Enoch Ensley, the administrator of the late Jason Thompson, asks that John McNairy Thompson be restrained "from removing ... slaves Out of the Jurisdiction of this Court." Ensley represents that his testator died possessed of six slaves and that the defendant is "pretending some claim" to them. He informs the court that he hired four of the slaves to said Thompson. He charges "that sd. defendant instead of returning said slaves at the end of the year has Kept them and ... intends to retain them and refuses to give them up upon pretence ... that he is entitled to them as his distributive share of said Jasons estate," whereby he "commenced an action of Detinue ... against the said John Mc Thompson." The petitioner admits that "he has strong fears that the said John M Thompson will not have said negroes forthcoming." He therefore prays that the defendant either "deliver up said negroes to Your Orator or to the sheriff ... or to give his bond with good and sufficient securities that he will have said negroes forthcoming to abide the event of said actions of detinue."
Result: Partially granted; dismissed.
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Repository: Williamson County Courthouse, Franklin, Tennessee
