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 | 1886 | Archie Monroe, in error v. State | Knox | Disturbing the Peace |
Monroe was charged with "disturbing an educational essembly" at Austin School House by fighting and quarreling and talking and making boisterous language and making threatening demonstrations. Witnesses claimed Monroe had threatened a teacher after his daughter, a student at the school, had been suspended. |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 102 | 21 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | C. M. Teasley v. State | Campbell | Liquor, Sale of Illegal |
For selling liquor without a license. |
East | Range: 19 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 1889 | 41 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | Eugene Cashon v. State | Shelby | Assault and Battery | West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 304 | 12 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1886 | Hugh Steele v. State | Knox | Unlawful Cohabitation |
The State charged Hugh Steel and Harriet Yarnell with unlawfully cohabitating without being married. Steele was convicted and requested a new trial, claiming that Harriet was a 41-year-old, married mother of eight children who he wa representing in her divorce case against her husband who she accused of adultry and inhumane treatment. Steel claimed the husband concocted the charge to impede the divorce. |
East | Range: 5 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 76 | 10 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | Harris Maze v. State | Warren | Theft | Middle | Range: 34 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 682 | 30 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1886 | John O'Neal v. State | Knox | Keeping a Bawdy House |
State alleged that John O'Neal, Ruth O'Neal, and Nancy O'Neal kept a "disorderly house" for the purpose of prostitution. |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 98 | 13 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | Jim Johnson v. State | Davidson | Larceny | Middle | Range: 34 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 689 | 14 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1886 | J. R. Lannom, friend of Bell Dunivant v. R. B. Linkle | Gibson | Assault and Battery | West | Range: 83 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 308 | 50 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1886 | John Henry Morris& Mrs. Fannie Goodwin v. State | Sumner | Lewd Behavior | Middle | Range: 34 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 682 | 50 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1886 | John A. Miller v. State | Warren | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Victim: M. D. Smith alias Watt Smith. Assault with loaded pistol. Minus Miller listed as additional defendant |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 690 | 127 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | Madison Poss v. State | DeKalb | Incest |
The plaintiff in error is accused of carrying on an incestuous relationship with his stepdaughter Sarah Paris, the daughter of his wife, Elizabeth Poss. Paris is also spelled Parish. |
Middle | Range: 35 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 777 | 153 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | Neil McCallum v. State | Madison | Murder |
Victim: Robert Slate |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 301 | 59 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | Richard Martin v. State | Knox | Public Indecency |
Speaking profanity. Additional case materials are located in ET 1868 (Range 19, Section C, Shelf 6.) |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 103 | 62 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | Richard Martin v. State | Knox | Unknown |
Procedendo only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 98 | 2 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. R. J. Luttrell | Knox | Forgery |
State charged Luttrell, the Justice of the Peace of the 23rd district of Knox County with forging judgments in favor of the defendants and against the State for court costs. Luttrell's attorney argued that the State had been unable to produce sufficient evidence to support a charge of forgery. |
East | Range: 19 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 1874 | 100 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Bettie Dickenson | Shelby | Attempted Murder |
Victim: Millie Garvin |
West | Range: 83 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 253 | 14 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Charles Miller | Hawkins | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Miller was charged with assualting Sam Bradley (alias Sam Pearson) with a knife. |
East | Range: 19 Section: C Shelf: Box Number: 1868 | 37 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. James Roberson and Nancy Roberson | Hamilton | Marriage, Unlawful |
Charged with an illegal marriage. It was noted that James Roberson was a "negro" and Nancy Roberson was white. |
East | Range: 19 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 1888 | 48 | 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 | 1886 | State v. Lewis Glidewell, col'd. | Madison | Arson |
Actual charge is malicious burning. Defendant is charged with burning a barn containing a corn crib and sorghum molasses, the property of F. A. Weatherly. In the first reading of the charge, Robert Meriwether is also named. |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 291 | 91 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. J. F. J. Lewis | Knox | Taxation Disputes |
Case incomplete; opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 101 | 6 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. John O'Neal | Knox | Unknown |
Case incomplete; opinion only. |
East | Range: 5 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 101 | 2 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. J. T. Johnson | Shelby | Other |
