In 1845, Joshua Paulk married Martha Billingshea, who, nearly a decade later, received a gift from her father of three slaves: Jenny, age twenty-two, Lucy, age thirteen, Nerva, age nine. The slaves were for "her sole and separate use and benefit" during her life and following her death they were to descend to her children. Her husband, Martha writes, "has been very unsuccessful in business and very improvident." The small patrimony left by his father "has been ruinously invested and lost by him in an unsuccessful mercantile business." Martha Paulk complains that her three slaves have been confiscated by the sheriff to pay her husband's debts. Although he is the trustee of her property he refuses to "interpose a claim at Law for her interest." Martha sues her husband, and asks for an injunction against various merchants to prevent the sale of her slaves.
Result: Dismissed; appealed.
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Repository: Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama
