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
Use quotes for an exact search. ex. "J. W."
| View Entry | Year | Case Name | County | Cause/Crime | Case Description | Division | Location | # Pages | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Entry | 1907 | Lee Holder v. State | Obion | Murder |
Holder originally found guilty of the 27 Dec. 1906 murder of his father, Rev. B. L. Holder, a minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. There had been friction between father & son for some years. Defendant appealing death sentence. Other family members: sons Adolphus or "Dolphus", Earl, & Cecil Holder, daughter Nona & wife. During the trial it was suggested that Lee Holder had once tried to poison his entire family. See WT 1046 |
West | Range: 80 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 1010 | 51 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1880 | State v. Dave Montgomery | Obion | Murder, Attempted |
Victim: Rufus Gibson. |
West | Range: 84 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 25 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. J. B. Markham& I. N. Markham | Obion | Murder |
J. B. "Bum" Markham and I. N. "Newt" Markham were brothers accused of killing Joe Horton at Obion Station, Tennessee in April 1885. |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 279 | 118 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1885 | State v. Tobe Berryman | Obion | Murder |
Bludgeoned H. H. Clark to death with a brickbat. Found guilty of 2nd degree murder & sentenced to 12 years hard labor in state penitentiary. |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 281 | 42 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1891 | State v. Lewis Thompson | Obion | Murder | West | Range: 83 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 347 | 125 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1889 | State v. M. J. Riley | Obion | Murder |
Mrs. Riley is accused of killing her husband, Jack Riley, by shooting him in the head. Large sketch of house interior is glued to p. 28. |
West | Range: 82 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 504 | 86 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1893 | State v. Milton Rutledge | Obion | Murder |
The victim's name in this case was J. F. Kellog. |
West | Range: 82 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 582 | 204 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1901 | State v. Lee Patterson | Obion | Murder |
For the murder of E. F. Askew. |
West | Range: 81 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 764 | 128 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1906 | State v. Will Burley | Obion | Murder |
The defendant was charged, along with Garfield Burley (both African Americans), of shooting Dee Flatt to death. |
West | Range: 80 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 1038 | 75 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1909 | State v. Pete Beanham& Smith Beanham | Obion | Murder | West | Range: 80 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 1051 | 318 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1916 | State v. W. D. Williams | Obion | Murder |
The victim's name is David Mayes who was shot by the defendant, a policeman in Union City, while fleeing arrest. |
West | Range: 79 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1454 | 298 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1919 | State v. Herman Smith | Obion | Murder |
Smith is charged with the murder of William Mumford on April 25, 1918. Mumford's 16 year old brother, Herman Mumford, testified that he was there when Smith killed his brother. He recalled that they were "setting around the fire" when Smith and his brother resumed an old quarrel. Smith proceeded to pick up a Cyprus, set out for stove wood, and beat his brother with it. |
West | Range: 79 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 1566 | 207 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1928 | State v. Roy Parkerson | Obion | Murder, 1st degree |
Victim was Monroe Wallace, aka Boy Wallace. Parkerson shot him with a pistol. Murder occurred in a pool room at Reelfoot Lake called Shaw's Park. |
West | Range: 77 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 2006 | 117 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1926 | State v. Linnard Easterwood | Obion | Attempted Murder |
Linnard was also spelled Leonard throughout the file. Easterwood was accused of attempting to kill W. P. Long by pistol shot. |
West | Range: 78 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 1855 | 114 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1894 | State v. Milton Rutledge | Obion | Murder |
Victim: J. F. Kellogg |
West | Range: 82 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 565 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1899 | State v. Junius Caldwell et al | Obion | Murder |
Additional Defendant: Walter Caldwell. Defendants originally convicted of murder in the death of Odie B. McClure in April 1899. McClure killed by a blow to the head with a "swingle tree". Some pages only partly legible. |
West | Range: 81 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 771 | 167 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1902 | State v. Jeff Bumpass | Obion | Murder |
This is a brief only (in very poor condition). There are no case files. The charge is murder in the 2nd degree -- defendant is accused of killing Tom Taylor. he was serving as a police officer at the time and was in the process of taking Taylor to jail. |
West | Range: 81 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 848 | 22 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1903 | State v. Junius Caldwell | Obion | Murder |
Defendant's son, Walter Caldwell was indicted as well, but is not listed on this case as a defendant. Victim: Oddie McClure. |
West | Range: 81 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 861 | 181 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1902 | State v. Jeff Bumpass | Obion | Murder |
Cause of action: murder in the second degree with a pistol. Victim: Tom Taylor. |
