Tobias, a free man of color, sued for payment of a judgment he won against James Montgomery, the administrator of John Campbell.

Eliza Figures worked as a housekeeper for Christopher T. Estes, a tavern owner in Livingston. Estes's wife was in a poor state of health, and Figures was hired to take care of the house business and culinary affairs. Figures claimed that, with the exception of a few articles of clothing, she was not paid for her services. Estes claimed that Figures left her husband and children in Tennessee and was living in his house as a guest and relative of his wife. Various depositions recount the work Figures did at the Estes house.

Eliza sued for a divorce claiming cruelty, abandonment, and repeated acts of adultery. Eliza accused Matthew of eloping with a Mrs. Aikens, and several letters in the case report their elopement to Tampico.

Richard C. Pollard sued John Whitehead for the worth of Edmund, an enslaved man deeded to Pollard's mother by James Hopkins, her father, and later purchased by Whitehead. A deed of loan in the case between Elizabeth Pollard and James Hopkins, gave her control over a group of enslaved people who were to be freed after their terms of service were completed. Included as an exhibit in the case is the petition of Torrisman Lockett, an enslaved man who sued for his freedom on the basis that his mother Hannah was one of the enslaved people emancipated in the deed of loan and Hopkin's will. However the will stated that the male offspring of the enslaved women would be emancipated at the age of forty and at the time of his suit Torrisman Lockett was under the age of twenty-one.

Sampson Green described in the bill being born a free man outside the United States, but immigrated to the United States and was unlawfully held in bondage. He described being purchased by Henry Harper as an enslaved man and being hired out to work for other individuals. Green sued for compensation of his work on the basis of being born a free man.

James Johnston asserted his claim to the land Reuben Bower resided on and also admitted he feared for his life as Bowen was tried and convicted of murder in Albemarle County.

James A. Stewardson sought an injunction against Sarah A. Stewardson, his stepmother from selling Fanny, an enslaved woman, and Fanny's three children and removing the family from Virginia to Missouri.

John N. Burnett and John W. Witt purchased a small lot of land with grist mill and house. SEE ALSO: 1840-050 for the account book of the newly restored grain mill.

Edwin Gentry sued for the right to sell Celia, an enslaved woman, on the basis that the proceeds of her sale would be the only means with which to provide for the children of Nelson Shelton.

The case considered the last will and testament (1841) of Frederick Cabell of Buckingham County. At question is whether George, John, and Emaline, three enslaved people, be allowed their freedom. Also mentioned is the need to raise money to send the three to Liberia.

The cause dealt with the issue of whether Nelson County's Board of Supervisors had the right to purchase and contract for lands to be used as a poor house farm for the paupers of the county.

William H. Loving purchased Matilda, an enslaved woman, from Elijah R. Walker in March 1865. Loving paid for Matilda with a portable steam saw mill. Matilda was left in the possession of Walker until after April 1865, when the Confederate Army surrendered, at which time Matilda asserted her right to freedom. Due to Matilda's freedom and no longer having any legal authority over her, Loving refused to honor his contract with Walker.

Included in the suit is a notice from the Richmond Whig dated the 10th of January 1860. The notice is for a public auction of enslaved people from an 1858 deed of trust executed by Maurice A. Brown.

The cause dealt with a tract of land in Nelson County which contained a saw mill and a grist mill for the manufacture of flour.

The suit dealt with parties in both Albemarle and Nelson counties regarding the settlement of the estate of Dr. Hawes N. Coleman and the sale of his property. Coleman was described as having been "greatly reduced due to the effects of the late war."

The suit is concerned with the partnership for "the purpose of conducting and carrying on the Norwood School." The people involved with the school are accused of a gross misapplication of funds.

The suits tryed to ascertain all the relatives eligible to a claim in Mary Walker Cabell's large estate. Included in the oversized material for this cause is an intricate, hand drawn genealogical chart, front and back, dated August 7, 1863. It is labeled as the family of Charles Carter of Shirley Plantation, the paternal grandfather of Mary Walker Cabell. SEE ALSO: The Uncommonwealth blogpost "A Tree Grows in Chancery"

The suit includes numerous references to Sheridan's raid in Nelson County. Several former enslaved people gave depositions. One exhibit is a division of enslaved people which included enslaved names, age, occupation, and familial relationships.

The cause involved William N. Dawson and Pierce Loving, both of whom bidded on and were contracted to work on the roads in Nelson County.

The suit involved the sale of John London's estate, called Soldiers' Joy. References were made to the enslaver's perception of managing enslaved people as difficult. Deponents in the suit described the tensions between large farmers and the Confederate government during the war. Multiple references were made to scarcity and uncertainty of labor after the war. Includes large plat that contains locations of various buildings including the cabins used by the enslaved people on the plantation.

The suit includes Richmond Fire Association insurance policies taken out on two enslaved people. They were hired out as laborers to the Virginia and Tennesse Railroad Company.

Emily Rushbrook Thomas was enslaved by Lemuel Turner prior to the Civil War and became his paid house servant after the war. She was also Turner's daughter. In his will, Turner left Thomas an inheritance for her loyal service.

The Faber lead mine located in Albemarle County was part of the dispute.

The deposition of James M. Harris questioned whether John W. and James T. Woods, the alleged children of Samuel Woods, were free or enslaved. Their mother was enslaved by James Woods, the brother of Samuel Woods. SEE ALSO: 1893-026, 1894-008, and 1899-006.

The suit is concerned with Henry C. Boyd's estate in Arkansas. Included with the suit are four land grants signed by President Martin Van Buren in 1837.

The suit stated between fifteen and twenty years prior to 1903, a telephone line was constructed and established between Lovingston and the railroad station, now called Oakridge. W.M. Tunstall, the son-in-law of J.R. and Mary Peebles, repaired the line. As relations between the two families became strained, Tunstall cut the wire which connected the telephone box in the Peebles house with the said telephone line.

George Tull sued for divorce from Alice Agnes Tull, his wife; both of the Tull's were Canadian citizens. According to the facts of the cause, the Alice after 10 years married to George, deserted him and took up with a former boarder in their residence. In 1908, George left Montreal and moved to Nelson County where he sued for divorce. Depositions were taken in Montreal and two rare photos are used as exhibits in the cause-one of Mr. and Mrs. Tull and one of Mrs. Tull with her lover, William Thompson. Both of the photographs are torn in half.

The suits involved disputes over tracts of land which were largely timber land. Found within the suit, attached to a letter from W.E. Moore dated July 14, 1905, is a campaign button for Claude A. Swanson, the then governor of Virginia.