Tennessee Supreme Court Cases
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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].
Tennessee Supreme Court Cases
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| View Entry | Year | Case Name | County | Cause/Crime | Case Description | Division | Location | # Pages | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Entry | 1870 | A. J. Register v. State | Montgomery | Conversion of Property |
Plaintiff is appealing the charge that he appropriated two cows from W. J. Shearon. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 327 | 34 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1880 | Addison Morrison v. Shelby, Scott,& Company | Montgomery | Insurance Disputes |
The plaintiff, Morrison, was an African-American tobacco grower in Montgomery County. The firm of Shelby, Scott & Co., who owned a tobacco warehouse, was headed by J.H. Shelby and D.W. Scott. |
Middle | Range: 21 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 173 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1893 | Abe & Pomp Thompkins v. State | Montgomery | Trespass |
The plaintiffs in error are accused of entering the property of S. B. Seat and tearing down fences and gates. The fence in controversy was built across "Old Seven Mile Ferry Road," which runs through Seat's property. Seat claims the road was no longer public but that is still occasionally used as a "shun," road to avoid a nearby toll-gate. Seat and the plaintiffs are neighbors. Plaintiffs claim the road is still public and the only way to travel from their homes. Exhibit materials include a small map. |
Middle | Range: 36 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 955 | 28 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1895 | Ben Leavell v. State | Montgomery | Rape |
Plaintiff in error was accused of rape and having intercourse with a female under the age of sixteen. Plaintiff admitted to a relationship with Mary Moore but stated the intercourse was consensual. Casefile notes Moore lived with her mother and father in district 3 of Montgomery County. |
Middle | Range: 36 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1030 | 48 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1874 | Chris Hickman v. State | Montgomery | Liquor, Sale of Illegal |
Selling whiskey on a Sunday. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 353 | 30 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1871 | Drew Johnson v. State | Montgomery | Larceny |
Larceny against M. J. Hornberger |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 320A | 25 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1878 | George Bennett v. State | Montgomery | Larceny |
George Bennett, colored, Additional parties: Stephen Whitlock, colored |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 38 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1878 | Henry Quarles v. State | Montgomery | Theft |
Henry Quarles is "colored" |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 38 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1892 | Irvin Quarles v. State | Montgomery | Motion for Appeal |
This casefile is an appeal from a case where plaintiff was charged with Murder in the Second Degree for the death of Abe Slaughter. Plaintiff struck Abe Slaughter with a bat, causing his death. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 913 | 52 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1870 | Jesse Gray v. State | Montgomery | Theft |
Defendant is a "colored man" accused of stealing a mule. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 327 | 58 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1890 | John Gilmore v. State | Montgomery | Murder |
Pla. in error is accused of shooting and killing Abe Clardy. Gilmore and the victim were members of the same church and were on opposites sides of a debate regarding the employment of their current church pastor, Ephraim Dennis. The debate stemmed from a suit won by the church involving the title to the church property. The church sustained debt from said suit, and some in the church leadership wished to, "turn the pastor off," until debts were paid. This appears to have been an African American church. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 868 | 74 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1868 | James Nolan v. State | Montgomery | Larceny |
For "feloniously take & carry away of four cattle" |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 609 | 29 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1887 | Joe Jackson v. State | Montgomery | Possession of Illegal Weapons |
carrying a pistol unlawfully |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 696 | 24 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1922 | Lizzie, Alias Margaret Garard v. State | Montgomery | Other |
Accessory after the fact to murder, and aiding in concealing and covering up the crime of murder. |
Middle | Range: 33 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 460 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1879 | Lee Rose v. State | Montgomery | Murder |
Additional parties: Charles Cosmell |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 38 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1873 | Pat Sullivan v. State | Montgomery | Assault |
Assault and battery with intent to commit murder upon Tom Morrisey. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 355 | 81 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1871 | Pleasant Hunt v. State | Montgomery | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Assault and battery with intent to commit murder in the first degree |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 302 | 30 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1867 | R. M. Hodges v. State | Montgomery | Assault with Intent to Commit Rape | Middle | Range: 32 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 321 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1842 | State v. James McNichols | Montgomery | Other |
Case of Action: Stealing a Free Negro. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 206 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1845 | State v. William L. Norfleet | Montgomery | Tippling |
Amount of damages $250.00 |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 218 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1849 | State v. James Hamilton | Montgomery | Larceny | Middle | Range: 32 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 228 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1849 | State v. Dana Brown | Montgomery | Assault and Battery | Middle | Range: 32 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 228 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1849 | State v. J. G. Homberger | Montgomery | Gambling | Middle | Range: 32 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 228 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1849 | State v. Thomas J. Wynne | Montgomery | Murder | Middle | Range: 32 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 229 | 50 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1853 | State v. Hannah Cahall | Montgomery | Liquor Violation | Middle | Range: 32 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 244 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1875 | State v. Dennis Orford (col.) | Montgomery | Larceny, Grand |
Dennis Orford, referred to as an African American man, was accused of breaking into George W. Hampton's tobacco barn and stealing tobacco valuing about $25. Hampton was in business with Charles Davis, both African American, & the two found their drying barn to have been robbed. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 11a | 44 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1875 | State v. William Smith, alias J. H. Bradley | Montgomery | Theft |
Smith was accused of stealing a sorrel horse from W. H. Cheancy in Kentucky. It was calued at $150. Incomplete case file. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 13a | 8 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1876 | State v. Len Ogburn | Montgomery | Carrying an Illegal Weapon |
Charged with carrying a socket pistol. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 18a | 18 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1877 | State v. C. W. Wallace | Montgomery | Other |
Cause of action: Obtaining money under false pretenses. Wallace fraudulently represented himself to John F. Counts a senior member of the firms John F. Conts and Son as M. S. Marley, a member of the firm Harley Matt & Co. furniture dealers. Wallace convinced Conts to sign a $50 draft. Wallace was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 29 | 40 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1877 | State v. Fred Allensworth (col.) | Montgomery | Larceny, Grand |
See smiliar case in same box but with different docket number. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 29a | 50 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1876 | State v. Alec Kirby (col.) | Montgomery | Arson |
Kirby was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and was housed in the Calaboose. The Calaboose was a cell in the market house. The defendant was said to have started a fire on the cell floor and the cell caught on fire. He was found guilty of house burning and sentenced to four years in the Penitentiary. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 30a | 28 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1879 | State v. Charles Carmal (col.) | Montgomery | Larceny |
Defendant is listed as "a man of color." Victim: W. L. Bessy. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 50 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1878 | State v. C. W. Wallace | Montgomery | Fraud | Middle | Range: 20 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 50 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1880 | State v. George Bennett | Montgomery | Horse Stealing | Middle | Range: 20 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 55 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1881 | State v. Major Johnson | Montgomery | Breaking and Entering |
The defendant, an African-American, was accused of breaking into a business establishment owned by Frank Bryers. |
Middle | Range: 21 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 174 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1874 | State v. Dick Poindexter | Montgomery | Larceny |
Larceny against Rhoda Barton. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 355 | 9 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1872 | State v. John Upshear | Montgomery | Carrying an Illegal Weapon | Middle | Range: 32 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 347 | 14 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1871 | State v. Micajah Hendrick | Montgomery | Carrying an Illegal Weapon |
Carrying a Bowie knife or Arkansas toothpick or Spanish stiletto |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 302 | 10 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1848 | State v. Jonathan Sanders | Montgomery | Gambling | Middle | Range: 33 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 382 | 6 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1848 | State v. George Blakemore | Montgomery | Liquor, Sale of Illegal | Middle | Range: 33 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 382 | 4 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1846 | State v. E. Howard& W. B. Harrison | Montgomery | Gambling | Middle | Range: 33 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 382 | 7 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1848 | State v. Osborne Weed | Montgomery | Liquor, Sale of Illegal | Middle | Range: 33 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 382 | 5 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1854 | State v. Elias, a slave | Montgomery | Rape |
Elias was the property of William G. Adams of Montgomery County. Elias was charged with raping Sarah Bristow, a free white woman on Nov. 4, 1852. Elias was held in the county jail until April 7th when a gallow was to be erected one mile from the court house at which he would be hanged between 3:00-10:00. The clerk marked out the date and that he was hanged in the transcript. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: Oversize 4 | 10 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1891 | State v. George Avant | Montgomery | Murder |
Victim: Kate Avant, wife of George, died by poisoning with strychnine. |
Middle | Range: 33 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 487 | 64 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1869 | State v. Archie Yateman | Montgomery | Perjury | Middle | Range: 33 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 489 | 28 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1869 | State v. Granville Whitlock | Montgomery | Larceny |
Black horse stolen from victim, Bill Ballintine. |
Middle | Range: 33 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 489 | 19 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1880 | State v. Henry Bowman | Montgomery | Assault with Intent to Commit Rape |
Incomplete file. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 552 | 3 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1885 | State v. Bery[?] Moody, alias Hibbett | Montgomery | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Victim: Charles Crass |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 560 | 12 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1887 | State v. C. C. (?) Young | Montgomery | Tippling |
Hard to determine due to hand writing style, but it is believed the defendant is C. C. Young. Full name is never given. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 670 | 15 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. J. E. Warner | Montgomery | Revenue |
Cause of action: Violation of revenue laws. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 682 | 10 | Order A Copy |