Order Cases Online
The files located in the Tennessee Supreme Court Cases represent an especially valuable resource for historical and genealogical research at the Tennessee State Library and Archives [TSLA].
Use quotes for an exact search. ex. "J. W."
View Entry | Year | Case Name | County | Cause/Crime | Case Description | Division | Location | # Pages | Order |
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View Entry | 1861 | Bank of East Tennessee v. George Churchwell, et al. | Knox | Trespass and Damages |
Case file is incomplete; brief only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 75 | 171 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | Elizabeth Bearden v Elizabeth Morgan et al. | Knox | Other |
Elizabeth Bearden is an infant. Her guardian is M.J. Bearden. Case involves a deed of gift of a negro girl named Sarah -given to Elizabeth by her grandmother. The problem is that the grandmother appears to have gifted the slave to more than one grandchild Slavery |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1193 | 55 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | Edward Vickers v. James M. Pesterfield, Mayor & Aldermen of Knoxville, et al | Knox | Damages |
Additional def.s.: George Headman, Thomas O' Conner & Benjamin Hackney. Vickers sues the def.s. for $5000 damages for maliciously & illegally kicking & beating him on 29 Aug. 1858, & for causing him to be kicked & beaten on that date. Also charges that he was illegally arrested & imprisoned in the "calaboose" of Knoxville & held for 15 hours. Pesterfield a Knoxville policeman. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1199 | 57 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | George Graves & wife v. Sarah Clapp | Knox | Estate Dispute |
Dispute over the will of Absalom Rutherford, deceased who left several negroes in his will to his widowed wife, Mary Rutherford, then to his daughters, Anne Graves, Mary Peterson, Sarah Clapp and Jenny Ledgerwood upon her death. If negroes were sold instead than the money from the sale was to be split between his daughters. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1193 | 80 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | George Mayo v. Reuben G. Clark | Knox | Conveyance, Illegal |
An illegal deed of conveyance against the defendant against several properties in Knoxville. One mentioned is a lot of one-half acre (more or less) in Knoxville upon which the Bell Hotel was located. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1196 | 42 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | Isaac Alexander v. Bell & McLemore | Knox | Estate Dispute |
Defendants: William Bell and William McLemore of said company. Estate dispute over Adison Pursley, deceased, whose widow, Lucinda married defendant William Bell. Estate includes 150 acres of land in Knox county in which Lucinda Bell's dowry was assigned too. |
East | Range: R Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1193 | 45 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | James R. Martin & William P. Martin, admrs. Of Samuel Martin, dec. v. Haywood Y. Bennett, et al. | Knox | Petition for Injunction |
Additional defendants: O.P. Temple, James Henry, John Henry, Dorcas Bennett, widow of James D. Bennett, dec., Rufus M. Bennett, C.H. Saffell & wife, Joshua Roberts & wife Sally. Martins filed an injunction bill against defendants to be enjoined from selling or transferring a tract of land in order for estate to be sold and proceeds use to pay James D. Bennett's, dec. debt. Plaintiffs in another case over the estate but against John S. Moffett in 1862 (ET 1196). |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1201 | 60 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | John L. Moses v. R. B. McMullen | Knox | Damages |
Moses answered a court summons about his indebtedness to the Knoxville and Charleston Rail Road Co. He was paid for making clay bricks on the depot grounds conveyed to the railroad. In the conveyance it was stipulated that a division of the grounds should be made to the Knoxville and Kentucky Rail Road Co. should it desire division. When title is awarded, it should go to Knoxville and Charleston RR Co. Proof of McMullen's death included in evidence. John H. Bryson, admr. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1199 | 10 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | John Pedigo v. William F. Haynes | Knox | Debt |
Haynes sued Pedigo for debt. Pedigo had entered written contract with J.S. Colby in which Pedigo was bound to quarry out certain rock for Colby. Pedigo entered into verbal contract with Haynes to split expenses and profits of the job, and Haynes was to keep measurement of the rock quarried. Haynes charged that Pedigo got more pay from the Sligo Marble Co. than he did and that there is a balance of $20 odd dollars still due for the work. Court ruled in Haynes' favor. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1201 | 29 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | Levi McCloud, Charles W. Karns, exe. of Henry Chiles, dec. v. Mary J. Chiles | Knox | Wills, Contested |
Estate of Henry Childs dec., Levi McCloud is the exec. of the will. Mary contests the will. Charles W. Karns is co-executor with McCloud. Case file mentions slaves, "Daphne," "Bob," "Reuben," and others- slaves may be repatriated to "west coast of Africa." Executors asking for court's assistance in interpreting Henry's will. Related case (mentioned in this case): Levi McCloud, Charles W. Karns, exe. v. Jesse Wilkans & William Rogers in ET Box 1154. Please note that this is East TN case. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 646 | 325 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | Levi McCloud v. John C. Mynatt & B. K. Mynatt | Knox | Ejectment |
Land boundary dispute. Also involved: Jacob Graybeals, Solomon Ezell, Richard Mynatt, William Weaver, Philip D. Bell, Robert Kirkpatrick, George W. Caruss, John W. Legg, Nancy Koons, Joseph Simmons, George W. Summers, A. W. Armstrong, Lea Bayless, Alexander McMillan, Buck Ezell, James Hunter. Two oversize plat maps attached to paper. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1199 | 66 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | M. J. Dumford & Wife, Elizabeth, et al.v. Robert Meek, et al | Knox | Estate Dispute |
Additional Plaintiffs: Jesse B. Alexander & Wife, Martha; Henry A. Whaley, & Wife, Amanda; Sarah (McMillan) Brown; Artie A. McMillan. Additional def.s.: Westley Segg; Alexander McMillan, et al. Female plaintiffs heirs of William McMillan, dec. 10 June 1842. Betsey McMillan his widow. Plaintiffs suing to collect on an unpaid debt of $1050 that Robert Meek owed to Alexander McMillan, father of William McMillan. Debt secured by trust deed which W. McMillan surrendered due to mental illness. See ET 1201. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1199 | 103 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | Ocoee Bank v. John D. James | Knox | Debt, Execution on |
