Description:

Texas Merchant Initiates Lawsuit in Another County to Recover Two Slaves

This affidavit by merchant Jesse O. Wheeler asserts that two slaves seized by Gonzales County Sheriff Augustus D. Harris to satisfy a judgment in favor of William Wooten against William Means and W. D. Smith actually belonged to him. Wheeler described the slaves, and he tendered a bond to institute a suit in Gonzales County for the return of his slaves.

[SLAVERY.] Manuscript Document, Copy of Affidavit by Jesse O. Wheeler, April 1, 1858, Victoria County, Texas. 1 p., 6.5" x 13". Expected folds; trimmed tightly at top; very good.

Complete Transcript
The State of Texas / Gonzales County
For District court of Gonzales County, Spring term AD 1858
    I, J O Wheeler a resident citizen of Victoria County in said state claim the two negroes, to wit, a negro boy named Edmond aged twenty years of yellow complexion, and the negro boy named Gus of yellow complexion and aged about Twenty four years, which on the 6th day of March 1858 were levied on by A D Harris sheriff of Gonzales county Texas by virtue of an execution in favor of William Wootten against William Means and W D Smith and their sureties R H Bass, H Askey, S H Darden & H W Branch, issued by J E Nicholson Clerk of the District court of Gonzales County on the 4th day of March AD 1858, and this claim is made in good faith and he herewith tenders bond and sureties according to Law for the purpose of trial of right of property. The residence of the said Wm Wootten is Gonzales county, and the statements made herein are true
                                                                        J O Wheeler
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 1st April 1858
                                                                        J C G Key J.P.
(Endorsed)
    I, A. D. Harris Shff of Gonzales County appraise the said Negroes at the sum of Two Thousand Two Hundred Dollars April 1st 1858
                                                                        A D Harris Shff G C
Filed 1st April 1858 J. E. Nicholson Clerk

Jesse Obadiah Wheeler (1815-1867) was born in Vermont. In 1842, he married Mary K. Hardy in Texas, and they had at least four children. In 1850, he was a merchant in Victoria, Texas. By 1860, he owned $50,000 in real estate and $168,000 in personal property, including 28 slaves. In 1862, he married Indiana King (1846-1879). He died in Nice, France.

William Wooten (1797-1883) was born in Virginia. In 1827, he married Harriet F. Scates (1804-1855) in Kentucky, and they had at least eleven children. In 1850, he was a farmer in Christian County, Kentucky. In 1860, he was a farmer in Gonzales County, Texas, where he owned $1,000 in real estate and five slaves. He later returned to Kentucky, where he died in 1883.

Augustus D. Harris (1826-1862) was born in Mississippi. He served as sheriff of Gonzales County, Texas, from 1856 to 1860. In 1860, he owned ten slaves. During the Civil War, he joined Terry's Regiment of Texas Rangers as a 2nd lieutenant, received a promotion to captain, and was killed the next day in May 1862, one month after the Battle of Shiloh and during the early stages of the Siege of Corinth.

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