor (1772)

A captive who arrived in New England directly from Africa speaking no English, Caesar, twelve years old, was purchased at dock side by Timothy Fuller of Middleton. Taylor sent him to Samuel Taylor of Reading to be taught leather-dressing. At the end of three years, Fuller sold Caesar to Edward Hircum. Caesar negotiated an oral contract with Taylor that, in return for Taylor buying Caesar from Hircum, Caesar would earn enough in six years to repay Taylor at Taylor's profit and Taylor would free Caesar. Taylor broke this oral contract by selling Caesar after the second year. Caesar sued for his freedom on the basis of the broken contract and, with John Lowell as his attorney, won his freedom from an ECCP jury and in Taylor's SCJ 1772 appeal.

Essex Court of Common Pleas

Superior Court of Judicature