The Lenam family seeks to recover four slaves. In 1832, a "very valuable tract of land was sold" under an execution of James Hunter "against the Said William Lenam," husband of Caroline Lenam. Having passed through the hands of Zadock Hooker, John Cherry purchased the property in "1836 or 1838," only to sell it shortly thereafter to Dr. John C. Jeter for $4,000. In their agreement, it was "expressly ... understood and agreed ... that the Sum of one Thousand Dollars," part of said purchase price, "was not to be paid unto the Said John Cherry until after your oratrix the Said Caroline Lenam had assigned and legally conveyed her Dower on the Said land." In 1842 Cherry "sold and conveyed" a slave named Mourning and her children to Caroline and her three children, for the sum of $1,000, which Caroline paid by "releasing and assigning her right of Dower." Caroline attests that said slaves were "conveyed to her Sole and seperate use and not liable for any present or future debts of her husband." The petitioners report that said family of slaves has been "levied on and sold by the Defendant Robert Macbeth,” as sheriff. The Lenams are "greatly attached to the Said negroes as they suited the family well and as they [were] thus illegally sold for the debts of John Cherry," who had lived with said family. They therefore pray that Mourning and her family be delivered up to them, with an account of their hire.
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Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
