Early Governors' Papers

Fort Blount April 23^rd 1800

Dear Sir

Your friend M^r Fisk will hand you this to whom I Shall refer you for the news of this part of the Country, and at his request together with the request of a number of other Gentlemen living on Obeds & roaring rivers, I take the liberty to inform your Excellency, that the seat of W^m Alexander Esq^r was a who was appointed and and commissioned last Assembly as a Justice of the peace for the County of Smith has become vacant, by his living in Sumner County, and by the 14 Sec^t of the 2^ond article of our State constitution it is in your power to fill all vacancies which may happen by a temporary appointment during the recess of the Assembly, and Should you think proper to make the appointment, I think it would be doing nothing but Justice to select the most proper charactar [sic] you could on Obeds or roaring rivers as they have only one Justice for that remote Scattered Settlement -

I have Honor to be your Excellencys most Obed^t Serv^t

S. Williams

Free S Williams

His Excellency John Sevier Esqr Mr Fisk } Knoxville

Sam Williams letter respecting the appointment of a Justice of the peace