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William Blount vs. George Mitchell Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MS-1195

  • Staff Only

These four documents illustrate a case that William Blount brought against George Mitchell in 1794. Blount accused Mitchell of stealing one of his enslaved women, Amy, and demanded that Mitchell pay him the sum of one hundred pounds current money of North Carolina equal to two hundred and fifty dollars current money. Blount won the original case, but Mitchell (who acknowledged that Amy was enslaved by Blount) did not pay. Blount asked for further damages, and the case was finally settled in Mitchell's favor in early 1795.

Dates

  • 1794 October 12-1795 April

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.

Conditions Governing Use

The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.

Extent

0.1 Linear Feet (1 folder)

Abstract

These four documents illustrate a case that William Blount brought against George Mitchell in 1794. Blount accused Mitchell of stealing one of his enslaved women, Amy, and demanded that Mitchell pay him the sum of one hundred pounds current money of North Carolina equal to two hundred and fifty dollars current money. Blount won the original case, but Mitchell (who acknowledged that Amy was enslaved by Blount) did not pay. Blount asked for further damages, and the case was finally settled in Mitchell's favor in early 1795.

Biographical/Historical Note

William Blount was born to Jacob and Barbara (Gray) Blount in Bertie County, North Carolina on March 26, 1749. During the Revolutionary War, he served as a paymaster for the Continental Army's troops in the North Carolina Line. He married Mary Grainger (1753-1802) on February 12, 1778 and the couple had at least six children: Ann, Mary Louisa, William Grainger, Richard Blackledge, Barbara, and Eliza. Blount began his political career in 1780 when he was elected to the North Carolina State House of Commons, where he served for four years. He was also involved in national politics, serving as a delegate to the Continental Congress (1782, 1783, 1786, and 1787) and as a member of the convention that framed the U. S. Constitution (1787). In 1790, President George Washington appointed Blount Governor of the Territory South of the River Ohio (including what is now Tennessee). In the same year, Blount became the Superintendent of Indian Affairs. He served as Governor until 1795 and as Superintendent until 1796. Blount went on to become chairman of the first Tennessee Constitutional Convention in 1796 and was elected Tennessee's first senator after the State was admitted to the Union. He was expelled from the Senate in 1797 after being convicted of plotting with the British to attack what are now Florida and Louisiana. He did not, however, leave politics, and was elected to the Tennessee State Senate 1798. William Blount died on March 21, 1800 in Knoxville, Tennessee and was buried in the First Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

Arrangement

This collection consists of a single folder.

Repository Details

Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository

Contact:
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Knoxville TN 37996 USA
865-974-4480