The distributees and legal heirs of the late John Garrett seek to void a deed of gift executed by the late Garrett to Nancy Hughes, with whom he "lived in a state of concubinage." The petitioners inform the court that Garrett conveyed "four negroes towit, Harriet, Tom, Seaborne, and Cynthy" and a tract of land to Hughes in April 1850. Citing that Garrett was "of great imbecillity of mind and body and utterly incompetent," they purport that said deed "is void for want of capacity of said John Garrett ... and from undue influence exerted over the said John Garrett by the said Nancy Hughes." The petitioners charge that Hughes "is in possession of all the property contained in the aforesaid deed" and that she intends to remove the slave Seaborne from the district, whereby "the rights of your orators and oratrix will be put in jeopardy and may be wholly defeated." The petitioners therefore pray that Nancy Hughes be restrained "from removing the said slave Seaborne beyond the limits of this State" and that the "deed of gift from said John Garrett to said Nancy Hughs be set aside as void by order of this court."
Or you may view all people.
Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
