Approximately one hundred and forty (140) early Tennessee legal documents including sheriff summons, court filings, wills, land surveys, and land grants. Signatures include Colonel Francis A. Ramsey (1764-1820) and Major James Sevier (1764-1847). The documents, dated circa 1793-1871, pertain mainly to the Superior Court in Knoxville, Hamilton District, Jonesborough, Washington, County, Grainger County, and Greene County. 1st item: Colonel Francis A. Ramsey signed document commanding the coroner of Grainger County, TN to take the body of James Conn to the judges at the Superior Court in Knoxville, Hamilton District, TN, with the transcript of a case between Conn and Eliza Wilson, dated March 4, 1808. Biography: Francis Alexander Ramsey was born in Pennsylvania in 1764 to Scotch-Irish parents, and moved to Greene County, Tennessee in 1783. That year, North Carolina (which controlled what is now East Tennessee) opened up Cherokee lands north of the French Broad to settlement, and Ramsey, James White, and several other explorers began making excursions into what is now the Knoxville area in search of new land. He was issued a grant for Swan Pond and its surrounding land in November 1786. Ramsey's rise to prominence in the failed State of Franklin (1784-1788) kept him occupied for the remainder of the decade, and it wasn't until 1792, after he had been appointed clerk for the newly formed Southwest Territory, that he decided to move to Swan Pond, which lay just outside the territory's new capital at Knoxville. London-trained architect Thomas Hope designed the house, and probably built it between 1795 and 1797. 2nd item: Washington County Sessions handwritten document witnessed by Major James Sevier, Clerk, and John A. Aiken, Solicitor, circa 1814-1815. Biography: A Revolutionary War soldier at the age of 16, James Sevier fought at the Battle of Kings Mountain under his father Col. John Sevier, first governor of Tennessee. James Sevier served as Clerk of the Washington County, Tennessee Court for forty-six years; one (1) document witnessed by Valentine Sevier, clerk, Greene County, April 8, 1818. Biography: Valentine Sevier (1780-1854) was the son of Captain Robert Sevier, nephew of General John Sevier. He was a Circuit County Clerk of Greene County for about fifty years. He was buried in Old Harmony Graveyard, Greeneville, Greene County, Tennessee. (source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20574894/valentine-sevier). 3rd item: document pertaining to a November 10, 1784 complaint against Colonel Stockley Donelson (1752-1805), brother of Rachel Donelson (wife of President Andrew Jackson), and Archibald Taylor, signed by Jonathan Langdon and John Carter, Washington District, circa March 18, 1802. Lot also includes approximately seventeen (17) documents handwritten and/or witnessed by Peter Parsons, Clerk, Jonesborough, Washington County, dated circa 1812-1818; approximately seven (7) documents handwritten and/or witnessed by James V. Anderson, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Jonesborough, Washington County, dated circa 1812-1821; one (1) transcript of a case between Charles Grayham and George Click vs. Ira Green, Washington County, handwritten and witnessed by John Blair, Attorney, John Patton, Justice of the Peace, and others, circa 1813-1817; (2) documents handwritten and/or witnessed by John Kennedy, attorney, dated circa 1815-1817; approximately sixteen (16) documents handwritten and/or witnessed by Dicks Alexander, Clerk and Master of the Court, Rogersville, Hawkins County, dated circa 1809-1852; and one (1) undated document addressed to "the good people of Grainger Jefferson & Hawkins County" pertaining to several crimes that were committed by William Rayl, his sons, and associates for several years, including "...Burning houses and stables stabing[sic] maiming killing & poisoning stock in a most cruel manner all of which was done in the night time when the honest citizens were a sleep..." The rest of the document continues to elaborate on the crimes and the restitution paid by some of the men who perpetrated the crimes, including F.W. Taylor and G.G. Taylor; and more. All housed in a three ring binder. Note: The first resident attorneys of prominence were John Kennedy, John A. Aiken, Peter Parsons and John Blair. Kennedy came to Jonesborough from Pennsylvania soon after Tennessee was admitted as a State, and continued to live in the town until the Ocoee purchase was made in 1836. He was then appointed one of the deputy surveyors of that district, and moved to Bradley County. Peter Parsons was the brother of Enoch Parsons, who was a candidate for governor in 1819. He was a resident of Jonesborough for several years and afterward removed to Alabama. John Blair came to the bar about 1812, and soon gained a high reputation as a sound lawyer and an honest man. In 1823 he defeated John Rhea for Congress, and for twelve consecutive years thereafter he held a seat in that body. After his retirement from office he engaged in merchandising, and also kept a hotel, which now forms part of the Washington House. Aiken was admitted to the bar about 1810, and practiced at Jonesboro until his death with the exception of a few years when he resided at Maryville. Among the other attorneys resident at Jonesboro in 1833, were James V. Anderson. He was the first named clerk of the circuit court, and was not actively engaged in the practice of law. Mark T. Anderson, his son, died soon after coming to the bar. (source: http://sites.rootsweb.com/~tncjones/goodspeed.htm). Provenance: Estate of Anne Harrison Taylor & Joseph F. Taylor, Morristown, TN.

Overall good condition with toning/acid burn, foxing spots, areas of dampstaining, tears, to be expected from age. Signatures in overall good, legible condition. One land grant with modern paper backing.