1866 Mississippi Court Document Regarding Destroyed Cotton
Offered for your consideration is a manuscript Mississippi court document regarding the loss of property while he was serving in the military during the American Civil War. Addressed “To the Honorable Probate Court of Warren County Mississippi”, this piece states (in part) that “In obedience to an order directed to me I herewith furnish all the facts in the case in my power to furnish. Being subject to military duty and compelled to serve in that capacity from May 1st 1862 till May 1st 1865 it was impossible to attend to any Business of a private nature During which time There was burned by military order (78) Seventy Eight Bales Cotton Belonging to the estate also During the same time all the personal or moveable property Belonging to said estate together with my own were destroyed or carried off by the Federal army … There is not one dollars worth of personal property in my hands or anywhere else Belonging to said Estate, there is However Ten hundred and forty acres of Land Belonging to said Estate But Very much out of Repair nearly all Fencing either Burned or otherwise destroyed …”. It is signed at the conclusion “… Respectfully submitted / D M Legg Administrator of / Estate of B. F. Johnson Decd” and dated “January 2nd 1866”. An additional notation states that this was “Sworn to & subscribed in open court / This 2nd January 1866 J C Chappell clk”. The back of the document was blank, though it now bears a filing notation naming the parties involved, the date of filing, and location in the official records. Given the nature of the recently completed conflict, numerous documents of this type must have been produced and filed with the proper authorities. This being the case, the seller has encountered very few on the collector’s market, though whether the others were destroyed or are in courthouse files is not known. It is interesting that this particular petition is being filed by a former Confederate soldier, who states in the document, that he served in the military from May, 1862 through May, 1865. Sadly, the results of this petition are not known to the seller. It may be possible, with diligent research, to discover the true nature of the case. Good luck with the effort.
The presently offered document exhibits signs of period use and subsequent long-term storage. Toning is noted across the entire surface, imparting to the paper a beige to light tan appearance. This toning is somewhat darker at the edges and along the storage folds, particularly noticeable on the back (this would have been the outside when the document was folded for storage). The folds have weakened the paper somewhat, though no tears or separations appear to be present. The contrast is average, with all of the text being visible (though light in some areas). Measuring approximately 7½ x 12 inches, this document is an interesting reminder of the legal battles that followed the military engagements. Worthy of further research.
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Buy or Bid with Confidence – American Coins & Collectibles President Richie Self has worked 6 years as a paper money grader/authenticator. He has contributed to numerous reference books within the industry, as well as being a co-author of “The Comprehensive Catalog and History of Confederate Bonds, 2nd Edition” with Douglas B. Ball, Ph.D., Henry F. Simmons, M.D., Ph.D. and James R. Desabaye. Mr. Self is a life member of the American Numismatic Association, the Society of Paper Money Collectors, as well as numerous regional numismatic associations. He is an authorized submitter to NGC, PCGS, and PMG, a diamond founding member of Coin Dealers Helping Coin Dealers and a supporter of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. American Coins and Collectibles can be found at many of the state and local coin shows.