West | Range: 81 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 858 | 223 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1905 | State v. Belle Carter | Obion | Murder | West | Range: 81 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 884 | 15 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1905 | State v. Adolphus Holder | Obion | Murder |
Victim: Johnnie Wells. 2 folders. |
West | Range: 81 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 939 | 365 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1907 | State v. Lee Holder | Obion | Murder |
Victim: B. L. Holder. See WT 1010 for the appeal. |
West | Range: 80 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 1046 | 446 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1910 | State v. D. A. Thurman | Obion | Murder |
Victim: Meeks DePriest |
West | Range: 80 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1098 | 404 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1911 | State v. Smith Bramham & Pete Bramham | Obion | Murder |
Not a complete case -- this is a brief written by the Bramham's attorney. Defendants are accused of shooting and killing Joe Phillips near Reelfoot Lake. A witness's testimony says that Phillips, Raymond Burpole, and Will Gray were running away from the Bramhams' house after stealing their liquor, and that the Bramhams were shooting at them from a distance. Burpole said he shot Phillips by accident himself while shooting at the Bramhams. |
West | Range: 80 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1114 | 13 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1932 | State v. Gilbert Howard | Obion | Murder |
Victim was Frank Thompson. Charged with killing Thompson with a gun. |
West | Range: 77 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 2071 | 29 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1915 | State v. Frank Dietzel | Obion | Murder |
Victim: George Wehman. Wehman was a boarder with Mr. and Mrs. Ed Dunn. He went missing and was found in a well with a gunshot wound at the back of the head. Case fills two folders. |
West | Range: 79 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 1380 | 507 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1916 | State v. Al Ferguson | Obion | Murder |
Name of deceased: Will Roberson |
West | Range: 79 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 1491 | 455 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1908 | State v. Garrett Johnson et al.. | Obion | Murder |
Garrett Johnson, Sam Applewhite, Arthur Gloar, Fred Pinion, Boy Ransom, Bob Huffman, Tid Burton, Bud Morris are charged with unlawfully, wilfully, feloniously, deliberately, premeditatedly and with malice aforethought hanging, shooting, killing Quintin Rankin. Murder in the first degree. 4 folders. |
West | Range: 79 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 1533 | 1095 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1919 | State v. Henry Tabor | Obion | Attempted Murder |
Tabor is charged with "unlawfully, willfully, feloniously, deliberately, premeditatedly, and maliciously" shooting John Robinson with a pistol "with the unlawful, willful, felonious, deliberate, premeditated and malicious intent then and there to kill and in the first degree murder the said John Robinson." |
West | Range: 79 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 1567 | 34 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1930 | State v. Ezell Patterson | Obion | Murder |
Patterson was accused of murdering John Trimble in first degree. Patterson was married to Trimble's niece. The three of them lived together. Patterson claimed self defense. He was found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to ten years in prison. |
West | Range: 77 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 2003 | 156 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1920 | State v. Kinchion Simmons | Obion | Murder |
Defendant is accused of murder in the death of John Ivy Blewer by knife. Judgment was guilty of second degree murder. |
West | Range: 78 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 1614 | 162 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1920 | State v. Clarence Johnson | Obion | Murder |
Clarence Johnson accused of first degree murder of Oscar Roper, a policeman, by shooting the deceased with a shot gun. Case in five folders. |
West | Range: 78 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 1662 | 794 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1924 | State v. Welzie Wallace | Obion | Murder |
2 folders. Elzie and Welzie Wallace are charged with striking, beating, and killing Will Charlton in August of 1923. The Wallace boys and Charlton were all fishermen. The Wallace boys found a boat seat that Charlton claimed was his. Charlton took it "out of the house where the Wallace boys had placed it and put it in his boat." The Wallace boys made some threats against Charlton before assaulting and killing him. |
West | Range: 78 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1758 | 254 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1924 | State v. Perry Bright | Obion | Murder |
Perry Bright is noted as being "colored". Charged with shooting Bill Brown with a shot gun in December, 1923. Murder occurred at the train depot in Troy, TN. |
West | Range: 78 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1760 | 271 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1925 | State v. Jim Hudson alias Melvin Jones | Obion | Murder, 1st degree |
Hudson was accused of shooting and killing Will Cook. There was an dispute between Cook and Hudson over Hudson's wife. Hudson & his wife had been separated and Cook became involved with a quarrel between the two which made Hudson angry. In the statement of the case written by Pierce & Fry, the attorneys for the defendant, they ask the court to reverse the case because it was "purely a frame-up on the part of the negroes testifying for the State." |
West | Range: 78 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 1829 | 118 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1889 | Thomas Condor v. State | Obion | Murder |
Victim: Jack Riley |
West | Range: 82 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 487 | 98 | Order A Copy |