James R. Bracken is the guardian of Nathaniel Callier, who is "a person non compos mentis." He asks the court to settle a dispute over slaves in the estate of Nathaniel's late father, Robert Callier. The elder Callier, who died intestate in 1826, owned "about forty negro slaves." Bracken informs the court that Callier's widow, Harriet, is now married to John S. Roberts, whom he alleges sold the slaves without legal authority. Elisha Roberts purchased "a number of said negroes of both sexes but the names & number of said negroes are unknown." Without "sufficient and proper information on the subject," Bracken claims that he is unable to institute suit for the slaves' recovery. Noting that Elisha Roberts has had "the use and benefit" of the slaves for seventeen years, the petitioner estimates the yearly value of each slave to be at least $100. Bracken therefore prays that Elisha Roberts "be decreed to delivered up all of the slaves belonging to the estate" or account for their value. He also asks that members of the Roberts family be subpoenaed to answer questions about the slaves, their value, and offspring.
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Repository: East Texas Research Center, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas
