Early Governors' Papers

By Joseph McMinn Governor of the State of Tennessee

To all Sheriffs Coroners Constables Magistrates and other officers and citizens of the State of Tennessee Greeting

Whereas it is represented to me by the Honorable Isaac Shelby Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky that a certain Joseph Conway hath feloniously stolen taken & carried away from a certain Robert Boyce, of the county of Mercer in said State of Kentucky a certain negro man named Warner the property of said Robert Boyce out of his possession in said county & State on or about the 17^th day of March last. and the said Governor of Kentucky having forwarded to me the affidavits of said Robert Boyce Jesse Scott James H Scott Ellen Scott and George Stegall. taken in said State and county duly authenticated and sworn to before Joseph Morgan & Samuel Davis Justices of the peace. and certified as authentic by said Gover nor. of the State of Kentucky to be [correct?] that said crime was committed & said defend^t had fled and said Isaac Shelby having made demand of me in proper form that said Joseph Conway be

be apprehended & delivered and secured so that he can be delivered up to an agent appointed by the Gover nor of the State of Kentucky to receive & convey him for tryal [sic] to said State. And said Robert Boyce being duly appointed such agent for that purpose

[Show?] it by these presents and enjoined and commanded. to all Sheriffs Coroners Constables Magistrates & other persons ^in the State of Tennessee to be aiding and assisting to arrest take & safely keep said Joseph Conway untill [sic] notice thereof is given to the Robert Boyce Agent appointed as aforesaid to receive said fugitive and him to deliver to said Agent & all persons are strictly enjoined to be aiding in the removal of said Joseph Conway from this State to the State of Kentucky

Attest. Down at Knoxville this day of ?

Said Joseph Conway is about 21 or 22 years of age about 6 feet high slim made black hair & eyes rather red complection [sic], and is supposed to in Bedford county near Shelbyville

In testimony whereof &c &c &c

State of Tennessee Bedford County

This day Thomas Conway came personally before me M D Mitchell a Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid and made oath that a certain Negroe man called Warner is his property that he the said Negroe was born his Slave and that he this affiant never bargained sold or conveyed the said Slave to any person; that when residing in Madison County in the Mississippi Territory he hired the said Negroe was hired out and that a Son of this affiant without the knowledge or consent of him took the Negroe away and as this affiant was informed, gambled him away and that as soon as he heard where he was, he sent his son Joseph Conway with full authority to sue for and recover the said Slave or to take him into his possession if he could peaceably, and to bring him to this affiant; and that the said Joseph found the said Negro in the State of Kentucky on the publick highway which in the possession of a certain Robert Boyce and he says he can prove by a Citizen of said State that he took the said Slave and brought him to this deponent by virtue of the said authority

Thomas Conway Sen^r X his mark

Sworn to & subscribed before me

M D Mitchell [Justice Peace?]

State of Tennessee Bedford County

This day Henry Conway came personally before me M [Detutehill?] a Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid and made oath that a certain Negroe man called Warner lately claimed or pretended to be claimed by a certain Robert Boyce from the State of Kentucky is the property of Thomas Conway and that the said Conway raised the said Slave and that the said Negroe was hired out in Madison County and in the Mississippi territory and Thomas Conway Jun^r without the permission consent or knowledge of his Father who owned the said Negroe took him away and as soon as the said Thomas Conway Sen^r heard where he was he sent his son Joseph Conway for him and the said Joseph brought the said Negroe home to his Father and made it known to his neigh= bours that he had done so

Henry Conway

Sworn to & subscribed before me

M D Mitchell [Justice Peace?]

State of Tennessee Bedford County

This day Christopher Conway made oath that the above named Negro was the property of Thomas Conway Sen^r and he believes that the said Conway never sold the said Negroe nor authorised any person to do so

C. Conway

Sworn to & subscribed be before me

M D Mitchell [Justice Peace?]

The Common Wealth of Kintucky [sic] Mercer County [Lc?]

The Common Wealth of Kentucky AgainstJoseph Conway Upon a charge of Felony in stealing a Negro man Slave by the name of Warner the property of Robert Boyce of said County on the night of 17^th March last Be it Remembered that upon this day to wit on the 5^th day of Ap.^l 1816 a warrant in the name of the Common wealth against ^the s^d Joseph Conway touching the Felony aforesaid was duly Returned before us Joseph Morgan & Samuel Daviess- two of the Common Wealths Justices of the peace in & for the county Af^d. & it appearing to us not only by the officers Return on s.^d warrant ^but also from evidence which we heard that the s^d. Joseph Conway is a fugitive and has