Tennessee Supreme Court Cases

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View Entry Year Case Name County Cause/Crime Case Description Division Location # Pages Order
View Entry 1888 Andrew Allison, Guardian v. Virginia Z. Wilson et al Davidson Guardianship of Minors

Plaintiff guardian to Emeline, Maria, Virginia, Felix, James, Mary & Robert Wilson, all minors. Plaintiff was appointed guardian in 1880 (Guardian Book G), had collected no money belonging to said minors up to suit.Plaintiff petitioned to resign from from guardianship, as Emeline had married & Maria had come of age. Add. defendants: the remaining minor children. Atty. Frank Slemons appointed to represent defendants, who deny plaintiff had not collected land/money. Add. Documents located in MT 922.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 745 76 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Carlin Rice v. John T. Baker Davidson Land and Title Dispute

Plaintiff filed to clear his title to land with a mill on it from the attempt of the defendant to void the title.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 748 202 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Chesapeake & Nashville Railway Company v. John Branhaw Davidson Contract Dispute and Damages

Exhibit material is a hand-drawn map. The plaintiff filed the bill after they paid the defendant $700 for access to a land to build a railroad, but when they failed to complete construction by the designated date, they were obstructed from the land.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 765 144 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 H. M. Bates v. William Graham, et al. Davidson Injury and Damages

Plaintiff fell in a sewer and was injured. Additional defendants: Mayor and City of Nashville.

 Middle Range: 33 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 458 264 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Henry Wade v. Overland Railroad Company Davidson Damages

Wade leased a 205-acre farm (the "Vault" farm) including a house & larger dwelling he sublet to Dr. H.M. Pierce. Contiguous landowners induced def. to procure its rail line through their farms, including land Wade was leasing. Wade sued, claiming rail line damaged his leasehold, but defendant claimed Wade had agreed to it.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 736 78 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 J. G. Greener et al.v. Davidson County et al Davidson Taxation Disputes

Add. Plaintiffs: M.L. Ambrose, Thomas G.M. Campbell, & D. Deaderik. City tried to force the plaintiffs under a company name to pay tax on their liquor sales. Plaintiffs claim they sold liquor solely as medicine, not as a beverage and should be exempt from the tax. Company was forced to pay $1,248 to the state and $680 to Davidson County. Includes assignment of errors.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 745 105 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Joe Hand v. E. W. Cole et al Davidson Debt on Account

Add. defendants: Lebeck Brothers, B.F. Moore, John A. McEwen, J.S. Billings, & T.G. Ryman. Issue of debt due on account. The plaintiff was awarded $624.10.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 755 14 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 John Watson et al.v. The Nashville, Chattanooga, & St. Louis Railway company Davidson Breach of Contract

Add. plaintiff: Nancy Watson. The plaintiffs filed a bill against the defendant for damages in stock (under $500) by a delay in shipment and a breach of contract.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 766 178 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 John J. King, admr of Patrick J. King, dec. v. The Louisville & Nashville Rail Road Company Davidson Wrongful Death

Patrick was a fireman employed by Def railroad & was working on a train running from south toward Nashville when it collided with another train in Maury County, TN, killling 7 men including Patrick. Also working on the train at that time: Beech (engineer) & Whittemore (flagman). Patrick's executor (his dad John) sued for $50,000; jury ruled for pla. & awarded $3250. Patrick never married, had no children, and was survived by his dad, mom Mary, brother Thomas, & sisters Ella & Annie.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 768 393 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 J. R. Britton by next friend Joseph Clemmons v. Dave Honeycutt Davidson Damages

The plaintiff is sued the defendant for damages in the sum of $20,000 for the action of false imprisonment when the plaintiff was unlawfully arrested and imprisoned for one day without probable cause.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 775 14 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Maurice Landen v. Thomas Ryan Davidson Non-payment of Bank Note

Debt due by failure to pay notes for $500.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 735 50 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Mayor & city council of Nashville v. Louisville & Nashville Railroad Co. Davidson Land and Title Dispute

Dispute over ownership and right of way on a tract of land in East Nashville referred to as the "Edgefield Dump." Mention of John Shelby is made in the case as the land was originally conveyed by John Shelby's trustee to the Louisville and Nashville Railroad.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 750 113 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Mayor & City Council of Nashville v. McGavock Mt. Vernon Horse Railroad Co. Davidson Damages

Defendant is a streetcar company operating in Nashville and is being sued for damages resulting from the violation of an agreement to pave and maintain the road area surrounding their tracks. Additional documents can be found in ET 736

 Middle Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 772 133 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Martha Aldrich v. Julia N. More Davidson Debt

The plaintiff entered into a contract with the defendant to care for her children during their year of study in Leipsic, Germany. The plaintiff claims that she was not reimbursed for her labor in full. This case was originally heard in New York and was pending at the time of this action. Case file includes bound copy of New York court proceedings.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 780 193 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Mayor & City Council v. McGavock Mt. Vernon Horse Railroad Co. Davidson Contract Dispute and Damages

Defendant is a streetcar company that applied & gained permission from Plaintiff to lay down tracks on certain city streets in Nashville. The streetcar co.'s were responsible for paving between & immediately around tracks with same material as street. When Church St. was to be changed from a macadamized road to Belgium pavement, defendants refused to make the necessary improvements around their tracks; plaintiff sued for $10,000 expended. Additional documents can be found in ET 772.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 736 29 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 S. C. Price v. A. S. Colyar et al Davidson Damages

Plaintiff brought suit to recover $20,000 damages for libel. Defendant said to have published false and scandalous accusations regarding plaintiff's involvement in the murder of his friend, Jimmy Raymer near Nashville (unsolved at this time) Article published in 'The Daily American' newspaper of the Union & American Publishing Co. suggested Price killed Raymer (aged 12) & stole $50. Plaintiff was son of ex-Sheriff John L. Price, highly regarded in county. Circuit Court found for defense.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 741 75 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Samuel J. Watkins et al.v. The Mayor & City Council of Nashville Davidson Land, Contract Dispute

Additional plaintiffs listed in file. Exhibit materials are multiple photographs of property/ies and maps. S.J. Watkins (dec.) appointed Isaac Litton as executor to follow out his will that stated 10 acres of his property was to be deeded to the city for use as a public park. After his death, the city had failed to comply with several stipulations laid out in the contract and deed, including not introducing water or having a fountain and maintaining the grounds and fence enclosing the property.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 757 188 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Tennessee MFG Co. v. W. D. Parkhurst Davidson Debt

Defendant in error is seeking debt due to him from the Tennessee MFG Co., also called Tennessee Cotton Mills, for back pay. The plaintiff in error claims the defendant signed a contract guaranteeing them two weeks notice before leaving the company. The defendant left without giving two weeks notice and the plaintiff claims that the defendant's breach of contract cost the company $16.80. The defendant was a bag weaver at the company and earned $1.50 per day.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 774 24 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Walter King et al.v. J. P. Cowley admr et al Davidson Estate Dispute

2 folders. Add. Plaintiffs: J.T. King, Mrs. Mattie Bell, J.R. & Ida Dumas. Add. Defendants: J.W. Norman & M.W. Carter. Administrators of the estate of Laney King (dec.). Real estate and goods dispute.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 735 421 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 W. J. Morrison v. Union & American Publishing Company Davidson Libel

Plaintiff was the secretary of the Home Real Estate company and a public figure. R.C. Polk, a reporter for the defendant, supposedly saw the plaintiff's name in a jail book for fraudulently obtaining $200 and gave it to his publisher who put it in the papers with the plaintiff being the only Morrison in town at the time. The paragraph in the paper about the plaintiff were in fact fraudulent and the plaintiff had never been convicted of any crime. Sued for and won $3,500.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 746 125 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Walter D. Rainey, by next friend v. James J. Webster& E.J. Moore Davidson Damages

Rainey hired horse and buggy from Webster and Moore. Rainey returned horse and paid for the hire. The next day, horse died. Defendants claim death was result of overdriving. Previous case mentioned in which Rainey was arrested for obtaining property under false pretenses and for cruelty to animals. Judgment was in favor of def't. Now, Rainey suing Webster and Moore for $10,000 in damages for being maliciously and prosecuted for above charge.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 767 82 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 Walter R. Johnson by next friend v. Nashville, Chattanooga& St. Louis Railway Company Davidson Injury and Damages

A train owned by the defendant that was carrying cars of coal and rags ran onto a downgraded switch in McMinnville. The plaintiff, a boy of about 8 years, and a friend climbed onto the coal car to unfasten the brake. When the wheel was loosened, it moved with a violent force and threw the plaintiff against the side of the car, where he fell under the car as it ran over his arm, which was later amputated.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 820 297 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 William Morrow v. The Nashville Iron, Steel, & Charcoal Company et al Davidson Other

Appeal from a former bill that went against Morrow after he bought stocks in the defendant's company but was then dissatisfied with his investment.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 751 48 Order A Copy
View Entry 1888 W. M. Drake & B.H. Beazley v. W. J. Auten Davidson Election Dispute

The plaintiffs were candidates for 1888 election of the Davidson County Justice of the Peace. They argue that Auten, who was also a candidate, was constitutionally ineligible for the position because he does not believe in God. The plaintiffs also claim that another candidate named Pope Johnson, also known as A.P. Polk, received votes in both names and that those votes should not be combined. The plaintiffs also claim misconduct at the polling stations.

 Middle Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 772 147 Order A Copy