Margaret Mary Best seeks the return of a slave named Mary Jane and her child, George. In 1826, Best received three slaves from Thomas Donnelly; at the same time, he sold four slaves to Best's brother, Thomas Griggs. Best then conveyed her slaves to her brother but in 1848 he returned them, with their increase, to Best and her husband, John, by deed of gift. When Thomas died in 1849, his and Best's father, William Griggs, filed a bill "against your oratrix and her husband claiming an interest in all the negroes originally conveyed by Donnelly to your oratrix & her brother, & also attaching the deed of Gift from the said" Thomas on the grounds that he was mentally incapacitated. The court found in favor of Griggs, and the Bests appealed. Meanwhile, the parties agreed to arbitration. The arbitrators granted the slaves to Margaret Best on the condition that she furnish her father with an annuity. Now, Best finds that her husband's creditor, Samuel Ament, claims the slaves Mary Jane and George against his debts. Deputy Sheriff J. M. Jones has the slaves in his custody and advertises them for sale. Margaret Best believes that she "is entitled to the whole of said negroes by virtue of the award of the arbitrators." Therefore, she prays Ament's claim be overturned and that the court order an injunction against the sale of the slaves.
Result: Injunction granted; denied and injunction dissolved; appealed; affirmed; set aside.
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Repository: Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee
