LAWSUITS FILED IN WAYNE COUNTY COURT
John Bromley and Anthony Copley vs. William H. Copley and others.
A suit entered Wayne County Court on the first Monday in January, 1866. John Bromley and Anthony Copley vs. Wm. H. Copley, et al. In chancery.
The object of this suit is to recover of the Defendant W. H. Copley, $2,000.00 and to attach his estate in the hands of Joseph Marcum, his debtor, and also attach a house in Ceredo. The legal title is in J. C. Wheelers hands and also attach 25 acres of land on Tug River and subject the property in payment of debt.
J. H. Copley cut and shipped to the Western Market, three large fleets of timber composed of twelve rafts. In all 36 rafts of an estimated worth of $4,500.00 in the month of July, 1861.
David Bartrum vs. A. H. Perry
David Bartrum sued A. H. Perry for the sum of
$61.82 on November 26, 1869.
William C. Bartrum vs. A. M. Black, B. W. Lacy and I. G. Lacy
On the third day of December, 1878, William C. Bartrum brought suit in the Wayne County Court against A. M. Black, B. W. Lacy and I. G. Lacy late merchants and partners in trading and doing business in the style firm and name of Hammond and Company. And Thomas L. Black survivors of Thomas S. Black and James D. Hammond, partners and merchants in trading and doing business in the name of Black and Hammond. W. C. Bartrum says the year of 1875, one John Pauley, at the insistence of the Defendants A. M. Black and James Hammond, purchased the mineral rights in and under several different tracts of land in Wayne County, West Virginia. Amongst the lot purchased was 100 acres, belonging to the Plaintiff, W. C. Bartram, at $2.50 an acre. W. C. Bartram had never been paid. The court found for W. C. Bartram.
Silas Christian vs. Martha Jane Ferguson
The Plaintiff complains that on or about the 24th day of June, 1878, M. J. Ferguson sold lot no. 71, in the Ferguson Addition in Cassville to C. N. Wellman. C. N. Wellman then sold the lot to Silas Christian. The suit was to make M. J. Ferguson execute a deed for property to Christian. M. J. Ferguson died before the deed could be made. The suit was against his widow, Martha Jane Ferguson and Boyd Ferguson and Luta Ferguson were minor Defendants.
Oct. 26, 1882 - Decree entered for Plaintiff against Defendants.
Deposition of James Wellman taken at law office of Lace Marcum in Cassville (notice Aug. 29, 1882)
Deposition of C. N. Wellman, Silas Christian and Lace Marcum taken by Lewis Frasher on Sept. 25, 1882.
John Bromley vs. Owen Holt et al. And J. W. Holt
Suit filed February, 1884, concerning 1,600 acres of land upon the waters of Horse Creek and Lost Creek tributaries of Tug Fork of the Big Sandy. Nathan Holt, John Bromley and John McHenry had "surveyed, entered and had patented unto them from the Commonwealth of Virginia" sometime in the year of 1855, a 1/4 interest in the property was sold and suits filed for payment of property.
John Bartram vs. Granville Frasher
A suit filed in the Wayne County Court on the 10th day of July, 1886, John Bartrum, Plaintiff, sues Granville Frasher before C. P. Moore, J.P., for the sum of $30.70 and $1.90 court costs. Said that on the first day of November, 1883, the Defendant J. W. Dawson obtained before L. Frasher in the sum of $33.65 and that on the 8th day of February, 1879, C. W. Smith and Granville Frasher, then pastures in the practice of law under the firm name and style of Smith and Rattliff obtained a judgement against said Frasher in the amount of $10.00 and a $2.00 court cost on the 1st day of November, 1881. The court found for John Bartrum.
John Bromley vs. Ella Bromley, et al.
John P. Bromley petitioned the court to be appointed guardian-ad-litem for 15 year old Ella and 13 year old Charlie (children of John and Josie). Appointment September 26, 1891. As guardian he petitioned to sell property to the Phoenix Powder Mfg. Co. Final order entered October 7, 1891. Right to make deed granted.
Minerva Bartram vs. Frank Hammons
For property willed to herself, her sister Fally O. Frasher, Nancy Burgess, and the children of deceased sisters Jane Vinson and Polly Stansberry.
James P. Billups vs. A.J. Thompson, Wm. W. Thompson, Joseph Pruit and Levi Hampton
Suit was filed February 16, 1892. Billups charged that A. J. Thompson sold to him two tracts of land on the fork point of Amp Branch of Mill Creek. Suit charges that Thompson did not receive clear title to the property from Pruit nor Hampton. Judgment was for the Plaintiff to receive title to property on June 2, 1892.
S. C. Beaire administrator of Harmon Loar
Brought to court December 6, 1892 a suit to sell property of the deceased Harmon Loar to cover his debts. By S. C. Beaire, Administrator of Harmon Loar.
Those summoned: Elizabeth Loar, widow of Harmon Loar; Mary E. Frazier; Labon T. Loar; Oliver S. Loar; James J. Loar; Harrison B. Loar; children and heirs at law of Harmon, deceased.
Statement of costs:
M. J. Mills - clerk$15.00
S. M. Frasher, S.S.W. C. 3.75
J. H. Lambert S. W.C. 3.75
W. L. Mansfield Pub and Cornr 17.00
Statute Fee 20.00
James Prichard judgmnt425.82
B. J. Prichard judgmnt 70.25
S. C. Beaire judgmnt 61.43
Wayne News order of
Publication 5.50
Wayne News notice of sale 9.00
James Prichard note416.25
Interest to May 22 8.32
Protest fee 1.50
Seized in fee simple of several tracts of land lying in Wayne County and the value as near as your commissioner can ascertain is as follows:
441 acres on Sandy River$6,000.00
845 acres on Hurricane 5,000.00
10 acres on Big Sandy River 40.00
John Bartram vs. Samuel J. Webb, Minta Webb and Willie Webb
A suit entered in Wayne County Court, July 24, 1895. John Bartram was trying to secure back ownership of a tract of land of 40 acres that he had sold to Samuel Webb, Minta Webb and Willie Webb, his son, on January 18, 1892. The land being situated on the waters of Tug River. For a vendor's lien of $287.35 (it seems according to Webb, the papers concerning the sale were lost and he had no paper to show he had purchased the land). This case was settled on the 3rd day of March, 1905, for the sum of $500. Bartram agreed to rent the property to Samuel J. Webb for $24.00 per year.
Webb was not to farm said land, but could pasture all the land. Webb is to keep the taxes paid, and is to have credit for the taxes on said land. Signed S. J. Webb and John Bartram.
There is a Cabell County Court Record (appeared in the Wayne County News, April 28, 1974).
May 1829; Rachell Donathon, Rhoda Vinson, James Wellman, Peter Leach, Thomas Marcum and Steven Marcum all posted $100 bonds to appear in the next term of the Superior Court of Cabell County.
Rachell Donathon (at that time she was 81 years old, lived to be 102 in 1850) made an affidavit in which she said that about three years before she had taken a tin box to the home of Rhoda Vinson containing about $200, and that later she took the money out of the box and put some in amounting to $20 or $30 at a time. At last New Years Day she went to Rhoda Vinson's and found the box empty. She estimated she had taken about $70.00 out of the box and estimated she had lost upwards of $100.00.
Rhoda Vinson said that Rachel Donathon, about three years before, had brought to her house a small tin box or trunk which she said contained money and that she wanted her (Rhoda) to keep it for her and that she took it and put it in a little bag and put it in a churn up in the loft. That she has no knowledge that anyone but Mrs. Donathon knew where it was. That she came and visited and brought money for the box. About the first of the year Mrs. Donathon told her Jesse Roberson was using money and appeared to have money which made her suspect he had gotten her money.
Upon examining the box, she found it broken open and empty. She swore that Robinson was about her house and had all the freedom her children had.
James Vinson swore that on the evening before New Year's day last, that he saw Robinson at his mother's house and that evening as he was going to feed the cattle he saw Robinson, who accompanied him, take out of his pocket a handful of silver. He asked him where he got it and he said he had stolen it, but declined to say where. Besides, he said the money he had in his pocket, he had $20.00 hid under a fodder shock and $5.00 in the roots of a beach tree.
Thomas Marcum swore that last New Year's day he got $2.00 from Jesse Robinson at the bar and saw him with >50 besides. He asked Robinson how he got the money and he said he got it in the harvest, that is, he had to clear land for his father. Either 5 acres of land for $6.00 or 6 acres for $5.00. Also, that Roberson had told him he knew who stole the money, but that he didn’t.
The outcome of the trial wasn't pursued, if it ever came to trial. Apparently he wasn't found guilty for he married Jane Webb, the daughter of Samuel Webb, who was a man of considerable means. They married in 1830 and raised a large family, one of whom was Warren Robinson.
This gave some idea of where they lived, for Rachell Donathon lived by Rhoda (Sperry) Vinson on Tug River above Salpetre and across the river from Donathon Creek on the Kentucky side of the river. The Robinsons lived on the Mill Creek side, near John Jarrell.