For debt of $5000 on bill of exchange. See also John D. James, et al. v. Ocoee Bank, et al., Davidson Co., 1875 (box MT 16). |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1193 | 22 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | Robert McKinney v. Margaret Stacks | Knox | Ejectment |
The defendant originally accused Thomas Lyon and James Ramsey of ejecting her from her home and unlawfully withholding her possessions. The plaintiff later purchased the property from Lyon and Ramsey. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1184 | 61 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | State v. Susan Swaggerty | Knox | Liquor, Sale of Illegal |
For selling a quart of liquor to Robert Mitchell & James Nelson. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1193 | 14 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | State v. Samuel West | Knox | Assault and Battery |
For assault & battery of Nelson Mynatt. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1193 | 18 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | The City Bank of Nashville v. John S. Moffett, Drury Morris & James M. Shannon | Knox | Assumpsit |
Henry McFarland & William L. Turley dba McFarland & Co executed $1,000 bill of exchange payable to def Shannon, who endorsed it to def Morris, who endorsed it to def Moffett, who endorsed it to pla. City Bank. When bill became due, payment refused. Hence this suit. Shannon dropped as defendant. Def. say purpose of bill was to get bill discouned in Bank of East Tennessee in Knoxville, for benefit of McFarland & Co, and that Def. were merely accommodation endorsers. Court ruled in bank's favor. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1196 | 114 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | Thomas L. Powell v. Samuel Morrow& William Lamb | Knox | Debt |
The plaintiff complains that the defendants are in debt to him for various breaches of contract including the sale of one of his slaves, from which he did not receive money, and the profits from shared farm labor. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1202 | 90 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | William P. Harbison, et al. v. Hugh Thompson & Sarah Thompson | Knox | Debt |
Plaintiffs: George W. Howard, Cole & Howard of Baltimore; Isaac I. Tibbals, Brooks, Tibbals & Fulton of Baltimore. In 1849, defendants entered into a business relation with plaintiff, Harbison. By 1850, the business relationship ended. Defendant Hugh Thompson bought on account a large order of goods without knowledge of plaintiff, Harbison. Purchase alleged to be under false pretense. 4/10/15: for more of case, see box ET 1221. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1196 | 18 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | William R. Caswell, Clerk of Supreme Court of Errors & Appeals at Knoxville (12 Sept. 1861) | Knox | Bond |
$1000 bond for fines & forfeitures. Caswell had been appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court of Errors & Appeals at Knoxville. Bondsmen: William A. Branner, James P. Swann & H.(?) L. McClung. Bond dated 12 Sept. 1861. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1199 | 1 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | W. R. Hurley v. William Ingles | Knox | Debt |
Ingles sued Hurley for debt of $719.40 in unpaid promissory notes which payment was unjustly detained from him to his damage $500. Hurley defaulted when he did not show up in court. Ingles received judgment in his favor for $621.14. Hurley appealed. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1206 | 17 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | William R. Caswell, Report of Enrollment of Cases | Knox | Other |
Caswell's report of the enrollment of cases disposed of at the September Term 1860 of the Supreme Court at Knoxville. Report lists cases by name, the amount of fees charged for enrollment in each case, & each case's number on the execution docket. Back of report reads "Clerk W. R. Caswell's Report of Cases for 1861". |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1199 | 24 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | William R. Caswell, Appointed Supreme Court Clerk | Knox | Other |
Letter signed by R. J. McKinney, A. Wright & Robert L. Carruthers, declaring the post of Supreme Court Clerk vacant & appointing Caswell to the position. At the time the present Clerk, C. W. Nelson, had been absent for about 2 months for unknown reasons & had not been heard from. The writers charged him with failure to perform his duties. Letter dated 17 Jan. 1861. Caswell executed the bonds required by law, took the oath and "was duly qualified January 23, 1861." |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1199 | 1 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | William G. Swan v. Frederick W. Vanuxem, et al. | Knox | Land, Sale of |
Other defendants: Elizabeth Vanuxem; Elizabeth H. Kennedy, widow of James Kennedy, dec., & guardian of William Kennedy. Plaintiff purchased land at court ordered sale which had been part of estate of James Kennedy. He paid off the first 2 of his 3 notes for the property, but then learned that he would not have title to the land, so he refused to pay the 3rd note. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1199 | 21 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | William R. Caswell, Clerk of Supreme Court of Errors & Appeals at Knoxville | Knox | Bond |
Bonds for Caswell, who had been appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court of Errors & Appeals at Knoxville. $10,000 bond for "faithful discharge of duties as Clerk"; $10,000 bond as Special Commissioner; $1000 bond for fines & forfeitures; $5000 bond for state taxes in court, etc. All bonds dated 23 Jan. 1861. Bondsmen: James W. Gillespie, W. Brazelton, Jr., W. W. Bradford, & James S. Boyd. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1199 | 8 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1861 | William C. Nelson v. The East Tennessee & Georgia Rail Road Company | Knox | Trespass and Damages |
The defendant made a promise to the plaintiff to deliver sixty thousand bushels of wheat to certain depots along their rail road line. The plaintiff believes the defendant attempted to defraud him because they later refused to carry and convey the wheat to the planned city of Dalton. Plaintiff sued for damages in the sum of $30,000. |
East | Range: 9 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1202 | 220 | Order A Copy |