Thomas Humes Lawsuit Summary, 1797 September 13-1799 April 5
This document constitutes a summary of a lawsuit that Thomas Humes brought against William Smith, John Gore, and James Roddy of Jefferson County, Tennessee. On September 13, 1797 Humes appeared before the Hamilton District Superior Court and stated that Smith, Gore, and Roddy had signed a promissory note (which he produced) on January 17, 1797 guaranteeing that they would pay Humes $658 by September 1 of the same year. Humes went on to claim that he had suffered an additional $500 in damages as a result of their nonpayment. The case was continued until the September term of 1798, when a jury found in Humes' favor and awarded him a total of $700.77 and court costs. The court issued a warrant to the Sheriff of Greene County instructing him to obtain the money from the defendants' belongings. The Sheriff sold three enslaved people for $500, but claimed he could find no further property. Additional notes signed by Frances Alexander Ramsey and Archibald Roane dated April 5, 1799 indicate that Roddy had paid the balance of the judgment and certify that the document is an accurate copy of the Court's records.
Dates
- 1797 September 13-1799 April 5
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
From the Collection: 0.1 Linear Feet (1 oversize folder)
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository