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 | 1876 | A. B. Moore, exe. v. Mary Moore, Mary W., George B, Anna M, Granville T, and Sallie Moore | Sumner | Wills, Contested |
Granville Moore died, & A. B. was named executor. Mary Moore was Granville's widow; the other defendants were their children. Granville's will put A. B. in charge of the estate until the youngest child was "at age." However, A. B. recognizing the time this would take. He petitioned the widow and children to have the estate divided so that it might be settled, making his time as executor much shorter. |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 10 | 48 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1877 | Armitage Taylor v. A. A. & J. D. M. Hatcher | Overton | Wills, Contested | Middle | Range: 20 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 62 | 165 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1877 | Amos Woodruff v. Mrs. A. Clisbee et al. | Shelby | Wills, Contested |
A. Woodruff was executor of Frank Taft, dec., a citizen of Shelby County. Additional Defendants: Andrew Taft; Mrs. S. B. Taft; Mrs. A. Middleton; C. F. Bullock; C. N. Grosverner; R. Hutchinson; the Mississippi Valley Life Insurance Company, and others. |
West | Range: 84 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 101 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1860 | Anthony Allen v. Martha Sloan et al. | Davidson | Wills, Contested |
Additional Defendant: John H. Sloan. Dispute involves a debt and property. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 299 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1860 | Alvin C. Rughin et al. v. John Keith et al. | Jackson | Wills, Contested |
Additional Plaintiffs: Additional Defendants: John Rughin and William Rughin. Additional Defendant: E. A. Craig. Dispute involves a tracts of land and slaves. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 295 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1932 | Anna Keith Miller v. Fidelity Bankers Trust Co., exe., et al. | Hawkins | Wills, Contested |
Opinion only. Additional Defendants: Unknown. |
East | Range: 5 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 83 | 14 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1947 | Alva Beard, et al. v. S. C. Beard | Washington | Wills, Contested |
Points of dispute include property. Additional Plaintiffs: W. J. Carter and George Barnes. 2 folders. |
East | Range: 5 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 189 | 595 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1941 | Annie Nottingham v. Paul J. Kent, et al. | Hamilton | Wills, Contested |
Additional Defendants: Charles Coffey, O. B. Wunschow, George McKenzie, R. A. Lowery, J. A. Lowery, Katherine Tullock, and the children of Clora Lowery. 2 folders. |
East | Range: 6 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 259 | 396 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1932 | Annie Dawson, et al. v. Mrs. George W. Borg, et al. | Shelby | Wills, Contested |
Addtl pltf: Alice Dawson Woolfolk. Addtl dfnts: Dr. Wm. Sailor Anderson, Dorothy Nassal, Catherine Stein, Mrs. A. Stein, Edmund Davis, and more. Case and appeals concerning the will of Elizabeth Arthur Heye, of Memphis. Debate over her "soundness" at time of signing. Linked to large James Dawson estate in St. Louis (MO). Ex. mat: will, deed, newspaper clipping, signed inheritance agreement, etc. Inlc. 2 handwritten pages of court notes. In 5 folders. |
West | Range: 77 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 2115 | 912 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1946 | American Trust & Banking Company of Chattanooga, exe. & trustee v. Kathryn L. Boyd, et al. | Hamilton | Wills, Contested |
Additional Defendants: A. Pollack Boyd, Barbara Ann Boyd, Llewellen Boyd. |
East | Range: 6 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 264 | 92 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1890 | A. H. Rhodes, admr. of Ada T. Murphy, dec. v. Gaston C. Rhodes, et al. | Fayette | Wills, Contested |
Other defendants: W. B. Hervey & wife Joe. C. Hervey; Bettie Hervey; Ada M. Hervey; Annie Hervie; Worth Hervey; Carrie Hervey; Thomas Polk; T. H. Eubank; W. C. Reeves; R. J. Rhodes; W. M. Prewitt [?]; Harriet Murphy; Judy Murphy; Green Murphy; May Murphy; Def., cont.: Julia Murphy; Austin Rhodes; Sam Rhodes. |
West | Range: 82 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 523 | 128 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1894 | Andrew J. Collinsworth v. J. R. McDonald, admr. | Crockett | Wills, Contested |
McDonald administrator of B. F. Collinsworth, deceased. |
West | Range: 82 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 610 | 60 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1899 | Amanda & William Blount v. M. J. Strawn, et al. | Decatur | Wills, Contested |
Several other defendants with Tenn. surnames: Tuten, Boggan & Akin. Case involved the Blount's attempting to recover possession and rents of a tract of land in Decatur Co. This case was tied in a bundle with Mendenhall v. Southern Normal University. |
West | Range: 82 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 703 | 9 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1901 | Adolph Weber et al. v. Christeu Neilson | Shelby | Wills, Contested |
Additional plaintiffs: Rudolph Huss and Emma Huss. |
West | Range: 81 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 777 | 128 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1901 | Asa Hatch, exe. & William Gillham v. Women's Hospital of Memphis, et al. | Shelby | Wills, Contested |
Other defendants: Court Street Presbyterian Church & First Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Memphis. Rosa A. Miller left $500 each to the churches in her will and $500 to the "Lucy Brinkley Hospital," the common name for the women's hospital. Dispute arose from Mrs. Miller's choice of name for the hospital in her will. Since "Lucy Brinkley Hospital" did not exist as a corporation, the plaintiff claims that no money go to Women's Hospital of Memphis. Case is indexed. |
West | Range: 81 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 779 | 75 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1884 | A. C. Bryan, et al. v. Robert Chaney, et al. | Sumner | Wills, Contested |
Additional Defendant: Sallie Bryan. Additional Defendants: William Turley[?], Sophia Turley[?], Edmond Hardy, Elizabeth M. Hardy, James L. Perrin, Susan H. Perrin, William Perrin, Samuel Mitchell, Tabitha Mitchell. Sallie Bryan and A. C. Bryan brought this suit claiming to have the will of Hillary M. Chaney, dec. that gave them title to a farm in Sumner County. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 591 | 610 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | Andrew B. Martin, exe., of Judge R. L. Caruthers v. W. A. Osborne & Wife, et al. | Wilson | Wills, Contested |
Robert L. Caruthers died testate in 1882, leaving $10,000 and much of his personal property to his niece Mary Cahal Osborne. (Mary had filled the role of daughter to Caruthers and his late wife.) He left his law library to W. A. Caruthers. Included is an inventory and account of sales of Judge Caruthers's estate. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 657 | 47 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1840 | Andrew Galbraith v. Robert Wright& others | Hawkins | Wills, Contested |
Robert Wright and others believe that an "instrument of writing" presented as the last will and testament of Arthur W. Galbraith is not real and should not hold up in court. Arthur Galbraith was an infant at the time of death and could not have valid will Others listed in suit are Priscilla Wright, John Sprowl, Malinda Sprowl, James Watterson, and Sarah Watterson. |
East | Range: 9 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 1169 | 16 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1826 | Ann Hope v. Robert Johnston, exe. of David Beaty, dec. | Davidson | Wills, Contested |
Additional Defendants: Robert Johnson |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 3 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1846 | Alfred H. Wynne, exe., of Elizabeth O. Spiers, dec. v. Charles Spiers | Sumner | Wills, Contested | Middle | Range: 32 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 222 | 0 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1872 | Aaron Fussell et al. v. William Cason et al. | Madison | Wills/Land, Sale of |
There are various other names mentioned in the case as part of the plaintiffs and defendants. Basically the case is over a deceased person's land--Henry Butler. Those who have some type of connection or claim to inheritance are disputing about selling the land. Some of the additional Plaintiffs are: B.F. Vantrice and Fannie Vantrice. Some additional defendants are: Emily Butler, James Williams, Heirs of Sarah Bennett--unknown, Heirs of Charles F. Baker--unknown. |
West | Range: 84 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 21 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1845 | Alexander Williams, Valentine Sevier, Betsy Gass, exe's of John Gass, dec. v. William & Margaret Ross, Henry B. &Elizabeth Ross, Sarah Gass, Alexander Gass, George M. Gass, heirs of John Gass, dec. | Greene | Wills, Contested |
John Gass, was legislator for a number of years & married a younger woman following the death of first wife. Following an injury from a horse riding accident, his heirs accused him of being mentally feeble. They sued because they wanted to void his will. |
East | Range: 5 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 17a | 238 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1877 | Albert A. Dunnevant et al. v. Mary Garrett et al. | Giles | Wills, Contested |
Other plaintiffs: Abigail Dunnevant, Mary Ann Hester, John T. Garrett, Nancy Potts, A.J. Niss, Ethalinda Niss. Other defendants: William Garrett, Billie Garrett. Adion Garrett, deceased |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 21a | 29 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1879 | A. B. Beech, et al. v. Alvin Williams, exe. of Martin S. Stockard | Maury | Wills, Contested |
Additional Complainant: Sarah S. Beech and S. B. Stockard |
Middle | Range: 20 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 41 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1916 | A. S. Gooch exe. of Andrew Craig Beasley v. Mrs. Bettie Beasley et al.. | Williamson | Wills, Contested |
Additional defendants: Zachariah Beasley, Marcy C. Carl and Henry C. Carl |
Middle | Range: 21 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 96 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1922 | Alice McBroom et al. by next Friend v. Grover C. McBroom et al. | Putnam | Wills, Contested |
Additional plaintiffs - Etta McBroom and Robert McBroom - additional defendants - Anthony McBroom |
Middle | Range: 21 Section: J Shelf: Box Number: 173 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1857 | A. B. Elliott et al. v. E. A. Cothran et al. | Rutherford | Wills, Contested |
Additional Plaintiffs: William Elliott, Thomas Elliott, and Jaimai Elliott. Additional Defendant: Varner Cowan. "de bonis non" |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 253 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1873 | A. G. Mason, admr. of A. G. Graham et al., dec. v. B. L. Burson, et al. | Knox | Wills, Contested |
Caption and first page are mostly missing, so additional parties are difficult to determine. |
East | Range: 5 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 29 | 240 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1947 | A. J. Miller v. George Miller, et al. | Washington | Wills, Contested |
Points of dispute include property. Additional Defendant: Gracie Miller. |
East | Range: 5 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 191 | 48 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1891 | Annie DeBerry, et al. v. T . C. Long, et al. | Madison | Wills, Contested |
Other plaintiffs: Allen DeBerry, dec., M. K. Bowers, Susan Allen Bowers. Other defendants: A. D. Hurt, dec., R. A. Hurt, and Fannie M. Hurt |
West | Range: 83 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 332 | 224 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1940 | Anna Mary McCrary v. Chandler King, et al. | Hamilton | Wills, Contested |
Additional Defendants: Ruth Ellen King, Chandler King, Jr., John McDowell King, Sallie Bell King, John King, and all residents of Hamilton County. 3 folders. |
East | Range: 6 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 267 | 520 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1939 | Addie Thomas Lews, et al. v. Robert Burrow Jr., exor., et al. | Sullivan | Wills, Contested |
Additional Parties: Unknown. |
East | Range: 6 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 304 | 80 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1940 | Addie Thomas Lewis, et al. v. Robert Burrow, exor. of John D. Thomas, dec., et al. | Sullivan | Wills, Contested |
Additional Plaintiffs: William H. Thomas, Mrs. H. F. Thomas, William S. Thomas, Carrie Thomas, Ethel Thomas. Additional Defendants: James Preston Lockett, Mary Crandall Lockett Whicker. |
East | Range: 6 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 309 | 225 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1949 | American Trust Banking Company v. Clay Williams et al. | Hamilton | Wills, Contested |
Additional Defendants: Roger Williams, Clara Williams, Vance Wrinkle, Stacy Wrinkle. 6 Folders. Additional Box Number: 332. Case includes deed of trust, power of atty, letters, and death certificate. |
East | Range: 6 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 330 | 1383 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1941 | Allie Warner et al. v. Beryl Booth, exe. of M. C. Blair, dec. | Washington | Wills, Contested |
Exhibits include previous case documents, handwritten letters canceled checks, , Add. Plaintiffs: Sue Ferguson, Marx Henderson. |
East | Range: 6 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 388 | 803 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1941 | Alice H. Barton v. S. S. Preston, exe. of Mary Lee Hall, dec. | Washington | Wills, Contested |
Exhibits include handwritten letters and postcards, canceled check. |
East | Range: 6 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 435 | 530 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1902 | A. H. Dickey, exe. v. J. M. Creasy et al. | Hardin | Wills, Contested |
Other defendants: Susan Creasy, B. F. Smith, B. F. Kincannon, & Thomas Reddin. Dickey is executor of J. D. Lapington, deceased. |
West | Range: 81 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 814 | 38 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1902 | Arthur D. Lambreth et al. v. William McKinnie | Hardeman | Wills, Contested |
Additional Plaintiffs: Charles M. Lambreth, Jr. (of Texas), Martha Carrie Wommack (of Missouri), Allen M. Wommack (husband of Carrie), Narcissa C. Lambreth (Shelby Co., TN), and C.M. Lambreth (Hardeman Co., TN). The case documents are in two folders. |
West | Range: 81 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 855 | 404 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1907 | Arthur Hester et al. v. Oliver Capps et al. | Gibson | Wills, Contested |
Other Plaintiff: W. S. Coulter. Other Defendants: Walter Capps, Clay Capps, Pearl Capps. Plaintiffs believe they should Blueprints included. |
