Tennessee Supreme Court Cases

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View Entry Year Case Name County Cause/Crime Case Description Division Location # Pages Order
View Entry 1859 Allen Brown v. Hugh Brown Maury Slaves, Ownership of

Plaintiff is appealing the charge that he unlawfully possesses slaves that belong to the Defendant.

 Middle Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 271 0 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 Bank of America et al.v. Bank of Louisville Montgomery Recovery of Money/ Wages

Monies had originally been paid by W.E. Newell and Co.

 Middle Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 262 0 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 E. L. Williams et al. v. John Bowman et al. Montgomery Slaves, Selling of

Dispute about the purchase agreement for the sale of slaves

 Middle Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 262 0 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 G. Parkhouse, et al. v. Abraham Litton, et al. Overton Land, Sale of

Additional plaintiffs: Jonathon D. Hall, Alfred J. McKay. Additional defendants: Jane E. Litton, J.A. Litton, Francis Thomas, B.R. Thomas, John Thomas, Harry Thomas. Exhibit materials include a map of Litton's estate, pamphlet with map of the Manning lands in Overton, Tennessee. Map located in MT Oversize Box 5. 3 folders.

 Middle Range: 34 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 674 791 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 H.K. Riley et al.v. William E. Byrd et al Hancock Trespass with Force of Arms

Add. plaintiff: Joseph Mahan. Add. defendant: William Treat. The defendants allegedly broke into the property of the plaintiffs and ejected then unlawfully and took possession of the property. sued for damages of $500.

 East Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1172 134 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 Henry G. Cooke v. The Masonic Education Association of Chattanooga Hamilton Non-payment of Goods/ Wages/ Service

Plaintiff filed the suit to recover $466.92 for services rendered without payment and $100 in damages for the defendant unjustly detaining this debt.

 East Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1173 10 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 Isaac (col.) by his next friend George Harrison v. Henry Farnsworth, John McCampbell, Frederick Devitt, Sarah Howard, John Russell& his wife, William& Francis Gilbert Greene Slaves, Ownership of

Isaac was the slave of Francis Devitt. She told Isaac if he served her faithfully for a few years that she would emancipate him. After several years, she told him that she was going to sell him but with the promise of freedom after eight years. After six years, Henry showed up with a bill of sale for Isaac. His current owner was afraid of a lawsuit thus he sold Isaac to Henry. Isaac charges that they cheated and defrauded him out of his freedom. Note: Slavery

 East Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1141 116 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 James Davis, et al. v. John S. Petway, et al. Davidson Land, Sale of

Additional Plaintiffs: E. H. Childress, Jr., G. C. Cantrell. Additional Defendants: William Petway, John K. Henne.

 Middle Range: 32 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 311 89 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 John Archer v. Jonathan Murrell et al Sullivan Non-payment of Goods/ Wages/ Service

Add. defendants: Isaac O'Morrell & Jonathan Conles. Defendants are school commissioners who failed to pay the defendant for his service of teaching in a county school house.

 East Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1172 6 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 Joseph C. Hite v. Ammon L. Davis, et al. Davidson Breach of Contract

Additional defendants: Owen H. Davis, John D. Taylor, W. Weaver. Concerns steamboat.

 Middle Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 262 0 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 Lewis B. Marks v. Ananias Oliver& Samuel Gilliam Giles Breach of Contract

Case also involves a debt dispute.

 Middle Range: 32 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 277 0 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 Mac Fisher v. William F. Harris et al Hamilton Non-payment of Goods/ Wages/ Service

Plaintiff is a carpenter, who has completed many projects for defendant including: installed woodwork in his house, constructed carriage house and other buildings, and work on town lot in Chattanooga. Plaintiff charges defendant non-payment of $966.21 Harris executed by deed of trust to James Curry, all his property. Additional defendants: J. Curry, Tomlinson Fort (had a vendors lien on Harris's house), the Union Bank of Tennessee (deed of trust)

 East Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1139 107 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 Martha Green et al. v. John Goodall Wilson Slaves, Ownership of

Dispute between Plaintiffs and their mother's new husband over the ownership of a slave named Easter

 Middle Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 262 0 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 Miller F. Rice, the next friend of Nancy Senter, a minor v. James P. Senter et al. McMinn Slaves, Selling of

Nancy Senter, a minor, inherited two slaves from her father. When Nancy married, her husband sold the slaves. She claims that her other siblings had title to the slaves and that the sale should be cancelled. Additional Defendants: John M. Mattock, Srah Amwine, Henry Mattock, George Mattock, Martha Purcell, William Purcell, John Lenty, Elizbeth Lenty, Edward Hyatt, William McBurney, William Hasteline, A. L. Gillespie. See also box 1575

 East Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1139 74 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 Mary A. E. Pickens, exe. v. Arthur A. Campbell & William R. Davis Bradley Dissolution of Partnership

Plaintiff is the executor of the estate of William K. Pickens (dec.). The defendants are the surviving partners of William K. Pickens & Company that bought and sold goods and merchandise. By contract, W.K. Pickens was to receive one-half of the profits and the defendants, one-forth each. After his death, the defendants continued the business. The plaintiff tried collecting notes on her husband's share for payments due by clients to pay the debts on the estate, but defendants used them for personal use.

 East Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1176 263 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad Company v. H. C. Blessing Davidson Trespass with Force of Arms

Case also involves a charge of "Felonious Killing of Livestock."

 Middle Range: 32 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 289 0 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 State v. Robert W. Hopper Washington Breach of Trust

Nov. 17th, 1858, defendant received a horse valued at $100 from Joseph A. Leonard by contractual agreement for the use of defendant & son. On the same day, defendant sold said horse to Thomas Burton, in exchange for cash, bank note, groceries and brandy The following day, Joseph Leonard claimed the horse that Burton bought of Hopper.

