1 - Front Cover.p65 - ProQuest

Reel 18 Tennessee
undergo all the hardships that none of his negroes are subject to.” Greer reports that her
husband, who was “worth near eight thousand dollars” at the time of their marriage, now owns
“near fifteen thousand dollars,” including nine slaves. She asks the court to attach William’s
property and award her “such alimony as may seem equitable.”
0800 (Accession # 21485316). Giles County, Tennessee. Archibald C. White charges William D.
Kneel with fraud in relation to the swapping and selling of a slave named Harriet. White argues
that “he Exchanged with William D Kneel ... a Negro girl by the Name of Harriet about Sixteen
years old for a Boy by the Name of Willis aged about Tenn years old.” Shortly thereafter, White
reveals that Kneel filed a suit for damages that alleged Harriet “had fits while in his possession
and was not worth anything.” Noting that “She was a sound girl and had never had fits” during
his four-year ownership, White states that he offered “to gite the girl and have her Examind by
Physians and that kneel refused to Let him have her.” The petitioner further alleges “that befour
the treal ... kneel Rane Said girl off to the state of Alabama and Solde hur to one William Lackey
for a Sound girl and got a sound price for hur.” White reports that he obtained a copy of Kneel’s
bill of sale to Lackey when Kneel’s suit yielded a judgment against him and that Lackey himself
attests that Harriet “is a sound girl has not bin Sick one day sence he purchased her from kneel
has never had a fit Sence he ow[ne]d hur and is worth Eight hundred dollars.” White asks that
the court issue an injunction against Kneel to prevent him from collecting any of the judgment
settlement against him.
0808 (Accession # 21485317). Williamson County, Tennessee. John W. Morton contends that
he “is entitled to the possession of” a twenty-four-year-old slave named Henry. He explains that
on 22 November 1852 the defendant, McNairy Waller, conveyed to him by deed of trust said
slave and “that by said conveyance he is entitled to a lien on said Slave Henry who is worth
about $900 or $1000.” Morton details that by a recent decree he “recovered against the said
McNairy Waller & others $3889.98.” Alleging “that no part of said decree has been paid & that
said deft is liable for the payment of the whole of said decree,” Morton argues his “powers of
sale have attached under said deed & he has accordingly advertised said slave for sale on 4
day of April 1853.” Complaining that Henry is “either run away or not in the control of anyone &
will not appear on the day of sale unless forced,” Morton asks that “said slave be attached by an
order from your honor,” thus preventing his removal from the court’s jurisdiction and ensuring
that “said slave & his value” will not be lost to the petitioner and the slave can be delivered into
his possession.
0817 (Accession # 21485318). Giles County, Tennessee. Mary Dicky complains that “neither
she nor her husband has received her share or interest in either of said slaves or in the estate of
her mother,” the late Elizabeth McCutchen. Mary explains that “many years ago,” her father,
James McCutchen, died having bequeathed a life estate in two male slaves named Joseph and
Harry to his widow; upon her death, the slaves would go to the couple’s children, thereby
entitling Mary to “one seventh part in said slaves & to one eighth part in the estate of said
Elizabeth.” Dicky’s mother has recently died and Gustavus Angus has administered her estate.
He sold McCutchen’s personal property, which yielded around $900 to $1,000, and gave the
two slaves to Nathaniel Hayes, who sold them “for about the sum of $1800.00.” Mary informs
the court, however, that Hamilton C. Campbell had attached her “interest in said slaves in the
hands of Hayes” for debts “owing to him by her husband.” Mary asks the court to rule that the
slaves “be settled & decreed to your oratrix as her separate property free from the control &
management of her said husband.”
0824 (Accession # 21485319). Maury County, Tennessee. Mary Ann, a thirty-two-year-old
“woman of color,” informs the court that she is “illegally held in slavery” by John Merril, “a negro
trader,” who is “preparing to take her to a Southern Market.” Mary Ann was born in Surry
258