Charlotte v. Henry Clay. Commission of John P. Erwin & William Carroll

 

State of Tennessee
William Carroll, Governor in & over the same
To all who shall see these Presents, Greeting;

Know you that Nathan Ewing who made the annexed certificate was at the time of making the same (3 Nov Inst) Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter sessions in & for our County of Davidson, duly appointed & sworn; (which said Court is a Court of Record;) That all faith & credit are due and ought to be given to his official acts as clerk aforesaid; and that his said Certificate is in due form of Law.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great seal of the State to be affixed at Nashville this 6 day of Nov 1829

Wm. Carroll

By the Governor, Daniel Graham, Secretary of State

 

District of Columbia, To wit:
The United States of America,
To John P. Erwin and William Carroll, of Nashville Tennessee

Know ye, That you, are appointed commissioners to examine evidences in a cause depending in the circuit court for the county of Washington, in the District of Columbia, between Negro Lotty for herself and children petitioner for freedom, and Henry Clay, Defendant.

Therefore You, are requested, having first taken oath hereunto annexed, and also administered the annexed oath to the person whom you shall appoint as clerk to attend the execution of this commission, that at such time and place as to you shall seem convenient, you cause to come before you, all such evidences as shall be named or produced to you, by either the plaintiff or defendant, and that you examine them upon their corporal oaths, to be by you, administered, on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God, touching their knowledge or remembrance of any thing that may relate to the cause aforesaid; and that you, cause notice to be given to the parties, or their attornies, of the execution of this commission before you execute the same; and having reduced the depositions of the witnesses, so taken by you, into writing, you send the same, with this commission, closed under your, hands and seals to the judges of the said circuit court, with all convenient speed.

Witness the honourable Wm. Cranch esquire, chief judge of the said court, the 13th say of August in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and twenty nine.

Issued the 14th day of August 1829.

Wm. Brent, Clk

R. Beale fgor Petr.
Geo. W. Dawson for deft

 

Commissioners' Oath.

You shall, according to the best of your skill and knowledge, truly, faithfully, and without partiality to any or either of the parties, take the examinations and depositions of all and every witness and witnesses produced and examined, by virtue of the commission hereunto annexed, upon the interrogatories now, or which may hereafter, before the said commission is closed, be produced to and left with you be either of the said parties. So help you God.

Wm. Carroll
John P. Erwin

Sworn to before me this 25th Octo 1829
W: [illegible]
Justice of the Peace of the County of Davidson State of Tennessee.

Clerk's Oath

You shall truly, faithfully, and without partiality to any or either of the parties in this cause, take, write down and transcribe, the depositions of all and every the witness and witnesses produced before and examined by the commissioners,             named in the commission hereunto annexed, as far forth as you are directed and employed by the said commissioners             transcribe the said depositions, or any of them. So help you God.

State of Tennessee Davison County ss

I Nathan Ewing Clerk of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for said County do hereby Certify to whom it may Concern that Wilkins Tannehill Esquire whose name is signed to the annexed Certificate was at the time his name appears to have been signed to the Same an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County and of said Court duly Commissioned and Qualified as Such full faith and credit is and ought to be given to his Official Acts in Courts[?] of Justice and thereout

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court at Office in Nashville this 3d day of November 1829

Nathan Ewing

 

Born. 1787
Bought 1796
sold to Mr Clay. 1806