 East Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1141 22 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 State v. John H. Lovel Cocke Conversion of Property

Lovel charged with trespassing & cutting timber (40 trees) on Cocke County land belonging to John Gillett, whose land adjoined the land of Lovel's father and on which Lovel had built a house.

 East Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1132 22 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 State v. Alexander Ramsey Knox Obstructing a Public Road/Road/Right of Way

The defendant lived on a public road and put up fences and other obstructions near the property to prevent people from passing by either on horseback or on foot. Case brought against him for impeding the public access through the highway and damaging property of the state in the form of the highway.

 East Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1176 14 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 State v. Nathan Almany Sullivan Destruction of Property/ Petition t

Almany was accused of cutting down timber and destroying wood that did not belong to him. William B. White and his heirs owned property. Details the types of trees grown on the property. Case involves sale of land and debt settlement as well.

 East Range: 5 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 2a 24 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 State v. Pleasant White Anderson Disturbance of Public Worship

White accused of disturbing a congregation by "going drunken into and at said congregation" & "vomiting from drunkenness in the presence of the said congregation" & so doing "in contempt of religion to the manifest corruption of public morals." Jury found White guilty as charged.

 East Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1142 8 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 State v. James Mabry Anderson Felonious Killing/Wounding of Livestock

Felonious assault with a knife. Victim: William Huckaby.

 East Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1173 28 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 State v. Robert H. Carden Monroe Felonious Killing/Wounding of Livestock

Grand jury indicted Carden for a felony for biting off a piece of the left ear of James Everhart, causing his disfigurement, which occurred while Carden & Everhart were engaged in "personal combat." Jury found him not guilty of the felony (mayhem) but guilty of assault & battery, requiring him to pay a $95 fine.

 East Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1180 9 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 Thomas S. Powell v. William R. Lount Knox Slaves, Selling of

Caleb Powell was the owner of 22 slaves and executed a deed of gift to the plaintiff for that population. The defendant is the husband of a woman said to be the daughter of Caleb Powell, possibly from an unwed woman. The defendant fraudulently obtained a bill of sale supposedly from the plaintiff for the slaves, claiming to have paid $1,500 for them. The plaintiff filed the bill to declare the bill of sale fraudulent and and to remain the owner of the population.

 East Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1172 162 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 William Wood v. James Mason et al. Coffee Land, Sale of

Additional plaintiffs: W. J. Dillard, Joseph Walker. Additional Defendants: William G. Haile and Millie Haile, Rebecca Mason, Jethro D. Conway, Temperance McMahon, Redding Whitehead, Edwin Whitehead, Andrew Whitehead, Joseph Whitehead, John Whitehead, William Clark, Elizabeth Clark, John Jordon, Millie Jordan, William Teague, Temperance Teague, Jacquie Ann Davidson, Mary Haile, Mary E. Mason, John F. Mason, Clara Mason, Mary Robinson, L. M. Robinson, R. J. Keele, Laura Ann Keele, William Lowry, others.

 Middle Range: 32 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 311 0 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 Will of William Bullard Claiborne Wills, Construction of

Incomplete file containing only will of William Bullard. Wife Barthena Bullard. Children: Susan Burchfield, Joseph H. Bullard, Daniel C. Bullard, George B. Bullard, Sarah L. Bullard, Benjamin P. Bullard, Martha Jane Bullard, William B. Reece Bullard, & Mary Jane Bullard. Negro slaves: Jake, Rose, Anthony, Nancy, Betsey, Bob, Jack, Caroline, Eliza, William, Lucinda, Barthena, Charity, Lucy, Tim, Julia Ann, Eva Jane, Henry, John, Nelson, Will, Lurany, Maria. Lots of land described in will.

 East Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1132 16 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 William M. Lawson, et al.v. Alexander & McCamy/McKamy Bradley Breach of Official Duty

Additional Plaintiffs: William Blair & Silas M. Ware. Plaintiffs part of law firm employed by defendants. Alexander & MCamy merchant firm comprised of _______ Alexander & William H. McCamy. Lawson had been elected county constable. Defendants originally sued for $250 damages, charging the firm with breach of covenant. On 2 Sept. 1856 defendants won a $77.11 judgment against a Thomas Lawson; W. M. Lawson broke his oath of constable by not properly executing a levy on his property.

 East Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1130 55 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 William Brown v. Benjamin F. Welckert & Eldridge A. Yost Roane Slaves, Selling of

Witness J.M. Kincaid accompanied Def Brown to Richard Stegall's to settle a matter referred to Kincaid & Def Yost by Brown & Def Welcker--Brown agreed to buy negro man from Welcker & pay $1200 if he was "as likely as one own by Brown" & if not, they would agree on value (they never did). At some point, Kincaid & Yost decided to have the parties resolve the matter themselves (such agreement apparently being made in a sort of Christmas frolic when both had been drinking). Dispute over contract & amount owed.

 East Range: 9 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1142 16 Order A Copy
View Entry 1859 William Murphey v. William L. Moss, et al. Claiborne Slaves, Ownership of

William Goin, in his will, bequeathed to his daughter Elizabeth Murphey (wife of complainant) a slave named Malinda. After the probate, Malinda was reduced to William Murphey's possession. During her enslavement she gave birth to George, Nancy, Charles, Brown, Mary, and James. In 1856 some of them were wrongfully levied upon for a debt incurred by Murphey's son. Disputing ownership were Pleasant Murphy, C. Y. Rice, William Kirkpatrick, and Nelson McCrary.

 East Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1179 83 Order A Copy