Winnefrid Richmond seeks a divorce from her husband, Braddock Richmond, on the grounds that said Braddock has "been living for the last two years in open Adultery with one of his, or rather, your Petitioners female slaves named Polly." She informs the court that she married Braddock in 1821 after the death of her previous husband, Thomas Garrett. The petitioner asserts that she and Richmond "have in their possession seven slaves ... all of those slaves were derived from her father" and that they have resided on a tract of land, which "was assigned to your Petitioner for her Dower." Confiding that "within the last few years she has almost been entirely deserted by her said Husband," Winnefrid charges that "he has in fact, literally made the House occupied by said Polly his house; he has eat there and slept there, and has in numerous instances violated the matrimonial vow, not only with said Slave polly but in all probability, with other females, unknown to your petitioner." She therefore prays that she be granted a divorce; that her husband "be enjoined from taking possession of, or intermeddling with said Slaves;" and that an equitable part of said land and slaves "be vested in her during life with remainder to her Children." The answer disputes certain slave data.
Result: Granted; appealed; affirmed.
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Repository: Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee
