To the Hon. James M. Masacy Judge of the 15th. Judicial District
The petition of Gabriel Todd who resides in the County s State aforesaid respectfully shows unto your Honor that he is a free man of color, that he is over the age of fourteen years, and that he resides in the said county of Polk: petitioner further represents to your Honor that he desires to avail himself of the law permitting him to select a master and become a slave; and believing Edward D. Martin, a citizen of the County and State aforesaid to be a proper person, he prays that due notice hereof be given; that the said Martin he cited to appear at the next term of your Honor’s Court; that your Honor will hear proof of the facts herein alleged, and will adjudge and decree your petitioner to be the slave of the said Edward D. Martin & as in duty bound & c.
Subscribed this 20th. Day } Gabriel todd
of March 1860 in the }
presence of us subscribing }
witnesses. }
G. W Goodwin }
J. S. Brown }

[docket]
No 725
Gabriel Todd
{ Petition to
{ become a
{ Slave
_______________
Filed March the
22nd. A. D. 1860
Hble. EHill
Dpty [D C D C H C]

To the Honorable B. W. Gray
Judge of Senior Court
The petition of Agnes Calvin Respectfully that she is a free person of African descent and a resident of the County of Marion in the State of Texas, having come to said State from the State of North Carolina on or about the day of May 1860;
First her petition shows that she is about thirty five years of age and has two female children, one named Joanna, thirteen years of age, the other named Mary Margrett, nine years of age:
Further petitions States that she desires to elect or choose a master for herself and said two children Joanna and Mary Margrett [illegible] to the Statutes in such case made and provided And to that [inserted: and] petitioner makes choice of J.S.H. Hossack to become her Master and the Master of said children, a person of good repute and a resident citizen of the County of Marion aforesaid;
[2] In consideration of these premises petitioner prays that a decree may be made and entered in this Court Making the said J.S.H. Hossack the Master and owner of your petitioner And her said two children Joanna and Mary Margrett And your petitioner as duty bound will even pray &c her
Agnes X Calvin
Mark
Signed in the presence of }
Wm. [Himins] }
W. J. Parker }

The State of Texas }
}
County of Gillespie }
In Conformity with an Act of the Legislature of the State of Texas, passed & approved January 27th 1858, entitled “ An Act to permit Free persons of African Descent, to select their own Master and become Slaves, — I, A. Erlenmezer, Clerk of the District Court of the County of Gillespie, State aforesaid, do herewith give Notice, that Ann Jackson, a free female of Color has filed her petition in our said Court on the 4th Day of October A. D. 1858; which said Petition reads as follows: to [wit]:
Fort Mason, Texas
Sept. 27th 1858.
I Ann Jackson, being a free female of Color respectfully Petition the Honorable District Court, to choose W. C. Lewis of Mason County, State of Texas, to be my lawful master, In Testimony of which I hereunto attach my Cross in presence of two reliable witnesses.
Ann X Jackson
Witness
J. M. [Sween]
J. Cavenass.

Witness my hand & the Seal of said Court
at Fredericksburg, Octob. 4th
A D : 1858.
A. Erlenmezer, C. D. C. G. C.