The Honorable the General Assembly of The State of Tennessee now in Session

Your petitioner Benjamin BRATCHER a Citizen of Campbell County Humbly prays that your honourable Body would pass a law for his benefit saying that a certain instrument of writing that he is in possession of given to him by his father John BRATCHER in November 20th 1803 in the State of Virginia a few days previous to their removal from that State to the State of Tennessee may be recorded which said Instrument is in these words (towit) This is to certify that in November 20th 1803 in the State of Virginia a few days previous to their removal from that State to the State of Tennessee may be recorded which said Instrument is in these words (towit) This is to certify that in September 1803 in consequence of some difficulty that took place about my Son Benjamin BRATCHERS marriage with Betsey FORD her friends were opposed to the match and threatened that she should not have any part of her fathers Estate if she did marry him And I promised both him & her that if they would marry there and would move with me to the State of Tennessee I would give them my Negro woman CLOE and her increase except one Girl called AGGY and as I had lost my wife I agreed if Benjamin would let her remain in my possession while I lived unless I moved from him (in which case he was to take the possession himself) I would allow him the sum of twenty five dollars per year for her services in good trade and at my death Benjimim to take her and her increase Give under my hand and Seal Novb. 20th 1803. Signed John BRATCHER & Witnessed by John BANDY & Wm SIMMONS both Witnesses are long since dead I am able to prove by living testimony that my father told he had given such an instrument of writing Yet when on his death bed fraudulently gave a bill of sale of this said woman and her children to an Eddie BOOTHER? and your Petitioner is without any relief unless the interposition of the Legislature therefore as in duty bound will every pray

&C Benjamin BRATCHER
October 17, 1825

[Written on outside of petition: "Unreasonable"]

Petition of Benj. BRATCHER, 1825 submitted to Campbell County Historical Society Newsletter by Paul W. Lemasters. This petition can be found on the microfilm, "Legislative Petitions," Roll 9, 1825 Folder 6 18-1825-1.

Note:  The newsletter copy of this petition was found in the Calvin M. MClung Historical Collection in Knoxville by Joyce Henry.