Griggs Admin vs. James Flanagan, Fanney Slave

Williams, Richard – admin of Griggs, John
vs.
Flanagan, James

Det[?] – negro slaves

James Flanagan
W R William
For one negro girl named Fanney [?] $500.00

7th Judicial District
Jefferson County, to wit, 13th Circuit

Richard Williams, admn of all and singular the goods and chattels, rights and credits which he of John Griggs, deceased, at the time of his death, who died intestate complains of James Flanagan of plea that he unto to him a certain female negro slave, named Fanney, of the value of $500 which he unjustly detains from him. For that when the said John Griggs in his lifetime, to wit on the __ day of 18, at the county of Jefferson was lawfully possessed of the said female were slave as of his own property and being so possessed be the said John Griggs afterwards to wit on the day of 18, at the County aforesaid, casually lost the said slave out of his possession and the same afterwards, to wit, on the day of 18 at the county aforesaid came to the possession of the said James Flanagan by priding, yet the said Flanagan well known the said negro slave Fanney to be the property of the said John Griggs in his lifetime and at the time of his death and after his decease, of right to belong to the said Richard Williams as Admr as aforesaid, to which said Richard Williams after the death of the said John Griggs to wit on the day of 18 at the County aforesaid, administration of all and singular the goods and chattels and credits which are of the said Griggs and at the time of his death who died intestate by the County Court of Jefferson County in due form of law was granted all [?] to the said [?] negro slave Fanney to the said Griggs in his lifetime since the death of said Griggs has he delivered the said perate negro slave Fanney to the said Richard Williams as often requested or to do by the said Griggs in his lifetime and since his death by said Williams as [?] as of [?], but to do [?] in the lifetime of said Griggs and since the death of said Griggs to said Williams as admr aforesaid, but said Griggs in his lifetime be detained the said female negro slave Fanney and hath and will continue to detain the said negro slave Fanney to writ at the County aforesaid for the said Richard Williams admr of said Griggs to wit at the County aforesaid.

And [?] after heretofore, to wit on the day of 18 at the County aforesaid, the said Richard Williams delivered the said James Flanagan a certain female negro slave named Fanney, the property of the said Richard Williams, of great value, to wit of the value $500, to be undelivered by the said James Flanagan to the said Richard Williams, when he the said James Flanagan should be thereto afterwards requested. Nevertheless the said James Flanagan, although he was afterwards requested to wit on the day of 18, at the County aforesaid and on delivery times and at delivery places by the said plaintiff as to do, hath not as yet delivered the said slave to the said Richard Williams, but hath hitherto wholly neglected and refused to do so and still unjustly detains the said female slave Fanney from the said Richard Williams to wit at the County aforesaid– And whereas, also, heretofore, to wit, on the day of 18, at the County aforesaid the said Richard Williams was lawfully possessed of a certain other slave, to wit, a female negro slave named Launey, a great value to wit of the value of $500 as of his own property, and being so possessed thereof, he the said Willaims afterwards to wit on the day of 18 aforesaid at the County aforesaid, causally lost the said Slave out of his possession, and the same, afterwards, to wit, on the day of 18 for said, at the County aforesaid came into the possession of the said James Flanagan by hiding, yet the said James Flanagan well knowing the said female negro slave to be the property of him the said Richard Williams and of right to belong appertain to him, hath not, as yet delivered the said last mentioned slave to him the said Williams, although he was afterwards, to wit, on the day of 18, at the county of Jefferson and at delivery times & places requested by the said Williams as to do but hath hitherto wholly refused to do so, and hath abstained and still will detain the said female negro slave named Fanney from him the said Richard Williams, to wit at the County of Jefferson aforesaid to the damages of the said Richard Williams $500 and therefore has said. And the said Richard Williams admn as aforesaid bring into court here the letters of [?] granted.

James Flanagan
vs.
Griggs admn.

And for a further plea on his behalf, the said Defendant, by his Attorney comes and defends the form and injury when &c. and says that the said plaintiff ought not to have or maintain his aforesaid action against him the defendant, because, he says, that the said clan in the Declarations mentioned, was a gift to the wife of him the said Defendant, made by the father of his, the said Defendant, wife, and that the said slave has been held by his and their possession as such for the space of some two years. And this he is ready to verify– Wherefore he prays judgement wether the plaintiff his action aforesaid thereof ought to have and maintain against him. — Lucas & Washington