Melissa Butler, mother of Ella P. Butler, states that her minor daughter is possessed in her own right "of a large amount of property consisting of lands, negroes, stock, choses in action" and that "amongst the said slaves of Ella P. there are a number of women & children who require particular care & attention in preserving the health & value of said women & in raising said negro children." The petitioner asserts that she would rather keep the slaves together under her immediate care than to hire them "promiscously at public auction to persons who will feel no interest in taking Care of the same & especially the negro Children." Melissa now charges that Samuel F. Butler induced her to relinquish her right to the guardianship of Ella and that he "has taken the said negros of said Minor from the possession of your Petitioner & threatened to hire the same at public auction to the highest & best bidder without regard to the seperation of the families of said negros & without regard to that special Care & attention of the women & children of said Slaves." She therefore prays that the guardianship granted to the said Samuel F. Butler be set aside, cancelled and annulled.
Result: Partially granted.
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Repository: Billups-Garth Archives, Lowndes County Public Library, Columbus, Mississippi
