Oliver H. Jones, administrator of the estate of the late Nathan Jones, seeks delivery of a slave named Lewis, who is currently being held illegally by Nathaniel Covington. Jones explains that John Howdeshell sold two slaves to Nathan Jones on 10 September 1838, "in partial payment of" a debt he owed to Sarah Jones, his adopted daughter and the petitioner's wife. The slaves did not change physical possession, however, because Howdeshell owned their mother, Caroline, and did not want to separate the family. Howdeshell has died, and Lewis is now in the possession of the defendant. Jones asks the court to order Covington to return Lewis, or, in default thereof, to compensate him in the sum of $900, Lewis's alleged value. In his answer, Covington contends that he legally hired Lewis from the estate of John Howdeshell, but that Lewis "was decoyed away or eloped from the defendant." Covington alleges that Lewis is actually in the petitioner's possession and has been since the commencement of the suit.
Result: Denied; appealed; affirmed.
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Repository: Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City, Missouri