West | Range: 80 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 1005 | 55 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1906 | Ann O. Alexander by next friend, J. H. Shinault v. S. H. Morton, Admr. of estate of Elizabeth M. Caraway, dec., etc. Thomas Alexander et al. | Fayette | Wills, Contested |
It is difficult to determine the exact cause in this case due to the first part of the case missing. However it appears to be a contested will case. The will of Elizabeth M. Caraway is contested. Ann O Alexander appears to be her daughter. This appears to be the second half of this case file pages 1516-1945. |
West | Range: 80 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 1047 | 429 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1884 | A. J. Swaney, exe. of John L. Swaney, dec. v. Balie P. Swaney, et al. | Sumner | Wills, Construction of |
Additional Defendants: Martha Hamilton, Maria Haynes, John Carney, Ora Hamilton, Fannie Swaney, Jim Rankin, col'd., Fannie Rankin, col'd. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 588 | 85 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1894 | A. J. Hill et al v. Johnson Hill | Franklin | Wills, Contested |
Additional plaintiffs John Gipson, Mary Gipson, Martha Sanson, R. Walls, Margaret Jerry Hill, Geo. Hill, William Hill, Jas. Brinkley, Susan Brinkley, J. D. Tucker, Sarah Tucker, Bailey Hill and William Hill dec. The Plaintiff was asking the court to sell all of the dec. property and divide it all up equally. The plaintiff also asked that what ever the dec. owed to others would be paid and then divided up. The defendant claimed all rights to the land. |
Middle | Range: 36 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1023 | 80 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1894 | A. S. Reeves Sr., et al. v. W. Hart Reeves, et al. | Trousdale | Wills, Contested |
Additional defendants: A. S. Reeves Jr. Defendants, the minor sons of A. S. Reeves Sr. and Martha (Mittie) Reeves dec., brought suit contesting their mother's will. They complained that at the time the document in controversy was written, their mother was legally and mentally incompetent. Martha Reeves died in 1879. |
Middle | Range: 36 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 1020 | 289 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1918 | Avondale v. Central State National Bank | Shelby | Wills, Construction of |
Name of deceased: Joseph J. Todd |
West | Range: 79 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 1540 | 16 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1892 | Arthur Traynor, exe. v. Nannie Boyd, et al | Bradley | Wills, Construction of |
Additional planitiff Spencer B. Boyd dec. Additional defendants : Boyd Bogle, Mattie Bogle, R. C. Bogle, Susan Read, M. C. Read, Bettie Vinzant, E. W. Vinzant, Spence Vinzant, Josephine Fields and Wesley Fields. Traynor was appointed as the executor of Spencer Boyds dec. will. Plaintiff seeking the help of the court to determine how to exectue said will. 2 folders. |
East | Range: 19 Section: H Shelf: Box Number: 1697 | 190 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1934 | Alice Cole, admr., et al. v. Jim Cole | Sullivan | Wills, Contested |
Jim Cole sought recovery of his pro rata share of $5,000 paid to Alice in the wrongful death of his father, Ben Cole. Surviving Ben were wife Alice and children Jim, Landon Cole, Hugh Cole, Mamie Taylor, Oakley Arnold, and Earnest Cole. Alice's illegitimate son, Walter Cole, also shared in the inheritance. Jim claimed that he was gypped out of his true share. |
East | Range: 10 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 1488 | 103 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1846 | Bryan Ward et al. v. John Y. Roper Sr. et al. | Sumner | Wills, Contested |
Additional Plaintiffs: E. P. Lowe, Matthew H. Ward, exe. of John W. Ward, dec. Additional Defendants: John Y . Roper, Jr. The deceased was married to Mary E. Ward, daughter of the defendant. They had 2 children, Mary and John, both under 10. The dispute in this case seemed to be over the guardianship and education of the two children. This case is located in MT OV 1. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: Oversize 1 | 127 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1858 | Benjamin Elliott & wife Elizabeth v. Joseph Holden, admr. of Banks Gover | Franklin | Wills, Contested |
Elizabeth Elliott is sued for half of her deceased husband's slaves. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 271 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1860 | Bayard Quinn v. Thomas A. Trice& William Finny | Montgomery | Wills, Contested |
Dispute specifically concerns the ownership of slaves. |
Middle | Range: 32 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 295 | 0 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1839 | Benjamin R. Strong, exe. of Joseph C. Strong, dec. v. Charles Ready & wife, et al. | Knox | Wills, Contested |
Plaintiff also executor for Jane Strong, deceased. Others mentioned: Ann E. Strong, Joseph L. King (Ann's guardian), P. Dickenson, J.C. Moses, Jane Strong. Slaves mentioned in will. Exhibits includes statements of first distribution & second distribution of estate, calculations, & receipts. |
East | Range: 5 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 71 | 51 | Order A Copy |