Edward, Charles, and Tabitha Gowen, represented by their grandfather, Edward Eard, seek to sell a slave from their father's estate. When John Gowen died, "they became entitled to and did recieve, their portion of a number of negroes, of whom was a girl named Ellen." The petitioners assert that Ellen "has been of late, accused of various crimes, once of an attempt to poison the person to whom she was hired." She has been accused of various other offenses and, "whether the same be true or not," they have made it "almost impossible to hire her out." The Gowens further relate "that the whole neighborhood has become excited and apprehensive and demand that she be immediately sold, or sent out of the county and some even threaten violence to her." In consequence, the petitioners pray that Ellen be sold. George W. McMurry avows in his deposition that it was his wife, who charged that Ellen tried to poison her. Ellen apparently gave his wife a roasted apple that, when cut open, was found to be laced with mercury. He estimates Ellen's value to be between $700 and $800.
Result: Granted.
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Repository: Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County Archives
