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 | 1855 | Alphonsa D. Meatne & Thomas B. Eastland v. Pryatt Adkins et al | Bledsoe | Trespass with Force of Arms |
Add. defendants: Loliver Revis & Feilding Naramow. Defendants allegedly unlawfully broke and entered with force of arms into the property of the plaintiffs. sued for $500 in damages. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1180 | 24 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | Bank of Tennessee v. John L. Bridges, et al. | McMinn | Debt |
Numerous defendants including William H. Slover, Abraham Slover, Deaderick D. Anderson, Pierce [also Pearce] B. Anderson, Andrew Turner, M. Southard, and Samuel P. Ivins. Adaline A. Blackwell also executed a deed of trust to Bridges for Negro slaves Charlotte and her children Harriett, Edward, George Sherman, Nelson, Roger or Tobe, Henry, and David. Other Blackwell family names mentioned. Oversize. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1166 | 4 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | James Cotter, alias James Coterell v. State | Roane | Assault, Felonious |
Case of assault with attempt to commit rape of Lucinda Jones. Cutter, an Irish boarder and well-digger, frequently solicited her chastity while he was drunk. He soon "violently and against her will feloniously" did ravish and carnally know her. Afterward, "she was attacked with a sick spell... & was sitting by the door fanning herself with a turkey wing--Deft was laying down in the floor with his pantaloons unbuttoned" and [graphic description follows]. The defendant's name could be Cutter or Cotrell. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 16 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | John Prichett v. State (for George Stimple) | Davidson | Theft | Middle | Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 247 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. George Ridley | Williamson | Murder |
One page Inquisition for murder. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 241 | 0 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. John Williams, et al | Davidson | Other |
Charged with harboring a slave named Asa. Additional defendants: John Graham, Isaac Taylor, Thomas Wright, Ann Rabey. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 254 | 84 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. John Moore& Jesse Hall | Rutherford | Liquor, Sale of Illegal | Middle | Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 256 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. William L. Armstrong | Overton | Liquor, Sale of Illegal | Middle | Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 256 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. James L. Thomas | Cannon | Illegitimate Child/Bastardy | Middle | Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 247 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Joel N. W. Conn | Grundy | Other |
Defendant is charge with unlawfully concealing a weapon (bowie knife). |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 263 | 0 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Joseph Roulston& John Roulston | Marion | Other |
Cause of action: public obscenity. For publicly calling one Catharine McBee [also spelled Magbee] a "god-damned strumpet," among other things. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 4 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Jesse W. S. Graham | Morgan | Other |
Cause of action: Public obscenity. For calling one Jesse Adkins a "god-damned hog thief and a god-damned liar." |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 6 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. John Howard, et al. | Sevier | Failure to Pay |
Other defendants: Joseph Snapp; John A. Poindexter; Allen S. Bryan; Wilson Duggan; A. Smith. W. S. J. Ford, county clerk of Sevier County, died without paying the state $144.92 for fees collected between September 1849-April 1850. Defendants were Ford's securities, so state was trying to collect the money from them. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 22 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. George Sweat | Campbell | Larceny |
Listed as petit larceny. For taking, concealing, & killing a steer belonging to William Goin. Transcript of lower court proceeding, briefs & other documents for related proceeding (State v. Morrow & Smith) against Sweat's sureties on his appearance bond & the legality of the bond amount. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 44 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. David Burge | Campbell | Lewd Behavior |
For having "bed together as man and wife without being legally married" with one Thursa Dority, "spinster." |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 14 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Robert Porker& William Malicante | Campbell | Gambling |
Defendant's name also spelled Malicote. For gambling "at a certain contest of byword and address commonly called shooting at a mark." |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 4 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Elihu Coppinger | Washington | Murder |
Coppinger, enslaved to William Earley, murdered Sam Bootch, a free black man by stabbing him in the stomach, after they quarreled & fist fought. Apparently Bootch owed Elihu money for some boots, but refused to pay. Elihu was to be freed four months after the incident. Others mentioned: Dolly Mathis & Bacchus, Houston Nelson. Consideration of testimonies by enslaved people, as well as Bootch's rights if was only entitled to be manumitted, rather than legally free. |
East | Range: 5 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 10 | 101 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. John Oneal | Bedford | Illegitimate Child/Bastardy |
Mother of the "illegitimate child" is not named. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 247 | 0 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Hiram Edde | Bedford | Adultery |
Defendant is being tried for lewd and notorious behavior, including adultery. Defendant is accused of adultery with Louisa Davis. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 247 | 22 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Matison Lewis | Franklin | Murder |
Lewis was a free black man who was accused of stabbing an enslaved man named Wash to death in Winchester. Wash was the property of Charles Crisman. Many enslaved people gave testimony. The two had a disagreement and Lewis allegedly stabbed Wash. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 261 | 0 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Patrick Packingham, alias John Jones | Williamson | Theft |
Case also involves breaking and entering and trespassing. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 263 | 0 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. George R. Nash | Rutherford | Rape |
Defendant is charged with assault and that he did "ravish and carnally know" Jane Lannum. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 263 | 0 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Mahala Norman | Knox | Unknown |
Verdict only, no other documents included. |
East | Range: 7 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 749 | 2 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Jesse Brown | Sevier | Liquor Violation |
Unlawful retailing of spirituous liquor. |
East | Range: 9 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 1112 | 11 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Thomas Dotson | Jefferson | Disturbing the Peace |
Thomas Dotson is accused of keeping and drinking certain liquors and keeping a house where much drinking, fighting, cursing and shooting took place must to the disturbance of the general public. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1844 | 22 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Daniel Clotfelter | Knox | Murder |
The case states that Clotfelter did "feloniously and with malice aforethought kill and slay a certain negro man named Jerry." The cause of action listed states assault with intent to kill and murder in the first degree. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1844 | 12 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. William H. Plumlee | Knox | Gaming |
Plumlee and Andrew F. Steel, laborers, were convicted for gambling on and participating in a "shooting match." They shot at a mark less than 200 yards from a public road and wagered five cents on the outcome. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 10 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. James Bloomer | Hawkins | Assault and Battery |
Bloomer, a laborer, assaulted John Minor "to the evil example of all others in like cases." Witness Thomas Barrett testified that Bloomer asked Minor, a free man of color, to dismount his (Minor's) horse and give him the marriage license. If he did not produce it, Bloomer threatened to cut Minor's throat. Minor's brother William Minor was accused of abducting Bloomer's unnamed niece, a "white female infant of tender years" for the purpose of marrying her. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 17 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Pryor L. Harbison | Knox | Other |
Cause of action: public obscenity. For publicly singing "a black guard song, very vulgar" and making a lewd comment about the wife of one Thomas W. Kearnes. William G. Brownlow was one of the grand jurors. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 9 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Nelson Little | Hamilton | Public Nuisance |
Cause of action in documents listed as "keeping a disorderly house." Defendant owned grocery store at which "there was much drinking, cursing, swearing, fiddling, dance, fighting & much noise…" See also Nelson Little v. Lorinda Eldridge in ET 1159. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 15 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. James L. Caywood | Bradley | Perjury |
For perjury in case of James L. Caywood v. Scott Montgomery. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 26 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. John Johnson | Meigs | Liquor, Sale of Illegal | East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 9 | Order A Copy | |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Timothy Hicks | Cocke | Burglary |
Victim unidentified |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1161 | 19 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. John Cale | Union | Nuisance |
Cale accused of obstructing a public road by placing timber rails, brush, and logs across the path leading to a mill. Complaining were William Janes [Jones?], William Rawlston, John and Irena Stewkeberry, and William Dile. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 17 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State & David S. Turner v. Lawson Widby | Johnson | Other |
Turner accused Matilda Wilcox, wife of C. C. Wilcox, of unlawfully trading with a slave, the property of M. M. Wagner. Widby claimed the Turner family's accusation was made from malice and ill will "for the purpose of venting their spleen…." Matilda was said to have purchased a turkey from the unidentified slave. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 16 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Mahala Norman, Lavinia Norman & Allen Norman | McMinn | Larceny |
Mahala, Lavinia & Allen Norman charged with stealing and/or receiving as stolen "three midlings of meat commonly called bacon and four joints of meat commonly called bacon," all belonging to John F. Sherman. Trials severed; separately, jury convicted Mahala & Lavinia of receiving stolen property (not guilty of stealing it). No transcript for Allen's trial. Another case file (incomplete, 2 pgs., verdict only) may be related to this one: State v. Mahala Norman, in ET Box 749, but it's in Knox County. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1162 | 26 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. John D. Lowery | Roane | Other |
Lowery charged with blasphemy for uttering words considered to be to the "great scandal and reproach of the Christian religion". Grand jury witnesses: Benjamin Crenshaw & his 12-yr-old son Samuel, who said Lowery came to the house to have Ben whip Samuel, who had spoken saucily to Def's mom (he had apparently told her to kiss his posterior, but used a more vulgar term), & Def said if Jesus Christ himself spoke that way, Def would strike him or knock him down. Jury convicted Lowery & he appealed to SC. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1164 | 11 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Taylorsville Turnpike Co. | Johnson | Misdemeanor |
Def. charged with not keeping public highway in repair -- specifically, the Taylorsville Turnpike, which led through the county from North Carolina line near headwaters of cove creek by Taylorsville, down Laurel fork of Holston River to Virginia line. State of road said to be "ruinous, decayed & out of repair" & "obstructed with rocks, stumps, nuts, runners mud holes, ditches & underwood" such that passage was not safe. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1164 | 4 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Leroy Grayham | Anderson | Rape |
Leroy charged with assault, battery & rape of Margaret Grayham. Jury convicted Leroy & sentenced him to 8-year jail term. Margaret came to house of Preston Linch to spend the night & at around 11 pm, Margaret's mother & Def. came & called for Margaret to come out. When she did, her grandmother told Def. to whip her for running away. Preston heard Margaret screaming & discovered Def. assaulting her. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1164 | 20 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. Thomas P. Reed | Sullivan | Illegitimate Child/Bastardy |
Elizabeth (Betsy) Ann Williams, single woman, testified that Reed was the father of her illegitmate child, leading to prosecution of Reed for bastardy. Williams lived at Reed's house in the fall before the child was born. Lots of witnesses, including some who testified that, on one day, Reed's wife went to her brother-in-law's, Reed & Williams stayed at home, & Reed's children were seen playing in the yard & barn. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1165 | 43 | Order A Copy |
View Entry | 1855 | State v. David Sanders | Jefferson | Gaming |
Defendant played cards with a Jesse Miller, which was labeled unlawful and dangerous behavior. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1168 | 9 | Order A Copy |