Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-16
W. H. BEDFORD, TRUSTEE, AND EMILY, A. FREE
WOMAN OF COLOR, VS.. E. L. WILLIAMS,
ADMIR- OF b. 7. PARSONS. DECD

ADMIR- OF b. i. PARSONS, DECD.
On the Goth Of March, Is47, the defendants intostas
benjamin T. Parsons, made and executed deed of trust
to the complainant, W. H. Bedford, whereby he convey
ed to the trustee four slaves, viz Nelson, Amy, John
and Cynthia for the sole use, benefit and comfortable
support Of oolored woman called Letta and Emil
w. II Is stipulated in the deed that the slaves Nelson
and Amy shall be held for the benefit of Letitia and
John and Cynthia for the girl Emily, who is described
in tho deed the daughter Of Lettia The trusts
for the separate lives Of the cestui que trust with the
condition If Emily shall survive her mother then all the
slaves are to be held for the and support Of the
former, and vice for the and support Of the
latter during her life and for the support and mainten
Of the child children Of the said Emily and after
the death Of both Of the original benefciares, Letita
and Emily then for the support and maintenance of the
children Of the latter Row born or hereafter to be born,
In default Of Emilys having child children living
at the death Of both the original benehciaries then said
slaves to be held in tras for Francis Lewis and
his heirs and the trustee is required to convey them
| to Lewis or his heirs.
In addition TO the foregoing provisions the deed
further provides If at any time after the date of
| this instrument Leita Emily should wish any or
all Of said slaves hereby conveyed for their benefit
and use respectively Sold and other slaves bought in
place Of them, If either both Of them should
prefer 10 have tho money got fer any all Of said
slaves held for her their use, then authorize my
said trustee w. L. Bedford, his assigns to sell all
or any Of said slaves and nvee the proceeds as said
Letitia OF Emily both of them, may desire, or hold
the money for their use if they desire and should
said slaves be sold here contemplated then SAID
trustee or his assigns Is 20 hold the money prop
erty in which the proceeds may be invested upon the
trusts above expressed
Some time after the execution of this deed the slaves
Amy and Cynthia went into the possession Of the ben
ehoares in tho trust and in 1858 the defendants in
testae Parsons Sold and by bill Of sale transferred
Nelson and John, together With some sixteen other
savesall he then ownedto j.. B. Taylor, for the
sum Of $4,000 Taylor as It stems, sold Nelson and
perhaps some others, to man by The name OF Chill
ton who afterwards resod him to the defendants in
testae, E. 7. Parsons, who, as It Is shown, died IN
1889 leaving the boy Nelson in the hands Of biz ad
ministrator.
II also appears that Chiffon sold John about the
| same time he sold Nelson, 10 Terrell, who re-
moved him 70 the State of Mississippi whsre, go far
this record disooses The facts, ne remaised until
/ his emancipation.
upon the trustee and tho girl Emily the surviving ben
ecisry in the trust 10 the value Of the slave
John, with the interest thereon from the date at which
be was sold to Taylor and also the he ct the slaves
Nelson and John for the time they in the custo
dy and control of Parsons after the date Of the trust
The hin charges that Letitia il dead and that She
the mother Of the complainant Eraily who Is the
illegitimate child OF the interstate Parsons and for
whom be had strong affection, and desired that she
should share largely in bis estate. II is also alleged
that he at al times recognized the slaves conveyed in the
trust belonging to tho trustee FOR The purposes de-
cared in the deed, and regarded himself responsible
for their hire while under his control Il is further al
legged that he induced sell the slaves conveyed
Taylor 10 avoid the results OF evil and wicked comb
nation against him and his property, and that he
ceYcd the sum o. uuu Tor Juhns Which u Gun 10 INC
1 hands Of his administrator.
The answer Of the administrator admits the execution
of the trust the 26h Of March, 1S47, that the
slaves Amy and Cynthia went into the possession Of the
eompainants in the life time Of the intesate Parsons
but upon information the defendant denies that Parsons
ever recognized the right Of the trustee, the beneh
oares in the deed TO the custody and control Of the
slaves, Nelson and John, admitted that he was re
sponshle for their hire, the consideration for which
John was sold.
II Is also admitted thai the defendants intestate d.
vested himself of all his property in 1858 10 avoid the
legal consequences Of actions Of Islander that we're
instituted against him. and that the bin of sale 70 Taylor
conveyed all the negroes he owned at that time.
The defendant also pleads and relies on the statute OF
limitations Of three and six years, well against the
claim Of hire, as for the value Of the slave John.
The proof Is somewhat volumiuous bus i Is unneees
sary 20 notice Of Il than 70 remark, that It estab
shes the fact that the complainant was che reputed
daughter Of the ntoststc and that he publicly acknow
edged her as such, and Of all times manifested great
tenderness and affection FOR her II further sppears that
her mother Leia, was the slave Of Parsons, and that
she died without any fOsnal emancipation; but that
many years before her death size and hsr daughter lived
IN a separate home, and her master lived and cohabted