Early Governors' Papers

Columbia Tennessee March 11^th 1828

To his Excelence Samuel Houston

Your humble petioner Emiy Rankin begs permision to represent to your Excellence the distressed cituation in which she and her family are placed in concequence of the confinements of her unfortunate Husband Robert A Rankin.

In concquence of an unfortunate occurance which transpired at a time when the sd R A Rankin was in a state of intoxication & almost intirely deranged he has been separated from me and confined in prison

The unfortunate cituation of your petitioner is such that without the assistance of her Neighbours she must inevitably be reduced to a state of suference Being wholy dependant on the labour of her husband for a support of which she is & has been deprived contrary to her inclination.

Your petitioner therefore humbly begs that your Excellency would be pleased mitigate her distressed Cituation by relieveing her husband the unfortunate R A Rankin from confinement and once more restore him to arms of a distressed wife & child whose indigent circumstances much requires the aid of a husband & father-

It is with humble confidence that I have assumed the boldness to make this appeal to your humanity humbly hoping that I may not sue in vain for that relief which will allone save me from sufference by restoreing once more to me the ony resource of support & Earthly happyness-

your Excellencies very humble Servant Emily Rankin