Inhabitants of Medway v. Inhabitants of Natick
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Assumpsit for moneys expended by the plaintiffs in the support and maintenance of one Roba Vickons, a pauper, alleged by the plaintiffs to have had her legal settlement in Natick, and a child of the said Roba. The parties agreed that judgment should be rendered on the following facts: — The pauper is the daughter of Ishmael Coffee, of Medway. The said Ishmael is half black and half white.
Read the full summary
Assumpsit for moneys expended by the plaintiffs in the support and maintenance of one Roba Vickons, a pauper, alleged by the plaintiffs to have had her legal settlement in Natick, and a child of the said Roba. The parties agreed that judgment should be rendered on the following facts: — The pauper is the daughter of Ishmael Coffee, of Medway. The said Ishmael is half black and half white. His wife, who is the mother of Roba, the pauper, is a white woman; the said Roba was married to one Christopher Vickons, of Natick, a white person, August 6, 1789, by the Rev. Stephen Badger, of said Natick.…
1Opinion of the Court
* By the Court.
Two questions are referred to our [ * 89 ] decision in this case.— 1. Whether the legislature had authority, within the constitution, (the parties probably intending the declaration of rights prefixed to the constitution,) to declare a marriage of a white person with a mulatto to be absolutely null and void. It is unnecessary for us to declare any opinion we may have formed upon this question; as our opinion upon the second question, viz. whether the pauper is a mulatto, is sufficient for the decision of this action. And it is our unanimous opinion, that a mulatto is a person…
2Cited by2 opinions
- Thurman v. StateSupreme Court of Alabama · 1850
- Doe on the demise of Lafontaine v. AvalineIndiana Supreme Court · 1856