[per LaVelda Faull - The following abstracts were taken from several cases in the Civil Suits of Hopkins County, Kentucky Court Records located in loose record boxes on the 4th floor of the Hopkins County, Kentucky Court House in Madisonville.]
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Case File No. 645 - Covington VS. Laffoon - Filed 12 Sept. 1820
State of KY, Hopkins County
Richard Covington and Jane Ussury, his wife, formerly Jane Usury Garrett, by her attorney complain of William Laffoon ... of a plea that he render unto the plaintiffs a certain Negro man slave named Silas of great value to wit of the value of 1000 which he unjustly detains from them for this the said Plaintiffs heretofore to with on the 1st Jan 1818 at the State of Circuit aforesaid was lawfully possessed of a certain Negro man named Silas ... they the said plaintiffs afterwards casually lost the said Negro man slave out of their possession ... and the same afterwards to wit on the 1st March 1818 at the state and circuit aforesaid came into the possession of the said Defendant by finding ... the said Defendant well knowing that said Negro man slave to be the property of them the plaintiffs. ... (said deft) had not yet delivered the said Negro man Silas to the Plaintiffs ... but hath theretofore wholly refused to do so. ...
To Sheriff of Hopkins Co., KY: You are ... commanded to take William Laffoon ... and him safely keep ... till 1st Sept. Term next to answer Richard Covington and wife. ...
I, John B. LAFFOON, do hereby acknowledge myself official bail for the within named Laffoon ... 12 July 1820.
To Sheriff of Hopkins Co., KY: You are ... ordered to summon Daniel Fox, Jr. to appear in behalf of William Laffoon ... 24 Jan 1824.
To the Sheriff of Hopkins Co., KY: You are ... ordered to summon on behalf of William Laffoon... Travis N. Hill, John Laffoon, Howard Fendley, and Daniel Fox, Jr. (for William Ray) ... 1st March Term next. Dated 24 Nov 1820.
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Case No. 784 - Covington et eux VS Laffoon
Depos. Sundry Witnesses
01 Apr 1793 - John Callahan of Lunenburg Co., VA to Jane Usery Garrett, Bk L. for and in consideration of natural love and affection ... to my well-beloved granddaughter of said county and state ... assign a certain Negro woman slave named Milly and her Increase ...
John (X) his mark Calahan
Wit: John (his mark) Usary, Ambrose Gresham.
Edgefield District, South Carolina
Deposition of John Garrett, Fanny Garrett, Joseph Taylor, Robert Garrett, John Moore and Jane Usary his wife, in an action now pending in Hopkins County, Kentucky Circuit Court, Richard Covington and Jane Usary, his wife, Plaintiffs against William Laffoon, defendant.
26 Jun 1821: Deposition of John Garrett taken at home of Charles Hammond, Esq., Edgefield District, SC
... 26 July 1821 ... that he knows the Negro woman Milly and her children and that the Negro man Silas is the child of Milly ... Silas was forcibly taken from his possession by on Abner West, about the year 1808 and he was traded by the said West to said Laffoon, the defendant, now residing in the State of Kentucky, that he saw the said Silas boy a possession of William Laffoon and that the said Laffoon informed his that he gave two Negroes for the said boy Silas to the aforesaid Abner West.
26 Jul 1821, Edgefield District, SC.
Deposition of Fanny Garrett, wife of John Garrett at house of Charles Hammond, Esq.
... that her husband John never had but one Negro woman named Milly and that said Milly had a boy named Silas. John Garrett carried him (Silas) to Pendleton District, South Carolina, that Silas was about 10 year of age when he was taken from the possession of her husband ... her daughter Jane now wife of Richard Covington was about 18 or 19 years when Abner West took the said boy Silas and ran him off to the State of Kentucky. ...
23 Jul 1821, Edgefield District, SC.
Deposition of Joseph Taylor taken at the house of Charles Hammond, Esquire.
... In the year 1808 or 1809, he hired of Jane Ussery Garrett a Negro woman named Milly for 30 ____ for ten months which was paid in hand and that after a short time she was taken by the sheriff of Edgefield District, SC., and sold as the property of John Garrett and bought by John Moore, a suit was brought by the Plaintiff in this case against Moore and this deponent was duly subpoenaed in this case, but was settled by Moore's delivery to the plaintiff in this case the wench Milly which he believes in now in the possession of the plaintiff in this case. Signed Josiah Taylor [not Joseph Taylor???]
26 Jul 1821, Edgefield District, SC.
Deposition of Robert Garrett
... his father John Garrett ... had Milly who had boy Silas ... carried by his father to Pendleton District about 1808. This deponent further saith that he always understood that he said woman Milly was given by John Callahan to his granddaughter Jane, wife of Richard Covington.
26 Jul 1821 Edgefield District, SC.
Deposition of Robert Cason. He performed the marriage of Richard Covington to Jane Usary, 9 Dec 1814.
26 Jul 1821 Edgefield District, SC.
Deposition of John Moore taken at the house of Charles Hammond, Esquire
... that he knew Milly and her boy named Silas ... That he never saw the said boy after Mr. John Garrett a witness for this case carried him to Pendleton Dist, SC., that he purchased the said Milly about the year 1809 at Sheriff's sale at Edgefield Court House and had her in his possession until 1817 when an action was commenced by the Plaintiff in this case for the recovery of said Milly and from the advice of his attorneys, delivered the rightful property of Richard Covington.
To Sheriff of Hopkins Co., Ky ...
Summon Susan Wilson to appear at the 1st Sept term next.
Summon John Malin to appear first Sept. next.
Summon Travis N. Hill, John B. Laffoon, Howard Fenley, Gideon Eason, William Rhea, Daniel Fox, Jr. and Daniel Wilson on behalf of Laffoon's executors.
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Hopkins County, Ky. Civil Orders Book 3 (1818-1822):370.
13 Mar 1822 - Richard Covington and Jane Usary his wife, Pitfs against William Laffoon, Defendant:
"This day came the plaintiffs by their attorney and suggested that the defendant has departed this life since the last term of this court and the further proceedings herein are continued until the next Term. Declaration filed 14 June 1821."
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Hopkins County, Ky. Civil Orders Book 3 (1818-1822):387.
11 Jun 1822 - Richard Covington and wife against William Laffoon
"This day came the plaintiffs aforesaid by their attorney and on their motion a sciro facias hereon is awarded them for the purpose of reviving the suit against Rutherford Laffoon and John B. Laffoon, executors of the last will and testament of the Deft. William Laffoon ... directed to the Sheriff of Hopkins Co. ... continued until next Term."
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Hopkins County, Ky. Civil Orders Book 3 (1818-1822):417.
10 Sep 1822 - Richard Covington & wife against William Laffoon
"This day came the parties aforesaid by their attorneys and on the motion of the plaintiffs by their attorney dedimus is awarded them for the examination of John Garrett, Fanny Garrett, Maurice Callahan , Joseph Taylor, Charles Hammond, Robert Garrett, John Moore, and Robert Cason of Edgefield District, SC. and of John Ussary of Jones Co., State of Georgia witnesses for them in this suit - and on the motion of the defendants by their attorneys dedimus are awarded them for the examination of M. Minns, Pious Morgan of Edgefield District, SC., of witnesses for them in this suit. ... On the motion of the defendants, it appearing to the court that the plaintiffs are not residents of this Commonwealth, it is hereby ordered that unless the Plaintiffs give security for the payment of the costs herein on or before the first day of the next term of this court, that this action will for the case the dismissed."
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Hopkins County, Ky. Civil Orders Book 4:13.
12 Mar 1823 - Richard Covington and Jane Ussury his wife formerly Jane Usury Garrett vs Rutherford Laffoon and John B. Laffoon, executors of William Laffoon.
"This day came the defendants by their attorneys the plaintiffs having been ruled to give security for the costs herein and failing to do so, on the motion of the defts, therefore, by their attorney, it is ordered that his suit is hereby dismissed and the defendants recover against the plaintiffs 150 lbs of tobacco the damages imposed by the law in case. ..."
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Hopkins Co., KY. Deed Book 5:199-200.
04 Mar 1828 - "... Whereas Howard Finley did on the 12th February 1822 become the security for Abner West to the executors of William Laffoon due to secure the executors from any damage which might occur in a suit or suits about a certain Negro man which said West and sold to said Laffoon in he lifetime and said Negro being claimed by Richard Covington in the penal sum of 1500 and whereas said West is desirous to indemnify said Finely against all risk on account of the securityship aforesaid, he said West doth for and in consideration of the premises some for the further consideration of the sum of 1.00 ... said West hath granted, bargained, sold and conveyed unto the said Finley ... 2 tracts of land ... water of Cany Fork and Tradewater ... one tract of 81 1/4 acres ... on tract of 100 acres ... on Alexander Miller's line ... also 3 head of horses, one a yellow bay mare about 7 years old, a sorrel mare, 4 years old, a black or brown horse, 4 years old, 16 head of cattle and 500 bushels of corn. ..."
Abner (X his mark) West
