Early Governors' Papers

Return of the strength & Condition of Mero District Brigade of Militia Com^d by Brig. Gen^l Sam Winchester 31: July 1801.

District & Regiments	Field & Staff	Brigadier General	Lt Colonel	Majors	Brigade Major	Adjutants	Sergt Major	Captains	Liuetenants	Ensigns	Seargeants	Corporals	Privates	Arms & Accourtrements	Rifles	Muskets	Shot pouches & powderhorns	Cartridge Boxes	Pistols	Swords	Espontooons
Mero District		1			1
1st Regt Davidson County			1	2				9	7	5	14		405		300	105	300
2 Regt Do Do			1	2		1		7	7	7	8	2	290		130	77	149	33		22	1
Regt of Sumner County			1	2		1		15	15	15	37	29	829		618	55	279	87	76	52	2
Regt of Robertson Coty			1	2		1	1	8	8	7	9	2	429		210	36	221			12
Regt of Montgomery County			1	1		1		6	6	6	15		268			268
Regt of Wilson County			1	2		1		7	7	7	21	14	442		420	6	420	6		17
Regt of Smith County			1	2				11	10	11			734		617	64	614			3	1
Regt of Williamson County			1	2		1	1	5	5	5	6	2	384		375	8	375	1		19	1
Regt of Cavalry			1	2		1		7	5	7	21	21	210					50	282	200
		1	9	17	1	7	2	75	70	70	131	70	3991		2667	619	2358	177	358	325	5

I do certify that the above return contains a true [cut off] Brigade of Militia agreeably to returns to [cut off]

His Excellency The Governor

I William Bumpass who was appointed & Commissioned as a Justice of the peace for the County of Smith at the last Session of the General assembly for the State of Tennessee - do Certify that on Running the line between the Counties of Smith and Wilson I was left an Inhabitant of the latter - for which Reason I can not Qualify into the said office -

William Bumpass the 15^th august 1802

Know all men by these presents that we Robert L. Caruthers James Rucks, W^m E. Anderson & Fran^s McGavock all of the state of Tennessee are held & firmly bound unto his excellency William Carroll Esqr, governor in & over the State of Tennessee or his successors in office the sum of ten thousand dollars. To which payment will & truly to be made & done we bind ourselves & each of our heirs executors or administrators jointly & severally firmly by these presents. Sealed with our seals, and dated this 29th day of December AD 1824

The condition of the above obligation is such; that whereas the above named Robert L. Caruthers hath this day been appointed Clerk & Master in the Chancery Court for the Counties of Sumner Wilson Smith Jackson Overton & Fentress to be holden at Carthage in the State aforesaid: Now if the said Robert L. Caruthers shall safely keep the records, & faithfully discharge all & singular the duties of his office as Clerk & master aforesaid; then shall the above obligation be null & void otherwise be & remain in full force & virtue.

Rob^t L. Caruthers (seal) J. Rucks - (seal) W. E. Anderson (seal) F McGavock (seal)

Teste R McGavock

To his Excellency Samuel Houston Governor in and over the State of Tennessee -

Your petitioners the undersigned beg leave moast [sic] respectfully to represent to your Excellency, that at the present term of the Circuit court for Wilson County James Nelms was tried and convicted upon the charge of stealing and disposing of certain Negres [sic] Slaves- Many of the undersigned heard the evidence in the cause and all are acquainted with the prominent facts in the case and although it is common in applications of this kind to express opinions in favour of Executive Clemency they cannot forbear to say that if a case ever occured in any Country which loudly demand the merciful interposition of the pardoning Power of the Goverment this is one; the law under which he was convicted to say the least of it, is a most sangunary [sic] one we conceive that the [dispersing?] power vested in your Excellency could never be exercised with ^more obvious propriety than in the present case - It is litteraly true that the whole County of the prisoners residence desire most ardently his pardon -

The evidence ^in the cause together with circumstances which have come to the knowedge of Society since the trial have produced a setled [sic] conviction that he took the Negros to Murray where he sold them as the agent of one Noah Walker who has for years asserted and still asserts a cliam [sic] to them -

He left home about 4 oclock in the evening traveled openly on the publick [sic] road he sold them and returned home in the same way evidencing ^his inocence in his own opinion & his agency for Walker- we therefore pray that your Excellency will Graciously interpose ^by pardoning the said Nelms-

and as in duty bound we will ever pray &c-

1 Nicholas Edwards 2 Archer Clay 3 John Mitchell 4 Zadok Mitchell 5 Anderson Lambeth 6 Jesse Johnson

7 Jacob May 8 Israel Moore 9 Butler Arnold Capt 10 John L miller 11 James Cook 12 J S [phowes?] 13 M. [Offork? O Hank?]

To his Excellency Samuel Houston, Governor in and over the State of Tennessee -

Your petitioners the undersigned, beg leave most respectfully to represent to your Excellency, that at the present term of the Circuit Court for Wilson County, James Nelms was tried and convicted, upon a charge of stealing and disposing of certain Negroe slaves- Many of the undersigned heard the evidence in the cause, and all are acquainted with the prominent facts in the case, and although it ^is common in applications of this kind, to express opinions in favour of executive clemency they can not forbear to say, that if a case ever occure [sic] in any country, which loudly demanded the merciful interposition of the pardoning power of the govern -ment, this is one; The law under which he was convicted, to say [illegible] most sangunary [sic] one; and we conceive that the dispensing power vested in your Excellency, could never be exercised with more obvious propriety than in the present case- It is litterally true, that the whole county of the prisoners residence, desire most ardently his pardon-

The evidence in the cause, together with circumstances which have come to the knowledge of society since the trial have produced a setled [sic] conviction that he took the negroes to Murray, ^where he sold them as the agent of one Noah Walker, who has for years asserted, and still asserts a claim to them- He left home about 4 o.clock in the evening, traveled openly on the publick [sic] road, untill [sic] he sold them, and returned home in the same way, evidencing his inocence [sic] in his own opinion, & his agency for Walker- We therefore pray that Your Excellency will graciously interpose by pardoning the said Nelms-

And as in duty bound we will ever pray &c