Stephen Jones accused Frederick Yost, a man he described as “famous for his swindling,” of failing to sell him a still per a prior agreement. Jones, who made peach brandy, picked and “beat” his peaches in anticipation of receiving a still from Yost, but was disappointed numerous times. In several instances, Jones was forced to rent a still “at [a] very extravagant price” so he did not lose his harvest.

This cause references a freedom suit filed by Hagar, an enslaved woman, in Augusta County against Philip Gaines and others. The freedom suit was appealed to the Superior Court of Chancery in Staunton. See Augusta County Chancery Cause 1815-030: Hagar (enslaved) vs. Robert Crockett, etc., Frederick Idle vs. Philip Gaines, etc., available on the Chancery Records Index. Frederick Idle, who was summoned on behalf of Gaines as part of the freedom suit, failed to appear due to what Idle described as an unexpected illness. He therefore sought to dispute a judgment issued against him because of his absence.

Included with this cause is Alfred Cornutt's petition for habeas corpus ad subjiciendum [or a writ directed to the person detaining another and commanding them to produce the body of the prisoner, or person detained] for the return of Elizabeth Cornutt, his wife, from the home of Rebecca Russell, her mother. According to Cornutt, Philip Russell, Elizabeth’s father, refused to allow Elizabeth to return home with Cornutt following a visit to the Russell’s house in 1837. After Philip died in 1839, Rebecca “threatened [Cornutt] with great personal violence” should he attempt to see Elizabeth, or the child born to Elizabeth while she resided with her parents. The habeas corpus ad subjiciendum ordered that Elizabeth and her child present themselves to the judge of Grayson County Court of Law and Chancery, but a “petition withdrawn” note on the back of the document indicates that the matter was most likely not pursued.

Jesse A. Reeves sold James Dickey a one-sixteenth interest in a purported silver mine located at the mouth of Brush Creek (Grayson County, Va.). However, according to Dickey, the ore was “ascertained to be iron.” Dickey sued Reeves for fraud, claiming that, besides the absence of silver in the mine, Reeves could not make a good title to the interest, nor could Richard Billings, the person who sold a one-fourth interest in the mine to Reeves, provide sufficient title to the property.

May Morgan married Caroline Hall in March 1861 and subsequently entered the Confederate Army. On February 14, 1864, Caroline gave birth to a child, but May claimed that his extended absence, due to his military service, precluded him from being the child’s father. He therefore sought a divorce. Caroline's answer to the bill for divorce relates her experiences during the Civil War. Included in this suit is an affidavit, dated September 28, 1863, in which an unnamed prisoner in the “Jail of Grayson County” complains of insufficient bedding and the cold.

This suit concerns the division of land and people enslaved by Alexander Phipps - namely Adam, Bob, Lot, Alfred, Handy, Mary, Bill, Ellen, and Ann - among his heirs. Included in the suit is a letter dated April 27, 1870, written by John M. Davis on Virginia Senate Chamber stationary. He recounts the collapse of the Supreme Court of Appeals floor and gallery into the House of Delegates chamber below and its devastating impact on those present. [The event Davis describes occurred at the Virginia State Capitol on the same day the letter was written.]

William Carrico and Martha Carrico, William’s wife, separated due to what Harvey Carrico, William and Martha’s son, described as “misconduct by [William].” Harvey supported Martha during the separation and stated that his father, “thus driven from horror by his own conduct,” conveyed a tract of land to him as compensation. After separating from Martha, William cohabitated with Louisa (Eliza) Fortner (Forkner) Carrico, who Harvey depicted as a “kept woman,” and therefore not entitled to any part of William’s estate. According to Harvey, Louisa never divorced Jefferson Forkner, her previous husband, but Louisa claimed to have been legally married to William in Grayson County. She also asserted that William never conveyed the land to Harvey.

This cause contains nine letters written Columbus Long between July 30, 1861, and October 6, 1861. Long wrote to his wife and other family members, relating his experiences as a soldier in the Confederate Army.

In March 1865, A. B. McMillan sold Violet and Ann, Linda, Franky, and Vina, her four children, to David Sexton for $600. Sexton never paid the purchase money and McMillan’s administrators recovered a judgment against Sexton for the debt in 1871. Sexton claimed that Violet and her children, at the time of purchase, had been emancipated by the Emancipation Proclamation and the constitution of Virginia. Since they were not enslaved when the sale occurred, argued Sexton, his purchase of them as enslaved persons was invalid, and he was therefore not indebted to McMillan’s estate for their acquisition. The judge sided with the defendants and ordered Sexton to pay the judgment.

Rosa Smith sought a divorce from Kimbrough Smith due to their incompatibility and their familial tie as aunt and nephew. William Rankin, Rosa’s father, was also the father of Kimbrough’s mother, though Kimbrough’s mother was the daughter of Rankin by one wife and Rosa a daughter by another. Rosa sited Virginia law, which “expressly prohibited” the intermarriage of close familial relations. See also Grayson County Chancery Cause 1875-035: Rosa Smith vs. Kimbrough Smith.

Thomas Phipps and E. T. Phipps offered a $200 reward for the capture and delivery of Lee N. Hash to the jailer of Grayson County. Hash was accused of killing W. S. Phipps, the brother of E. T. Phipps and the son of Thomas Phipps. The suit involves a dispute between the Phippses and various parties over the distribution of the reward.