Early Governors' Papers

Agreeable to returns made to me by a Justice of the Peace

I do hereby certify that John Thurman was elected Captain, and Phillip Shults Lieutenant in the Eleventh Regiment of Tennessee Militia. Given under my hand at Sevierville this 30^th day of January 1819

Alex^r. Preston L. Co.^l 11^th R. T. M.

Gov. M^cMinn

Free Alex^r. Preston P. M. Sevier [o.?] h. Ten

Gov. Joseph M^cMinn Murfreesboro. Tennessee

Rec^d 8^th Feb 1819 2 Com iss^d 9^th

[b. ? b.] be secured

State of Tennessee Sevier County

An Inquisition indented taken at Sevierville in the same county the 13th day of October int he year of our Lord 1816 Before me Stuard Owens Coroner of the County aforesaid upon the View of the body of John Compton then and there lying Dead upon their Oath Thomas Price, Alexander Preston Jeremiah Mathews, John Clabaugh Sentr, Thomas Locke Sentr, John Williams, Robert Lawson, John Common, William Common, Jonah Rogers, John Reed, and Anthony Lawson Good and longest men men of the said County who being sworn and changed to enquire on the part of the state aforesaid when, where, how, and after what maner [sic] the John Compton, came to his Death, do say upon their Oath that one Ellis Thomas of theaid County yeoman not having the fear of God Before his Eyes, But being moved and seduced by the instagation [sic] of the Devil on the twelfth day of October 1816 immediately after dark in the night of the same day with form and arms at the house of Stuard Owens in Sevierville in the county aforesaid in and upon the said John Compton then and there being in the place of God and of the State Feloniously Voluntarily and of his malice of forethought made an assault and that the aforesaid Ellis Thomas there and then with a Certain knife made of Irona nd steel which he the said Ellis Thomas then and there held in his right hand, the aforesaid John Compton in and upon the left Grind Joining, the lower part of the Belly of the said John Compton then and there voilently [sic] feloniously voluntarily and with malice of forethough struck and pierced and Gave to the said John Compton then and there with the knife aforesaid in anpon the left Grind Joining the under part of the Belly of the said John Compton one mortal wound of the bridth [sic] of two inches and a half, and of considerable

Depth of which said mortal wound the said John Compton then and there instantly died and so the siad Ellis Thomas then and there feloniously killed and murdered the said John Compton against the peace and Dignity of the state.

And the said Jurors further say upon their oaths aforesaid that Ellis Thomas yeoman of this county as aforesaid did wilfully [sic], maliciously, voluntarily, and with malice of forethought murdered the said John Compton in manner and form as aforesaid at the house of Stuard Owens in Sevierville in [the?] County aforesaid on the night of the twelfth of October 1816

In Witness when of as will the aforesaid Coroner as the Jurors aforesaid have to this inquisition put their Seals on the day and year, and at the place above named -

Stuard Owens Coroner (seal)

Thomas Price (seal) foreman Alexander Preston (seal) Jeremiah Mathews (seal) John Clabaugh Sen (seal) Thomas Locke Sen (seal) John Williams (seal) Robert Lawson (seal) John Cannon (seal) Josiah Rogers (seal) William Cannon (seal) John Reid (seal) Anthony Lawson (seal)