Petition #11483213

Abstract

The widow and children of the late Col. William Locke ask that the administrator of his estate be allowed to sell parcels of land rather than the fifteen slaves in order to settle the debts of the intestate. The heirs assert that only three of said slaves are "able to Labour"; two of them are "old and infirm ... the other Ten young and none of them at this time would sell for their value." The petitioners point out that Locke owned 962 acres, divided into ten tracts, as well as lots in the town of Gainesboro. They therefore pray "your Honourable Boddy to pass a Law ... to sell the Town lotts." The petitioners fear that the "whole of the negroes," if put up for sale, would be "Draged a way by Traders to the lower country," leaving the widow "now in her old age without any person to releave her from the burden of hard labour." Moreover, they surmise that the young slaves are "fast increasing in Value and in a few years will be worth more to the Heirs than the whole of the land."

4 people are documented within petition 11483213

Or you may view all people.

Citation information

Repository: Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee

Subjects