Trial of Tom (slave of Caty Whitehead estate)

August 31, 1831 - Discharged

[p. 72] At a court of Oyer and Terminer summoned and held for the County of Southampton at the Courthouse on the 31st day of August 1831 for the trial of Daniel, a negro man slave the property of Richard Porter, Jack, the property of Everett Bryant, Moses, the property of Thomas Barrow, Tom, late the property of Caty Whitehead, Jack, late the property of Caty Whitehead, Andrew, late the property of Caty Whitehead, Davy, late the property of Elizabeth Turner, Stephen, the property of Thomas Ridley, and Curtis, the property of Thomas Ridley, charged with feloniously consulting, advising & conspiring with each other and divers other slaves to rebel and make insurrection and making insurrection and taking the lives of divers free white persons of this Commonwealth—

Present: Jeremiah Cobb, James D. Massenburg, Alexander P. Peete, James Trezvant and Orris A. Browne. Gent. Justices.

Meriwether B. Broadnax, attorney for the Commonwealth filed an information against the prisoners above mentioned [struck through: and the court doth appoint William C. Parker, Esq., Att. at Law to defend the prisoners.]

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[p.73] Tom late the property of Caty Whithead named in the said information was then set to the bar in custody of the Jailor of this Court and being arraigned of the premises pleaded not guilty to the information and James S. French Esq. Attorney at Law is by the Court appointed to defend the prisoner. And thereupon the Court after hearing the testimony are of opinion and doth accordingly order that the said Tom be discharged from further prosecution for this said supposed offence.

Court Minute Book, Southampton County, Virginia, 1830-1835: