State v. . Bennett

On behalf of the prosecution it was proved that Benjamin Curry, a free man of color, was living in the house mentioned in the indictment, and cultivating the land on which it was situated, and on the day of the alleged trespass was ploughing in oats near the house; that he bought the land about twelve years before, about which time he also bought the negro woman Phillis, who was his wife and the mother of the other slaves; that he lived on the land ever since he bought it, during all which time, with the exception of a few weeks, he had possession of the negroes and other personal property,…