Early Governors' Papers

Carthage March 5th 1818

Jos M^cMin Esq.

Sir by the request of the Citizens of this Place and its vicinity- I take the liberty of Forwarding the Petition of Sam^l Overton- and must beg a speedy return as the Circuit Court sits hear on the 4th Monday in this Month-

W Gordon Shff

Benj. W. Burford Dempsey Morriss Jacob Bates Thomas A. Sink Pleasant Roberts William Robertson M. L. Mills Saml Overton P. Branch Philip [Popope?] D, C, Ward Sedom Kavanagh David Linch Willis Hodgson [Dael? Danl?] Bridgs]] Silas Pope Henry Darris John Pates Taylor Whitley John Stollings Geraldas Linch John Hall Wm Hodges F W [H...?] J D Goodall Jesse Jameson L Patterson W B H [OG...?] Elijah Farrey J. B. Hughes Wm Petty J S Roulitone F. G. uhls David P Flowers]] Benjamin Perry Thomas W Wootten D Douglass James Dentori Jno Wm Mann Joseph Bownon Rawleigh Stott Wm Owens T. Walton Saml Owens Alex. Allison L Bigelow Matthew Nichols David Burford J [H...?] Will. A. Wade S. P. Hughes Robert Luckey

To his Excellency Joseph M^cMinn Governor for the State of Tennessee

The undersigned petitioners beg leave to state to Your excellency that Sometime since Samuel Overton a citizen of Smith County Tennessee was arrested and brought to trial for an ? the offence of Stab =bing a certain Joel M Watkins; Your Petitioners State the evidence [addressed?] on the trial was that the Said Overton was much aggraveted [sic] on by the prosecutor, at the time of the offence is stated to have been committed, that the prosecutor had the reputation of being a quarrelsome man who would often endeavor to oppress and domineer over those, who would [bear?] his conduct: Your Petitioners State that the said Overton has always maintained a fair and upright character, a man both in public and private life has acted in such an exemplary and praiseworthy manner and deserves the highest respect of all his neighbours and acquaintancesthat this is the first infraction of the law if it is so considered, that with which the Defendant was ever charged- that he has resided in Virginia and Tennessee and in both places has secured to himself the reputation of being one of the most or= derly and Civil men known in Society - Your petitioners further state that: said

Overton is a poor man and has a Young Family that his industry is constantly required to supply the necessary wants of his family-

Your Petitioners further state that at the September Term 1817 of Smith Circuit Court the Defendant Overton was tried and found guilty. and the court therefore proceeded to Judgment, and did adjudge that the said Defendant be fined in the Sum of fifty Dollars and made liable for the whole of the cost amounting to the further sum of fifty or sixty Dollars; and further the said Court did adjudge that the said Defendant be imprisoned for the term of ten days- And although the court did proceed to give the afore said Judgment. Yet it is clearly our opinions the court did not wish ^to inforce [sic] the said Judgment, to the extent as delivered, and did ac= cordingly defer the imprisonment untill [sic] the com mencement of our next March Term 1818. [there?] evidently displaying a desperation that this might be an application made to your ex cellency that the said Defendant might be released from the said imprisonmentYour Petitioners state that it is the wish of a large majority of the people in this county who are acquainted with the transaction that the said Defendant may be released from the said imprisonment, commencing from the first day of our next March Term- Your

Petitioners therefore pray your excellency to release the said Defendant Overton from the said imprisonment, and also the payment of the fine if it shall seem to your ex cellency Just, and your Petitioners will ever pray -

W. A. Ragland Willie Sullivan Isaac Walton W^m Hughes Thomas [Holloman?] Henry Lyon W^m Walker Jacob Amonett [Jn^o?] Thomas H. B. Stephenson Allen Holladay Henderson Lewis [P.?] Wright [H. S.?] Ross John Chambers George Matlock Vincent Rust

Henry Huddleston John Harvey [W. Goodacre? Goodall?]Shff [Ehas?] John [Wm illegible] John [Good?] William Harry Benjamin Perry [Slarlen?] Beasley John Wright Henry [Hollman?] [Cader Harrel?] John E Harrison W^m Hallum David [Dregle?] [Jerrahmiah?] Bowen [illegbile] [Coffer?] James Tubb David Gale Josiah Strange