Cause of Action: Carrying a pistol. |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 293 | 13 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. E. D. Sneed | Madison | Nuisance |
The defendant operated a slaughter house in Madison County. |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 293 | 11 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Bob Wilkins | Shelby | Assault and Battery |
The victim's name was John Furman. Wilkins was accused of "malicious cutting." |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 294 | 13 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Tom Powell | Shelby | Carrying an Illegal Weapon | West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 294 | 12 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Frank Ireman | Shelby | Forgery | West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 294 | 30 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Lee Brown | Gibson | Assault with Intent to Kill |
The victim's name was William Baxter. |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 294 | 73 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Squire Morris | Shelby | Murder |
Victim: John Clark |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 298 | 87 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Stephen Bell | Shelby | Other |
Docket number is illegible. Cause of Action: Obtaining goods or money under false pretenses |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 298 | 50 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. John Rogers | Weakley | Larceny | West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 299 | 40 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. W. H. Barrow | Weakley | Larceny | West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 299 | 252 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. James Evans | Obion | Other |
Cause of Action : Drunkenness |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 301 | 13 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. George G. Dent | Shelby | Other |
Cause of Action: Failing to Settle as Administrator |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 302 | 18 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Marion Brockwell | Henry | Murder |
Defendant stabbed Eli Allen to death. Brockwell sentenced to a life of hard labor. |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 303 | 47 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. R. D. Frayson et al | Shelby | Public Nuisance |
Docket number illegible. Additional Defendants: Thomas Barrett and W. F. Shippey |
West | Range: 83 Section: D Shelf: Box Number: 303 | 233 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. G. W. Watson, et al | Shelby | Other |
Additional defendants: John Welsh. Cause of action: Cheat and Defraud. |
West | Range: 83 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 306 | 95 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Camel Pratcher | McNairy | Assault with Intent to Commit Rape | West | Range: 83 Section: G Shelf: Box Number: 394 | 62 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. J. S. Green& Eastman G. Curry | Davidson | Other |
Incomplete file. The defendants were members of the military associations Burns Tenn. Light Artillery Association of Davidson County and the Hermitage Guards with headquarters in Nashville. Defendants claimed their military membership relieved them of their jury duties in the case of State v. Annie Davenport, a murder case in Davidson County. |
Middle | Range: 33 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 527 | 9 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. John Cobb | Davidson | Gambling | Middle | Range: 33 Section: F Shelf: Box Number: 527 | 20 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Aleck Peyton (col.) | Sumner | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Victim: Pleas Moore. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 559 | 56 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Jacob Copeland | Sumner | Murder |
Victim: Sam Lovell. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 559 | 84 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. George Burns (col.) | Wilson | Bigamy |
Second wife: Fannie Jennings. Defendant and first wife were stated as being slaves before the war. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 559 | 21 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Jennie Ransom (col.) & Belle Masely (col.) | Davidson | Malicious Stabbing |
Victim: Alice Simpson, col'd. Additional Charge: Assault with intent to murder. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 559 | 26 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. William Baughan | Smith | Liquor, Sale of Illegal | Middle | Range: 34 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 563 | 27 | Order A Copy | |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. John B. Campbell | Rutherford | Murder |
Victim: T[?]. B. Snell, Jr. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 564 | 174 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Benjamin Cartright | Rutherford | Assault with Intent to Kill |
Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in the Second Degree; throwing stone in passenger car. Victim: Moore, full name unknown to grand jurors. Also indicted was Henry Davis. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: A Shelf: Box Number: 568 | 35 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Jim Baxter | Wilson | Murder |
Victim: Martha Lane. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 603 | 101 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. William Potter | Roane | Murder |
The State charged Potter with the shooting death of William Walls. |
East | Range: 19 Section: B Shelf: Box Number: 1878 | 91 | Order A Copy |
| View Entry | 1886 | State v. Boyd Johnson | Davidson | Gambling |
Most of the pages concern Johnson's appeal of his conviction. The reason for the appeal was that he had been sentenced to the county workhouse but he claimed that the county did not have one, forcing him to spend time in prison. |
Middle | Range: 34 Section: E Shelf: Box Number: 670 | 21 | Order A Copy |